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RIAA Sues 12-Year Old Girl

pathetic

quote:

source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,96797,00.html NEW YORK � The music industry has turned its big legal guns on Internet music-swappers � including a 12-year-old New York City girl who thought downloading songs was fun. Brianna LaHara said she was frightened to learn she was among the hundreds of people sued yesterday by giant music companies in federal courts around the country. "I got really scared. My stomach is all turning," Brianna said last night at the city Housing Authority apartment where she lives with her mom and her 9-year-old brother. "I thought it was OK to download music because my mom paid a service fee for it. Out of all people, why did they pick me?" The Recording Industry Association of America (search) � a music-industry lobbying group behind the lawsuits � couldn't answer that question. "We are taking each individual on a case-by-case basis," said RIAA spokeswoman Amy Weiss. Asked if the association knew Brianna was 12 when it decided to sue her, Weiss answered, "We don't have any personal information on any of the individuals." Brianna's mom, Sylvia Torres, said the lawsuit was "a total shock." "My daughter was on the verge of tears when she found out about this," Torres said. The family signed up for the Kazaa (search) music-swapping service three months ago, and paid a $29.99 service charge. Usually, they listen to songs without recording them. "There's a lot of music there, but we just listen to it and let it go," Torres said. When reporters visited teh apartment last night, Brianna � who her mom says is an honors student � was helping her brother with his homework. Brianna was among 261 people sued for copying thousands of songs via popular Internet file-sharing software � and thousands more suits could be on the way. "Nobody likes playing the heavy and having to resort to litigation," said Cary Sherman, the RIAA's president. "But when your product is being regularly stolen, there comes a time when you have to take appropriate action." At the same time, the RIAA offered amnesty to file-swappers who come forward and agree to stop illegally downloading music over the Internet. People who already have been sued are not eligible for amnesty. Brianna and the others sued yesterday under federal copyright law could face penalties of up to $150,000 per song, but the RIAA has already settled some cases for as little as $3,000. "It's not like we were doing anything illegal," said Torres. "This is a 12-year-old girl, for crying out loud."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3092854.stm

At least they aren't guilty of age discrimination.

quote:

Grandfather caught in music fight The RIAA may offer to turn a blind eye if people promise to delete files A grandfather has said he was wrongly accused of illegally downloading music online at the start of a legal campaign by the US music industry. Durwood Pickle, 71, of Texas, said his teenage grandchildren used his computer during visits to his home. "I didn't do it, and I don't feel like I'm responsible," he said. Mr Pickle was among 261 individuals accused of sharing music files on the internet without permission. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has filed lawsuits in federal courts across the US on behalf of major record companies Universal, BMG, EMI, Sony and Warner Brothers. It warns those found guilty that they face fines of up to $150,000 (�100,000) per song swapped. Critics have accused the RIAA of being heavy-handed. Yale University professor Timothy Davis, who was also named in the lawsuits, said he would stop sharing music files immediately. Activities He said he had downloaded about 500 songs before his internet provider notified him about the music industry's interest in his activities. There are presently no plans to launch US-style legal actions internationally or in Europe IFPI spokesman Another defendant, Lisa Schamis of New York, said her internet provider warned her two months ago that record industry lawyers had asked for her name and address. She said she had no idea she might be sued but acknowledged downloading "lots" of music over file-sharing networks. RIAA president Cary Sherman said he hoped the legal action would prompt parents to pay more attention to potentially illegal activities by their children. "We expect people to say 'It isn't me, it was my kid,' but someone has to take responsibility," Sherman said. The music industry says file-sharing is a violation of copyright laws and blames the practice for a drop in CD sales worldwide. The film industry also says it is being hit by online piracy but it has not yet announced it will be taking similar action. But media analysts believe it is only a matter of time. "There's no question other industries will do the same," said Latika Sharma, head of IT law practice at London-based law firm Landwell. The global music industry trade body, the International Federation of Phonographic Industry (IFPI) said it will focus its efforts outside the US on education. He added: "But uploading copyrighted music is illegal, and for a good reason, and legal action against uploaders cannot be ruled out in the future."

hahaha she's an honor student hehehe...she's 12 yr old...everyone's an honor student at that age hehehe. and how nice of her to help her little brother with homework

quote:

"It's not like we were doing anything illegal," said Torres. "This is a 12-year-old girl, for crying out loud."

Are 12 year olds above the law then?? Damn, why didn't I know that when I was 12??

Seriously tho, it is a bit sad. I dont arse about with Kazaa so I dont know about their "�29.99 Service Charges", but surely if she's paying for the tunes, thats ok?? Poor cow.

Thank god I don't live in the USA What do these guys want to acomplish annyway? lawsuits only suck up money, where is the proffit in that, they can't erradicate(sp?) file sharing. Kill em all

quote:

The family signed up for the Kazaa (search) music-swapping service three months ago, and paid a $29.99 service charge.

who pays for kazaa?

bullshit...buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuullllllllllllllll...idiots...

Exactly...who pays for Kazaa...I thought it was a free file sharing program. I guess the IRAA is trying to make a profit for all there CD loses by sueing anyone and everyone I mean since there settling for $3000 they have alot of people to sue to make it to $150000.

quote:

Originally posted by sash who pays for kazaa?

Thats waht I was about to say!! YOu get kazaa so you don't have to pay. LOL

i dont get it..if the 12 year old girl is paying for the service..then shouldnt kaaza be held responsible..?

http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,60350,00.html

quote:

Notably, however, the decline in CD sales accelerated during the period of reduced peer-to-peer file trading. On June 15, the day the RIAA launched a subpoena campaign against file traders, CD sales were down 6.1 percent year to date. In the seven weeks since launching the subpoena campaign, the decline in CD sales has accelerated 54 percent.

I laugh at the RIAA.

^^^^^ Totally agree with you surferfb

The information on file sharing declines is so subjective which makes any claims by the RIAA very weak. Well I think the time of the CD is maybe reaching a peak in just the same way as they replaced tapes...I mean everyone can carry around an mp3 player or mp3 CD-player.

at the RIAA

I don't think its that black and white, tape got overruled by cd's because of the quality and the characteristic of selecting any track you want at the touch of a button, don't think normal cd's will die that easily EDIT: this is my opinion not a fact

That's what you get for downloading crappy music with some crappy Kazaa, and even paying for it. LOL! And so what if she's 12, are you allowed to do illegal stuff then? What? Oh, she didn't know you weren't allowed to do it. That's ok then. Can I use that when someone wants to sue me? "I didn't know it was illegal to download copyrighted songs or movies." "Oh, sorry then, nevermind." Still feel kinda sorry for the poor girl.

actually there was a audit done by some guy and he pointed out the following issues the RIAA can't find answers for

Yes sales are down..but compared with what
The Big 5 have been releasing less music titles than before...hence selling less...I'm sure the goofballs at the RIAA read boards like this. YOU RELEASE LESS = LESS SALES

Also they have been so busy paying lawyers and other ppl to sue the asses off ppl....they have forgot to adequately promote and market their artists effectively. Let's face it, if the music is good, more people are going to buy cd's...you keep putting out crap...no one buys it. Personally I love to buy cd's and my cd library is quite big but the RIAA's tactics are beginning to piss me off. What a way to piss off your buyers

Also they paid fines (the big 5) about cd price fixing and lord knows how much money they made during that time. Now cd sales are down and they completely blame mp3's...but the market conditions are very different from a few years ago. I just laugh at this because if it was not for MP3's....then I would not be addicted to trance and electronic music and general and would have not bought the amount of cd's and gone to see the amount of artists that I did. I've spent a few thousand over the last 4-5 yrs on this...so I think mp3's are great because how many ppl did not know about trance and got mp3's from europe and sets and to hear deejays who now play here all the time and basically owe their existance to mp3's.

One last thing to leave with....do you realize that in early 1997..the Big 5 music companies had a meeting where new technology was discussed and mp3's were brought up and they could have jumped on the bandwagon and made a FORTUNE!...beyond our thinking....but they passed and now are trying to play catch up to an form of technology that has left them in the dust and gasping for air. Also they suffered from what most big companies suffer from (mainly the big 3 auto makers)....they did not want to change and did not give the public what it wanted and got destroyed....blame mp3's..i still think they have helped...and for all the RIAA goofballs that are reading the boards trying to gauge public reaction and formulate strategy...1)KISS MY ASS 2)You got left in the dust 3)adapt.

great observations Toronotrance. u've made a lot of great and new points.

3000 dollars a song is a lot, i would have to declare bankrupcy and get a million dollar loan

I'd burn all my legit cd's in a fire pit...tape it and send it to them....SEE WHAT YOU MADE ME DO....YOU BASTARDS!

3000 a song...i bet they paid artists much less than that....and are making profit.

RIAA

RIAA is a cartel, because the companies part of it have ilegally agreed to charge the same for cds (that is, to charge more that would be charged without this cartel).

The american government failed to stop the cartel, partly because of heavy lobby (lobby is sometimes equal to legal bribes).

So that left the ppl having to pay higher prices for music just to fill the pockets of a few. That is not only unfair, but unconstitutional.

zzl.


Btw, sorry for the sp. and gr.

but we have more power than they do

we can refuse to buy their products and that normally wakes up the company but not in this case..only ones making a fortune outta this...are the corporate lawyers charging huge hourly rates and all this money comes from somewhere...probably have big losses then blame mp3's. But consumer decides...you don't like it....don't buy cd's..then again...i suggest you don't download them either...spend yer coin elsewhere...like helping yer community.....and use yer time to volunteer to help others.

Everyone should stop buying albums from the BIG 5. Boycott for say, 2 weeks much less a month, and we would see how down on their knees they (the corporations involved) would be. The record industry in America should adapt imo. I think the only way artists will make money in the future is by live shows, and the music be for free . And if the artist is good, his or her show will sell. Just my 2cp.

^^-- agreed. that would also help de-populate the world of all these awful MTV pop and punk bands... ugh.

well the less people listening to good music...means the less commercialized it gets.

if i were the RIAA:

partner up with Microsoft and promote WMA format. Create a free napster-esque peer to peer network run by the RIAA. The only catch is that every tune can only be downloaded in CRAP quality, and i'm talking like shit, dog shit, so shitty that u can't put it in ur wannabe Global Underground mix 'cus the quality is so shitty. Now, if anyone wants a song in higher quality, bam, pay $1 and u get it in TOP 1million kbps quality packaged in a small size (from wma encoding). any problems with this? (besides hackers who will somehow find a way to get top tunes for free )

One thing that's also never really mentioned.

Music sales were going UP as Napster became popular....and started going down once it got shut down.

Dave

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