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UK Record Industry Starts Suing Filesharers

Posted by Zonk on from the good-times-never-last dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The BBC has the story that the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) has started a first set of lawsuits against UK file sharers. 23 people paid £50,000 to settle out of court. This is the first time people in the UK have been fined, and probably won't be the last. From the article: "We are determined to find people who illegally distribute music, whichever peer-to-peer network they use, and to make them compensate the artists and labels they are stealing from."

13 of 459 comments (clear)

  1. Hmm... by Living+WTF · · Score: 5, Funny

    How many of these 23 people were under 10 or over 80 years old? And did at least half of them own a computer?

    --
    I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
    1. Re:Hmm... by kirun · · Score: 2, Funny

      Uhm... the elected official in question was a local councillor, i.e. pretty much the bottom rung of the political ladder. They aren't going to change copyright law. Their main function is retiring, and deciding that since they used to work for the Council, the pavement is their personal property, and shouting at children playing outdoors to go play somewhere else.

      --
      I'm scared of numbers that can't be written as a fraction. It's an irrational fear.
  2. Kids these days by Kimos · · Score: 5, Funny

    Some parents have been genuinely shocked to discover what their children have been up to

    If that's all your kids have been up to on the internet when you're not watching, you're in OK shape...

    1. Re:Kids these days by The+Amazing+Fish+Boy · · Score: 5, Funny

      If that's all your kids have been up to on the internet when you're not watching, you're in OK shape...

      I know! I just found out my boy was posting on some nerd forum where they have some fetish for penguins, grits, apples, and "OSS". (I assume this "OSS" is a spelling of "ass" where the "a" is stretched disproportionately. I've seen some disturbing pictures on that site he visits!)

      You try and try and try to raise them right, but....

  3. whoa... by Cryptnotic · · Score: 3, Funny

    I need more sleep. I just read that as 'British Pornographic Industry'.

    --
    My other first post is car post.
  4. music prices sure have gone up... by moofdaddy · · Score: 3, Funny

    50,000 pounds for music? Things have sure gone up when I was a kid. Bubble gum used to cost a quarter too!

    --
    Be better in bed. Wikiafterdark!
  5. Overheard in a squalid housing estate... by Rude+Turnip · · Score: 5, Funny

    Quick Vyvyan! Eat the hard drive!

    --
    Bill Clinton: Pimp we can believe in. - The Shirt!!!
  6. Surefire way to eliminate all piracy! by PopeAlien · · Score: 2, Funny

    Its so simple!

    of course wave upon wave of lawsuits will probably help to slow down sharing as well.

    --
    air and light and time and space
  7. Just wait by mattmentecky · · Score: 2, Funny

    Just wait until this trend spreads across all countries and continents...be afraid of the Antartic Recording Industry (ARI)....I mean, imagine being sued in a currency that doesnt exist!
    Or just paying your debt with penguins.

  8. Re:you know... by Larmal · · Score: 2, Funny

    because their OUTRAGEOUS fines are totally in line with their OUTRAGEOUS pricing structure, and they're trying to maintain consistency.

  9. Re:Before the whining starts by joranbelar · · Score: 2, Funny
    Go to Napster if you [want to legally purchase music].

    Oh, how times have changed... :)

  10. I wasn't aware... by Selfbain · · Score: 2, Funny

    ..that people ripping songs from Phonographs was so widespread.

    --
    Well, it has never been successfully tested.
  11. Re:The industry needs to changes its marketing str by squiggleslash · · Score: 3, Funny
    apt-get is so 1990's. Real music downloaders use Gentoo's Portage. What happens is when you download music with Portage, you compile from the source, musicians actually come into your home, play the music, recording it into your equipment, so it's optimized for your equipment rather than the usual generic CD player.

    Usually this results in songs that take 5-10% less time to listen to. Excellent stuff!

    --
    You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.