Finns Take New Tack On Punishing Pirates

from the i-think-it's-the-cold dept

In the same week that France considered a law that would send file-sharers to jail -- then ultimately passed a law in its lower house of parliament legalizing non-commercial file-sharing -- a new law has been enacted in Finland that gives the music industry there some bizarre recourse against convicted file-sharers. Not content with other criminal or civil action, record labels can now take out newspaper ads naming file-sharers, then send them the bill (via Broadband Reports). What's next, forcing them to walk around downtown Helsinki wearing sandwich boards that say "I download music illegally?" This seems like a petty way to make people pay for the record labels' inability to adapt their business models to a changing environment.
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  1. identicon
    Me, 23 Dec 2005 @ 6:55am

    I find it funny

    And ultimatelly cheaper than buying overpriced CDs.
    I would walk around with sandwich boards for a couple of days if it meant free music :p

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    The Other Mike, 23 Dec 2005 @ 8:12am

    No Subject Given

    I'm no fan of illegal downloading and have never had anyone tell me a good reason we shouldn't allow the industry to do what they want with their music (a la the Rootkit fiasco or some proprietary piece of crap iPod rip off nobody will buy), but I have to say...

    A couple newspaper ads and a $10,000 fine for a couple years of unlimited access to any music you want at any time of the day and able to put it in any format you want. I still think you could come out cheaper and with less hassle and less computer problems via file sharing. The difference is that you pay in one lump sum instead of feeling raped everytime you get another CD. The music industry has a lot to learn still.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    Ben McNelly, 23 Dec 2005 @ 8:27am

    No Subject Given

    I say let them take out an ad... Then sew thier buts for slander and defamation! Of course it would help to not be guilty.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. identicon
    DittoBox, 23 Dec 2005 @ 10:03am

    How many?

    How many people would go up to the poor dude walking around Helsinki and honestly say "good for you!"?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 23 Dec 2005 @ 10:12am

    Re: No Subject Given

    This only works if what they are saying is false, otherwise the judge just laughs you out of the court.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    Christopher TruLove, 23 Dec 2005 @ 10:17am

    Oh for a few thousand dollars...

    ...the industry seems confused about this... as usual. It occurs to me that for the price, that's a bit of notoriety I would LOVE to have... I would give away signed copies of the ad to friends... hell... I'd send a copy to my favorite Record Execs and lawyers too.

    And I'm guessing I'm not the only one.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    Landon, 23 Dec 2005 @ 10:19am

    No Subject Given

    Well, I am cetainly a fan of file sharing, and if I saw a shirt that said I download music illegaly, or anything similar, i would go out and buy that shirt to get that companies sales up just to piss off the music industry.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. identicon
    fuck you record labels, 2 Dec 2006 @ 3:36pm

    fuck you and your asshole support of record labels. file sharing will never stop. it's like physically handing over your cd to a friend to borrow for a few days. same shit. fuck you. it's been paid for. and why pay for the same cd over and over again. you bought it once, the media decayed(ie. cassette tape) you are entitled to have it and own and wash your ass with it ass many times as you want.

    link to this | view in thread ]


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