Software To Predict Who's Likely To Be A Murderer

Will The Recording Industry Sue Edgar Bronfman For Downloading?

from the just-asking dept

Mon, Dec 4th 2006 8:40am — Mike Masnick

Edgar Bronfman Jr., back in 2000 was one of the first record label execs (he headed Seagrams, which at the time owned Universal) to come up with the idea of suing Napster and all its users. Since he was eventually forced out, and later had to buy Warner Music to get back into the business, the idea that he kicked off has certainly taken hold with thousands upon thousands of lawsuits filed by the RIAA. All too often, we've heard about cases where the RIAA would claim that whoever owned the broadband account where file sharing occurred was liable for any infringement. That allowed them to sue parents who had done absolutely nothing wrong, and claim that they were still responsible for the actions of their kids who may have been sharing unauthorized files. Given all that, it's interesting to note that Edgar Bronfman Jr. is now admitting that his kids have been downloading unauthorized content. Well, actually, it's not entirely clear. He says, "I'm fairly certain that they have, and I'm fairly certain that they've suffered the consequences." He then declines to explain what those consequences are -- but we'd assume it doesn't involve huge fines, being told to drop out of school or any other such nastiness that the RIAA reserves for all those other families they're suing. However, if the RIAA really believes that parents are liable for the actions of their kids, and Bronfman has just admitted that his kids have been file sharing, shouldn't they slap one of their famed extortion letters on him? He can certainly afford it. Thanks only to Skype's wealthy founders bailing Kazaa out of a lawsuit by paying $100 million to record labels, Warner Music actually turned a profit last quarter. Without the Kazaa money, however, they'd continue the company's trend of losing cash every which way -- but apparently it hasn't occurred to them that their legal strategy isn't helping business very much.

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23 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 4 Dec 2006 @ 8:45am

They listened to their lawyers...
And their lawyers have been turning a profit every quarter since!

I'm sure that they (the riaa members) would love to call their war on piracy a success, but how can they do that when they gave all their money to their lawyers?

I stopped buying all big label music a long time ago. I can't imagine going back.
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Dec 2006 @ 9:16am

Re: They listened to their lawyers...
I'm sure that they (the riaa members) would love to call their war on piracy a success, but how can they do that when they gave all their money to their lawyers?
Now quite all their money. The executives are still making big bucks.
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Annoying Bastard, 4 Dec 2006 @ 9:16am

Start a ring!
I'm glad I listen to music from labels that aren't RIAA members.

I just helped my good friend backup 70 gigs worth of drum and bass yesterday morning. ;-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUe-Ebe8dWU
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Dec 2006 @ 9:31am

However, if the RIAA really believes that parents are liable for the actions of their kids, and Bronfman has just admitted that his kids have been file sharing, shouldn't they slap one of their famed extortion letters on him? He can certainly afford it.
As I understnad it, the RIAA also requires, as part of the settlement in these cases, that the _parent_ admit personal guilt. I think that it would be ironic to see Bronfman sign a settlement admiting that he personally "stole".
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Dec 2006 @ 10:47am

I know that the RIAAs office has pirated versions of MS windows. I took a support call a couple weeks ago from there, only to realize the issue was Windows XP was pirated. We confirmed it was at the RIAA office.
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Unknowledgeable Geek, 4 Dec 2006 @ 11:13am

I have been working with Windows since it's inception. I have never had a problem with a pirated version of windows. They work the same as the others. No updating the OS might become cumbersome but still possible if your worth your salt in IT.
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Dec 2006 @ 11:39am

Re: geek
what does your comment about being able to support pirated versions of windows have to do with anything?
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Dec 2006 @ 11:47am

probably saying that the RIAA harps aabout piracy, howevere they are using pirated software. so they say you an't pirate music, that's bad. but it's OK for them to use pirated software.
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edwina, 4 Dec 2006 @ 11:52am

Call the BSA - Business Software Alliance
I know that the RIAAs office has pirated versions of MS windows. I took a support call a couple weeks ago from there, only to realize the issue was Windows XP was pirated. We confirmed it was at the RIAA office

Call the BSA and you could get a reward for being a snitch. In the case of the RIAA, this is called poetic justice.
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edwina, 4 Dec 2006 @ 11:54am

BSA phone number
http://www.bsa.org/usa/report/

Call their U.S. hotline: 1-888-NOPIRACY (1-888-667-4722)
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Dec 2006 @ 11:55am

"by Unknowledgeable Geek on Dec 4th, 2006 @ 11:13am

I have been working with Windows since it's inception. I have never had a problem with a pirated version of windows. They work the same as the others. No updating the OS might become cumbersome but still possible if your worth your salt in IT."

LOL Unknowledgeable is the perfect word to describe you, but I would throw in some more, "ignorant", "irrelevent", "doesn't pay attention", "speaks out of context", hmm all the options...
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Dec 2006 @ 1:00pm

Re: Call the BSA - Business Software Alliance
Call the BSA and you could get a reward for being a snitch.
Wouldn't this be a little like calling the cops on one of their own? Not a very smart or safe thing to do.
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ConceptJunkie (profile), 4 Dec 2006 @ 1:40pm

Re:
You forget, the law doesn't apply to people as rich and powerful as Bronfman.

But if he were a single mother, they'd have lawyers on him (her) so fast you'd get a nosebleed.
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ToldYouSo, 5 Dec 2006 @ 4:00am

Will The Recording Industry Sue Edgar Bronfman For
One phrase sums it all up.

"Do as I say, Not as I Do."
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Mr. Steer, 5 Dec 2006 @ 7:11am

Nice misdirection, Mike.

The RIAA has only sued those who distribute (or "share" as you call it) large amounts of copyrighted music through P2P, and has never brought suit against mere downloaders - though they could have.
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Mr. Not A Steer, 5 Dec 2006 @ 8:15am

Re:
The RIAA has only sued those who distribute (or "share" as you call it) large amounts of copyrighted music...
I've read of cases of people being sued over a single song. Not exactly "large amounts"

BTW, is it true that steers have no balls?
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Jeremy D, 5 Dec 2006 @ 4:55pm

Re: Re:
I feel that he should be sued for all he's worth. Since he can afford to pay the maximum extortion fee of $150,000 per violation, he should be sued for that. Proportional to your income. That is what they do with those who have no money.

BTW:
Yes. That is why they are steers. They either have their nuts chopped off or the circulation to them cut so they fall off. I grew up in agriculture. That occurs when they are young calves.
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kevrob, 5 Dec 2006 @ 6:25pm

Hey, if Bronfman's kids were downloading, what's to say that their machines didn't get infected with malware that turned them into zombies? I'd be very surprised if they didn't have a high-speed connection, and their computers could easily have been exploited as open proxies, right?
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Mark, 7 Dec 2006 @ 10:12am

yeah right....
suffered the consequenes my a**

first off, daddy practically owns 2 of the 4 major labels. those kids could follow dad into the office and have a 40% chance of getting free copies of any CD out there.

secondly, if he walked up to one of his kids and saw him/her on limewire or shareaza, do you think he had them subpoena'd? yeah right.
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ErkMas, 19 Dec 2006 @ 5:17pm

BSA
Hey, can I turn them in for ya?? 50K would come in very handy right now.
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Larry, 19 Dec 2006 @ 5:33pm

Downloading? Why waste time?
All the P2P and downloaders have it wrong. Just ask to borry someone's CD and then return it. That way there's no trace. Oh, wait, the MPAA says it's illegal to allow a friend to watch a movie WITH you because it loses them a sale. What non-sense.

Oh, BTW, you don't have to worry about WinDoZe's many issues and piracy if you use open source software.....
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jojo, 19 Dec 2006 @ 5:45pm

Parents are responsible for the actions of their k
Check the law, it's a fact. Do you think if your kid crashes into somebody's parked car you can say "oh, you can't sue me for your damages, it was my kid"? No way.
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Dec 2006 @ 6:37pm

Re: Parents are responsible for the actions of the
But if the kids kill someone you can say "oh you can't put me in jail cause it was my kid"?
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