Originally posted by: jimmyhaha
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=RIAA+IM+message
If anyone receive those msg, I am curious to see a screen cap.
They have the message text in the article.
They can get your IP by xferring a file from (or to) you, and determining the source. Then with your IP they can subpoena the ISP to get the logs of who was on, when. And from that you = screwed.
P2P will have to use encryption and sends thru random / multiple machines (IP's) to make it more difficult to track. Even then, still at risk.
In the end, with that information, they sue you in civil court (you don't have to worry about jail time, but, your $$$ are at risk). In civil court, you are (IIRC) guilty if the majority of the evidence indicates you are = 51%.
That's what DTV is doing to folks who bought smart card programmers and have DTV subscriptions. They are suing them for theft of service and offering to 'settle' for an amount that is tempting to most folks ($3000 I think).
Hiring a lawyer to fight them would cost about the same and even if you win the first round, they can appeal.
$3000 buys a lot of TV and/or crappy records.