Single mom overwhelmed by recording industry suit

Silicon Valley.com via Drudge ^ | Wed, May. 26, 2004 | LESLIE BROOKS SUZUKAMO

[2banana]

I thought the law doesn't matter anymore in California. Anyone can ignore it if they think it is "not constitutional" or doesn't agree with their social agenda. Someone call the mayor of San Fran for some legal advice...

[Choose Ye This Day]

I stopped buying CDs when they started selling for $17 or $18 bucks a pop. I'd like two or 3 songs, and I was out nearly $20. Doesn't it cost the record label something like 20 cents to produce the disc itself, maybe another $1 in packaging? Sell the darn CD for 10 bucks, and I muight buy it. Why not give the artist, say, $2 in royalties, and the label makes $6.80 in profit (before any other promotion they pay for). That seems fair.

If they want us to buy the CDs, they need to price them fairly.

[EGPWS]

But her 15-year-old daughter, Cassandra, does. And what Cassandra may have done, like millions of other teenagers and adults around the world, landed Lafky in legal hot water this week that could cost her thousands of dollars.

Lest we forget parents ARE responsible for their children, unless of course it may interfere with the indoctrination to the liberal doctrine, then they are powerless and overwhelmed by the states laws.

[weegee]

The industry was already caught price fixing but they settled out of court to avoid a guilty conviction.

If the daughter committed the crime, why is the industry going after the mother?

Are the parents of the Columbine killers being jailed for the murders committed by their sons?

[TopDog2]

I use Music Match for my downloads. It's pretty good, and allows you to sample the music (30 seconds) before you buy, but at least half the time, the artist I want to buy from isn't available there. I checked out iTunes and it has the same problem. Come on RIAA!! Give us every song on these services and we'll buy them, but don't limit the artists available and then cry that you are losing money.

BTW, I don't DL the music illegally if I can't buy it, but I don't buy the CD either.

[BrynS728]

The problem I have with this is that it appears they are selectively enforcing this - trying to set someone up as "an example" for the others. Really, when these websites are all over the net, kids flock to them - they don't realize it's illegal. Even my parents (in their 70's) burned a few cds from these sites before they found it was illegal and stopped.

If they want to prosecute, they should focus on those people who burn zillions of cds and turn around and sell them at flea markets and such.

As far as this woman, if it were me, I would just stand my ground. They can't get blood from a turnip. A smart attorney will go where the money is, not waste time suing someone who has no means to pay.

[jjm2111]

I use the 'sharing' services to try before I buy (and sometimes to find new artists). I don't mind paying for content, but I hate spending $18 for a cd w/ one good song.

The RIAA wants its cake and to eat it too. They want a perfectly docile public that will buy whatever tripe is pushed on them in large numbers.

[TommyDale]

"If they want us to buy the CDs, they need to price them fairly."

Better yet -- If they want us to buy the CDs, put some decent material on them! Not all of us like Rap, Hip-Hop, Metal, Madonna or the other garbage. What ever happened to music? You know, that artistic combination of melody, harmony and lyrics that actually comprised something meaningful.

[bvw]

They are such compassionate, kind, gentleman who only make the world a better place.

[jjm2111]

The lady should send the RIAA attorney a letter saying that her daughter will cease and desist downloading music and will delete any content that is copywrighted and not previously purchased (i.e. - you buy a CD and then download a the song you already own). Like you said, you can't get blood from a turnip.

[kevkrom]

I've used iTunes via the Pepsi promotion, and I like the setup. $1 a song (ok, 99 cents) is pretty reasonable, especially since you can pick and choose which songs you want, and not the entire album.

The service lets you preview 30 seconds of a track for free, so you're not buying completely unheard stuff.

[anoldafvet]

It's still there, it's called "Country" and "Gospel".

[Chewbacca]

One question:

Is it illegal to go to the local library and borrow a book on CD and make a copy of it to listen to at home?

I was just wondering since a book on CD was paid for using my tax money and support of the local public library.

[rintense]

Well, the record company has to recoop the money it lost in the class action suit (that I joined) by falsely inflating CD prices for the past 10 years. Since their introduction, labels are still charging the same price- if not more.

[Xenalyte]

Lafky says she doesn't download free music. Her daughter did last year when she was 14, but neither of them knew it was illegal because all of Cassandra's friends at school were doing it.

By this logic, I could change "download free music" to "smoke pot" or "vandalize tombstones" or "wear clothes that show my undergarments." I mean, if all Cassandra's school friends are doing it, it MUST be okay.

[kjam22]

It would be interesting to know how many songs her daughter has downloaded..... and shared with friends.

[TBarnett34]

Anyone else notice how similar the RIAA is to Sen. Lurch F'ing Kerry?

[Feiny]

I LOVE MusicMatch.

[AppyPappy]

If the child downloaded smutty music, couldn't the mother sue the record company for distributing it to kids?