More RIAA file sharing claptrap
p2pnet.net News:- “Only a small number of the RIAA’s lawsuits have gone to trial, Hunter said. A majority of people pay the RIAA a settlement, which Hunter said can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars.”
The above statement, attributed to RIAA spokeswoman Amanda Hunter, is pure, 100% unadulterated Big Four bullshit, to use the kindest term, all the way through.
It comes in a Southeast Missourian story centering on four local people victimised by the Big Four Organized Music cartel’s RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for alleged copyright infringement.
It’s close to impossible to get an accurate number on exactly how many of the approximately 20,000 RIAA victims have ’settled,’ as the Warner Music, EMI, Vivendi Universal and Sony BMG blackmail is termed, but it’s unlikely to be greater than 3,000 to 4,000, if that. In 2005, another RIAA spokesperson, Jonathan Lamy, admitted only 1,700 of the 8,400 people who’s received subpoenas had ‘settled,’ said The Village Voice.
Lamy was also quoted in a more recent outrage when the cartel’s RIAA was forced to abandon a lawsuit it had lodged against a former Vietnam helicopter pilot who’d died in June.
With Warner at the top end of the suit, after harrasing Larry Scantlebury, the RIAA told his children it would allow them 60 days to mourn for their father before zeroing in on them.
“Our hearts go out to the Scantleberry family for their loss,” said Lamy at the time.
As to the number of lawsuits that have gone to trial, not one of the RIAA victims has so far appeared before a judge or jury to be found guilty of copyright infringement (a simple commercial civil matter the labels have spent millions of dollars promoting to the level of major crime), or anything else.
Another mother, Patti Santangelo from New York, will be the first. She’s demanding a jury trial and her case is at the deposition stage.
Meanwhile, increasing numbers of people, mostly women and children, all very ordinary Americans mischaracterized by the Big Four as hardened thieves and criminals, are finding the way to deal with the RIAA is the way you deal with all arrogant, cock-sure bullies: stand up to them.
In yet another specious lawsuit with Warner again in the lead, the RIAA tried to muscle Tallie Stubbs into ’settling’.
Kazaa, the disgraced p2p file sharing application owned by Australia’s Sharman Networks and which turns up in so many of the RIAA suits, was a feature and when Stubbs made a counterclaim against the RIAA on August 23, 2006, “she likened the RIAA’s tactics to extortion’,” says Recording Industry vs The People.
Her lawyer, Marilyn Barringer-Thomson, said Stubbs didn’t know anything about the RIAA’s allegations, asking that the ‘trade’ unit provide specific details.
They ignored her requests, and also ignored her declaration that her client had had nothing to do with copyright infringement.
“Plaintiffs continued to proceed with the filing of a lawsuit against Defendant although Plaintiffs knew or had reason to know that said Defendant should not be a party to any case involving copyright infringement by use of a computer and the internet,” said Barringer-Thomson in a court document.
And in another case where the RIAA saw their claims thrown out, also handled by Barringer-Thomson, Debbie Foster is currently calling for $50,000 for legal costs.
Stay tuned.
Also See:
Southeast Missourian – Music copyright suits reach Cape, August 25, 2006
settled – Silenced by Big Music, February 5, 2005
The Village Voice – Meet John Doe, March 7, 2005
more recent outrage – RIAA forced to drop Scantlebury case, August 15, 2006
Sharman Networks – Kazaa owner’s DRM plan, August 4, 2006
Recording Industry vs The People – RIAA Drops Stubbs Case in Oklahoma One Day After Receiving Defendant’s Answer & Counterclaim!, August 24, 2006
calling for $50,000 – RIAA owes Oklahoma mum, August 9, 2006
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