Recording Industry to Sue Internet Song Swappers

Reuters via Yahoo News ^ | 6/25/03 | Andy Sullivan

[marshmallow]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A recording-industry trade group said on Wednesday it plans to sue hundreds of individuals who illegally distribute copyrighted songs over the Internet, expanding its anti-piracy fight into millions of homes.

The Recording Industry Association of America (news - web sites) said it hopes to curb illegal song downloading by tracking down the heaviest users of popular "peer to peer" services like Kazaa and suing them for thousands of dollars in damages.

"We're going to begin taking names and preparing lawsuits against peer-to-peer network users who are illegally making available a substantial number of music files to millions of other computer users," RIAA President Cary Sherman said in a conference call.

The RIAA believes the popular peer-to-peer services, which allow users to copy music, movies and other files from each others' hard drives, are partly responsible for a decline in CD sales, and has aggressively sought to shut them down.

But until now the industry has shied away from directly suing users, opting instead to send them online warnings and clutter up the networks with dummy files.

Some advocates have argued the networks provide a harmless way for music fans to discover new artists, but Sherman and other music-industry figures likened them to shoplifters who steal groceries and other tangible goods.

A recent court ruling makes it easier to track down copyright violators through their Internet providers, and Sherman said investigators would begin to track down hundreds of users who make their digital-music collections available for copying. Lawsuits asking for statutory damages of $150,000 per count will likely be filed in six to eight weeks, he said.

The industry will not initially target those who do not allow others to copy their music collections, he said. Music fans who wish to avoid legal action should change the settings on their peer-to-peer software to block access to their hard drives, or uninstall the software completely, he said.

The RIAA has managed to shut down Napster (news - web sites) Inc., the first peer-to-peer service, and several successors. But the trade group suffered a setback last month when a judge ruled that two other networks, Grokster and Morpheus, should not be shut down because they do not control what is traded on their systems.

"The RIAA, in their infinite wisdom, has decided to not only alienate their own customers but attempt to drive them into bankruptcy through litigation. So therefore they probably won't be able to afford to buy any music even if they want to," said Grokster President Wayne Rosso, who added he does not support copyright infringement.

Four college students agreed last month to pay between $12,000 and $17,500 each after the RIAA sued them for allegedly operating illegal song-swapping networks on campus.

[w_over_w]

But the trade group suffered a setback last month when a judge ruled that two other networks, Grokster and Morpheus, should not be shut down because they do not control what is raded on their systems.

THATS RIGHT!! I've got all the "Captain & Taniel" songs ever recorded and you can't have them back. I've saved $4.97 (with Kalif. Tax $14.97) and will use these savings to hire a lawyer.

[Asclepius]

"We're going to begin taking names and preparing lawsuits against peer-to-peer network users who are illegally making available a substantial number of music files to millions of other computer users," RIAA President Cary Sherman said in a conference call.

Game on! I'll just recruit my own talent and set up my own studio system, production facilities, and distribution network. And I'll do it all for free! I'll show them!

Um, can someone talk me through getting started and stuff? I'm sort of new at this. And I want to keep my job at Starbucks at the same time. They have great benefits and you meet lots of chicks. I dig chicks. And free music.

[ARCADIA]

"We're going to begin taking names and preparing lawsuits against peer-to-peer network users who are illegally making available a substantial number of music files to millions of other computer users,"

...and we will put it on your permanent record. Whoppee frivolous lawsuits here we come.

[meadsjn]

The RIAA needs to get hip with Free Trade and globalism. I have no sympathy for them (or Hatch).

Sing it once; get paid once. After that it's public property.

[smadurski]

Yeah its all the evil downloaders that cause CD sales to decline. It has nothing to do with the slower economy and the crap they put out. When decent music is made I will gladly buy CDs again.

[MatthewViti]

bttt

[ServesURight]

RIAA is clinging to an obsolete economic model. These guys are like the dinosaurs thrashing and dying a slow death in the La Brea tar pits.

[El Conservador]

F*** RIAA!!!

I just hope they sue me, I'll make them cringe if they just dare, even if I have to ask the ACLU for help.

What in the world makes them think they have the right to charge ungodly sums of money for records, and on top of that, sue those to refuse to pay for their crappy music???

You better not f*** with me RIAAers, or you'll feel a Colombian-American foot up your fat a$$!!!

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

[BlkConserv]

Today's music SUCK. All the talented musicians are UNDERGROUND, on the INTERNET, playing at the local BARS, making their money LIVE. RIAA get out of the 8-track mindset and be like your consumers!! You people have your collected heads in the sand.

[ServesURight]

Today's music SUCK

Got that right, bro. The only CD that's worth listening to is, ironically, Metallica's St. Anger.

I say ironically because Metallica has their heads in the rear also when it comes to song downloading.

Too much hip-hop out there also. I enjoy hip-hop but today's hip-hop is all about money, cars, and singing hooks with R & B stars. Gone are the good-old days of battle rhymes and excellent inner-city commentary.

[Joe Bfstplk]

Looks like RIAA is taking a tip from DirecTV who has sent letters threatening suit to 100,000+ (their number) purchasers of equipment designed to support piracy.

The letter is extortionary. You can settle at their price, or pay an attorney about the same amount to contest the allegations.

You can thank the DMCA for setting the lawyers up another trough from which to feed. Makes bounty hunters of them, and a lose-lose proposition from whomever they attack.

[TommyDale]

The RIAA has become the "Music Nazis". The law entitles a person to download and exchange a fair amount. The only people who are in danger are those who upload and download in the Gigabytes. Who are they trying to fool? The average person who occasionally downloads a few songs is not in violation of anything.

[sharkhawk]

Who's gonna pay the singer? You and everyone else who wants to download for free?

[ffusco]

This will really create warm fuzzies for their potential customers.

[sharkhawk]

What in the world makes them think they have the right to charge ungodly sums of money

Property and copyright law. Jesus, reading these threads make me think I have stumbled into DU, I want something for nothing wah wah wah. If the music is so crappy, don't buy it or don't download it. If you feel you need to hear that song, the musician can charge you whatever he wants for it.

[Ben Bolt]

Its still an issue with respect to intellectual property rights . I wonder what they have in mind for sites like www.live365.com ?

This is a site where folks put together their favourite music . Just select the genre then click & play . Surely many people have made some downloads from this site .

[sharkhawk]

Yeah, their potential "customers". Who won't pay for it anyway, they want it for free.

[ffusco]

I bought a novel, read it and gave it to my buddy. He read it sold it for a dollar. Why is music different?