Music Industry suing file sharers
Wednesday, June 25, 2003 by The DJ | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
WASHINGTON -- The embattled music industry disclosed plans today 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 today 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, 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."
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.
"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.
For the whole story:
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Entertainment/ap20030625_1212.html
[Message Edited]
The Recording Industry Association of America, citing significant sales declines, said it will begin today 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, 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."
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.
"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.
For the whole story:
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Entertainment/ap20030625_1212.html
[Message Edited]
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Sugaree
Reply #2 Wednesday, June 25, 2003 8:46 PM
Reply #2 Wednesday, June 25, 2003 8:46 PM
heh it baffles me... where are they gonna put all these new www prisoners? 
MadIce
Reply #3 Wednesday, June 25, 2003 8:48 PM
Reply #3 Wednesday, June 25, 2003 8:48 PM
No worries. They'll just open more virtual prisons. 
Tech-Cat
Reply #5 Wednesday, June 25, 2003 9:25 PM
Reply #5 Wednesday, June 25, 2003 9:25 PM
Also how are the defendents going to be able to pay off the huge sums of money they are being sued for if found guilty?
Sugaree
Reply #6 Wednesday, June 25, 2003 9:33 PM
Reply #6 Wednesday, June 25, 2003 9:33 PM
Diggi'n vertual swamps I suppose...
hummm. I could go for a Virtual Cool Hand Luke.
hummm. I could go for a Virtual Cool Hand Luke.
Styl-X Design
Reply #7 Thursday, June 26, 2003 1:24 AM
tech cat, that is the price they pay see? If they illegaly download music/movies, (and for example you have 100 files on you pc, that are downloaded,) and its all music, they let you pack say 10 bucks for evry 'single' so it would be like ehm.... 1000 USD.
Well, that isn't too much right?
I think they are totaly right!
Reply #7 Thursday, June 26, 2003 1:24 AM
tech cat, that is the price they pay see? If they illegaly download music/movies, (and for example you have 100 files on you pc, that are downloaded,) and its all music, they let you pack say 10 bucks for evry 'single' so it would be like ehm.... 1000 USD.Well, that isn't too much right?
I think they are totaly right!
c242
Reply #8 Thursday, June 26, 2003 5:02 AM
Reply #8 Thursday, June 26, 2003 5:02 AM
Some points, that are quite silly though : Sony sells music-cd's with copy protection and burners/cd-drives that can crack their protection ant others. Not to speak of the mp3-players they also sell. In germany a renewing of the 'Private Copy' law is discussed heavily (and will go through), also. So, what's next ? I have a mp3-player in my car and of course I copy songs from my own bought cd's to cd-r's to listen to them while driving. Will I be arrested when the police next stops me and notices my burned cd's ? 
[Message Edited]
[Message Edited]
eieio
Reply #9 Thursday, June 26, 2003 5:09 AM
Reply #9 Thursday, June 26, 2003 5:09 AM
The next logical step would be to make mp3 players, ripping software, etc. illegal much the way illegal drug paraphernalia was made illegal (here in the USA). Take away all the tools, players, etc. and no mp3 distribution.
Hmm, wonder if it'll go that far?
Hmm, wonder if it'll go that far?
c242
Reply #10 Thursday, June 26, 2003 5:13 AM
Reply #10 Thursday, June 26, 2003 5:13 AM
They will make cd-copy tools illegal that can copy protected cd's / DVD's here in germany...
hashonboat
Reply #11 Thursday, June 26, 2003 5:16 AM
Reply #11 Thursday, June 26, 2003 5:16 AM
How are they going to positively identify you? Has the Government given them some secret authorization to snoop around in your computer for personally identifiable information? While I agree with copyright laws I also support the American Constitution and Big Brother granting some special right to a private organization to spy is ludicrous and worthy of another American Revolution.
Styl-X Design
Reply #12 Thursday, June 26, 2003 8:38 AM
Reply #12 Thursday, June 26, 2003 8:38 AM
hashondboat, gimme your IP and I know where you live.
nok nok
If you download something your ip is used for that (atleast visable for the other) and they have you...
If they want to catch people that use 'sharing' programs they probably will share themself, and store evry IP that download from them.
nok nok
If you download something your ip is used for that (atleast visable for the other) and they have you...
If they want to catch people that use 'sharing' programs they probably will share themself, and store evry IP that download from them.
hashonboat
Reply #13 Thursday, June 26, 2003 9:12 AM
Reply #13 Thursday, June 26, 2003 9:12 AM
IP's are dynamic. Hence DHCP. They change. They are leased. Depending on where you are your IP can change evry hour. You can force an IP change. Whoever hosts your DHCP sevice (usually your ISP) can match you with your IP. Do you think they can get court orders to get that info from your ISP? Will your IP address have changed since then? Hummm........
With a packet sniffer they may see your username when you log on to your ISP, unless it is encrypted. Will they hire codebreakers to decrypt your username? All the talk I hear about them finding you and sending Zaps to destroy your PC. I believe most of it is just scare tactics! Ever since the Napster deal they have been fighting this war tooth & nail with any tactic they can think of , invluding scare tactics which are not real. The more it seems they fight the worse it gets.
With a packet sniffer they may see your username when you log on to your ISP, unless it is encrypted. Will they hire codebreakers to decrypt your username? All the talk I hear about them finding you and sending Zaps to destroy your PC. I believe most of it is just scare tactics! Ever since the Napster deal they have been fighting this war tooth & nail with any tactic they can think of , invluding scare tactics which are not real. The more it seems they fight the worse it gets.
paxx
Reply #14 Thursday, June 26, 2003 9:17 AM
Reply #14 Thursday, June 26, 2003 9:17 AM
hash: A US appeal court just ruled that Internet providers to identify subscribers suspected of illegally sharing music and movie files.
If provided the date/time and the IP, your ISP can quickly give your name, address and phone number to the police.
KarmaGirl
Reply #16 Thursday, June 26, 2003 11:37 AM
Reply #16 Thursday, June 26, 2003 11:37 AM
I still wonder how they are going to enforce this with a "family" computer. 13 year old son downloads 1,000 music files on Dad's PC without Dad knowing about it. How can they hold Dad accountable for something he didn't do? How do they prove who did it?
I think that: "$750 to $150,000 for each song offered illegally on a person's computer" is completely unreasonable.
paxx
Reply #17 Thursday, June 26, 2003 11:46 AM
Reply #17 Thursday, June 26, 2003 11:46 AM
I dont know how it is in the US, but in Canada, a parent is responsible for his children under 18. If my son breaks my neighbour's window, I am the one who has to pay for it, whether I knew he was doing it or not.
The DJ
Reply #18 Thursday, June 26, 2003 11:50 AM
Reply #18 Thursday, June 26, 2003 11:50 AM
^^^^ EDIT @ KarmaGirl
Yeah, but the father should be responsible and know whats on his computer. It's not invasion of privacy, and until the kid can buy his/her own computer, the parent has the right to keep a lock on things.
[Message Edited]
Yeah, but the father should be responsible and know whats on his computer. It's not invasion of privacy, and until the kid can buy his/her own computer, the parent has the right to keep a lock on things.
[Message Edited]
paxx
Reply #19 Thursday, June 26, 2003 12:01 PM
Reply #19 Thursday, June 26, 2003 12:01 PM
It's a matter of raising your children. Tell them that sharing MP3's is illegal and that if you chatch him/her he'll be grounded for a month, and that should make things clear. 
Tech-Cat
Reply #20 Thursday, June 26, 2003 12:37 PM
Reply #20 Thursday, June 26, 2003 12:37 PM
After much thought I no longer burn CDs without paying. I have thrown out many CD-Rs that I made without paying through services like Pressplay and I have thrown away radio promos since the college radio station probably was not supose to give them out since they are for promotional use on the radio to get people interested in buying the CDs. The only illegal CD-Rs I still have are the CDs I really like and I will eventually buy the official CDs for them.
I hope the government does not make MP3s and CD Burners illegal. I still use MP3s but now I only use it to listen to music I paid for or I got for free legally. If MP3s are made illegal, it would be sad to see providers of legally free music like MP3.com taken down. When I buy a new CD or purchase a new music files from Pressplay, I like to be able to make MP3 files for convenience. I do not like to have to open and close the CD tray to switch between albums. I like having all my favorites on my hard drive. I no longer use file sharing programs so all the music that is on my hard drive is there only for personal use. I do not offer them for download on peer to peer networks or offer to email or ICQ them to anyone. I use my CD burner to burn music files I have purchased or downloaded legally. I also use my CD burner for data backup. I would not like the governemt to make CD burners illegal forcing me go back to floppy disks or start using zip disks.
I hope the government does not make MP3s and CD Burners illegal. I still use MP3s but now I only use it to listen to music I paid for or I got for free legally. If MP3s are made illegal, it would be sad to see providers of legally free music like MP3.com taken down. When I buy a new CD or purchase a new music files from Pressplay, I like to be able to make MP3 files for convenience. I do not like to have to open and close the CD tray to switch between albums. I like having all my favorites on my hard drive. I no longer use file sharing programs so all the music that is on my hard drive is there only for personal use. I do not offer them for download on peer to peer networks or offer to email or ICQ them to anyone. I use my CD burner to burn music files I have purchased or downloaded legally. I also use my CD burner for data backup. I would not like the governemt to make CD burners illegal forcing me go back to floppy disks or start using zip disks.
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Reply #1 Wednesday, June 25, 2003 8:41 PM