RIAA is coming after you...

[O71394658]

Music Labels Threaten to Sue Net Users
Wed Jun 25, 1:19 PM ET

By TED BRIDIS, AP Technology Writer

WASHINGTON - The embattled music industry disclosed aggressive 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 (news - web sites), citing substantial sales declines, said it will begin Thursday to search Internet file-sharing networks to identify users who offer "substantial" collections of mp3 music 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 will 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, Carey 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."


"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 were mistaken. "You are not anonymous," Sherman said. "We're going to begin taking names."


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 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.


"We have no hard and fast rule on how many files you have to be distributing ... to come within our radar screen," Sherman said. "We will go after the worst offenders first."


The RIAA said it expected to file "at least several hundred lawsuits" within eight to 10 weeks but will continue to file lawsuits afterward on a regular basis.

[GAsux]

As long as they don't infringe upon my rights to watch pornographic depictions of same sex sodomy, I'll be ok.

[kellychaos]

Originally Posted by GAsux

As long as they don't infringe upon my rights to watch pornographic depictions of same sex sodomy, I'll be ok.

You have something against two-sex sodomy, mister?!

[Ooner]

The RIAA is still just wasting time. They will never, ever be able to beat music piracy. Their only hope is to do like Apple and use the internet to their benefit, and/or reduce CD prices enough to make purchasing a CD a reasonable alternative to downloading music.

Cars used to just be toys for rich people, radio was a passing fad, color TV would never catch on.... technology always wins and no matter what the RIAA does, they can't even slow file-sharing down. I'm not concerned

[kahljorn]

I don't know, I feel sympathy for the musicians, unless it's britney spears or something, then pirate away. And the people who get spears should be speared by the RIAA. But anyway. I feel bad for the musicians. First the record label gives them what, ten cents a CD, some lame shit like that. Now people just get it free, so they lose out on the 10 cents they were making. It's even more sad because the record companies don't even pay for new instruments, or for them to practice.

[ItalianStereotype]

why feel sad for them? these artists aren't poor, no matter how much they try to tell you they are. while they may not make much from cd's, a good artist can pull a few million dollars on tour.

[Ooner]

Originally Posted by kahljorn

I don't know, I feel sympathy for the musicians, unless it's britney spears or something, then pirate away. And the people who get spears should be speared by the RIAA. But anyway. I feel bad for the musicians. First the record label gives them what, ten cents a CD, some lame shit like that. Now people just get it free, so they lose out on the 10 cents they were making. It's even more sad because the record companies don't even pay for new instruments, or for them to practice.

Or I could have just never heard of them in the first place. 90% of the music I've bought in the last year I've learned about via internet and file-sharing.

[kahljorn]

it's all ok, because it doesn't affect you. But if you didnt get money for working you'd be pissed. And I don't know about you, but I don't buy a CD if I downloaded the album, that's just lame. My guilt doesn't trip that far.

I really only mentioned that to call note to the bastard record companies with their 10 cents an album bullshit, and this being a scheme to continue collecting their smillions.

And some bands are poor. Alot are. I don't listen to much mainstream millionaire people though, so maybe I just don't have the right perception.

[MrAdventure]

How are they going to sue? They're going to have to track a user using the same services they blame, since that's the only legal way they have of gleaning that information. Then, they'll establish which of their protected properties he or she possesses. After that, they'll have to download every single one of those, due to their song-by-song basis lawsuit, otherwise all they have is an impotent list of songs which are too suspect to stand in court.

At least, that's how I see it happening. :/

[Rongi]

I only download songs to hear what a band sounds like :/. If they're good, I'll buy the album(s).

[AChimp]

How are they going to enforce it? If I ever got a notification that I was being sued, I would burn all my MP3s to a CD and hide it, then DSX my hard drive then say "What MP3s?" Not to mention the fact that these RIAA folks would have to be pretty determined to find a way through my router to make sure that I have pirated music.

CDs are way too overpriced. I stopped buying music when I started seeing CDs with 4 three-minute songs selling for $20. Pure bullshit.

Every song I have gotten in the last 4 years has been online because of that.

[FS]

Well I for one am scared to death of the Record Industry Association of AMERICA.

Can they sue non-US residents under international copyright laws, anyway?

[The One and Only...]

Whoever said these musicians are all rich anyway needs a reality check. Many are, but far from all. A lot of underground artists have to go back to work after they tour.

[Spasmolytic]

Originally Posted by MrAdventure

How are they going to sue? They're going to have to track a user using the same services they blame, since that's the only legal way they have of gleaning that information. Then, they'll establish which of their protected properties he or she possesses. After that, they'll have to download every single one of those, due to their song-by-song basis lawsuit, otherwise all they have is an impotent list of songs which are too suspect to stand in court.

At least, that's how I see it happening. :/

if they have your ip they can see what files you're sharing... anybody can do that by typing http://YourIP:1214 after that they'll contact your ISP and your spineless ISP will be like "uh gee we sure do like you guys! here's his address now go sue him!"

i suppose it's not their fault since there was a recent ruling against Verizon saying they have to reveal the identities of potential copyright infringers... so much for privacy

[kahljorn]

I WORK FOR THE RIAA, THIS IS A STING. DROP YOUR COCKS AND STEP AWAY FROM THE HARD DRIVE.

[FS]

That gave me a funny image in my head of a person frantically trying to masturbate and shouting "NO!" while men in black uniforms that say "RIAA" burst into his house and try to pull him away from his computer

[kahljorn]

Good, that is the exact image I was attempting to project, I should be aptly titled Master Bard. or Masterbarder.

[Preechr]

http://www.newsfilter.org/forum/show...&threadid=6706

[FS]

Originally Posted by Spasmolytic

if they have your ip they can see what files you're sharing... anybody can do that by typing http://YourIP:1214 after that they'll contact your ISP and your spineless ISP will be like "uh gee we sure do like you guys! here's his address now go sue him!"

I'm no expert, but I don't think just anyone who has your IP can look into your computer. Only if you have your computer set up that way, so as to use it to host your website, for instance.