RIAA To Sue Individual's for File Sharing (This could mean you!!!!)

Miami Herald ^ | 06/25/2003 | Ted Bridis

[jimmccleod]

Music Labels Step Up Internet Piracy Hunt
TED BRIDIS
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - The embattled music industry disclosed plans Wednesday for an unprecedented escalation in its fight against Internet piracy, threatening to sue hundreds of individual computer users who illegally share music files online.

The Recording Industry Association of America, citing significant sales declines, said it will begin Thursday to search Internet file-sharing networks to identify music fans who offer "substantial" collections of MP3 song files for downloading.

It expects to file at least several hundred lawsuits seeking financial damages within eight to 10 weeks.

Executives for the RIAA, the Washington-based lobbying group that represents major labels, would not say how many songs on a user's computer might qualify for a lawsuit. The new campaign comes just weeks after U.S. appeals court rulings requiring Internet providers to identify subscribers suspected of illegally sharing music and movie files.

The RIAA's president, Cary Sherman, said tens of millions of Internet users of popular file-sharing software after Thursday will expose themselves to "the real risk of having to face the music." He said the RIAA plans only to file lawsuits against Internet users in the United States.

"It's stealing. It's both wrong and illegal," Sherman said. Alluding to the court decisions, Sherman said Internet users who believe they can hide behind an alias online are mistaken. "You are not anonymous," Sherman said. "We're going to begin taking names."

Shopping at a Virgin Megastore in San Francisco, Jason Yoder was planning to delete file-sharing software he uses from his home computer because of the new lawsuit threat. He acknowledged using the Internet recently to find a copy of a rare 1970s soul recording, but he agreed that illegal downloads should be curtailed.

"It's sort of like a serial drunk driver has to have their license taken away at some point," said Yoder, 30.

Sharman Networks Ltd., which makes the popular Kazaa software and operates one of the world's largest file-sharing networks, said in a statement, "It is unfortunate that the RIAA has chosen to declare war on its customers by engaging in protracted and expensive litigation." Sharman said it was interested in a business relationship with music labels and could protect their songs from illegal downloads using technology.

Country songwriter Hugh Prestwood, who has worked with Randy Travis, Trisha Yearwood and Jimmy Buffett, likened the RIAA's effort to a roadside police officer on a busy highway.

"It doesn't take too many tickets to get everybody to obey the speed limit," Prestwood said.

Critics accused the RIAA of resorting to heavy-handed tactics likely to alienate millions of Internet file-sharers.

"This latest effort really indicates the recording industry has lost touch with reality completely," said Fred von Lohmann, a lawyer for the Electronic Frontier Foundation. "Does anyone think more lawsuits are going to be the answer? Today they have declared war on the American consumer."

Sherman disputed that consumers, who are gradually turning to legitimate Web sites to buy music legally, will object to the industry's latest efforts against pirates.

"You have to look at exactly who are your customers," he said. "You could say the same thing about shoplifters - are you worried about alienating them? All sorts of industries and retailers have come to the conclusion that they need to be able to protect their rights. We have come to the same conclusion."

Mike Godwin of Public Knowledge, a consumer group that has challenged broad crackdowns on file-sharing networks, said Wednesday's announcement was appropriate because it targeted users illegally sharing copyrighted files.

"I'm sure it's going to freak them out," Godwin said. "The free ride is over." He added: "I wouldn't be surprised if at least some people engaged in file-trading decide to resist and try to find ways to thwart the litigation strategy."

The entertainment industry has gradually escalated its fight against piracy. The RIAA has previously sued four college students it accused of making thousands of songs available for illegal downloading on campus networks. But Wednesday's announcement was the first effort to target users who offer music on broadly accessible, public networks.

The Motion Picture Association of America said it supported the efforts, but notably did not indicate it plans to file large numbers of civil lawsuits against Internet users who trade movies online.

MPAA Chief Jack Valenti said in a statement it was "our most sincere desire" to find technology solutions to protect digital copies of movies.

Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., who has proposed giving the entertainment industry new powers to disrupt downloads of pirated music and movies, said the RIAA's actions were overdue. "It's about time," Berman said in a statement. "For too long ... file-traffickers have robbed copyright creators with impunity."

The RIAA said its lawyers will file lawsuits initially against people with the largest collections of music files they can find online. U.S. copyright laws allow for damages of $750 to $150,000 for each song offered illegally on a person's computer, but Sherman said the RIAA will be open to settlement proposals from defendants.

[Calpernia]

Hmmmm, sounds like a threat :)

I've downloaded one song I still have on my box. Your challenge is inspiring ;)

[Golden Eagle]

(you) would buy a POS computer made by Americans rather than buy an outstanding system from another country.

Correct, something I'm proud of, and encourage others to do as well.

I just don't have that kind of money. I buy the best for my dollar.

The same thought I had in my teens. Back before the US lost it's manufacturing infrastructure almost completely and was only left with it's intellectual property, that is now being taken by internet pirates.

[Old Professer]

The guillotine was extraordinarially simple as well.

[Ronin]

Exactly. The lawsuit industry feeds on greed and ill will and they rack up heavy fees, getting paid from both sides, while continiously making pious noises about the rights of their clients to whatever...

Rights??? The only right the lawyers truly believe in is the right to a chunk of whatever money is available.

It's pretty simple, really... The lawyers working for the RIAA are stumped. There are no big names and/or deep pockets for them to sink their vampire fangs in, so after thinking it over, they shrug and go after a whole lot of little ones.

The beauty of it is, even if they lose, or cannot collect from the people they sue... like I said, most of the downloaders don't own much more than a computer anyhow, they can still count on the RIAA to pick up their legal fees.

For them it's no hardship and no problem. THEY will get paid.

[Calpernia]

>>>What it CAN'T do is make and distribute a new, unauthorized copy

They do. You just have to know where to go.

[budwiesest]

If a CD sells for $20 and costs, say $2 to make, the markup is $18 or 900%, nine times what it cost. In any real market this is insane. If a retailer were to sell using 40% as a markup the price would be $3.34 per CD.

How many CDs would you go out and buy tomorrow if they sold for $3.50 each? Answer: Lots. And would the artists and distributors make money? Yes. They'd be rolling in dough.

[Calpernia]

bump!

[wizzler]

The guillotine was extraordinarially simple as well.

As you stroll through old posts in this thread dropping short pearls of wisdom -- nuggets you apparently think translate into incisive statements that cut to The Truth -- could you stop once in a while to actually add something of substance to the discussion?

[Pro-Bush]

Q: Am I breaking the law by downloading free music?


A: According to the RIAA, and backed by court decisions, sharing unauthorized copyrighted works is considered "direct infringement." A recent decision found that swap services such as Grokster cannot be held liable for the actions of their users, but that the users themselves can.

Facts about file sharing

[Calpernia]

>>>>. And if you are going to use the blonde defense, you better hope you have a male judge and a nice rack...and I don't mean spice rack! ;)

But the blonde defense works so well. So you may want to direct that to the male species :)

I've never failed car inspection :)

[John Lenin]

The next step is to outlaw used CD stores.

[Old Professer]

Whoever coined the term, "civilized society" should be made to memorize this whole thread and write it in sand a million times on the beach in Malibu during a grunion run.

[wizzler]

The next step is to outlaw used CD stores.

Why? Used CD stores sell licensed copies of copyrighted media. They can't be outlawed. Why would you suggest doing that?

[rwfromkansas]

okay...:)

Have a good night.

[WSGilcrest]

Seems like it takes longer to get sources sometimes, but the speeds are similar. Also, better luck finding images and not just the cracked versions.

[billbears]

Also, better luck finding images and not just the cracked versions

Thanks may give it a shot

[Calpernia]

You are kidding me right? Why do radios come with cassette record capabilities? What are you suppose to use the record feature for? Unless you purchase a separate mic, it is only meant to record from the radio.

[John Lenin]

But the artists and record companies don't make a dime off the sale of a used CD so used cd stores will be the next to come under fire for copyright violation. It is about the money, no ?