RIAA goes after William & Mary — again
p2pnet news | RIAA News:- Technologically ignorant executives who run Warner Music, EMI, Vivendi Universal and Sony BMG are too dense to figure out how to use P2P file sharing and other related 21st century distribution technologies to their advantage.
So they’ve resorted to using their RIAA to try to sue their own customers into buying their boring and over-priced ‘product’.
But before they can do that, they have to somehow get hold of the names of the people they want to nail.
Last summer, the Big 4’s RIAA tried to scam judge Walter D. Kelley into granting order which to force the College of William & Mary in Virginia to hand over the identities of students alleged to have committed the awful crime of sharing music.
Seven students used the college network to, “access an online media distribution system for the purpose of downloading and distributing plaintiffs’ copyrighted works,” says a court document.
Kelley ruled the attempt wasn’t covered under the law and sent the RIAA away.
But the vultures are back, his time looking to con double the number of names out of school authorities.
Student newspaper the Flat Hat cites the experience of one of the RIAA victims, accused of illegally distributing 77 songs through LimeWire.
Dated January 9, 2007, is tries to extort $3,000 from the student, telling him if he doesn’t pay up, he’ll face a lawsuit, “in which case the RIAA would seek a minimum of $750 per song”.
The story goes on:
Toward the end of the letter, in bold and capital letters, was the statement: “If you do not resolve our claims against you within twenty (20) calendar days from the date of this letter, then we will file suit against you in federal court.” The letter ended with advice to seek legal counsel.
“The really shitty part is that the letter was dated the [Jan.] 9, and I got it on [Jan.] 29,” the student said. “So basically I was given four hours to put a credit card on a website and pay $3,000. I didn’t feel I was able to do that given I didn’t have the time to consult a lawyer.”
p2pnet has pointed out on numerous occasions that paying RIAA / Big 4 blackmail money doesn’t mean a thing.
Far from removing the threat, giving in to the so-called ‘pre-settlement’ scam merely provides the RIAA with an admission of guilt without its legal vultures ever having to go near a court, pulls personal information about the alleged transgressor, and still leaves him or her wide open to another action in the future.
In this case, the student, “expressed concern that, even by settling with the RIAA, he may still face the expense of lawsuits filed independently by other label companies,” says the Flat Hat, adding:
“The student has yet to hear anything more from the law firm representing the RIAA. He has spoken to Student Legal Services and is currently waiting to hear back from a law professor who assisted students in a similar situation last year.”
Definitely stay tuned.
Also See:
tried to scam judge Walter D. Kelley – RIAA fails to get student IDs, July 14, 2007
Flat Hat – RIAA targets 15 students, February 8, 2008
numerous occasions – p2pnet RIAA school report, February 2, 2008
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February 9th, 2008 at 3:21 am
Response to the RIAA: if you insist for me to pay $3000 I will spray you with pest killer.
February 9th, 2008 at 7:09 am
“Vultures” is extreme. It is yellow journalism.
The R.I.A.A. attorneys are only people who are being paid to do their jobs and in that respect are no different from Ray Beckerman.
February 9th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Standard get-out: âWe were only following orders!â
Beckerman follows his conscience.
As far as Iâm concerned, the lower level RIAA people are well-trained lawyers and PR hacks who could probably easily find employment somewhere else.
Sherman and Bainwol, though, seem to really relish their jobs
February 10th, 2008 at 2:29 am
@ Observer,
There’s a big difference.
a) The RIAA blantantly distort and misrepresent fact(s), Beckerman makes every attempt to present factual information.
b) Corporate greed vs Consumer rights.
c) RIAA & hacks care very little for due process, Beckerman’s defends due process.
d) The powerful with vast resources vs those with limited or without.
I could go on, but you get the idea, it’s not rocket science.
In this day and age when corporations are bending and manipulating laws & lawmakers to their advantage, it’s reassuring to know there is Beckerman and others like him who are compassionate enough to care.
Yellow journalism? Read the the PR (mis)statements the RIAA put out and make note of the references they make about their own costumers (thieves, pirates, hard core criminals).
February 12th, 2008 at 10:07 am
OK how have these guys not been stopped yet, anyone can see that this is extortion this is completely bogus.
3000$ in 4 hrs or your family is going to be poor forever!