Rupert Murdoch: for whom the net tolls

News Type: Opinion — Seeded on Tue Nov 10, 2009 3:02 PM EST

Article Source: Guardian Unlimited

technology, internet, google, rupert-murdoch, news-corp, fair-use

Rupert Murdoch wants to remake the web as a toll both, with him in the collector's seat, but the net won't shift to his will.

Just what, exactly, is Rupert Murdoch thinking? First, he announces that all of News Corp's websites will erect paywalls like the one employed by the Wall Street Journal (however, Rupert managed to get the details of the WSJ's wall wrong – no matter, he's a "big picture" guy). Then, he announced that Google and other search engines were "plagiarists" who "rip off" Newscorp's content, and that once the paywalls are up (a date that keeps slipping farther into the future, almost as though the best IT people work for someone who's not Rupert "I Hate the Net" Murdoch!) he'll be blocking Google and the other "parasites" from his sites, making all of News Corp's properties invisible to search engines. Then, as a kind of loonie cherry atop a banana split with extra crazy sauce, Rupert announces that "fair use is illegal" and he'll be abolishing it shortly.

What is he thinking? We'll never know, of course, but I have a theory.

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{"commentId":10599795,"authorDomain":"carloz"}

Carloz

That's my theory: Rupert isn't a technophobic loon who will send his media empire to the bottom of the ocean while waging war on search engines. Instead, he's an out-of-touch moustache-twirler who's set his sights on remaking the web as a toll booth (with him in the collector's seat), and his plan hinges on a touchingly naive approach to geopolitics.

Either way, old Rupert shows signs of degenerating into a colourful Howard Hughes figure in a housecoat, demanding that reality shift to his will.

{"commentId":10599795,"threadId":"721138","contentId":"3486364","authorDomain":"carloz"}

4 votes

#1 - Tue Nov 10, 2009 3:03 PM EST

{"commentId":10602018,"authorDomain":"british-lassy333"}

Britlassy

Either way, old Rupert shows signs of degenerating into a colourful Howard Hughes figure in a housecoat, demanding that reality shift to his will.

lmao..... Picturing ole Rupert's Wattle encased in a chenille robe, pink Fluffy slippers and shower cap...... takes the bite out of his demeanor.

{"commentId":10602018,"threadId":"721138","contentId":"3486364","authorDomain":"british-lassy333"}

2 votes

#2 - Tue Nov 10, 2009 4:23 PM EST

{"commentId":10603210,"authorDomain":"carloz"}

Carloz

Picturing ole Rupert's Wattle encased in a chenille robe, pink Fluffy slippers and shower cap......

ROFL!!

{"commentId":10603210,"threadId":"721138","contentId":"3486364","authorDomain":"carloz"}

1 vote

#2.1 - Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:09 PM EST

{"commentId":10603529,"authorDomain":"eriqalan"}

eriq samson

And this surprises you' How?

Have you watched Fox news? Who would PAY for that?

{"commentId":10603529,"threadId":"721138","contentId":"3486364","authorDomain":"eriqalan"}

3 votes

#3 - Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:23 PM EST

{"commentId":10604613,"authorDomain":"CarlZup"}

CarlZup

In the end the worms will get a free lunch and all his money can't change that.

{"commentId":10604613,"threadId":"721138","contentId":"3486364","authorDomain":"CarlZup"}

3 votes

#4 - Tue Nov 10, 2009 6:14 PM EST

{"commentId":10634114,"authorDomain":"lomaidilo"}

lomaidiloDeleted

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CARLOZ

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Rupert Murdoch: for whom the net tolls

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