RIAA to Prosecute End Users; P2P Gets you 1-5 Years in Club Fed

[dubstylee]

The article that inspired this forum:
http://www.zeropaid.com/news/article.../08132002f.php

We need to do something. There are, at any given time, about 1.8 million people on KaZaA. Bundle all the P2P programs together, that number becomes more like 4 million. 4 million using P2P at any given time. So let's extrapolate that number into the number of people that have used P2P. Mind-boggling, those potential numbers are. And if focused in some sort of concerted political effort, we could be quite formidable even against giants like the RIAA and MPAA. No congressman wants to go up against 10 million of his constituents, no matter how many Rolexes Hilary gives his son. Who's down to fight?

[Paktu]

Voters are generally reactionary. Because government is so slow to move, very little direct action against p2p networks and users has been taken. If the RIAA actually pressed charges individual p2p users, there would be a significant backlash.

[Sephiroth]

Public Opinion is a powerful thing and if the public can get organized against the trade groups and their restrictive behavior and it doesnt matter how hard the trade groups lobby the government will have to listen to the people

Other orgainzations like the ALCU, EFF is fine and all but they do other things i think there might need to be a organization like that which people can get organized. What would need to be done would be a web page with things on how people can make sure that they are herd and full of resources like how to contact your representatives, goals and etc. Also a newsletter to keep people who wish up to date.. Also take donations to help fund it, and etc.. It could even be a added section here..

Then hopefully with coorporation and support of the programs and the developers and etc the word of this can get out and a sizeable amount of people will hopefully join the cause.. Then its just getting the message out to the general public and informing them to what the tradegroups like the RIAA and the companies that make up the trade groups want to do and etc and get them involved as well..

[PatientSaint]

Of Course my feeligns are yes i am down to fight this inexcuseable abuse of powers. The problems is those numbers are skewed one must tkae into consideration out of US residents, minors and non registered voters. I am a consumer advocate myself and the RIAA and MPAA have been taking advantage of consumers and artists for decades. I wonder how they feel about being helplesss now. BAck to my point anyway. If you've read through some of the forums here msot of the people i'd honestly say don't care about the cause of P2P. Most just want their free music fast and easy as possible. P2P is not limited to just music appilcations. It has a great potential for scientific possibilities as well as well as building interactive communities ofthe future i belive. If the masses of the US don't care about a point it's not going to change even if they see the hiporacy of it and thier freedoms slowly ebbed away.I'll always say i'l ltake liberty over safety everyday of the year. what is the point of being safe if you can't enjoy an freedom? Same for all these "anti -terrorist bill" flying through congress. People should wake up to the reality of things. Knowledge is the key get peopel educated and to think for themselves.....the world would be a much better place then.

[notbob]

what about all of the non us residents on (for example) kazaa? is the riaa going to pay for airfare to bring them all here? will their home countries even allow extradition? with as much as politicians know about the internet, we have absolutely nothing to worry about

[Sephiroth]

Originally posted by notbob
what about all of the non us residents on (for example) kazaa? is the riaa going to pay for airfare to bring them all here? will their home countries even allow extradition? with as much as politicians know about the internet, we have absolutely nothing to worry about

Just because its in the US now does not mean that the same thing cant happen in other countries.. Which if its successful in the US then chances are pretty good it will work in at least some other countries plus the majority of p2p users is from the US. So you should be worried becuase it will affect you in the future if its successfull..

[Caitlyn Marble]

Originally posted by PatientSaint
If you've read through some of the forums here msot of the people i'd honestly say don't care about the cause of P2P. Most just want their free music fast and easy as possible. P2P is not limited to just music appilcations. It has a great potential for scientific possibilities as well as well as building interactive communities ofthe future i belive. If the masses of the US don't care about a point it's not going to change even if they see the hiporacy of it and thier freedoms slowly ebbed away.

They'll see the bullshit behind it when the guy at the carpool gets busted with a fine, when thier kid gets sent to juvie, when thier best friend gets evicted because he had to pay a fine instead of rent, and when your lovley spouse gets sent to jail for two years. and so on. The ignorant users will not care now, but ultimatley they'll be the right in this with the knowledgable ones when it all starts flying and they'll learn soon enough. There are enough people in this so that most people will be affected. If people start gettting prosecuted, it will be final nail in the coffin. People aren't going to take this shit.

[Foreverboard]

Originally posted by Sephiroth


Just because its in the US now does not mean that the same thing cant happen in other countries.. Which if its successful in the US then chances are pretty good it will work in at least some other countries plus the majority of p2p users is from the US. So you should be worried becuase it will affect you in the future if its successfull..

Of course the future being 1-3 years down the road. the RIAA can run though all the scare tactics (and thats what they are) they want but without another way to combat their P2P problem, and we all know pay-per-download is'nt going to work, they are stuck. This wont be one of those, "hey if we prosicute a few people everyone will stop or run scared" type of things. People want free stuff and they will do whatever to get it. If the RIAA starts to arrest P2P downloaders, others will find a way to block what they use to find them. P2P has a large start on the RIAA and it will take them awile to catch up. It the RIAA who should be running scared.

[Pazuzues]

Originally posted by Sephiroth


Just because its in the US now does not mean that the same thing cant happen in other countries.. Which if its successful in the US then chances are pretty good it will work in at least some other countries plus the majority of p2p users is from the US. So you should be worried becuase it will affect you in the future if its successfull..

Also take in consideration of the current headset created by our president Mr. Wacko Bush. We are going to go after terrorists and those who harbor terrorist. I heard that Germany is pulling alot or all of its support with Bush's desert crusade. Who is to stop a mad man from saying that Germany is now harboring terrorists? While all the flag wavers here will gleefully cheer the bombing of Berlin. This is why whats going on here has some serious reprocautions to you folks in other countries.
Our big monster government broke its leash and is on the rampage. Alot of innocent people are getting hurt now. The victim list is just going to be exponential.

[Pazuzues]

Originally posted by Foreverboard


Of course the future being 1-3 years down the road. the RIAA can run though all the scare tactics (and thats what they are) they want but without another way to combat their P2P problem, and we all know pay-per-download is'nt going to work, they are stuck. This wont be one of those, "hey if we prosicute a few people everyone will stop or run scared" type of things. People want free stuff and they will do whatever to get it. If the RIAA starts to arrest P2P downloaders, others will find a way to block what they use to find them. P2P has a large start on the RIAA and it will take them awile to catch up. It the RIAA who should be running scared.

Oh dude I hear you. Civil disobedience is gonna be the major factor on this matter with the RIAA and the MPAA. But the problem is all these bills being suggested and passed which completly disregards the constitution. Not that that is a new thing mind you. But the pace the government is putting the death grip on us all is frightening.
RIAA is the least of our worries directly, its what these guys suggest that makes me tremble.

[TipYourBartender]

Originally posted by PatientSaint
If you've read through some of the forums here msot of the people i'd honestly say don't care about the cause of P2P. Most just want their free music fast and easy as possible.

I have to agree with this. Anytime someone suggests some sort of low fee for ANYTHING -99 cent downloads, a flat fee for using P2P the way it is now(not like Musicnet/Pressplay), anything of the sort, one refrain emerges:

"Who cares? It's not FREE."

The large majority of P2Pers want all the music in the world to be available for NO COST, with programs that contain NO spyware/adware/anythingelseware. In short, they refuse to compromise in any way, shape, or form. And I'm going to say something that has to be said, even though no one wants to hear it: If we don't compromise in some way, we lose. We will forever come across not as the music lovers that we are, but as the theives the RIAA make us out to be. And no one - not the record labels, not the artists, not the media, not the government - will ever wholly side with the P2P community.

This doesn't mean we don't fight. The RIAA is, as we all know, a piece of shit not worth the contents of the toilet bowls in their offices. But we have to find a way to compensate the artists for their works, and we have to find a way to compensate the software makers for their work.

Time is running out, as the article shows. The P2P community has to decide once and for all, one or the other.

Are we music lovers, or are we theives?
:wings

[dr. damn]

I disagree completely. There is no need to compromise. When 10 million of people do something every day, they should NOT be going to jail for doing it. In fact, their actions should not be illegal, period.

[TipYourBartender]

Originally posted by dr. damn
I disagree completely. There is no need to compromise. When 10 million of people do something every day, they should NOT be going to jail for doing it. In fact, their actions should not be illegal, period.

Do you believe that regardless of whether something is legally right or wrong, that if enough people do it, that makes it right by default?

This theory echoes everything from the national 55 mph speed limit (since repealed) to Prohibition (also repealed). I don't disagree with you. What I am saying is that for the P2P community to use its powers the way dubstylee suggests we do, we have to show the world that we are people who love music but can't afford to get swindled by the RIAA. The image we project now is that of theiving bitches, and every time someone yells out "who cares about the artists", we exacerbate that further.:sw

[PatientSaint]

I don'tt hink anything i nthis world is free i'm sure if they could tax air they would. I am not going to lie i enjoy the free part of P2P music right now. But as well i think ARTISTS not record comapnies should be compensated. In the current business model the record companies impose the artist gets squek percentage of the CD PROFITS. This is why i don't understand some artist like metallica having their gripe with Napster. what they don't see anymore is they have established themselves in the market. how about upcoming acts whom have NO leverage to work with so usually they are signed to these largely unfair contracts. My otehr gripe is acts like MEtallica are know for their extensive tours and live shows which is honestly where a bulk of the money they make is made. My biggest problem is this....Artists are the ones out there living the lifestyle. They are the ones struggling to make ends meat touring endlessly trying to get thier names out. Why should some record exec who sitting in his office gettign a massage have more power over an artists music then the writer and song writers? An if u think legit sites like MusicNet and PRessplay are anymore fair. Wrong these sites STILL charge the artist phantom charges that don't exist in digital world : Packing,shipping, promos, etc. What Hacks me even more is how consumers got hold of the technology first whiel the RIAA was sleeping away making it's money. Now the large profits they got from ripping people off are drying up. They need to wake up to the reality of things. copyright is not a way to hold a business together. At the rate they are going the industry will likely implode upon itself. the way they are alienating consumers is really not smart and some idiot PR. As For compromising They should start it with us they haven't ever done anything lately that shows me they want my business calling me a thief a pirate and whatever else. We as Consumers should have alternatives and they weren't offering us any else. Is being a music fanatic so worng?

[caleb47113]

"Do you believe that regardless of whether something is legally right or wrong, that if enough people do it, that makes it right by default? "

I think that with a democratic government (or even a skewed form of democracy), if the majority of people do something, it isnt the wrong thing to do. Even if it is at the moment illegal, the premise of democracy is that the majority rules. I doubt the majority of americans use p2p, but I think enough people use it to lend some credibility to it. I mean honestly, does anyone really want to believe that millions of free americans are evil thieves? Well, some people dont mind believing that, but still, no one really wants to believe that millions of people would willingly do something that's inherently wrong without some type of brainwashing going on.

I do, however, think that some sort of compromise will eventually need to occur. Simply because if the artists and programmers arent compensated in some way, we wont be getting nearly as much software or music to trade. Sure, we'll have all of the old stuff, but musicians and programmers will all end up having to get second jobs for income, and that means less time spent making upgrades and adding new features and simply maintaining the networks, as well as less time spent making quality music/movies/whatever we decide to trade. Still, I do wonder if we should wait for the riaa to die out before we make that compromise.. The current record companies are, for the most part, too entrenched in the old ways. They were reluctant to switch to cds because they were afraid of having to change the storage bins inside of stores. I think we need a fresh start in the recording industry.