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Petition: Congressional Hearings on RIAA (1 Viewer)

John_Berger

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Because you disagree with it or because you honestly think that it will serve no purpose? Considering that they have almost 500,000 signatures, a large number of people clearly disagree with you.
 

Brian Perry

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Considering that they have almost 500,000 signatures, a large number of people clearly disagree with you.
It doesn't matter how many people sign the petition. I'm sure a lot of people would sign a petition asking for free gasoline.

It's easy to gain sympathy by focusing on the 12-yr. old girl. However, you can just as easily say that the RIAA, by filing only 261 suits against the most egregious offenders/uploaders, showed remarkable restraint. They could have sued thousands of people.

I agree with Phil--the petition is ludicrous and, I think, disingenuous.
 

John_Berger

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I'm sure a lot of people would sign a petition asking for free gasoline.
Why not just merge all of these RIAA threads into one because they're going to end up degrading themselves into the same boring argument anyway? :rolleyes:This is *NOT* about wanting something for nothing; it's about the method by which the RIAA is going about it.

Don't bother replying that you agree or disagree because it's already being discussed in other threads. In fact, the admins should just lock this one because otherwise this thread will end up being a repeat of the others.

Thanks for the info, Lee! We'll see what happens with this.
 

Lew Crippen

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I too think that this thread should be merged.

Even so I am bound to observe that I lost all respect for the petition because of it’s emotive use of a 12-year old, instead of relying on logic. I am sure that it will get a lot of signatures because of the nature of the appeal—but it will also make for a weaker case when examined dispassionately.

It is also amusing to read in the petition that she does not have the money to pay to settle the lawsuit. One then also assumes that she would not have had the money to pay for the legitimate use of the music in question, which we should all remember numbered in the hundreds, not in the ones and twos.

She knew what she was doing and got caught. Can we say personal responsibility somewhere along the line—if not for her, for her parents?
 

Seth--L

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Two points:

1. This sounds like "Well, in theory we may have broken the law, but only because the music industry didn't give us a way to pay them for downloaded music and because we didn't like the price of CDs. The punishment for breaking this law that we may have or have not broken isn't fair - we really shouldn't be punished for our supposed crime."

2. Turning the 12 year old school girl who pled ignorance as her defence into a martyr is just pitiful. Why don't they mention the rich college student that has taken full advantage of their high-speed connection...



Well if the price isn't fair, don't buy the product! And an unfair price is not justification for ripping off the product.
 

Glenn Overholt

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Brian, it isn't just 261 suits. That was just the first round. More are on the way, I'm afraid.

And once again, if the girl can't pay it, she should file for bankruptcy. In 7 years she'd only be 19. Hardly a bad hit, and her credit report would be clean then anyway.

Glenn
 

Rachael B

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Glenn, I suspect minors cannot file bankruptcy in about 50 of the 50 states.

Wheather one likes the wording of this thang, the music industry needs investigating and reform IMO. Asking for it can't be all bad, can it???
 

Steve Kuester

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The part about this petition I don't like is the "while ensuring that artists are fairly compensated."

That's only half of it, the record companies should be paid for the product they provide. I don't see the petition addressing this.

On a further note (this is not meant to be a political statement) I would just as soon not have our government getting involved in the music business.



Let's just let the free market do it's thing.
 

John_Berger

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This has nothing to do with free market. This is about the recent tactics of the RIAA and their possible violation of due process laws at stated in the U.S. Constitution.

Frankly, I'm very suspicious at the attempts to minimize this petition by the pro-RIAA people. All that the EFF is doing is trying to get in there to have their say in the name of "the public's interest" whatever that might turn out to be. I sincerely doubt that they would be stupid enough to defend a position like "Hey, file sharing is okay!"[/i] which would severely damage their credibility. Yes, they might be crossing ethical boundaries by making this girl a martyr, but there are a bunch of people who think that the RIAA crossed ethical (and legal) lines.

Just because the RIAA is trying to protect copyrights does NOT automatically give them carte blanche to take whatever actions they want. There are still laws and procedures that they have to follow. All that this hearing is about is whether or not they are within the law. For all we know, the committee might decide that the RIAA is correct. So, why shouldn't the EFF be involved?
 

Brian Perry

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Just because the RIAA is trying to protect copyrights does NOT automatically give them carte blanche to take whatever actions they want. There are still laws and procedures that they have to follow. All that this hearing is about is whether or not they are within the law. For all we know, the committee might decide that the RIAA is correct. So, why shouldn't the EFF be involved?
All they've done is file some lawsuits, which, last time I checked, is their right. If the courts decide the suits are frivolous, the defendants will be cleared. Simple as that. I don't know where people are getting the idea that "due process" is being violated.
 

Steve Kuester

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John Berger, why are you "very suspicious"? And do you mean you are suspicious of me? I don't understand.

The RIAA is taking action against people (through the court system) who have stolen their product. I'm all for people and/or corporations protecting their property. What is very suspicious about this?
 

John_Berger

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John Berger, why are you "very suspicious"?
You mean with the 100% certainty that some people have that the RIAA is oh-so-justified and must not be criticized for their ever-so-ethical-in-the-eyes-of-God actions whereas the efforts by the EFF to do nothing more than give an opposing viewpoint (which might not be as opposing as many think) are oh-so-ludicrous and therefore their efforts to get involved must be scrutinized? Gee, I can't imagine why I'd be suspicious. (I never specified you, by the way. My suspicions were there before your post.)

All that I can say is that if what the RIAA is doing is 100% oh-so-jusitified, we probably wouldn't be having these hearings in the first place. Regardless, what is going to happen is pretty much out of our hands, but I'd rather let the EFF get involved if anything to show some type of balance to the RIAA's position. God forbid that we want the EFF or anyone else to show any counter-position against the All-Mighty, All-Righteous RIAA, though. After all, the law is the law is the law is the law is the law is the law....
 

Seth--L

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Oh, sorry.

Could you please explain how people are POSSIBLY being denied due process.

(perhaps the better question to ask, is if the EFF understands what due process is.)
 

John_Berger

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I took a look at the EFF's website. Their positions seem well thought out.
As well thought out as suing a 12-year-old inner-city girl. Nah, the media and RIAA detractors would NEVER eat that one up. :rolleyes:I guess they figure that they're reputation is stained enough, so what's another one?
 

Glenn Overholt

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Yep, I know that a normal 12 year old can't file bankruptcy, but everything that I have heard about it states that the girl was given the suit, not her mother.

But, I think that even if her mother was actually served with it, her daughter's name would be implicated in it as the responsible party, and if she is that responsible, then why can't she file too?

Due process has not been done when a suit is served and they settle. True, you can argue that was their choice, so it is ok, but it should be challenged in court. Has anyone heard anything about any of the other suits that have been filed?

Glenn
 

Jeff Ulmer

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This is *NOT* about wanting something for nothing; it's about the method by which the RIAA is going about it.
Let's see, first they shut down Napster, who were clearly guilty of the charges against them. The case was high profile, and only someone living under a rock could have missed that the courts found file sharing illegal.

Other file sharing systems show up, and people continue to download, knowing full well it's breaking the law. Due to technicalities, Kazaa is exempt from prosecution, which leaves...

You guessed it, all the people who have been using the networkd to illegally distribute material.

The girl can't file for bankruptcy, and her parents are legally liable for her actions until she has reached the age of consent. Is there so much outrage because this is a girl? What happened to equal rights? Because she is 12? While that may sound young, it isn't these days.

I think the RIAA has given the public plenty of time to think about their actions, and is coming down to the last legal way they can defend the rights they are charged to defend.

This petition is frivolous. There are far more important things the government should be concerning itself with than whether people can rip off musicians and get away with it.
 

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