perfidy

They're idiots. They're idiots. They're my former colleagues. From the New York Times (free req req'd):

Some of the world's biggest record companies, facing rampant online piracy, are quietly financing the development and testing of software programs that would sabotage the computers and Internet connections of people who download pirated music, according to industry executives. . . .

. . . [Another] program, dubbed "freeze," locks up a computer system for a certain duration — minutes or possibly even hours — risking the loss of data that was unsaved if the computer is restarted. It also displays a warning about downloading pirated music. Another program under development, called "silence," scans a computer's hard drive for pirated music files and attempts to delete them. One of the executives briefed on the silence program said that it did not work properly and was being reworked because it was deleting legitimate music files, too.
Other approaches that are being tested include launching an attack on personal Internet connections, often called "interdiction," to prevent a person from using a network while attempting to download pirated music or offer it to others.

Ohhh, that's REAL SMART, cheeto. The industry only survives based on the goodwill and laziness of music fans. The major labels have been living on the edge for years, trying to balance their pit-bull business tactics with their need to not actually infuriate the average music listener.

Well, if they wanted to find the single, best, way to piss off every single music consumer in the United States, they've done it. I hope they go through with it. The same day that Jimmy and Timmy and Tammy and Mr. Lawyer's computers freeze up because their legitimately ripped copy of Purple Rain set off some massive knee-jerk retaliation is the day the record labels confront suicide face to face. I hope that day is tomorrow.

Orin Kerr at the Volokh Conspiracy has a much more reasoned and thoughtful post up, describing the many ways in which this plan is illegal. I suggest you read it. Orin Kerr is very smart where I am merely loquacious and vituperative.