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RIAA Grinds Down Individuals in the Courtroom
Iphtashu Fitz writes "The Associated Press recently reviewed many of the copyright infringement lawsuits that the RIAA filed against individuals charged with illegally sharing songs on P2P networks. According to the article over 800 of the targeted individuals have settled for approx. $3000 in fines. One man in California had to refinance his house to pay his $11,000 settlement. Many of the defendants are unwilling to face the possibility of even higher fines by fighting the suits in court despite the fact that it could resolve important questions about copyrights and the industry's methods for tracing illegal downloads. It seems that even some of the judges presiding over these cases question the RIAA's tactics. 'I've never had a situation like this before, where there are powerful plaintiffs and powerful lawyers on one side and then a whole slew of ordinary folks on the other side,' said U.S. District Judge Nancy Gertner, who blocked the movement of a number of these cases in her courtroom for months. She wanted 'to make sure that no one, frankly, is being ground up.'"
Get some money hungry lawyers (I know, redundant), to start representing these guys and make a show out of it.
Blech, never mind. It's the diet pepsi talking.
driving above the speed limit is illegal. Just don't do it! Someone, please explain this to the driver of the 18-wheeler tailgating me!!
Do not buy their CDs. Do not attend their concerts. Do not request their songs on the radio. And do not download/share their songs on the Internet.
Yes dad.
I've never had a situation like this before, where there are powerful plaintiffs and powerful lawyers on one side and then a whole slew of ordinary folks on the other side.
I guess she's never worked in criminal court.
And if they loose, the each member of the class could provide a coupon to the RIAA for $5 off a CD...
I am so happy to see that fine, upstanding corporate citizens such as the RIAA, are finally having their day in court. Our society will never be able to progress and move forward until the plebeian consumers finally understand their proper place in society. This example serves to prove why corporations should finally be given the right to vote in elections, according to how much money they attribute to the economy. Only when the corporations move forward, can the rest of our society follow.
I think this is a wonderful idea! Unfortunately, I don't have much faith that it would ever happen, since lawyers tend to be a very powerful lobby, not to mention that many of our Congress-critters are lawyers, and trying to "socialize" them would produce probably the loudest screams for "free market!" and "capitalism!" that this country has ever heard.
:)
Still, it's fun to dream about
You admit you were sharing 'Now That's What I Call Music #23' and you can kiss your legal defense fund goodbye.
Unless of course, they are innocent. But that is just sophistry, as the RIAA is above reproach, and never makes mistakes.
You know, it doesn't make you cool or cutting edge to call popular music "crap".
No, just makes you honest. I used to wonder why my friends' kids loved to listen to my music collection so much. Then I heard the current chart-toppers.
I stopped wondering.
It's called "going after the low-hanging fruit".
Lookin at yo girl, you should be really familiar with this strategy.