Big Music’s RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) has finally abandoned its “Clean Slate” scam. Billed as an Amnesty Program, it was little more than a way to dupe people into revealing personal and confidential information about themselves. RIAA victims were supposed to contact the music industry enforcement organization admitting they’d done wrong. “[...] those who want to start fresh will be asked to sign a declaration pledging they will delete all illegally obtained music files from their hard drives and never again digitally distribute or download music illegally,” said the RIAA. In return, it promised it wouldn’t haul signees into court.
California’s Eric Parke, however, thought the program “hollow and deceptive” and sued the enforcement organ, saying Clean Slate was designed to get people to incriminate themselves and provide the RIAA “and others” with “admissions” through which they could land in court, in spite of having signed the RIAA affidavit.”In papers filed Friday, attorneys for the RIAA asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit on grounds that the case is now moot, because the trade group dropped the program earlier this month,” says an Associated Press story here, quoting RIAA lawyers as saying:
“The RIAA has concluded that the program is no longer necessary or appropriate, and has voluntarily withdrawn it” because “it considers the public educated or aware enough now to know that they could be sued for file-sharing.”
In all, 1,108 people signed up for the program.
