Peer-to-Peer Video: The Economics, Policy, and Culture of Today's New Mass Medium

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networks are comprised of equal “nodes” that function as both clients and servers, as opposed to systems in which data and information are managed through centralized servers. The implications of this architecture go far beyond the technological realm; the ability of individuals to share digital content files, including audio and video material, in real time, facilitates communication and, at a deeper cultural level, promotes community without hierarchy or strict control....