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RIAA Ends "Clean Slate" Scam

Posted by timothy on from the put-down-the-pen-slowly dept.

ChiralSoftware writes "The RIAA Clean Slate program, started in September, which allegedly attracted 1108 suckers, has finally been dropped. What was wrong with this program? The RIAA was offering something it had no ability to offer, namely amnesty for copyright violations. The mark would admit in a sworn written statement to having violated the law, but was not getting any real amnesty in return for this admission. Despite anything the RIAA says, other copyright holders can still sue a program participant who violated copyright laws, and of course only a US Attorney can offer amnesty for criminal copyright violations. In fact, the RIAA was sued for making false claims of amnesty. The RIAA of course has a different spin on it; they ended the program because their education had succeeded."

5 of 21 comments (clear)

  1. liability insurance by Sammich · · Score: 4, Interesting

    They probably got Liability Insurance in case the 'marks' tried to sue them back.

  2. Like... by Bricklets · · Score: 5, Funny

    [RIAA] ended the program because their education had succeeded

    Like how the high school bullies would educate the nerd population on the best way to invest their lunch money?

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    Little Bricklets
  3. Extortion? by moosesocks · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Doesn't it seem like the program was no more than a form of extortion? It seemed illegal on so many fronts. "Sign this agreement or we'll sue you for more money than you'll ever have". Things like this are illegal to prevent organized crime which is exactly what the record industry is turning into (not killing people -- but merely restricting personal rights and controlling the government.

    That being said, I think the artists do need some sort of union to prevent widespread piracy. It's just that the RIAA has stepped far beyond its boundaries. Methinks labor unions shouldn't be exempt from antitrust laws.

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    -- If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done? - Uli's moose
  4. Education my left eye by dacarr · · Score: 4, Funny
    Calling this education about copyright is like calling standing in a fire zone education about bullets.

    Now pardon me while I go download some mp3z. Oops.

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    This sig no verb.
  5. How did they word their amnesty claim? by Toxygen · · Score: 4, Interesting

    the RIAA was sued for making false claims of amnesty

    Did the RIAA say that they wouldn't sue you, or that you wouldn't be sued? If it was the former, IANAL but wouldn't that be the same as an out of court settlement and hence it would be legal? The RIAA might be ignorant and stupid, but I'm sure their lawyers aren't.