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RIAA Now Targeting Retailers

Posted by timothy on from the washrooms-breeding-bolsheviks dept.

merodach writes "According to this story on Headlinenews.com the RIAA is now targeting retailers in it's 'war on piracy.' I think everyone will agree this is something that should be done if the retailer is deliberately pirating. The thing I wonder about in hearing this news is how many of the retailers include used copy stores. With the way the RIAA and some artists *cough*Garth Brooks*cough* have labeled these stores as pirates and theives in the past it seems likely they would be the biggest targets. Have any in the /. crowd actually seen one of the letters sent or know how many of the targeted businesses are used stores? Further - how would the RIAA know how much to demand in 'settlement fees' and is it possible these are being used to shut down the mom-and-pop outfits that trade in used CDs?"

2 of 467 comments (clear)

  1. Used CD/DVD stores in Chicago by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative
    I live in Chicago. Recently they've passed legislation that says anyone who operates a used CD or DVD shop has to take personally-identifiable information from each customer when making a purchase. I've heard that such personally-identifiable information could even go up to SSN or photograph at purchase. I heard this from the owner of a used DVD shop.

    Anyone have details about this? I can't find anything on google. Who is the "they?" Is this Illinois law, or Chicago or Cook County? Is this even true that I would have to have my photo and SSN taken when I buy a used DVD? Are the RIAA and MPAA behind this? What the hell is going on?

  2. Re:Don't forget duplicity! by LostCluster · · Score: 5, Informative

    Nope, it's what the press release was designed to do.

    CNN reported that there were 421 burners involved. CNN was wrong. There were 156.

    The RIAA's press release used "new accounting math" to turn the 156 actual units into the equal of 421 units of "normal speed" drives, whatever speed the RIAA felt like was normal. CNN took the funny number and reported it with standard units, therefore making the public thinking the operation was close to triple the size it really was.