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This morning, the RIAA announced that it will cease filing mass lawsuits on behalf of major record companies against individual users of file-sharing software, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal. It is estimated that an approximate 35,000 users have been sued in these cases since 2003. Instead, as reported by Wired, the music industry trade association will focus on working directly with Internet Service Providers to slow or cut off Internet service to frequent offenders.
Some commentators reacted skeptically to aspects of the RIAA's announcement. The alternative tactic raised new concerns regarding whether suspected piracy would become a pretext for filtering content or spying on users. Others noted discrepancies in the RIAA's statements. The Associated Press reported that the record companies claimed to have "stopped sending out new lawsuits and warnings in August" and Wired quoted Cara Duckworth, an RIAA spokesperson, as stating "the RIAA has not instituted a new lawsuit for months." However, defense attorney Ray Beckerman reports at least 16 new lawsuits were filed since December 4, 2008. LAist reported that record companies were contacting USC students as of last week.
The RIAA's stated decision to shift focus from minor offenders to major copyright infringers coincides with an effort to involve government in prosecuting piracy-related crimes. On Monday, Culver City resident Kevin Cogill pleaded guilty to criminal charges brought by the U.S. Attorney's office in Los Angeles for copyright infringement related to leaking the Guns N' Roses album, "Chinese Democracy".
Photo by Joe Hall via Flickr.
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Sheesh. The Gestapo is alive and well. The RIAA owns it! I doubt this is the end of anything. I would like to know just how many millions have been wrung out of citizens to date though.
It is not the ISP's business to monitor activities of their customers. Airlines do not monitor why I choose the fly somewhere, Walmart does not ask what I want to do with that Sharpie. Any ISP that chooses to be in league with the RIAA on this is doing a disservice to their customers, for a few reasons.
1) The RIAA will not be required to provide concrete proof that infringement occured
2) The RIAA can not prove that downloading or uploading a song is, in fact, illegal to 100% certainty
3) ISPs will have to pass along the cost of this monitoring to the consumer
Frankly, the RIAA just needs to be exposed for what it is (making record companies money off of lawsuits and not passing a cent on to the Artists who are supposedly being ripped off by the downloading), and then disbanded (or at least laughed out of the courtroom every time they try).
ISPs provide a connection to the internet. What the consumer chooses to do with that connection is entirely between the consumer and any other parties directly affected by the consumer's actions.
I can't find the article but someone said the record companies lose more money pursuing lawsuits than if they would just let people continue stealing music.
I have received a letter from my ISP saying I am sharing a video file. I don't share files, and at the same time they said my line could not handle the bandwidth I paid for any more(after more then 2 years of service)so they lowered my service. coincidence? Speakeasy's tech support is little to be desired. Not enough ISP'S to chose from, maybe this will change. Marked man for no cause, were is the justice.