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Making Files Available Breaking the Law?
lordhathor2001 writes "The RIAA has argued in one of their cases that simply "making files available for distribution" violates copyright laws. This means that regardless of the legality of a file somebody has on their computer, just putting it in a shared files folder that can be accessed by other people is illegal. Although it's asinine, it really shouldn't come as any surprise given the RIAA's legal campaign that's more about what it believes than what the law actually says."
Sharing something that you don't own in the first place is stealing (and don't give me that bullshit arguement about copying not being stealing). RMS neever understood that either.
Vote for Pedro
Which is exactly the issue: confusing [fair use] with [obvious piracy] is the problem.
If you can't discern the difference between what the RIAA is going after [widespread P2P piracy] and limited sharing [fair use], then keep up the ignorant shitstorm of defending piracy long enough and fair use rights will die as a casualty.
Good job attacking that strawman tho. You are so much smarter than straw.
the message?
I got it. I don't think it's that difficult to figure out the message if you are reasonable.
"A file not shared until accessed" is little different that an (illegally) possessed gun that need not be shot (or even pointed at somebody); it's not the actual sharing that is the problem, it's the clear intent to commit a crime.
Magic word: Intent.
If I copy a crap load of stuff that doesn't belong to me into a shared drive, I intend for people to get it. If I hand a hooker $50 and my pants are down, I intend to get serviced. If I leave the house with a kilo of pot, I intend to make some serious sales. Intent.
If that's beyond your capacity to understand, well, it must be time for me to lower my expectations of my fellow man's reasoning ability. Again.