RIAA's SafeNet Caught In a Lie

NewYorkCountryLawyer writes "For the past 2 years, the RIAA and its attack dog SafeNet (formerly known as MediaSentry) have been trying to avoid disclosure in UMG v. Lindor by telling the judge that MediaSentry is NOT an expert, that it does not use any technical expertise to get the 'evidence', and that it does only 'what any other Kazaa user does'. We have just discovered that in administrative proceedings in Michigan, attacking it for engaging in the business of investigation without a license, MediaSentry has taken the exact opposite position, comparing itself to chemical engineers, surveyors, physicians, geologists, and other expert witnesses who rely on their technical expertise. Today we went public with some of the contradictions. Now let's hope Michigan's Department of Labor and Economic Growth finds out about it."

Comments

Bending the truth may be light

[martinw89]

Sounds to me more like lying, what with the two stances being exact opposites.

Re:Bending the truth may be light

[Anonymous Coward]

It might not exactly be lying, but it's the kind of thing that would really piss a federal judge off!

Re:Bending the truth may be light

[Idiomatick]

I congratulate you for making a nerdy joke even more nerdy. More importantly, one that's technically correct ... the best kind of correct.

Let them know about it!

[suck_burners_rice]

Instead of merely hoping that Michigan's Department of Labor and Economic Growth finds out about it, why not let them know? If dishonesty was involved in the Michigan proceedings, they SHOULD know about it. Us geeks from Slashdot should write to them and POLITELY let them know about the aforementioned contradiction and why it is of importance. Look through their contacts page (link located at center top of Department of Labor and Economic Growth page) to find the office or person you believe is the best one to notify. In your correspondence, please be clear, concise, and polite.

There are WMDs in Iraq... somewhere...

[Anonymous Coward]

RIAA is just following the example set by the white house... which is:

1. Say whatever you have to say, in order to do whatever you want to do.
2.Do it
3. Claim that it isn't your fault that your explanation isn't entirely true ... that the commies/soviets/canadians are actually manipulating things behind the scenes
4. force your new laws which were based on false assumptions on everything. Including those who you technically can't force your restrictions on.
5. Call everyone who doesn't comply a pirate / ninja / terrorist.

Yes, it IS lying

[Jane Q. Public]

They can be experts, or they can be amateurs, but they cannot be both at the same time. So one of those (and we know which one) is a LIE.

Re:Yes, it IS lying

[plover]

It's obvious which one is the lie. They certainly are NOT security experts, as was amply documented in their leaked email last year! Their amateur hour antics were hilarious, and there was no evidence that security was taking place in that organization.

Of course this doesn't help the ongoing RIAA litigation. But it should slow down the idiots who think that SafeNet is doing them some good. Oh, wait, that's the RIAA, too. Damn.

Re:I've seen this happen before

[thisissilly]

No, no. Phase 3 will be when the RIAA succeed in bribing Congress into making copyright infringement a federal crime, and thus get to shuck off the whole lawyer expense off to the Department of Justice, who will immediately go whining to Congress to get more money to hire more agents in order to detect and prosecute more cases. And so that way our taxes will pay to defend the RIAA companies from any possible loss due to infringement, while they get to keep any profit.

I seriously hope I am wrong. But I fear I may be right.