Record labels send ISPs subpoenas in piracy battle

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- The Recording Industry Association of America said this week it sent out subpoenas to Internet service providers as it prepares to sue hundreds of individuals who illegally distribute songs over the Web.

"This should not come as a surprise to anyone. Filing information subpoenas is exactly what we said we'd do a couple of weeks ago when we announced that we were gathering evidence to file lawsuits," said a spokeswoman for the RIAA, the music recording industry's leading trade body.

Lawsuits expected
Sharply escalating the industry's battle against online piracy, which had so far focused on shutting down peer-to-peer services themselves, the trade group in late June said it would track down the heaviest users of these services and sue them.

Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, ISPs are required to provide copyright holders with such information when there is a good-faith reason to believe their copyrights are being infringed, according to lawyers for the RIAA.

The trade group said it will probably file several hundred lawsuits this summer.

Easier to track swappers
RIAA last month said the time was right to go after individual users because a recent U.S. court ruling made it easier to track down copyright violators.

A federal court ordered Verizon Communications to reveal names of suspected song-swappers in April, prompting the Internet service provider to ask a higher court to stay the order while it appeals the case.

On June 4, the U.S Court of Appeals in Washington declined to suspend the order, allowing RIAA investigators to easily obtain the names of other Internet users it suspects of trading music illegally.

'Disagree with the method'
David Blumenthal, a spokesman for ISP Earthlink, said the company had received three subpoenas in recent weeks asking the company to identify individuals.

"It is our intention to do so, based on the ruling on June 4," said Blumenthal. But, he added, "we disagree with the method that is being used here and while we support the right of them to enforce copyrights, we think this is the wrong method for doing so."

"We're urging the RIAA and other copyright holders to find a less intrusive method for protecting their intellectual property," he said.

The RIAA is the trade group for the world's major record labels include Bertelsmann AG's BMG Entertainment, EMI Group's EMI Recorded Music, Sony's Sony Music, Vivendi Universal's Universal Music Group and Warner Music, a division of CNN's parent company AOL Time Warner.

Any idea who they will be charging. (ie What is there method of selection)

CAMILLE4U said:

"...the trade group in late June said it would track down the heaviest users of these services and sue them."

IceNine said:

I have a few mates from high school who were used those programs all the time. I seriously better phone them

Everybody just chill, the best way to react to this is keeping those files online so the RIAA finally gets the message they won't save their business by sueing their customers. I'll bet you all these cases will b settled out of court, the RIAA can't affort the backlash. Besides, it's an uphill battle: there is nothing they can do outside the US, there is little they can do against download sites located outside the US, and there is nothing they can do against sharing programs like DCC+.
Besides, they will only sue the people who share huge amounts of music, so not the people who download it, nor the people who offer a few hundred songs online.

Hey, i agree it's theft, but the Industry has been milking customers (and artists) for years, there's been a technological revolution and hopefully somebody comes up with a better, cheaper and fairer business model (like iTunes, although still expensive). In the mean time, i'll keep buying the music i *really* like and enjoy my ever growing collection of free music while the possibility is there. No one has ever had greater access to a giant collection of all possible music, and believe me, i'm enjoying the ride.

well I personally think this is just another scare tactic,there is no way in hell that they can track everyone that downloads music or as was said the heaviest users.I think that Prince said it best when he said,stopping file trading is like stopping the rain,IT WON'T HAPPEN!!! :DISBELIEF:

I say "GO FOR IT, RIAA!!!"

Get those thieves and criminals!

IceNine said:

How many Microsoft products did u use over the last ten years. How many of them did u actually own or have all licenses for?

IceNine said:

Relax, calm down!

SpcMs said:

I don't use Microsoft products at home, but all my software is purchased and registered. I do not steal.

Marrk said:

I say, "throw them all in jail!"

IceNine said:

you've never done anything 'illegal' then, i suppose?

IceNine said:

Wait a minute. Fine them, but please don't make the taxpayers pay to keep them incarcerated.

This topic reminded me that last night I saw on the news that Loyola University (In Chicago I think) turned over the identities of two kids for file-swapping and they are going to be charged.

IceNine said:

In that case you're one rich mofo. Enjoy the big $$, i'll enjoy my free music and software while it lasts, 'cause there's no way in the world i could pay for them.

IceNine said:

I trust that avatar of yours is not an image copyrighted to someone else.

Marrk said:

If it involves stealing, no.

I have been guilty of speeding and I have run a red light or two, but I have not committed any other crimes.

langebleu said:

Oh, so you must be someone who is into music "sharing," otherwise you would not be worried about the cute otter picture.

:LOL:

langebleu said:

That actually appears as if it could be public domain, but I would say avatar use is more like borrowing. File sharing is certainly theft. For the record I have been to known to steal a song here or there (not that often) but in my head I know that I am stealing.


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[This message was edited Fri Jul 18 11:49:21 PDT 2003 by lovemachine]

SpcMs said:

I am not rich, but I do not agree with theft... I will pay for what I want or need.

How can u take an industry serious that has almost all his copyrighted material up for free download MONTHS before you can purchase it in a legal way?
I mean, the new Macy Gray album, i've heard that several weeks, if not months ago. Imagine my surprise when i saw reviews of it popping up everywhere last week. I actually had to double check the titles bcause i couldn't believe she had two new albums out the one so quickly after the other.
I've seen quite a few movies before they were out on video or dvd, but never before they were in cinemas.

IceNine said:

A car is a lethal weapon, filesharing does not have the potential to kill someone, unlike reckless driving.

you should turn yourself in!

Marrk said:

I have been cited for speeding and have paid my fines. I try to avoid it at most times... luckily, I have never had an auto accident. Speeding is, in the vast majority of cases, a victimless crime where nobody is hurt. Stealing, on the other hand, ALWAYS has a victim.

IceNine said:

When u download a cd u would never buy, who's the victim?

IceNine said:

So if someone were to go on kazaalite and steal, say, 'the Black Album' out of my shared folder, how is Prince getting hurt? it's out of print!

Marrk said:

the simple fact is prince still has the copyright to that material.

slm4m said:

Isn't music art though? i can enjoy a second hand postcard of the Mona Lisa and not have to pay Leonardo's estate anything.

slm4m said:

If it isn't available for sale, how can it be stolen?

SpcMs said:

Co-sign. I'm broke. I've already charged too many credit cards for music I wanted. While I don't share tons of music on these file-sharing systems, I don't think they should be shut down completely. I copy cds from friends, but I'd much rather have a cd with the liner notes and artwork. If I had unlimited income, I would buy tons of music. I think the file sharing system should be up for out of print stuff. Still, mp3's are never really as good as cda files.

SpcMs said:

Still the artist...

I would never buy a Ferrari... should I steal one???