[news] College students nailed for illegal music downloads

[Chainsaw Mage]

I'm not directing this at anyone in particular, but I'm incredibly sick of hearing about all these poor college students who are so poor they can't afford to buy music and must download it illegally instead.

The next time someone whines about "poor" university students, show them this picture:

http://www.crosslinks.org/kenyatrip/images/kenya09 - slum.jpg

Absolute gold. Well said.

 

[wingsandsword]

So it's okay to have a thread making fun of the U.S. Army, but a person is "wise" to avoid talking about copyright??

Man, I'd love to see the moderator's handbook one of these days. :\

Okay, I'm no mod, but here is probably what the difference is:

Good natured humor about the armed services that does not directly insult the military, instead being humor about a single lazy member (especially when written by said lazy serviceman) (like the Skippy's List thread): Not Politics

Discussing the foreign policy behind those military deployments: Politics

Discussing how copyright laws affect us as gamers (like the Staples/.pdf thread in General): Not Politics

Discussing pending legislation, especially on a controversial issue like copyright (like the thread just closed in General): Politics

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I don't know much about how the US is handling this sort of thing, but in Canada, all blank recordable media (cassetes, CDs, DVDs, digital storage devices, etc.) are assessed with a levy (included in the sticker price) by the recording industry.

This idea really bothers me. As someone who purchases music legally and buys blank CDs to back up computer files such as my own digital pictures, why should I have to supplement the recording industry? Obviously since I live in the US, I don't as of now, but I really hope the industry never manages to get this idea passed here.

As for the letters, while I have little sympathy for the college students I also really don't like the way the RIAA conducts themselves with these letters.

 

[Kurashu]

The RIAA does bully college students because it makes for better press and, most of the time, lack the funds to fight back their expensive lawyers.

However, I love how the RIAA is going on about how they're protecting artists when artists usually only get a minimal amount of money per track. Artists get charged for packaging, art work, and other fees when they're music is sold electronically... when there is no need for packaging and a flat fee could be used for artwork.


And it's not people who download music completely abandon the music industry and just steal from it. These people usually download some tunes that they're reccomended and then go buy the CD if they like 'em. There's also concerts, merchandise, et cetera. But I suppose the RIAA doesn't get a cut of those.


There does need to be legislation dealing with downloading of music, I'll agree to that. The process shouldn't be lawsuit, lawsuit, lawsuit.


As for the RIAA assuming that EVERY CD-R is used for bootleg copies? That's absurd. As I'm writing this, I'm waiting for a friend to come over so I can get pictures off her camera to burn onto a CD.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

I haven't downloaded music illegaly in 5 or 6 years now...pay for all of it.

But I still despise the RIAA. They've been going after kids and college students for years now, many many years, and it hasn't changed a single thing. All it does is give me a reason to smile when I see an "F the RIAA" bumper sticker.

 

[GlassJaw]

I'm not directing this at anyone in particular, but I'm incredibly sick of hearing about all these poor college students who are so poor they can't afford to buy music and must download it illegally instead.

Downloading music for many people has very little or nothing to do with actually "saving" money.

 

[GlassJaw]

Perhaps the *ethics* involved aren't black and white, but the *law* certainly is.

It's actually not. If it was, then RIAA wouldn't be getting countered sued and found liable of illegal litigation practices.

 

[Goldmoon]

It's actually not. If it was, then RIAA wouldn't be getting countered sued and found liable of illegal litigation practices.

That just means that the RIAA just goes about trying to gat money incorrectly. Yhe laws are in fact pretty black and white.

 

[Nyaricus]

Downloading music for many people has very little or nothing to do with actually "saving" money.

That's a pretty broad statement, if I do say so myself :\

 

[GlassJaw]

That's a pretty broad statement, if I do say so myself :\

It's pretty specific actually. The act of downloading for many people is just as much a social activity as it is financial.

Would you like to know more?

This is a interesting read too, albeit a little dry.

http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/cpb.2006.9959