Posted on 12/11/2002 10:27:24 AM PST by GeneD
Culminating a months-long probe by the Motion Picture Association of America, during which investigators purchased pirated movies online, the MPAA on Tuesday filed federal civil lawsuits against what it claimed were bootleg film operators in eight states. The lawsuits, charging copyright infringement, were the first aimed at sales of movies over the Internet, most of them allegedly conducted over the eBay auction website. Previous suits had been aimed at producers of illegally copied DVDs, VCDs, and videocassettes sold on the streets or by mail order. The BBC reported Tuesday that some 12,000 fake DVDs were sold on the auction site over the course of just one year.
No, I would never tell my friend that because I don't believe that it is either immoral or unethical to download music from a PTP network. If you believe that it is immoral or unethical then don't do it. I wouldn't say that downloading a song from a PTP network is illegal because I know of no statute or caselaw that definitely says that it is illegal so long as you are not sharing. (I will admit, though, that I consider a leech on a PTP network who doesn't share to be unethical.) But even if it is illegal it's up to the individual as to whether they let that stop them. Jaywalking is illegal too but I still do it.
There are over 6 million people logged on to a file sharing PTP network at any given time. As Microsoft recently advised the RIAA, there is no real way to stop this PTP filesharing. Any law that is virtually unenforcable and universally disregarded is more than likely a bad law.
What a commendable attitude!
Hey, when does Christmas break start? Is first semester over yet?
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