Oh Look... RIAA Still Filing Lawsuits...
from the of-course-they-are dept
Remember back in December all the fanfare around that WSJ article claiming that the RIAA was abandoning its litigation strategy? In retrospect, the whole thing is looking like a huge PR campaign rather than anything significant. The story was planted by the RIAA to give the impression that it was no longer suing people, while also using it to pressure ISPs into agreeing to become copyright cops. But the RIAA wasn't actually stopping the lawsuits. Note that it claimed it was abandoning the strategy of mass lawsuits. Even then, the RIAA claimed that it had not initiated any new lawsuits for "months." Except... there was a pretty long list of lawsuits filed after the date that the RIAA insisted it had stopped. When pressed on it, they came up with the ridiculous excuse that they just couldn't stop other lawsuits that were in progress (even though they hadn't been filed). Apparently, once an investigation has begun there's simply no way to stop it, according to the logic of RIAA lawyers.And that seems to continue until this day, as Ray Beckerman is noticing that lawsuits are still being filed against individual file sharers. Realistically, it was a pretty good PR campaign. Lots of people think the RIAA has stopped its lawsuits when it hasn't. While it may have cut back on the number of lawsuits filed, that almost certainly has a lot more to do with the layoffs to RIAA staff, and the fact that record labels are refusing to give them as much money for lawsuits, rather than any actual change of heart or realization of how much the strategy backfired.
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Re:
awww hell, I'll save my more detailed arguments for a post where I haven't made them yet. I agree, fuck'em!
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Bailout
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America's fucked. Remember, I said it first.
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Re:
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The RIAA is an organization comprised of large and small labels, and serves largely as a lobbying group. It does not file lawsuits. They are done by one or more of the companies that happen to be members of the RIAA.
If invective is to be directed anywhere, it really ought to be directed to the individual companies filing such lawsuits.
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RIAA / Record Labels / Precision in terminology
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Re: RIAA / Record Labels / Precision in terminology
Just like many of the still existing worker's unions in the U.S., the RIAA has become an organization that primarily exists to maintain its own existence. Acting as 'a front' for this lawsuit campaign is the way they see themselves continuing to exist in a digital-distribution and peer-marketing world.
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You're talking music
That's not their field.
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We, as a western/capitalist society have just removed the major check from the system, by bailing out big companies, and leaving small ones to crash, we aren't creating a more open market, but a more restricted one. No doubt a few innovative companies will find niches, like they always do, but the collapse of larger companies often leads to more employment and competition in the long run. Propping them up while they layoff thousands isn't going to do much.
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Distorted facts
I may not like the RIAA, but you need to report accurately:
The RIAA's original statement said that they are no longer filing lawsuits AGAINST USERS OF PARTICIPATING ISPs.
They NEVER claimed not to be stopping the filing of lawsuits....
At least get something accurate if your going to hammer someone on their actions.
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Re: Distorted facts
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Re: Distorted facts
Then when confronted with the fact that they had commenced hundreds of lawsuits since August, they came up with that explanation.
I dare you to find one of the original reports making the distinction you seek to draw.
Plus, it is a fact that they brought a number of John Doe Lawsuits after August, so even the new lie is a lie.
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Mike ...
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Re:
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Michial, could you provide a source? In the WSJ article, none of that is clearly stated, if at all.
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Re:
Now, if someone can direct me to a specific lawsuit where the RIAA is in fact listed on the complaint as a plaintiff, then I will be glad to take a look at it to try and figure out how an entity that does not hold a copyright is able to bring suit on behalf of another who is actually a copyright holder.
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RIAA/record companies
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Re: RIAA/record companies
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Here's a few facts to clue you in after your uninformed rant:
The litigation in question was started *prior* to the announcement that no "new" lawsuits would be filed.
There are more to come. They had filed a batch of them just prior to the announcement.
existing!=new.
Try again, genius.
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Re:
The RIAA claimed it had stopped filing new lawsuits after August. You claim they filed a bunch just prior to the announcement.
So one (or both) of you is lying.
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If the RIAA wanted to show good faith at moving forward in a new direction they would have stopped CURRENT litigation. It is not impossible for them to do so, it just would actually cost them something (wasted expenses until then).
They would also be liable for court costs, and quite possibly by responses by the Judges in those cases. Precedent could be set which is dangerous to their future lawsuit campaign... and there you have the reason why they didn't stop current litigation.
It was a PR stunt, not a good faith action by the organization. This is obvious to all of us who do not work for the RIAA.
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Re: Re:
The precedent that would set (Dropping existing cases) would be counter-productive to say the least.
...and since when did this become "about the CONSUMER"??? I don't recall the RIAA (or the legal system, for that matter) ever caring a whit about them.
"This is obvious to all of us who do not work for the RIAA."
*laughing*
So anyone who disagrees with you works for the RIAA? Teehee... Yer so cute!
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Re: Re: Re:
...and since when did this become "about the CONSUMER"??? I don't recall the RIAA (or the legal system, for that matter) ever caring a whit about them.
And there, in one sentence, you have the real reason why the record labels are going out of business.
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Re: Re: Re: Re:
I guess their all just stupid?
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http://www.betanews.com/article/Why-did-the-RIAA-sue-one-Shaun-Adams-of-Grand-Island-Ne braska/1236355696
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monster
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riaa
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Why should they stop?
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RIAA
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