RIAA: It starts...

[gekko]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/interne....ap/index.html

Some key points:

The music industry has won at least 871 federal subpoenas against computer users suspected of illegally sharing music files on the Internet, with roughly 75 new subpoenas being approved each day

Subpoenas reviewed by The Associated Press show the industry compelling some of the largest Internet providers, such as Verizon Communications Inc. and Comcast Cable Communications Inc., and some universities to identify names and mailing addresses for users on their networks known online by nicknames such as "fox3j," "soccerdog33," "clover77" or "indepunk74."

U.S. copyright laws allow for damages of $750 to $150,000 for each song offered illegally on a person's computer

In some cases, subpoenas cite as few as five songs as "representative recordings" of music files available for downloading from these users.

There was some evidence the threat of an expensive lawsuit was discouraging online music sharing. Nielsen NetRatings, which monitors Internet usage, earlier this week reported a decline for traffic on the Kazaa network of one million users, with similarly large drops across other services.

[GameMaster]

Originally Posted by CNN

A new version of "Kazaa Lite," free software that provides access to the service operated by Sharman Networks Ltd., can prevent anyone from listing all music files on an individual's machine and purports to block scans from Internet addresses believed to be associated with the RIAA.

Yeah, we're fighting back! Down with the system!

*hides music and iPod just to be on the safe side*

[gekko]

But couldn't they just take them out of the shared folder to begin with?

The only sad part is how many people really don't know that it's illegal. How many people wanted music and had a friend set it up for them, and they just download songs not knowing? I mean, $750 a song? Yikes.

Now for the people who know it's illegal and don't care, it'll be fun to watch their faces on court TV.

[GameMaster]

Do you still download music?

[Null]

it'll be interesting to see how many they actually win. there are all sorts of ifs and buts. and i read somewhere the court system is getting tired of a lot of the RIAA's silly lawsuits and actually has ruled against them many times.

i mean if the court wants to, they can find loop holes and things that may make all this not even worth it for the RIAA.

this is no where near the end of it. IMO the RIAA is digging themselves more and more into a hole which one day even they might not be able to climb out of.

you cant go around sueing the people you want to buy your stuff. instead of finding a new way, the RIAA is trying to keep the old ways.

i can actually see a new recording instustry pop up at some point and challenging the RIAA, with more music artists joining them. (dunno how to word that exactly how im thinking).

time goes by, things and ways of life change. you cant cling onto the old ways. instead of using this to the RIAA's advantage, they fight it.

[Sykkie]

Originally Posted by Null

you cant go around sueing the people you want to buy your stuff. instead of finding a new way, the RIAA is trying to keep the old ways.

This is because the RIAA is made up of a bunch of criminals. They're happy to sit back and lie about the cost of a CD. They're happy to lock CD prices while people download music. The RIAA is a perfect example of corporate business crying poor when they're still rolling in cash after another slumping CD year.

Blame the internet? Blames yourselves, RIAA.