Each time you purchase an album or single track music download from an authorized content provider (ie, iTunes, Amazon, Google Play Store, etc..), your purchase is added to a tally tracker which can combine your purchases amongst the various content stores if you have accounts under the same name, email address, and credit card. Once your purchases total a certain amount (say, $50.00, but the amount can be determined by folks other than I), you receive in the mail a 'Legit Downloader' badge of honor. This badge of honor is in the form of those pin-on buttons they give out at political campaign rallies. Under the laminated face of the badge is an anti-forgery holograph like they put on government-issued ID cards and a barcode which contains your account info.
The badge entitles you to a 25% discount off the purchase price of 3 concert tickets and 10 single-track downloads (or two album downloads, or 5 single tracks and one album). These tickets can all be bought for the same concert (ie, bringing 2 friends along), or used at 3 separate concerts. At the concert, the barcode is scanned for the amount of tickets purchased. Perhaps special, only-available-by-mail album CDs with write-protection software can be sent as an additional/alternative incentive depending on the content provider or music label.
Basically the idea is to combat the 'Piracy = cool' shirts that illegal downloaders wear with a set of wearable pin-on badges, one badge for every X amount you spend on legitimate music downloads.-- 21 Quest, Jul 28 2012 This is what I meant http://www.halfbake...legal_20Downloaderssaid [The Alterother] [Alterother, Jul 28 2012] The phrase "up one side and down the other" comes to mind at this juncture...-- Alterother, Jul 28 2012 ^ I have no idea what that means but I'm sure I agree with the sentiment.-- FlyingToaster, Jul 28 2012 Normally, it just means 'really thorough'.-- 21 Quest, Jul 28 2012 Actually, I was referring to a post from earlier this week proposing the belittlement of illegal downloaders <link>, and now this one offering up a nice shiny reward to those who play by the rules.-- Alterother, Jul 28 2012 My plan would be to implement this in lieu of the Psy Ops idea, rather than in addition to (positive vs negative reinforcement *is* a powerful form of psychological warfare). Of course, I leave that up to the music industry and/or lawmakers, and it is not a precondition for implementing my idea. Incentivizing legitimate purchasing with an exclusive member's only badge that signifies considerable group benefits you're getting (benefits that the pirates are *not* getting) almost certainly will not stop all illegal downloading. After all, some folks really can't afford it. However, it would encourage those who can afford it to be more willing to spend their hard-earned money at least some of the time, knowing they'll get something out of it which they cannot get by downloading for free.-- 21 Quest, Jul 28 2012 Would these shirts be seen as cool or as completely mama's-boy dorky by those that define 'cool?'-- RayfordSteele, Jul 28 2012 Indeed, [Ray]. I was just reaching for the annotate button when I saw that you had already plucked from the air the “d”-word that had been hovering noisily about.-- ytk, Jul 29 2012 I just downloaded my 'Legit Downloader badge of honor' off the pirate bay. Looks nice.-- not_morrison_rm, Jul 31 2012 This would be like wearing clothing with product logos on it - without getting any endorsement money. Oh, we're doing that already...-- normzone, Jul 31 2012 @ morrison, you downloaded and printed a holographic image? What kind of printer do you have that can do that, hm?-- 21 Quest, Jul 31 2012 I don't know which is more dorky - downloading legally or illegally. Anyone who's got time to sit downloading for hours and wear any kind of t-shirt/pin on the subject is a dork by default.-- Phrontistery, Jul 31 2012 No need to sit at the comp for hours... queue up a few downloads, and walk away.-- 21 Quest, Jul 31 2012 But they don't walk away.-- Phrontistery, Jul 31 2012 //What kind of printer do you have that can do that, hm?
It's so good I accidentally printed myself again last week. Now we just argue about who's going to take out the rubbish, so it does have its downsides.-- not_morrison_rm, Aug 02 2012 You could wear it proudly in public; so I could laugh at you!-- WcW, Aug 04 2012 random, halfbakery