Copyright and piracy are such hugely difficult issues. Does piracy deprive artists of a living, or does it actually promote their work? What is an acceptable copy, what is an illegal copy? Round and round and round it goes.

In the recent kerfuffle over Lily Allen's anti-piracy outburst, the backlash revealed that she breached copyright herself on her website in numerous places. More significantly, though, she just doesn't seem to be getting to grips with the issues involved, as pointed out by Cory Doctorow in a recent post on Boing Boing

Doctorow has written extensively on this subject, and has always come out strongly in favour of copying. I remember reading his angry outbursts against DRM and the like. In this article he is unusually reserved. He makes a good point: on both sides of the debate we struggle to understand what copying means, when it's acceptable or not, and the law is pretty fuzzy about it, too.

A law that no one understands and no one abides by is no law at all.

And in the confusion, it's easy for each party or individual to take the side that best suits them. My own feeling is that the file-sharers and the "copyfighters" make the best point. But I might be coming down on their side because sometimes I copy a CD from a friend, download a TV programme, etc. Some of the people producing the content oppose copying, as Lily Allen does, as it seems to deprive artists of revenue, harms the music biz, etc. Other artists support copying and sharing as they maintain this means widespread publicity which in turn leads to more sales. This is lovely and generous and forward-thinking of them, but it also ultimately hinges on their own best (financial) interests.

Perhaps if I strain my brain just a little more the whole blurry mess will swim into focus.

Oh, and on the subject of Lily Allen. I know her lyrics can be a bit ropy, with some cringe-worthy rhymes. But her recent song, 'Fuck You', a surprisingly perky anti-bigotry number, takes the freaking biscuit with the line 'You're just some racist, who can't tie my laces'. What does that even mean?