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RIAA Seeks Estimated $97.8 Billion From MTU Student

Posted by michael on from the can-you-take-a-check dept.

theodp writes "The Detroit Free Press does the math on the damages sought by the RIAA from the Michigan Technological University student. The total? About $97.8 trillion--yes, trillion with a T--or enough money to buy every CD sold in America last year over again for the next 120,000 years, according to RIAA statistics." Update: 04/05 21:58 GMT by M : The Free Press can do the math, but not very well: the numbers provided show the RIAA is seeking some $97 billion dollars, not trillion. I'm sure the student is *much* happier. Headline updated.

3 of 814 comments (clear)

  1. Re:"Stealing is stealing" by rockhome · · Score: 1, Redundant
    This is not stealing music. If I were to steal music, I would walk into my local Circuit City, grab some CDs, and run out the door.

    Um...downloading a copyrighted work without paying for it is stealing. Just because I downloaded some licensed software and "borrowed" the license key doesn't mean that I didn't steal it. I still comitted a crime.

    The RIAA has every right to protect its interests. Is it a little draconian, perhaps a bit misplaced? Yes.

    The simple truth remains, however, that if one offers a copyrighted work to others, free of charge, that is stealing. It does not matter that the theft happens electronically or physically.

    By your logic, embezzling from a bank is not stealing because I did not actually go to the bank and take the paper money. Your arguement is so soft and juvenile that one might think you are justifying your guilt.

    Also : Not that this is a justification of my downloading mp3s, but I wouldn't have bought probably 3/4 of the mp3s I have because I simply want one song off of the CD.

    Now if you take a normal one-hit wonder with one CD, and 20,000 people that want that one song, if half downloaded it from a file sharing service, and don't buy the album, is that not a significant loss to the producers and artist? I am just not going to buy that 1 Bloodhound Gang CD to hear "The Roof is On Fire"

    I come, not praise Ceasar, but to bury him, but not with weak, nonsensical arguements.

  2. Re:One million dollars... by telstar · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Just think ... with all that money the RIAA could afford sharks with freekin laser beams mounted on their heads!

  3. Re:Sure, if you say so by nathanh · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Does it make you special to state your "side"? No really, you're not adding to the discussion nor are you humorous. What a waste of a post!