COURT: RIAA CAN'T HAVE NAMES OF DOWNLOADERS

Drudge Report ^

[rit]

Federal appeals court on Friday rejected efforts by recording industry to compel nation's Internet providers to identify subscribers accused of illegally distributing music online.

[TruBluKentuckian]

While I don't know this to be true, I'll pass along the rumor. From what I've read from people that "should" know, EarthStation5 could be software written by and distributed by the RIAA itself. The theory is that once it gets downloaded it sends info about the computer's owner and what/how many files are downloaded to the RIAA for future lawsuit consideration.

Again, I don't know how true this is and I find it a little far fetched, but not out of the question. It's made me wary enough that I've not tried the program myself.

[SamAdams76]

The RIAA are fools. Their price structure has forced me to buy a lot of used CDs which is 100% legal and doesn't put a penny in their pockets. If they priced their new CDs reasonable, I'd buy a lot more of them. But at a $16.98 list price, you've got to be kidding. Especially when that much money will buy you a stack of 100 blank CDs.

I haven't had any issues at all buying used CDs. They all sound perfect. The only real difference between a new CD and a used CD is that you don't have to fight with all that infernal shrink-wrapping to get it open!

[dennisw]

Their pricing plan for audio CDs is stupid and obselete. People can buy DVD movies for $12 and less. But the recording industry thinks it can con people into buying overpriced CDs that are 80% filler?

[mylife]

Their price structure has forced me to buy a lot of used CDs

As I recall the RIAA tried to outlaw that at one time as well.

[dennisw]

If they priced their new (audio only) CDs reasonable, I'd buy a lot more of them. But at a $16.98 list price, you've got to be kidding.

DVDs are cheaper and you get audio and video with them! This fact will kill the RIAA CD pricing structure

[Nick Danger]

I wondered how long it would take for this to happen. The DCMA had essentially given private corporations, and even individuals, subpoena power... with almost zero judicial oversight. That's not a slippery slope we should be going down.

Let the RIAA convince a judge that they have probable cause before we let them compel ISPs to expend resources, and have the RIAA go fishing in privacy data.

To my knowledge Michael Jackson never did this, but think about it: under the DCMA, Michael Jackson had the right, as a copyright holder, to subpoena the name and address of your 11-year-old son, basically on Jackson's say-so that your son has certain music on a computer. No judge need even look at it. Was that something America needed?

[dennisw]

Their price structure has forced me to buy a lot of used CDs

As I recall the RIAA tried to outlaw that at one time as well.

---->>  Extreme pressure was put on stores selling new CDs to not sell used ones too. Smaller independent stores wanted to sell both on their premises.

[Revolting cat!]

Oh yes, I remember well Garth Brooks (a superstar one time, remember?) grandstanding and ordering his record company, as if he could do that, not to deliver his overpriced CD's to stores that also carries used merchandise. That lasted oh, about a month!

[angkor]

Why are these greedy old men at the RIAA so stupid.

Beats me.

I bought more CD's during Napster days than the previous 10 years combined. Napster (and some others) provided a chance to sample artists and songs, and I found a lot of new stuff that I'd not otherwise have heard.

Since the demise of Napster and then Aimster, I'm back to buying nothing.

Good work, RIAA. Brilliant.

[dennisw]

Right. I remember Garth Brooks doing that.

[mylife]

I bought more CD's during Napster days than the previous 10 years combined. Napster (and some others) provided a chance to sample artists and songs, and I found a lot of new stuff that I'd not otherwise have heard. Since the demise of Napster and then Aimster, I'm back to buying nothing. Good work, RIAA. Brilliant.

I like the model of "live365" internet radio. You get to hear lots of material you normally wouldnt hear and they have a direct link to purchase the cd if you like it.

Live365

[rit]

I agree with you in that RIAA's strategy was flawed from the onset. I am disappointed that the courts did not want to touch verizon's position on the DMCA.

[SamAdams76]

DVDs are cheaper and you get audio and video with them! This fact will kill the RIAA CD pricing structure

I think you are right. In fact, there have been a lot of music-based DVDs released this year that are actually CHEAPER than their plain-audio counterparts. For example, I recently purchased the Rush DVD for $13.98 which give you concert footage and a lot of extras. However, their studio albums from the 1970s and 80s are still priced at $15.98. It's crazy!

[zook]

As conservatives, aren't we supposed to support morality and upright behavior?

The downloading debate is a long, long road with few rest stops along the way. So I don't think I'll start that now, except to say that I believe that some types of downloading are, in fact, immoral and that other types of downloading are not.

But I don't want to argue about it.

[Tree of Liberty]

As I recall the RIAA tried to outlaw that at one time as well.

Don't know about the lawsuit, but I remember that Garth Brooks was one of the main spokesmen against the practice several years ago.

[zook]

I still use Kazaa Lite, but someone here posted that there are other better ones.

[SamAdams76]

Oh yes, I remember well Garth Brooks (a superstar one time, remember?) grandstanding and ordering his record company, as if he could do that, not to deliver his overpriced CD's to stores that also carries used merchandise.

Ironic as the used CD bins around here are literally overflowing with Garth Brooks records. Guess a lot of people got tired of listening to him at the same time.

[Revolting cat!]

The whole business has gone nuts. I buy lesser known artists on small labels that are nevertheless distributed by the Big 5, as far as I know. I'm currently looking for a copy of Geoff Muldaurs new CD Private Astronomy. It just came out and my store sells it for something like $14.98. If they get a used copy, they'll sell it for $10.98. Still too much, because if past experience is any guide, in 3-4 months they'll get a stack of new copies from somewhere and sell them for $5.95-$7.95 (probably the lower price since Muldaur is rather obscure.) This happened with Muldaur's previous albums, it's just happened with John Hammond's album, and happens quite regularly. Hey, I've been getting Tony Joe White's excellent albums for something like $3.95. You just have to wait.

All this reminds me of the way Intel and AMD sell their CPU chips. Overprice them at the beginning, for the must-have-the-latest crowd, and after 6 months bring the prices to a more reasonable level.

[Petronski]

Excellent.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Ooorah! Outstanding news.