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-- RIAA unveils amnesty program

RIAA unveils amnesty program

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/intern...y.ap/index.html

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The recording industry is expected to announce as early as next week an amnesty program for people who admit they illegally share music files across the Internet, promising not to sue them in exchange for their admission and pledge to delete the songs off their computers.

The offer of amnesty will not apply to the roughly 1,600 people who already have been targets of copyright subpoenas from the Recording Industry Association of America, which has promised to file hundreds of infringement lawsuits across the country as early as next week.

Sources who described the proposal Thursday spoke on condition of anonymity. A spokeswoman for the RIAA, Amy Weiss, declined to comment.

The RIAA's offer would require Internet users to complete a notarized amnesty form that includes promises to delete any illegally downloaded music and not participate in illegal file-trading in the future. In exchange, the RIAA would agree not to file a potentially expensive infringement lawsuit.

"I'll be curious to see how many opt for this," said Fred von Lohmann, a lawyer for the San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation, who has criticized the RIAA's use of copyright subpoenas. "It will be an interesting measure of how much fear the recording industry has managed to inject into the American public."

Von Lohmann cautioned that the RIAA doesn't represent all copyright owners and therefore couldn't guarantee an Internet user wouldn't be sued for infringement by others, despite what amounts to an admission of guilt.

"It's not the kind of agreement that most people's lawyers will embrace," he said.

But the amnesty offer could serve to soften the RIAA's brass-knuckle image once the earliest lawsuits are filed, giving nervous college students and others an opportunity to avoid similar legal problems if they confess to online copyright infringement.


So, now they're offering no lawsuit as long as you admit to having illegally downloaded and agree to delete the files immediately....interesting...

It is just more smoke and mirrors scare tactics.

Hopefully the rest of the industry will follow Universal's lead and lower prices on CDs.

The RIAA is just trying to find any way it can to keep a lock on their little paradise of money. Instead of reforming their business plans in a way that is more in step with the times.

I am just waiting to see the first invasion of privacy lawsuit to come up against the RIAA. They are using many borderline illegal methods to "root out" the "illegal downloaders" and, in my opinion, are acting like a government investigation agency which they do not have the legal right to do.

In all I don't let it bother me. But I must say that without Napster and the like I would probably not have bought more than one or two CDs in the last 5 years. A lot of stuff I have bought because I heard someone mention it and I went out and downloade a song to see if I liked it. Then ordered the cd.

MrS

check this out

http://george.hotelling.net/90perce...still_exist.php

someone who bought and downloaded an itunes track for .99 is selling it on ebay to test out "the right to resell downloaded music" that he legally pruchaced and owns. Ebay has stepped in since then, but theres a few updates about the project on the above link.

That's pretty interesting right there.

I'm very sorry RIAA. I won't be a bad boy and be good and do good things. Don't hurt me! *Not

its kinda like if you spread while "big brother" rapes you, then theyll go slow down a bit.

a few years ago, i actually believed that the government worked for the people instead of catering to the high and mighty. now i realize that i was very foolish to believe that.

lol, then there is nothing to lose, sign up and you won't get sued, you don't delete your mp3s (no way they can check that), if they discover you a secound time with illegal mp3s they will sue you but they should have done anyway so teoreticly you get one sue less....

it's surprising that they're showing any leniency. there has to be a catch.

question, does nettwerk america or mute work with the RIAA?

quote:

Originally posted by rizen question, does nettwerk america or mute work with the RIAA?

do you mean mute as in the trance record label? if so, i REALLY hope not. but i din't think they do.

fact: most of the subpoena's being handed out are due to people sharing Avril Lavigne songs. They should be sued for their taste in music.

yes the trance record label, i believe PVD uses it for US releases

does Avril_Lavigne-Im_With_You__Leama_And_Moor_Mixes-Promo_Vinyl-2003 count? haha not that it matters, since im not sharing it anyway

quote:

Originally posted by rizen yes the trance record label, i believe PVD uses it for US releases does Avril_Lavigne-Im_With_You__Leama_And_Moor_Mixes-Promo_Vinyl-2003 count? haha not that it matters, since im not sharing it anyway

that tune sucks anyway..

quote:

Originally posted by DrummeRaver86 that tune sucks anyway..

havnt heard it, i just have it archived for no reason other to fill my hdd

quote:

Originally posted by St_Andrew lol, then there is nothing to lose, sign up and you won't get sued, you don't delete your mp3s (no way they can check that), if they discover you a secound time with illegal mp3s they will sue you but they should have done anyway so teoreticly you get one sue less....

Unfortunately, this isn't quite true.
I believe (and someone can correct me if I'm wrong) that if you sign up for this amnesty, and are then caught with illegal music at a later date, you will get smacked down for 'willful' copyright infringement, which carries harsher penalties than plain old 'normal' copyright infringment.

quote:

Originally posted by DrummeRaver86 it's surprising that they're showing any leniency. there has to be a catch.

The catch is right here:

quote:

Von Lohmann cautioned that the RIAA doesn't represent all copyright owners and therefore couldn't guarantee an Internet user wouldn't be sued for infringement by others, despite what amounts to an admission of guilt.

Once you admit that you committed copyright infringement the RIAA won't sue you but others potentially could. Reminds me of N. Vietnamese interrogation tactics. They kick the crap out of you until you admit you're a cia agent, then once you admit it they kick the crap out of you for being a cia agent.

I was so sure. These pig-headed assholes are shifty...or at least rhey think they are.

quote:

Originally posted by occrider The catch is right here: Once you admit that you committed copyright infringement the RIAA won't sue you but others potentially could. Reminds me of N. Vietnamese interrogation tactics. They kick the crap out of you until you admit you're a cia agent, then once you admit it they kick the crap out of you for being a cia agent.

Then when they find out that u aren't a CIA agent, they still kick you for lying...

I don't think they were "interrogation tactics" hehehe

quote:

Originally posted by Galapidate I don't think they were "interrogation tactics" hehehe

The N. Vietnamese probably called it "routine questioning".

MrS

I find this hilarious: A day after the Recording Industry Association of America filed a slew of lawsuits against alleged illegal song swappers, it became the target of legal action over its own "amnesty" program.

http://cnet.com.com/2100-1027_3-5073972.html

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