crimewire

http://www.lwk.dk/RSA_Brief/Crimewire_content.html
(from: http://www.lwk.dk )
Context
The RSA design directions set this brief 'Re-designing states of mind'
and the design challenge was to find, define and communicate a social
or economic 'contradictory behavior or practice', then design a service
that helps us engage, re-configure, manage and live with this
contradiction.

Technology today enables us to share files very easy - but illegal -
over computer networks. The project CrimeWire aims to reflect upon the
important consequences of these possibilities in a creative and
inspiring way.

Aims and objectives

CrimeWire is developed as a response to the growing number of illegal
music downloads that happens via peer-to-peer software. Especially it
aims to deal with the strong contradictory behavior that:

We want to support the music artists - yet we download music without
paying.
We know its illegal - but it is not "really" a crime.

CrimeWire is about re-designing states of mind by designing a service
that helps us engage, re-configure, manage and live with these
contradictions. Therefore CrimeWire does not aim to solve this complex
and controversial problem of illegally downloading MP3s but instead put
focus on it and actively provide different angles (not only those
against downloading) to open up a space for reflection in the file
sharer's mind. CrimeWire is about altering the experience of using
peer-to-peer software.


Description

The service I propose takes form as a "skin" for the existing
peer-to-peer software LimeWire. The new service called CrimeWire is
distributed like LimeWire's other available skins ready to download
from the LimeWire website. The new design is in the details. Using
metaphors from the criminal world the new skin CrimeWire renames the
buttons in the interface and thereby it provides a whole new perception
and experience of using the peer-to-peer software.

The consequence is that you will now hit a 'steal' button instead of
"download", be asked to "select crime" instead of "select file" and so
forth. You can perform all the normal functions of LimeWire plus a few
extra, but CrimeWire constantly reminds you what it is you are doing.