Two bits of news this week should cause consternation in the peer-to-peer development and initiation worlds.

First, California now has a bill wending its way through the law-making process which would require the developers of peer-to-peer and other file-swapping software to take “reasonable care” to ensure that their software cannot be used in the exchange of either copyrighted material, or child pornography.

Got that? If this law passes, the onus will be on the software developers to make sure that their product is not used for illegal purposes.

That’s a bit like requiring Ford and General Motors to make sure that nobody can run someone over with their car.

And exactly what the RIAA has attempted to get the Courts to buy into. And failed.

The other item isn’t even a “could happen”, it’s an “is happening right now”… [Continued…]