Columbia University in p2p trap
p2p news / p2pnet: “After more than two years of lawsuits on the part of the Recording Industry Association of America against illegal file-swappers around the country, Columbia University is looking into taking steps to keep students from breaking the law.”
So says a post in the Columbia University and Morningside Heights Columbia Daily Spectator, going on:
“Since February, a five-person committee of top administrators has begun taking concrete steps toward potentially subscribing to a legal online music service. The actions come after more than two years of litigation by the RIAA that has resulted in more than 60 lawsuits against users of the Columbia University network.”
In other words, the Big Four Organized Music family has succeeded in using America’s legal system to cow yet another major US university into becoming an unpaid marketing and sales outlet for ‘product,’ as Sony BMG, Vivendi Universal, Warner Music and EMI call their music offerings.
It works like this:
OM’s RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) blackmails school administrations saying, in effect, there’ll be dire consequences if students don’t use corporate online music ’stores,’ all of which are supplied by its owners,
“Just last week, in a fifth round of lawsuits aimed at college students since April, the RIAA issued three lawsuits to users of the University network as well as users at 11 other schools. In total, more than 15,000 users have been sued nationwide by the RIAA for copyright infringement,” says the Columbia Daily Spectator. “More than 3,000 of those suits have settled, often at a cost of about $4,000 to the defendant.”
The appearance given by this and articles like it is that here have been numerous successful ‘prosecutions’ of file sharers.
But not one of the approximately 17,000 men, women, children and students victimized by the Big Four has yet appeared in court or been found guilty of anything. However, the ever-compliant mainstream media pick the threats up and make them appear to have substance.
Add to that the pressure brought to bear in schools through the spurious Hollywood manufactured and owned JCHEEC (Joint Committee of the Higher Education and Entertainment Communities) and it’s little wonder these top level teaching institutions are falling prey to Organized Music intimidation.
“It`s a way of being proactive because eventually, universities become easy targets,” Robert Taylor, senior associate director at Columbia`s Student Development and Activities office and a member of the committee, is quoted as saying. “We want to figure out what proactive steps we can take, so we can at least demonstrate that we`re serving our educational mission giving students opportunities to not engage in illegal behavior.”
Educational missions are to educate, not to act as entertainment industry enforcers and marketers.
And yet, “As part of its educational campaign, Provost Alan Brinkley and General Counsel Elizabeth J. Keefer sent a letter to all University students this summer warning them against illegally sharing files over the Internet, and the University ran a program during the New Student Orientation Program about illegal file sharing,” says the Daily Spectator.
“Additionally, all students must agree twice not to violate copyright law when receiving UNI addresses.”
Do they also have to take an oath of allegiance to the music industry?
And speaking of the JCHEEC, the story adds,”In a session before the Joint Committee of the Higher Education and Entertainment Communities in September, RIAA president Cary Sherman said, ‘Complacency looms as a constant threat to the tremendous progress we have made,’ noting that there has been a threefold increase in the number of universities employing such systems. ‘As the landscape changes, so must the anti-piracy programs within the university community. There is much promise in the coming years, but our work is far from done’.”
No kidding. But we know somehow, Organized Music will struggle on.
Also read:-
Columbia Daily Spectator – Columbia Considers Subscribtion to Music Site, December 6, 2005
JCHEEC – Phony RIAA ’school’ report, September 21, 2005
December 6th, 2005 at 7:36 pm
Robert Taylor, senior associate director at Columbiaâs Student Development and Activities office and a member of the committee, is quoted as saying. “We want to figure out what proactive steps we can take, so we can at least demonstrate that weâre serving our educational mission giving students opportunities to not engage in illegal behavior.”
“…weâre serving our educational mission giving students opportunities to not engage in illegal behavior.”
“…opportunities to not engage in illegal behavior.”
I had to read that three times to even believe this guy said it.
I guess when he’s on a committee called JCHEEC (Joint Committee of the Higher Education and Entertainment Communities) one should expect such bare faced doublespeak. That they had the balls to put “Higher Education and Entertainment” together is just… unspeakable.
February 17th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
please help me to download kazaa.