Landmark Usenet Piracy Verdict Stands, Despite RIAA and MPAA Protests

WelshBloke

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
32,823
10,952
136
I feel dirty doing this but... I agree with the MPAA

"“Courts have long held that a plaintiff can satisfy the direct financial benefit prong by showing that the general availability of a particular type of infringing material on the defendant’s premises—or, in the internet context, through the defendant’s site or service—draws third-parties hoping to obtain infringing material,” the MPAA wrote. "

Thats exactly why most people sign up to giganews and the like.
 

GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
25,284
1,997
126
I feel dirty doing this but... I agree with the MPAA

"“Courts have long held that a plaintiff can satisfy the direct financial benefit prong by showing that the general availability of a particular type of infringing material on the defendant’s premises—or, in the internet context, through the defendant’s site or service—draws third-parties hoping to obtain infringing material,” the MPAA wrote. "

Thats exactly why most people sign up to giganews and the like.

Can't you extend that same argument to the internet as a whole? There's no doubt that the reason many many people pay for internet every month is essentially unlimited free TV, movies, music, software and porn. Can you sue ISPs because their services are allowing access to copyrighted material and drawing in customers solely for that reason?
 

WelshBloke

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
32,823
10,952
136
Can't you extend that same argument to the internet as a whole? There's no doubt that the reason many many people pay for internet every month is essentially unlimited free TV, movies, music, software and porn. Can you sue ISPs because their services are allowing access to copyrighted material and drawing in customers solely for that reason?
There's a slight difference in scale. The majority of people don't get Internet connections just to pirate, the majority of people pay for access to binary newsgroups to... download Linux distros?
 

GagHalfrunt

Lifer
Apr 19, 2001
25,284
1,997
126
There's a slight difference in scale. The majority of people don't get Internet connections just to pirate, the majority of people pay for access to binary newsgroups to... download Linux distros?

The ruling does not mention scale. And if you want to talk scale, my argument is WAY bigger than the one singling out Usenet. While nearly 100% of newsgroups users are downloading pirated material, those users are a tiny tiny tiny drop in a very large bucket. And while perhaps only a small percentage of internet people use the net for the sole, or primary purpose of downloading, it's still a flood compared to newsgroup traffic. Usenet accounts for bupkis compared to other methods of file sharing.
 

WelshBloke

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
32,823
10,952
136
While nearly 100% of newsgroups users are downloading pirated material, those users are a tiny tiny tiny drop in a very large bucket.
I'm never employing you as my lawyer! :)

That's exactly what the MPAA were arguing and I was agreeing with. That the vast majority of usenet users signed up for the free booty!
 

WhoBeDaPlaya

Diamond Member
Sep 15, 2000
7,414
402
126
There's a slight difference in scale. The majority of people don't get Internet connections just to pirate, the majority of people pay for access to binary newsgroups to... download Linux distros?
That and /alt/bin/kinkyshit ;)
 

Charmonium

Lifer
May 15, 2015
10,395
3,458
136
So the Ct of Appeals refusal to hear the case basically allows a decision to stand that reverses whatever precedent the MPAA was relying on.
 

Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,565
3,752
126
I'm never employing you as my lawyer! :)

That's exactly what the MPAA were arguing and I was agreeing with. That the vast majority of usenet users signed up for the free booty!

They lost any claim on the high road when they abused the American judicial system to extort money from people and force cumbersome and completely ineffective copyright protections on legitimate customers instead of realizing the change in the market.
 

TheELF

Diamond Member
Dec 22, 2012
4,027
753
126
Can't you extend that same argument to the internet as a whole? There's no doubt that the reason many many people pay for internet every month is essentially unlimited free TV, movies, music, software and porn. Can you sue ISPs because their services are allowing access to copyrighted material and drawing in customers solely for that reason?
Think of the internet as a town,ISPs provide you the means to enter the town, you might be entering the town to do something illegal but just entering the town is not, and can not be made,illegal.
Usenet is like the big warehouse at the docks that's filled with smuggled/stolen goods,just entering it is already illegal.
 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
80,287
17,081
136
I love Perfect 10 but they have been annoying with how they treat customers and random internet users.
 

pcslookout

Lifer
Mar 18, 2007
11,959
157
106
I feel dirty doing this but... I agree with the MPAA

"“Courts have long held that a plaintiff can satisfy the direct financial benefit prong by showing that the general availability of a particular type of infringing material on the defendant’s premises—or, in the internet context, through the defendant’s site or service—draws third-parties hoping to obtain infringing material,” the MPAA wrote. "

Thats exactly why most people sign up to giganews and the like.

Of course you would.