p2pnet.net News:- There’s a common on- and offline misperception that the Big Four Organized Music cartel’s RIAA has successfully ‘prosecuted’ 19,000 or more criminal file sharers, all of whom have ‘settled‘ out of court.

Some 61 million people are said to have shared online in America alone and the number of people using the p2p networks for their music fixes has risen steadily every year, including this year. And yet the labels claim their cynical lawsuits are effective.

In an exact reversal of what’s actually happening, RIAA boss Mitch Bainwol recently stated, “we believe digital downloads have emerged into a growing, thriving business, and file-trading is flat”. And his claim was repeated unquestioned by the mainstream media just as though it was an accurate portrayal of events from a reliable and credible source.

Now another family, this time in Klamath Falls, Oregon, is being blackmailed by the RIAA. And once again, Kazaa, the p2p application owned by Sharman Networks which, to all intents and purposes, has become one with the entertainment cartels, is named squarely in the family’s ongoing distress

RIAA is short for Recording Industry Association of America, but it’s owned and operated by EMI (Britain), Vivendi Universal (France) and Sony BMG (Japan, Germany) with Warner Music as the single US company. The so-called ‘trade’ association is one of the dozens of alphabet organizations established by the Big Four around the world to make sure consumers continue to consume. Mindlessly.

The Big Four report eye-popping profits year after year, but still maintain they’re being “devastated” by p2p file sharers and that they’re being forced to sue their own customers, whom they call “thieves,” to preserve their revenues.

In fact, not one of the victims, who include young children, has ever appeared before a judge or jury, and only 3,000 to 4,000 (it’s impossible to easily find accurate statistics when it comes to RIAA sue ‘em all cases) have actually given in to RIAA extortion.

Leslie Maxfield’s family owes more than $4,000 after reaching a ’settlement’ with record companies over the illegal downloading of 834 rock and country songs, says the Associated Press, and, “I’ve got about a week and they’ll be wanting their money, and I don’t know what to do,” the story has Maxfield, a 51-year-old cabinet maker, saying.

“They’re trying to get blood out of a turnip. I feel like I’m in a nightmare.”

The nightmare, AP goes on, “started after the family downloaded music files to their computer through Kazaa.

“They act like I went out intentionally to rob them,” Maxfield said. “Now, they’re using the court system to rob us.”

Maxfield agreed to pay a $4,080 settlement as well as $420 court costs and processing fees, a copy of the settlement states, says the story. He also agreed to destroy all the files, according to the settlement.

“The Maxfields were one of three southern Oregon households hit in April with federal copyright infringement lawsuits by the Recording Industry Association of America,” adds AP.

“A defendant identified only as Jeanie Metzer of Jackson County saw her suit dropped in June for reasons not identified in court papers. The third defendant, identified as Eva Thomas of Josephine County, has until the end of August to file court papers in response to her suit.”

Also See:
settled – Silenced by Big Music, February 5, 2005
risen steadily – P2p file sharing escalates, July 3, 2006
file-trading is flat – p2p file sharing contained: RIAA, June 13, 2006
become one – Kazaa owner’s DRM plan, August 4, 2006
Associated Press – Family owes $4,080 for music downloads, August 8, 2006

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