The film examines the technological and cultural aspects of the copyright wars, and the cultural and economic implications of the internet. It includes an exploration of Mark Getty’s infamous statement that ‘intellectual property is the oil of the 21st century’.
It draws parallels between the impact of the printing press and the internet in terms of making information accessible beyond a privileged group or “controllers”. The argument is made that the decentralised nature of the internet makes the enforcement of conventional copyright impossible.
The internet turns consumers into producers, by way of consumer generated content, leading to the sharing, mashup and creation of content not motivated by financial gains. This has fundamental implications for market based media companies.
The documentary asks “How will society change” and states “This is the Future – And it has nothing to do with your bank balance“. (wiki)