Recording Industry to Sue Internet Song Swappers

[KingCobra]

Quote:

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A recording-industry trade group said on Wednesday it plans to sue hundreds of individuals who illegally distribute copyrighted songs over the Internet, expanding its anti-piracy fight into millions of homes.


The Recording Industry Association of America (news - web sites) said it hopes to curb illegal song downloading by tracking down the heaviest users of popular "peer to peer" services like Kazaa and suing them for thousands of dollars in damages.


"We're going to begin taking names and preparing lawsuits against peer-to-peer network users who are illegally making available a substantial number of music files to millions of other computer users," RIAA President Cary Sherman said in a conference call.


The RIAA believes the popular peer-to-peer services, which allow users to copy music, movies and other files from each others' hard drives, are partly responsible for a decline in CD sales, and has aggressively sought to shut them down.

Source

Code:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030625/wr_nm/tech_music_dc_9

[DoG]

I thought they were doing that any way? And they can only get names if either yor ISP provides them or if you use your real name as your p2p login name. I think we should all set our p2p login names as RIAA or William Gates

[billybob3]

@DoG,

They just look at your IP address. This doesn't apply to those that are downloading though. They are sueing the people who distribute the songs...

[MinnesotaKid]

Quote:

Originally posted by DoG@Jun 25 2003, 03:36 PM
And they can only get names if either yor ISP provides them or if you use your real name as your p2p login name. I think we should all set our p2p login names as RIAA or William Gates

Most ISPs will gladly help out when law enforcement shows up with a search warrant. The tide is starting to turn against pirates of software, music, and movies. Product activation, lawsuits, prosecutions. The internet, considered by many for years akin to the Wild Wild West, is starting, albeit gradually, to be tamed.

I am amazed sometimes at the bravado of some people who take part in piracy. They think they are somehow invincible to being traced. Or they think "Everyone is doing it, they won't bother with prosecuting me." How naive.

Perhaps after another 100 Pitbulls go to prison will some people get the message. The landscape is changing. It's just not worth the risk anymore. Not to me anyways. It's not even a morality issue for me. It's about getting caught. Life is too short to sit in jail for 18 months because I wanted to save a few bucks on a music cd or a game.

MNKid

[alas]

I agree with you minnesotakid.