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Choruss Pitching Bait and Switch On P2P Music Tax
An anonymous reader writes "A few months back, Warner Music Group started pitching universities on the idea of a new program where they would pay a chunk of money to an organization named Choruss to provide 'covenants not to sue' those students for file sharing, leading many in the press to claim that the record labels are looking to license ISPs to let users file share. Even the EFF has called it a 'promising new approach.' However, the details are quite troubling and suggest that the plan is really a bait-and-switch idea." (More below.)
"The industry still plans to demand three strikes and try to shut down file sharing networks, and it's already giving up on lawsuits. So... it's basically going to keep doing everything the same as before, but force your ISP or your university (who in turn will raise your rates) to just hand over a bunch of money. Oh yeah, also, since the 'covenant not to sue' isn't a license and only covers the rights of the record labels, it means that you can still get sued by the publishers or songwriters whose rights aren't covered by the deal at all. Unfortunately, the press is just repeating the claim that this is a 'file sharing license' when the details show it's anything but that. It's just a way to get people and companies to hand over large chunks of money to the record labels."
Sounds to me like a classic mafia protection scheme.
Except the mafia has a lot more to offer you than RIAA. Sure they take your money, but they can also hook you up with gambling, girls, drugs, loan sharking and protection. RIAA doesn't hook you up with anything other than lawyers and shitty music, at least as far as I can tell.
And at least you always know where you stand with Tony Soprano. Can you say that about RIAA? ;)
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
I agree, money up front for nothing. If student A does no file sharing at all, they are still licensed. Each student/user will be licensed to share files? WTF is that? I don't need a license to share Linux ISO files over P2P networks. How in blue blazes will they determine what connections should be licensed and which should not? This is too cracked of an idea to fathom. Protection money for doing legal activities?
It's time that the RIAA et al simply died.
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That's because Jimmy the Snake and Frankie the Weasel are the senior liaison officers for Choruss.
Actually, the name of the group reminded me of a typical show chorus: It's always there making the same annoying background noise, distracting you from what you're trying to listen to.
Obligatory obscure quote...
Oh, we're the boys in the chorus,
We hope you like our show,
We know you're rooting for us,
But now we have to go!
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Maybe they're trying to shore it up because once it's in place, the RIAA will get slammed for extortion?
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something" - Plato