UK P2P user? Hope you like US prison food (The RIAA can now sue for $30,000 PER SONG!!!)

ZDNet ^ | 6/11/08 | Rupert Goodwins

[allmost]

H.R.4279

[driftdiver]

I stay away from file sharing strictly for security reasons.

I also refuse to buy CDs because of this crap. To he%% with the music industry.

[INVAR]

So, the Leftists in Congress scream bloody murder against the government having power to snoop international phone calls and to detect Jihad terrorists plotting to kill Americans, but they are all for empowering themselves to snoop on all of your internet surfing to detect any music you happen to have on your computer.

Tyranny of the absurd.

[Gorzaloon]

Since I do not do commercial music, I should not get cranked up about this at all, but this has such a foul odor to it, as does anything related to the RIAA, that the first thing that should happen is that these people should have their bank accounts audited:

Sponsor: Rep. John Conyers [D-MI]

Status: Passed House (Bipartisan support

[Abby4116]

I am, perhaps, naive, but is it now illegal for one to put an audio tape in their tape deck and record from the radio? Thinking back to the days when boom boxes were all the rage, dual cassette deck (for dubbing), and wondering if now it is illegal to use one.

Thanks.

[Prole]

I also asked that question on another board.

When I was a kid, I had a friend who kept a blank audio cassette in his tape-deck all the time in case one of his favorite songs came on the radio.

When the DJ announced the next tune in the line-up, he would hit the "record" button immediately.

Behavior like that would probably get him thrown into a jail cell with today's RIAA absurdities.

[LibWhacker]

I was just a little kid, but I remember back in the 50s when tape recorders first started taking off in popularity, there was a HUGE fight in the courts over it at the time.

I was under the impression that the recording studios had lost big. Therefore, afterwards everyone used tape for decades with complete impunity.

But they’re baaaaaaaaaaaaack, big time. Wouldn’t be surprised to see that earlier decision revisted before this is over.

[iowamark]

The entertainment industry has huge political power. As a practical matter, how many music sharers can be prosecuted is questionable.

[thundrey]

It’s outrageous that a foreign country should be able to extradite a British national for something that is perfectly legal in the UK.
Well, I suppose it’s also outrageous that Americans are also subject to British libel law for anything they publish on the web, even when no British party is involved.

Seems like national boundaries are becoming almost irrelevent when foreign justice systems can claim juristiction over anyone anytime and anywhere.......

[KoRn]

Funny, when I have to ping both of you guys, It’s always bad news....

[NoDemocrat]

And the RIAA and MPAA jump up and down with glee.

The notion that a single infringement of one song is worth damages amounting to $30,000 is preposterous. What an absurd proposition.

Thanks democrats (and nearly as worthless republicans).

[Lets Roll NOW]

They can start by going after every Chinese hacker that violate every copyright known to man. If they don’t they should not be allowed to go after any American. And who gets this $30,000 dollar fine? The artists, the record industry, or the government. My guess is the Congress-critters. The artists can starve but the gov will get thier pound of flesh. I hereby remove my consent to be governed by these criminals.

[SaveTheChief]

Over in the US, a bill has passed the House of Representatives and is heading to Congress –

Is the House of Representatives for some reason no longer part of Congress?

[ShadowAce]

[Golden Eagle]

If you don’t pirate music you won’t have anything to worry about.

[Golden Eagle]

You can still make a copy of something that’s being broadcast on public radio frequencies for your own personal use. Just don’t put that copy out on the internet for others to make infinite free copies of it.

[sionnsar]

This sounds it's part of the deal: Canada: We'll search your iPod for infringing media

So not only can Canada take away your MP3 player and fine you, they can send you back to the U.S. for prosecution.

[sionnsar]

If you don’t pirate music you won’t have anything to worry about

Sort of like those guys at Duke? If you don't commit rape you don't have anything to worry about.

Nifong's just a figment of folks' imagination.

[Clint Williams]

Seems like national boundaries are becoming almost irrelevent when foreign justice systems can claim juristiction over anyone anytime and anywhere.......

And the local jurisdiction complies.

I've been reading in the paper that some folks can no longer go to Canada because of crimes (like a DUI conviction) decades ago. Well, okay, Canada has the right and I do not dispute that but I wonder? How did Canada get the ability to check on entering U.S. citizens' backgrounds?

It can only be because the feds GAVE that information to Canada in order for it to be used against Americans who have presumably completed their penalty.

There's something else going on here I can't completely characterize but which so far I don't like. The country's government is working hand-in-hand with other governments against its own subj... er, citizens.

Heads' up, folks. I don't think this is the end, I suspect it's only the beginning. Of what, I don't know yet.

YMMV