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RIAA Says It's Granting You A Favor In Letting You Use Your iPod

Say That Again

from the gee,-thanks dept

Wed, Feb 15th 2006 9:44am — Mike Masnick
The recording industry has made it clear in the past that they feel they deserve money for every iPod sold, even though they fought the development of MP3 players every step of the way, claiming (oh, that again?) that it would destroy the music business. Of course, they seem to ignore that the success of the iPod alone has allowed them to start to build up a business in digital music sales. The latest move, however, is to suggest that the fact you can transfer (some) songs from CDs (that don't have copy protection) to your iPod has nothing to do with fair use (which they like to pretend doesn't exist) and is simply a gracious favor that the recording industry offers everyone by choice. As part of a petition they've filed with the government concerning the latest DMCA rule-making, they make it clear that the government should recognize transferring music to an iPod is because they alone have said it's okay, and does not show that copying a song to another device is fair use in any manner.
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54 Comments

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  • identicon
    Jason, 15 Feb 2006 @ 9:53am

    RIAA granting favor

    I'm 28 years old and I haven't bought a CD in over 5 years.

    I will not buy CD's until this madness stops.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Michael, 15 Feb 2006 @ 10:25am

      Re: RIAA granting favor

      I too have stopped buying CD's. In addition, I'm boycotting Redcats USA.

      EVERYONE! BOYCOTT REDCATS USA!

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Jeff, 15 Feb 2006 @ 10:44am

      Re: RIAA granting favor

      So you would rather buy DRM'd music online? That makes a lot of sense. If the RIAA ever got some brains, they would find that the CD is much worse for their business than online sales. It costs more to produce a CD than to put the music on an online store and its easier to copy a CD than to break DRM.

      I fear the day that CD's will no longer be sold.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Don Gray, 15 Feb 2006 @ 10:55am

        Re: RIAA granting favor

        I agree 100%.

        Thank the industry's stupidity that they haven't figured this out yet.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Dosquatch, 15 Feb 2006 @ 12:56pm

          Re: RIAA granting favor

          Here's the good news: There are roughly 200 million households with broadband connections worldwide. 45 million of those are in the US.

          There are 6.5 billion people worldwide, or about 1.5-2 billion households. There are 300 million people in the US, or about 75-100 million households.

          If the RIAA and equivolents were to cease the manufacture of physical content, they would be abandoning 90% of their potential customers worldwide, and over 50% in the US. They are simply not going to do this, it would be suicide.

          As far as making physical media: to have a CD pressed, labeled, jewel-cased with full-color inserts, shrink-wrapped, and shipped to the RIAA's front door, the cost is about $1/disc (assuming an order of 10,000 and amortizing glass mastering).

          Considering the artists see on average about a nickel a disc (when the RIAA bothers to pay at all), your fury should really go into wondering where the rest of the purchase price goes.

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Blisshead, 15 Feb 2006 @ 1:07pm

            Re: RIAA granting favor

            Exactly.

            [ link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Jason, 15 Feb 2006 @ 1:43pm

            Re: RIAA granting favor

            $1/disc? Maybe for a few thousand. When you get up into the 100,000+ it's more like $0.20/disc, including everything.

            It's the Recording INDUSTRY Association of America. They fight for the CD dupers as well as the record labels.

            [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Kent Horvath, 15 Feb 2006 @ 11:38am

      Re: RIAA granting favor

      Buying a CD is somewhat irrelevant. There are many people who don't buy CDs anymore because they no longer need them. Instead, they buy their music from sources like iTunes, Napster, etc... Were I you, I would instead pledge not to purchase any music, unless it is from an Indy label or a DRM free user-friendly place like allofmp3.com. That's how you'll really stick it to the Man.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anubhav, 15 Feb 2006 @ 11:54am

        Why won't the RIAA just die already!

        Will the RIAA ever stop?

        I don't get pissed off a lot...but these guys are just really annoying.
        Its like their aim is to make sure that everyone in the world is against them.

        Don't artists get pissed off at these people as well?

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Brendan, 15 Feb 2006 @ 1:46pm

      Re: RIAA granting favor

      Word. I won't ever buy a CD again or pay for music because the RIAA is so greedy that I'm doing it just to spite them. It's a shame because I used to like to have the cd's because it's something tangible and you get the artwork.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Searcher, 15 Feb 2006 @ 1:59pm

        Re: RIAA granting favor

        All this makes me want to encourage more people to pirate more and more. The stupid PSA's they insert in the beginning of a movie at movie theaters are both anoying and funny. At the end of them I make a point of saying "Oh that reminds me!" and then pretend to call a friend asking him to burn me a copy of the new DVD he got. It always gets laughs. :-) The RIAA needs to go the way of the dinosaurs. They serve no purpose other than their own greed.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Wothbora, 15 Feb 2006 @ 4:54pm

      Re: RIAA granting favor

      I'm 42 and I've got a "Get Right with the Man" Van Zant CD that came with a (get this) FREE RootKit that is impossible to get rid of...

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Jeremy, 15 Feb 2006 @ 10:14am

    No Subject Given

    Should the movie industry then recieve a chuck of cash from every dvd or vhs player that is sold, should the music industry also recieve a chuck of every tape player or cd player that is sold. It's just a player, leave it at that..

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Alex, 15 Feb 2006 @ 10:20am

      Re: No Subject Given

      I think they do. Doesn't MPAA get some money for every licensed CSS-decoder?

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Arochone, 15 Feb 2006 @ 1:20pm

      Re: No Subject Given

      The RIAA should get a chunk of DVD and VHS players too. Most DVD players play MP3s and audio CDs too, and you COULD record audio on a VHS...a heck of a lot of it too. Oh, and what about things like the X-Box and Playstation and stuff? They play music. Oh, and computers. Oh, and so can my digital camera. So yea, them getting money on every digital camera sold is BS, and so is them getting money on every MP3 player.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 15 Feb 2006 @ 10:45am

    No Subject Given

    legally anyone who uses a browser should be paying me money, because i made a few websites...

    but im going to go ahead and do you all a favor and allow you to view webpages in your browser for free

    your welcome

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Shadowbird, 15 Feb 2006 @ 1:51pm

      Re: No Subject Given

      Really, this person makes a point indirectly.

      The more RIAA opens its mouth, the more ridiculous they sound. Any judge with a brain SHOULD (sadly, it doesn't mean they well) tell them to shut up.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 15 Feb 2006 @ 10:48am

    No Subject Given

    yup, im a 16 year old and i am boycotting. RIAA is as unamerican as communism. they are an enemy of the nation yet bush loves them because they are republican. the artists wont even see a dime of the money if they win. FUCKERS!!! BURN IN the place of your relgious beleifs where bad people go. wait, they dont believe in anything because they dont fear any god. i am not a religious person, but come on, they have no fuckin ethics.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Jason, 15 Feb 2006 @ 10:58am

      Re: No Subject Given

      Off subject: Bush seems to be the evil force behind a lot of places that have been evil for longer than he's been alive. Reality check buddy, he doesn't cause all the problems in life.

      On subject: Artists already don't get hardly any money. If you can find it you should read Courtney Love's 40+ page speech on the RIAA. its a very good read. This will all blow over. I'm sure they said the same about records... then cassets... then cd's

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Christopher, 15 Feb 2006 @ 11:02am

      Re: No Subject Given 16

      A) I don't disagree with your hatred and enthusiasm.
      B) Capitalism... Communism (theorhetically anyway) is where everyone gets to use everything freely because no one owns it... actually more like what you're asking for than not.
      C) Croneyism... What Bush suffers from, mind you, I'm a Republican... a convservative at that... but you can't hide from that particular truth.
      D) Democrats... led by the media and hollywood, are just as much behind this as any other party (if not more)... This particular issue is about who can afford the most expensive lawyers.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      SaneDude, 15 Feb 2006 @ 12:36pm

      Re: No Subject Given

      Dear Kid.
      RIAA republican? you're watching too many conspiracy movies...and you know what..by watching all those movies you're giving MPAA even more profit...so go do your homework, read the news, educate yourself on the real world.
      SaneDude

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Cameron, 15 Feb 2006 @ 1:26pm

      Re: No Subject Given

      Off topic of news:For something to be unamerican you'd have to define what _is_ american? If you actually know what's going on in our country we're about as close to communism as you can be and not be communist....Our school system is based on the prussian system, from the moment we enter kindergarten to the point that we go to college we are trained to be mindless consumer dogs that don't question our master the government when it comes to major things. Bush is not a bad person, a moron yes but he is afterall still a product of the school system that we all come from.

      On topic: They did say the same thing about CDs and VHS and DVD, they are still saying it about DVD. -semi off topic- They are the people that want us to be the mindless consumer so that they stay in power, capitalism will always be like this, if it's not one thing it's another.....we just have to make sure it doesn't ever go through,but more and more people don't question it because they want to be the person running the movie/music industry.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    TriZz, 15 Feb 2006 @ 10:58am

    No Subject Given

    ...and to whom do I owe the pleasure of being able to dubb tapes from CDs?

    This whole thing is bullshit. If I purchase music - I should be able to listen to it on any medium that I want to. I'm so sick of the RIAA and all of their propaganda.

    Thank you RIAA for letting me listen to music on my $400 device? FUCK YOU!! You should be thanking me for purchasing an iPod and using iTunes to fill the thing up with music.

    ...sorry, I got a bit carried away.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    trancient, 15 Feb 2006 @ 11:07am

    the riaa and mpaa get paid for every recordable de

    They do get paid by the companies that make blank CD's and tapes so it makes sense for them to collect from other device companies based on that precedent.
    I will say that this talk is now going too far, they are in full protective mode right now, and its only going to get harsher.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    anonymous Coward, 15 Feb 2006 @ 11:09am

    No Subject Given

    The RIAA has been given enough rope and is slowly hanging itself and its whole industry. They will keep playing the "consumer=criminal" game and keep trying to push ridiculous legislation and, in the short-term, they might even succeed.

    As consumer awareness of these issue grow, it is only a matter of time before there is a vicious backlash at a consumer and legislative level that will leave the RIAA nuetered and the music industry shattered.

    They should have taken there success in slowing P2P and killing Napster and gone home proud. Instead, it went to their heads and nothing short of a DRM helmet worn by all Americans will satisfy their swollen egos and misguided sense of righteousness.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 15 Feb 2006 @ 11:17am

    its just a matter of time

    its just a matter of time before they are not needed, they are middlemen. artists will continue to need them less and less and will continue to have more and more control of their own content. before long no new artists will be stupid enough to sign with them because they get LESS in the end, than if they distribute their own creations online.


    i think it would be funny if everyone flooded the labels with requests to transfer music from their CDs to their ipods
    then they would start charging a fee to do it, which would likely be larger than just buying the song off ipod

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Marcy, 15 Feb 2006 @ 11:19am

    Give me a break!

    C'mon the recording industry makes millions upon millions and here we are the working stiffs barely making the cost of living but they think we should fork over extra money for them just because we want to listen to a little music to ease our mundane days a little bit??? Give me a break! My dollars are hard-earned, if it was affordable to support the artists and the recording industry belive me I would - to those I belive should be supported, but until then I won't buy any over-priced CDs!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Dayne, 15 Feb 2006 @ 11:19am

    No Subject Given

    CDs were so 20th century.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Brian Clarke, 15 Feb 2006 @ 11:21am

    ROFLcopter

    That's a good one RIAA! HA HA HA.

    We'll see whose laughing when companies like Apple and Napster REPLACE you and your rediculous monopoly.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Joanne, 15 Feb 2006 @ 11:34am

    Thank you RIAA for acting like I'm stealing from y

    The more I hear from the big fat mouth of the RIAA, the more I feel like a chump, because I'm one of those fools who actually pays for the music I listen to. Either I buy a CD or I pay to d/l the song from Itunes. Yes, I copy those CDs I buy onto my IPOD. So sue me. What f**ing more do they want from us? If you're going to view me as a criminal and a pirate, then maybe I should just start being one and quit paying for my music, eh?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Keith, 15 Feb 2006 @ 11:39am

    What a Joke

    If you own the cd you own the music from that CD. They cant say that MP3 players and Ipods have not generated money. They DONT even have to produce the CDs anymore its all electronic. Cost is at a minimum and most users pay for the ability to buy music online. They just have nothing else to bitch about

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Asher (no last name given fu RIAA), 15 Feb 2006 @ 11:44am

    I don't give a damn

    I don't really give a damn what they say i can and can't, and what limits they place on devices/media/downloads/headphones/computers/etc becuase i will use MY media HOWEVER i want to, nomater what the hell they do!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Denfro Magic, 15 Feb 2006 @ 12:05pm

    No Subject Given

    Doesn't bashing, suing and claiming their entire customer base act as corporate suicide?

    Why do we continue to take this abuse?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 15 Feb 2006 @ 12:22pm

    No Subject Given

    we should sue riaa for harassing people about their own failure, I will not buy a music CD nor will I sped money to download music.

    The music industry should do more in making money on concerts, I would spend money on a good live concert, and if the band is good, then it will get paid good, at least its something to pay for, why would anyone pay for something that costs $0 to duplicate?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    mr. whenwebuyacdweshouldbeabletodowatwelikewithit, 15 Feb 2006 @ 12:28pm

    No Subject Given

    i have many cd's and put them on my i pod all the time. is my proprtty. is it a favor, no. it is a right.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    giafly, 15 Feb 2006 @ 12:33pm

    You can't spell Republican Party

    ..without RIAA. "REPUBLICAN PARTY". Hey RIAA! That looks like IP theft to me. Add them to the next lawsuit!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Troy, 15 Feb 2006 @ 12:44pm

    Huh?

    Are you kidding? I thought the RIAA had jobs because we, the people, wanted music? If they want to "give us the privilage", why should we support them? I'm not saying to boycott music, but this is absolutely ridiculous! If they have problems with our Ipods, which apparently they do, why not fight against them? Oh wait, they did, AND LOST!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    jpreynolds, 15 Feb 2006 @ 12:57pm

    RIAA MPAA

    DRM is just the same as the content on DVD's and CD's. Ones and Zeros. It all can be hacked:)

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Blisshead, 15 Feb 2006 @ 1:04pm

    Cartoonishly Evil

    The greed is silly. The continued shenanigans will turn every last music buyer into a pirate or a bitter misanthrope who feels bent over every time they pay for the same things again and again.

    They will put themselves out of business.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Devin, 15 Feb 2006 @ 1:25pm

    No Subject Given

    I have an Ipod Mini, and use the Itunes Music Store on a regular basis. However, I still enjoy buying CDs, not only for the experience, but also just having a hard copy of the music I enjoy. the recording industry gets money for music sold on the Itunes Store, and this new development is just a sign of thier infamous GREED.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    wolff000, 15 Feb 2006 @ 1:27pm

    I don't care anymore.

    I used to buy CDs of artists I liked only after downloading it "illegally" to see if it was worth my cash. That all stopped when they shut down napster and started going after others. Now I say screw them if the artists don't get paid oh well. There are lots of unsigned talented artists to choose from even if the whole recording industry was shut down. So it wouldn't be the end of music just the end of the bs. The artists that truly loved what they did, would do it without pay like so many musician friends of mine. They get next to nothing for their appearances and their cds barely cover costs but they do it because they love music not to get rich. So boycott all music labels except for the small independent ones, that way you know your money goes to the artists and not the assholes. If you like music from the big labels downloaded its easy and free. Remember boy and girls bit torrent is your friend.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Mark, 15 Feb 2006 @ 1:32pm

    RIAA and ipods

    I love the artists, want to support muscians, but the RIAA has simply created an atmosphere that frankly makes me feel like I just can't do anything that might support them. So at this point, I am afraid I have to stop buying cds.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Cody H, 15 Feb 2006 @ 1:33pm

    music industry and ipods

    I am so tired of the music industry whining. The 80's are over, along with the days of excess for the music industry. I am sorry you dont have money for your expensive cars and homes and alcohol and drugs, i feel really bad for you! let me tell you from a customer standpoint that i DO buy CDs from bands that i believe to be good, bands that can fill a CD with decent music and not 1 or 2 hit songs and the rest with crap that they wouldnt listen to themselves. I realize that piracy has hurt the music industry, i can tell this by watching MTV cribs along with some of the music videos on there. it sure makes it look like artist are starving. and i know since artists get like next to nothing from album sales, if they are living large then the producers and record companies cannot be hurting so bad either. bottom line is if i like 1 song from a cd with 12 on it, i am going to download that 1 song from where ever i can find it, if i pay for it great, if i dont, well, the CD should have been better. it sure seems like record companies are signing everyone anymore whether they have talent or not. hey, i cant sing, and can barly play a guitar, can i get a record deal?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    WarrenG, 15 Feb 2006 @ 1:33pm

    Wouldn't it be nice

    Hey Apple! I hope you're working on this already, but if not then here is an idea for you. Why don't you start your own music label and give preference to your own musicians through iTunes? Geez, you know how many musicians would sign through your label instead of becoming RIAA peons? Give them a fair cut of whatever songs are downloaded, and you'll be cutting out the middleman with a chainsaw!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Squidlyman, 15 Feb 2006 @ 3:28pm

      Re: Wouldn't it be nice

      Cutting out RIAA as the middle man is an excellent idea!!

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Dylan Johnston, 15 Feb 2006 @ 1:42pm

    Well..

    The RIAA can suck my balls the music industry can suck my balls. the only people that deserve any money are the people who make the music. btw i will never "buy music" because of the rootkit bullshit.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Searcher, 15 Feb 2006 @ 1:51pm

    No Subject Given

    Let's all copy a few CD's and DVD's in their honor!!!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    SmallTwig, 15 Feb 2006 @ 2:09pm

    com n get me

    And i'm doing them a favor by not burning down their headquarters...

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    GMoney, 15 Feb 2006 @ 3:32pm

    GonaRIAA



    The only way to stop RIAA is:

    1. Don't buy CD's

    2. Don't Buy Online Music

    NoMoney = No Lawyers and Yes to Bankrupsy

    If you need music you can always go to LimeWire of BearShare for FREE (RIAA sais its ILLEGAL because they don't get paid) Thats the whole point.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Kirk, 15 Feb 2006 @ 3:57pm

      Re: GonaRIAA

      The latest RIAA stance is really nothing new. Back in the mid to late 90s they said that simply ripping the music to your hard drive was piracy and a violation of fair use. Later they changed their tune when they realized they couldn't hold the position.

      I haven't purchased a CD in years from a RIAA member. There are many independant artists releasing music either on their own, or through sources not affiliated with RIAA. Many of these people support your right to listen on your Ipod.

      And honestly, I think many of these artists are better then the generic crap pushed by the big 5.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        thecaptain, 16 Feb 2006 @ 5:18am

        Re: GonaRIAA

        They haven't changed their tune.

        They still say its not fair use...and a great many say that fair use should NOT exist.

        Count me in for some mp3 downloading this weekend. This is pure bullshit.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Digitalsaint, 17 Feb 2006 @ 6:54am

    Independant artists...

    Itunes should start allowing independant artists and labels to use them(if they already don't now, I don't use it except to load my own CD collection to my ipod) and give the artists a cut of the sales. Creating a music community like that would let small bands grow based on people's likes and dislikes, not who has the richest backers. You would cut out the middleman/RIAA and allow a more liberated marketplace for music. Artists get more money, RIAA stops gorging on profits, win/win situation.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    SimonTek, 8 Mar 2006 @ 4:27pm

    CD's

    The only CD's I have bought recently, actually the artist usually give them to me for some work I do for them, I get are small home-townish bands. I have gotten some from some world known irish/celtic folk bands, but nothing the RIAA would care about. The former CEO of Sony BMG lives 2 houses down, and HE thinks the RIAA has gone off its rocker.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]


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