RIAA Launches Full Scale Assault / Jihad against pirates.

[amnesiac]

Source here: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,92351,00.html

Repost Nazis: Screw you, nothing under RIAA or Music Industry.

Text:

WASHINGTON ? The music industry has won at least 871 federal subpoenas against computer users suspected of illegally sharing music files (search) on the Internet, with roughly 75 new subpoenas being approved each day, U.S. court officials said Friday.





The effort represents early steps in the music industry's contentious plan to file civil lawsuits aimed at crippling online piracy.

Subpoenas reviewed by The Associated Press show the industry compelling some of the largest Internet providers, such as Verizon Communications Inc. and Comcast Cable Communications Inc., and some universities to identify names and mailing addresses for users on their networks known online by nicknames such as "fox3j," "soccerdog33," "clover77" or "indepunk74."

The Recording Industry Association of America (search) has said it expects to file at least several hundred lawsuits seeking financial damages within the next eight weeks. U.S. copyright laws (search) allow for damages of $750 to $150,000 for each song offered illegally on a person's computer, but the RIAA has said it would be open to settlement proposals from defendants.

The campaign comes just weeks after U.S. appeals court rulings requiring Internet providers to readily identify subscribers suspected of illegally sharing music and movie files. The 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act permits music companies to force Internet providers to turn over the names of suspected music pirates upon subpoena from any U.S. District Court clerk's office, without a judge's signature required.

In some cases, subpoenas cite as few as five songs as "representative recordings" of music files available for downloading from these users. The trade group for the largest music labels, the Washington-based RIAA, previously indicated its lawyers would target Internet users who offer substantial collections of MP3 song files but declined to say how many songs might qualify for a lawsuit.

"We would have to look at historic trends, but that is a very high number," said Alan Davidson of the Center for Democracy and Technology, a civil liberties group that has argued against the subpoenas. "It doesn't sound like they're just going after a few big fish."

Music fans are fighting back with technology, using new software designed specifically to stymie monitoring of their online activities by the major record labels.

A new version of "Kazaa Lite," free software that provides access to the service operated by Sharman Networks Ltd., can prevent anyone from listing all music files on an individual's machine and purports to block scans from Internet addresses believed to be associated with the RIAA.

Many of the subpoenas reviewed by the AP identified songs from the same few artists, including Avril Lavigne, Snoop Dogg and Michael Jackson. It was impossible to determine whether industry lawyers were searching the Internet specifically for songs by these artists or whether they were commonly popular among the roughly 60 million users of file-sharing services.

The RIAA's subpoenas are so prolific that the U.S. District Court in Washington, already suffering staff shortages, has been forced to reassign employees from elsewhere in the clerk's office to help process paperwork, said Angela Caesar-Mobley, the clerk's operations manager.

The RIAA declined to comment on the numbers of subpoenas it issued.

"We are identifying substantial infringers and we're going to whatever entity is providing (Internet) service for that potential infringer," said Matt Oppenheim, the group's senior vice president of business and legal affairs. "From there we'll be in a position to begin bringing lawsuits."

A spokeswoman for the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts said the clerk's office here was "functioning more like a clearing house, issuing subpoenas for all over the country." Any civil lawsuits would likely be transferred to a different jurisdiction, spokeswoman Karen Redmond said.

Verizon, which has fought the RIAA over the subpoenas with continued legal appeals, said it received at least 150 subpoenas during the last two weeks. There were no subpoenas on file sent to AOL Time Warner Inc., the nation's largest Internet provider and also parent company of Warner Music Group. Earthlink Inc., another of the largest Internet providers, said it has received only three new subpoenas.

Depaul University in Chicago was among the few colleges that received such subpoenas; the RIAA asked Depaul on July 2 to track down a user known as "anon39023" who was allegedly offering at least eight songs.

There was some evidence the threat of an expensive lawsuit was discouraging online music sharing. Nielsen NetRatings, which monitors Internet usage, earlier this week reported a decline for traffic on the Kazaa network of one million users, with similarly large drops across other services.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

So can I issue a subpoena to the RIAA for, I dunno, whatever I happen to come up with, without a judge?

 

[amnesiac]

As long as they keep their filthy noses out of my usenet usage, I don't care.

 

[isekii]

How will they stop people that are distributing from overseas ??

 

[leung324]

I think the key word is sharing, but not downloading

 

[idNut]

The world is becoming so gay anymore.

 

[IcemanJer]

Originally posted by: amnesiac
Verizon, which has fought the RIAA over the subpoenas with continued legal appeals, said it received at least 150 subpoenas during the last two weeks. There were no subpoenas on file sent to AOL Time Warner Inc., the nation's largest Internet provider and also parent company of Warner Music Group. Earthlink Inc., another of the largest Internet providers, said it has received only three new subpoenas.

This bit, I thought, is particularly interesting. 🙂

 

Kinda scary - is the Internet quickly becoming a police state for those who choose to encourage anti-monopolistic practices?

Something to think about.

 

[UglyCasanova]

Originally posted by: IcemanJer

Originally posted by: amnesiac
Verizon, which has fought the RIAA over the subpoenas with continued legal appeals, said it received at least 150 subpoenas during the last two weeks. There were no subpoenas on file sent to AOL Time Warner Inc., the nation's largest Internet provider and also parent company of Warner Music Group. Earthlink Inc., another of the largest Internet providers, said it has received only three new subpoenas.

This bit, I thought, is particularly interesting. 🙂

Yeah, I wonder why they aren't going after AOL Time Warner? Oh well, makes my day. I'm on RR.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: jumpr
Kinda scary - is the Internet quickly becoming a police state for those who choose to encourage anti-monopolistic practices?

Something to think about.

😕

 

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: jumpr
Kinda scary - is the Internet quickly becoming a police state for those who choose to encourage anti-monopolistic practices?

Something to think about.

😕

For those who are confused (ElFenix 🙂), what I mean is that if you're a band, it's almost IMPERATIVE that you sign with a RIAA member label if you want to be successful. The RIAA has access to huge amounts of money, promotional materials, etc. Even if you don't like their tactics, you pretty much have to sign up with RIAA if you want to make it at all in the music business.

There are a few groups/performers who have detached from the RIAA, but they were already established and very popular before they parted ways with RIAA. I'll see if I can find some examples.

 

[UglyCasanova]

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: jumpr
Kinda scary - is the Internet quickly becoming a police state for those who choose to encourage anti-monopolistic practices?

Something to think about.

😕

For those who are confused (ElFenix 🙂), what I mean is that if you're a band, it's almost IMPERATIVE that you sign with a RIAA member label if you want to be successful. The RIAA has access to huge amounts of money, promotional materials, etc. Even if you don't like their tactics, you pretty much have to sign up with RIAA if you want to make it at all in the music business.

There are a few groups/performers who have detached from the RIAA, but they were already established and very popular before they parted ways with RIAA. I'll see if I can find some examples.

That's not true at all. I agree that if you are not with the RIAA you will never become a millionaire, but you can still make money. There are plenty of artists on independent labels that are quite successful (relatively speaking, they do make a living).

 

Originally posted by: UglyCassanova

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: jumpr
Kinda scary - is the Internet quickly becoming a police state for those who choose to encourage anti-monopolistic practices?

Something to think about.

😕

For those who are confused (ElFenix 🙂), what I mean is that if you're a band, it's almost IMPERATIVE that you sign with a RIAA member label if you want to be successful. The RIAA has access to huge amounts of money, promotional materials, etc. Even if you don't like their tactics, you pretty much have to sign up with RIAA if you want to make it at all in the music business.

There are a few groups/performers who have detached from the RIAA, but they were already established and very popular before they parted ways with RIAA. I'll see if I can find some examples.

That's not true at all. I agree that if you are not with the RIAA you will never become a millionaire, but you can still make money. There are plenty of artists on independent labels that are quite successful (relatively speaking, they do make a living).

I know you're right, UC, but I think that it's unfair and downright wrong that bands who sign with RIAA companies have a much better shot at getting tours, widely distributed records, commercials, promotions, product placements, etc.

Call it selling out, but when one band gets advantages that others don't JUST becuase they sign with the RIAA, it makes me hate the Association even more.

 

[PliotronX]

Originally posted by: GoodRevrnd
So can I issue a subpoena to the RIAA for, I dunno, whatever I happen to come up with, without a judge?

No, the RIAA is able to file subpoenas directly because there is a provision under the DMCA which makes subpoenas served to suspected copyright infringers possible.

In that same section, it makes it possible for the RIAA to serve direct subpoenas to ISPs to fork over the identities of suspected infringers. So the RIAA is testing this whole process, and if most of the defendants settle out of court, the RIAA will be serving many more next time around.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

Originally posted by: UglyCassanova

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: jumpr
Kinda scary - is the Internet quickly becoming a police state for those who choose to encourage anti-monopolistic practices?

Something to think about.

😕

For those who are confused (ElFenix 🙂), what I mean is that if you're a band, it's almost IMPERATIVE that you sign with a RIAA member label if you want to be successful. The RIAA has access to huge amounts of money, promotional materials, etc. Even if you don't like their tactics, you pretty much have to sign up with RIAA if you want to make it at all in the music business.

There are a few groups/performers who have detached from the RIAA, but they were already established and very popular before they parted ways with RIAA. I'll see if I can find some examples.

That's not true at all. I agree that if you are not with the RIAA you will never become a millionaire, but you can still make money. There are plenty of artists on independent labels that are quite successful (relatively speaking, they do make a living).

Pearl Jam has gone completely independent now (or was it STP?).

 

Originally posted by: GoodRevrnd

Originally posted by: UglyCassanova

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: jumpr
Kinda scary - is the Internet quickly becoming a police state for those who choose to encourage anti-monopolistic practices?

Something to think about.

😕

For those who are confused (ElFenix 🙂), what I mean is that if you're a band, it's almost IMPERATIVE that you sign with a RIAA member label if you want to be successful. The RIAA has access to huge amounts of money, promotional materials, etc. Even if you don't like their tactics, you pretty much have to sign up with RIAA if you want to make it at all in the music business.

There are a few groups/performers who have detached from the RIAA, but they were already established and very popular before they parted ways with RIAA. I'll see if I can find some examples.

That's not true at all. I agree that if you are not with the RIAA you will never become a millionaire, but you can still make money. There are plenty of artists on independent labels that are quite successful (relatively speaking, they do make a living).

Pearl Jam has gone completely independent now (or was it STP?).

Right - like I said in an above post, many bands go independent, but ONLY after being raped in their early years by the RIAA and its member companies.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind

I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side

It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away

We better stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

 

[GoodRevrnd]

Winston: check your email, bud. I think you have a subpoena from the RIAA for unauthorized reproduction of Buffalo Springfield's lyrics.

 

[Tab]

Pfft, sweet more people defending theives... Its (RIAA & Co) Theives vs. (Pirates) Theives!

 

[Paulson]

You know they could easily solve this problem if they gave us an option of downloading mp3's with VBR for a $1 a piece... I know it'd buy it... 17 songs I like for $17 compared to a $17.99 cd with 1 song I like and 11 that I don't...

it just makes more sense that way... then they could be happy and I could too.

 

[0roo0roo]

all these independent bands should be wildy successful now with the internet p2p distrib networks running so well now eh?

all that free publicity!

doesn't work all that well eh? kinda like the internet bubble😛

 

[tm37]

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: UglyCassanova

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: jumpr
Kinda scary - is the Internet quickly becoming a police state for those who choose to encourage anti-monopolistic practices?

Something to think about.

😕

For those who are confused (ElFenix 🙂), what I mean is that if you're a band, it's almost IMPERATIVE that you sign with a RIAA member label if you want to be successful. The RIAA has access to huge amounts of money, promotional materials, etc. Even if you don't like their tactics, you pretty much have to sign up with RIAA if you want to make it at all in the music business.

There are a few groups/performers who have detached from the RIAA, but they were already established and very popular before they parted ways with RIAA. I'll see if I can find some examples.

That's not true at all. I agree that if you are not with the RIAA you will never become a millionaire, but you can still make money. There are plenty of artists on independent labels that are quite successful (relatively speaking, they do make a living).

I know you're right, UC, but I think that it's unfair and downright wrong that bands who sign with RIAA companies have a much better shot at getting tours, widely distributed records, commercials, promotions, product placements, etc.

Call it selling out, but when one band gets advantages that others don't JUST becuase they sign with the RIAA, it makes me hate the Association even more.

First off the RIAA has nothing to do with AIR PLAY, CONCERT VENUES, OR SALES.

It is an association that looks after the assests of it's member comapnies. Think of it as the UNION for the record lables.

The lables Are the ones that take money from the bands BUT they also sign litterally thousands of acts every year that you have never heard of. The record contract that all bands want gets them money when they sign. I had a freind in High school that got a recording contract. He was got like 80K for a THREE RECORD DEAL. Now the lable also paid for the production staff and distribution. In return for them paying him before he had made them a dime he promised to record two more if they wanted where the record company made most of the cash. His record didn't sell. so he got his signing bonus and nothing else. He also didn't have to record any more records he weas released from his contract.

The label got basically nothing for the investment and the investment was alot higher than just what they paid him. they had to pay the producer, the engineer, the guy who made the disks, everything. he got his 80K and walked.

SO it is the lables that hold a monopoly except that there are more than one so it would be an Oligopoly, so not only should you boycott the mahor labels you should also boycott any other Oligopolies that excist.

SO no
soda
breakfast ceral
tennis shoes
computer parts


and also I wouldn't seek medical attention if I were you because over 95% of all medical equiptment is provided by companies that have over a 50% market share.

I love how people use there social awareness to justify stealing. They are evil so it's ok to steal. Hey boycott and be vocal BUT understand that a boycott is not buying OR USING a product. Stealing a product because you may sdisagree with the way a company provides a service is still stealing no matter how you look at. old proverb -> two wrongs don't make a right.

You know how you can really stick it to the record lables? Listen to and buy ONLY independant musicians. they and only then will you be truely boycotting.

 

[Analog]

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith
There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind

I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side

It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away

We better stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

hope you didn't share that!

 

[flexy]

The 'internet', P2P etc. is not only the usa...and/or the countries teh RIAA has any infuence.
The whole freaking world is on the internet...and even if the RIAA would manage to kick the whole usa off kazaa it would still leave millions online from other countries.

Pathetic, Pathetic.

AFAIK the last time i was on Kazaa it was roughly 4Millions people on their sharing and downloading.

Much luck to the RIAA going after 4 Million people 🙂

Even if Kazaa dies..there will be other P2P software/networks out.if not here..then elsewere...

cheers

 

[dabuddha]

Originally posted by: tm37

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: UglyCassanova

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: jumpr
Kinda scary - is the Internet quickly becoming a police state for those who choose to encourage anti-monopolistic practices?

Something to think about.

😕

For those who are confused (ElFenix 🙂), what I mean is that if you're a band, it's almost IMPERATIVE that you sign with a RIAA member label if you want to be successful. The RIAA has access to huge amounts of money, promotional materials, etc. Even if you don't like their tactics, you pretty much have to sign up with RIAA if you want to make it at all in the music business.

There are a few groups/performers who have detached from the RIAA, but they were already established and very popular before they parted ways with RIAA. I'll see if I can find some examples.

That's not true at all. I agree that if you are not with the RIAA you will never become a millionaire, but you can still make money. There are plenty of artists on independent labels that are quite successful (relatively speaking, they do make a living).

I know you're right, UC, but I think that it's unfair and downright wrong that bands who sign with RIAA companies have a much better shot at getting tours, widely distributed records, commercials, promotions, product placements, etc.

Call it selling out, but when one band gets advantages that others don't JUST becuase they sign with the RIAA, it makes me hate the Association even more.

First off the RIAA has nothing to do with AIR PLAY, CONCERT VENUES, OR SALES.

It is an association that looks after the assests of it's member comapnies. Think of it as the UNION for the record lables.

The lables Are the ones that take money from the bands BUT they also sign litterally thousands of acts every year that you have never heard of. The record contract that all bands want gets them money when they sign. I had a freind in High school that got a recording contract. He was got like 80K for a THREE RECORD DEAL. Now the lable also paid for the production staff and distribution. In return for them paying him before he had made them a dime he promised to record two more if they wanted where the record company made most of the cash. His record didn't sell. so he got his signing bonus and nothing else. He also didn't have to record any more records he weas released from his contract.

The label got basically nothing for the investment and the investment was alot higher than just what they paid him. they had to pay the producer, the engineer, the guy who made the disks, everything. he got his 80K and walked.

SO it is the lables that hold a monopoly except that there are more than one so it would be an Oligopoly, so not only should you boycott the mahor labels you should also boycott any other Oligopolies that excist.

SO no
soda
breakfast ceral
tennis shoes
computer parts


and also I wouldn't seek medical attention if I were you because over 95% of all medical equiptment is provided by companies that have over a 50% market share.

I love how people use there social awareness to justify stealing. They are evil so it's ok to steal. Hey boycott and be vocal BUT understand that a boycott is not buying OR USING a product. Stealing a product because you may sdisagree with the way a company provides a service is still stealing no matter how you look at. old proverb -> two wrongs don't make a right.

You know how you can really stick it to the record lables? Listen to and buy ONLY independant musicians. they and only then will you be truely boycotting.

No one even brought up stealing stuff as being legal. What people don't like are the illegal tactics used by the RIAA.