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RIAA Files 477 New Filesharing Lawsuits

Posted by timothy on from the hey-it's-a-nice-number dept.

Fallen Kell writes "According to the CNN story, the RIAA has filed another round of lawsuits against filesharers. This round has many college students who are allegedly sharing music on their university networks. Again, the defendants are listed only by their university IP addresses. No lawsuit has gone to trial yet out of the 2,454 litigations started by the RIAA since it began its crackdown."

14 of 478 comments (clear)

  1. When will the backlash come? by Jaywalk · · Score: 4, Insightful

    At what point will this prompt a countersuit? Everyone knows the RIAA is suing music downloaders, so it stands to reason that the music downloaders will take steps to hide their identities, including using other people's accounts. If the RIAA stays true to form, they're going to assume that an IP address definitely identifies the culprit, when that is nowhere near true. When do they become legally liable for the false accusations?

    --
    ===== Murphy's Law is recursive. =====
    1. Re:When will the backlash come? by AuMatar · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yes, you are. Right to a fair and speedy trial, right to due process, innocent until proven guilty, any of these ring a bell?

      --
      I still have more fans than freaks. WTF is wrong with you people?
    2. Re:When will the backlash come? by squiggleslash · · Score: 4, Insightful
      You can still have those things. However, if you're guilty, you're likely to lose. A fair trial isn't one where you win, regardless of your guilt or innocence.

      I don't see any evidence that the RIAA has settled a lawsuit that it wouldn't have won anyway. I know people feel that that's unfair, that the copyright system should be more liberal than it actually is, but, in all honesty, whether it is or it isn't, that's the law, and it isn't racketeering to enforce the law, or to settle against a guilty party out of court.

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    3. Re:When will the backlash come? by Shakrai · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I don't see any evidence that the RIAA has settled a lawsuit that it wouldn't have won anyway. I know people feel that that's unfair, that the copyright system should be more liberal than it actually is, but, in all honesty, whether it is or it isn't, that's the law, and it isn't racketeering to enforce the law, or to settle against a guilty party out of court.

      IANAL but I don't think that having an IP address proves anything. Granted in a civil case you don't need to prove your case beyond all reasonable doubt -- but you do have to show that a preponderance of the evidence proves your case. What evidence are they going to have besides a downloaded song or two and an IP address?

      I don't see how the IP address proves anything. Even if they tie it to my computer I could have been running an open WiFi network or had a compromised system. Say they do tie it to my computer -- guess what? The RIAA isn't a law enforcement agency. The jury would basically be relying on their good word that they actually found that IP address -- the classical "he said, she said" case. Do you think neutral non-interested parties are harvesting these addresses for RIAA? Somehow I doubt it.

      Of course none of this matters because nobody has the money to actually fight one of these lawsuits. What a pity.

      --
      I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    4. Re:When will the backlash come? by macdaddy357 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The backlash would be if everyone stops buying CDs, and the labels have no money to bring frivolous lawsuits. It seems, however that the latest teen pop shiat keeps flying right off the shelves, lining the pockets of the RIAA and affiliated labels' executives. Kids, stop feeding the hand that bites you!

      --
      How ya like dat?
    5. Re:When will the backlash come? by Jim+Starx · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I think the loser should pay only if the loser initiated the lawsuit.

      --
      The darkness... controls the music. The music... controls the soul.
    6. Re:When will the backlash come? by cgenman · · Score: 3, Insightful

      He's from the USA, where if you are opposing the RIAA, and are guilty, you're likely to lose.

      What he doesn't say, is that if you are opposing the RIAA, and are innocent, you're still likely to lose.

      --
      The ______ Agenda
  2. A 437-0 record with 437 wins by knockout... by LostCluster · · Score: 5, Insightful

    None of these lawsuits have gone to trial, but the RIAA has a record of 437 settlements and zero dismissals.

    That is to say, nobody's been able to force the RIAA to trial and say that the lawsuit is outright bogus. Some have been sucessful in delay tactics, but everybody facing a trial date settles for their entire life savings rather than risk a bankruptcy-forcing verdict that takes away everything the defendant owns.

    The RIAA's lawsuits have thus far been entirely spot-on. They've yet to accuse somebody who "didn't do it". Illegal music filesharers beware... you have a substatial risk of having to pay the piper. Don't do it.

    1. Re:A 437-0 record with 437 wins by knockout... by senatorpjt · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Couldn't the same be said for people who didn't do it? A lot of people take guilty pleas who were innocent rather than running the risk of receiving a full sentence, especially if the plea is for $3000. It would cost more than $3000 just for a retainer to get a lawyer.

  3. They had better win by FreeLinux · · Score: 4, Insightful

    IANAL but, the RIAA had better win. If they don't win they will then have files 2,454 frivolous lawsuits. That's something the courts frown upon.

  4. Re:Oh Canada by phorm · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yeah, you keep singing, and don't forgot to pay your tax on every CD-R or MP3 storage device that you buy... nevermind that that probably far exceeds losses by piracy

  5. Random observations by boomgopher · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Not sure what exactly I'm trying to say with this post, but these are a few of my random observations on this:

    Many/most people today (especially young people), do not view file sharing of music and videos as wrong.

    The entertainment industry has done more in the past 50 years to promote a youthful recklessness/lawlessness and a 'fuck the man' attitude. Now that it's turning around and hurting their own profits, they're resorting to strongarm tactics to scare kids into line.

    This puts a cloud of fear over my and other's perception of the entertainment industry. Entertainment is supposed to be a light distraction from real life - it's not a requirement like food, clothing, and shelter. As such, I feel like people are being treated like cattle, and are being force-fed 'entertainment'.

    The percieved value of music and other types of media is dropping. I personally laugh at the idea of buying a $10-$20 CD anymore - it no longer seems worth it. $1 per mp3/aac/whatever is equally laughable. I'd personally be willing to pay about 10 cents a song (with no DRM). I have no idea if this is even economically feasible. But that still doesn't change what I'm willing to pay.



    --
    Your hybrid is not saving the environment. Its purpose is to make you feel good about buying something.
  6. Re:cosmic slashdot reasoning by dasmegabyte · · Score: 3, Insightful

    In the set of slasdot users, there are a number of philosophical subsets. This hypocrisy you think you see is based on the intersections of these subsets.

    Here are a few:

    1) A lot of slashdotters want to protect their right to use content in a digital manner.

    2) A lot of them are also "libertarians" who don't like needless laws or nuisance litigation.

    3) A lot of slashdotters are consumate do-it-yourselfers.

    4) A lot of slashdotters have a strong sense of online community.

    5) A lot of slashdotters have a problem with corporations and think they have too much power in society and government.

    6) And a lot of slashdotters "still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea."

    Combine 1, 2, 3 and 5 and you might think the RIAA enforcing copyright is a bad idea. Combine 1, 4, 5 and 6 and you might think enforcing the the GPL is a good idea. See? Different folks, different positions, and they aren't necessarily diametric.

    Of course, i couldn't care less, as I'm securely in set 7 (likes Macintoshes). Which is a subset of group 6.

    --
    Hey freaks: now you're ju
  7. Here's an idea for a backlash by Windcatcher · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'm a Pennsylvania resident. This year, the polling between Bush and Kerry in my state couldn't be closer, and we have a lot of electoral votes. They will be fighting over my state like no other this year. I *always* vote, and until now I've always voted with the party with which I'm registered. I'm registered with one of the two major parties (I'm not saying which one because I want them *both* to squirm).

    I say we start a petition in PA: unless the parties DO SOMETHING (as in *ENACT LAW*) about the current situation regarding fair use, reverse engineering, infinite copyright extension, etc. our votes are GOING TO A THIRD PARTY. It doesn't matter which one, as long as it's not one of the two major parties. Let's make our message clear: IF YOU WANT TO RETAIN OUR LOYALTY AND HAVE A SHOT AT GETTING THIS STATE, YOU WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE ELECTION DAY. I can't think of any greater kick in the political balls than this. The politicians have made it clear they don't care about us, so let's see how they respond to fear.