Music Industry to Unveil Amnesty Offer - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Flippy · 09-04-2003, 06:30 PM

Quote:

The recording industry is expected to announce as early as next week an amnesty program for people who admit they illegally share music files across the Internet, promising not to sue them in exchange for their admission and pledge to delete the songs off their computers.

The offer of amnesty will not apply to the roughly 1,600 people who already have been targets of copyright subpoenas from the Recording Industry Association of America (news - web sites), which has promised to file hundreds of infringement lawsuits across the country as early as next week.

Sources who described the proposal Thursday spoke on condition of anonymity. A spokeswoman for the RIAA, Amy Weiss, declined to comment.

The RIAA's offer would require Internet users to complete a notarized amnesty form that includes promises to delete any illegally downloaded music and not participate in illegal file-trading in the future. In exchange, the RIAA would agree not to file a potentially expensive infringement lawsuit.

"I'll be curious to see how many opt for this," said Fred von Lohmann, a lawyer for the San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation, who has criticized the RIAA's use of copyright subpoenas. "It will be an interesting measure of how much fear the recording industry has managed to inject into the American public."

Von Lohmann cautioned that the RIAA doesn't represent all copyright owners and therefore couldn't guarantee an Internet user wouldn't be sued for infringement by others, despite what amounts to an admission of guilt.

"It's not the kind of agreement that most people's lawyers will embrace," he said.

But the amnesty offer could serve to soften the RIAA's brass-knuckle image once the earliest lawsuits are filed, giving nervous college students and others an opportunity to avoid similar legal problems if they confess to online copyright infringement.

(source: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...c&sid=95573501 )

As much as I disagree with the current RIAA anti-p2p campaign, I have to admit this is a very smart move on their part. Not only are they saving money by avoiding potentially expensive lawsuits, but they are also somewhat improving their image (as detailed in the last paragraph), and cutting down on the amount of file-sharing that's going on.

I think that the success of this particular amnesty program will be determined by the amount of people who have had fear put into them by the recent subpoenas.

What are your thoughts?

Kaos · 09-04-2003, 06:40 PM

I think this is an underhanded way to get people to plead Guilty. Even if the RIAA gives you amnesty for signing it, doesn't mean that it can't be used against you as an admission of guilt if other Record Companies decide to sue you.

Blistex · 09-04-2003, 06:45 PM

RIAA will never get me, I've got a small incendiary device attached to my computer's hard drive (inside it) that will run a buttload of current through it .001 seconds before several small charges (road flare compound) is ignited inside. Thus reducing it to a fried and melted peice of crap that no information can be retrieved from while doing no damage to the rest of the PC.

There are several triggers on my pc that even a bomb squad would be hard pressed to find and disarm.

1. is a photodiode that will activate the device if it is exposed to light.

2. is a switch that catches if the pc case is opened.

3. is a mercury switch that triggers if the pc is at all tilted or picked up.

4. is a keypad on the front of the computer deactivating switches # 2, and 3.

They will find it pretty hard to prosecute me without any actual evidance to show other than a record of how many GB's were transfered through Kazaa and IRC within the last month.

Plus I'm Canadian!

CrazySaturn · 09-04-2003, 06:49 PM

Dude, that's just insane. The proof is in the IP tracks anyways.

However, when you feel bored and your computer's like way outdated you could always give it to Best Buy and act suprised when it blew up in their faces. Then demand a new one.

mrcraptastic · 09-04-2003, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Plus I'm Canadian!

this is one thing that i've been wondering about.. it IS the recording industry artists of AMERICA, right? so canadians (such as myself) shouldn't have to worry about downloading music? not that i would anyways, the small-scale downloading that i do from large record companies.. but if they can't do anything to us yet, how long before they can? and how, exactly?

nostalgic1 · 09-04-2003, 07:48 PM

yeah man.. they don't even need the hard drive as evidence... at least i don't think they do...

i'll admit, i think about how much it would suck to get nabbed by the riaa.. but there isn't a chance in hell that i'm going to admit guilty to something so fucking ridiculous... screw that idea...

KeyserSoze · 09-04-2003, 07:58 PM

Dear RIAA,

I would like to give you ALL MY personal information so you won't sue me for sharing songs that I paid for with my hard earned money. I would also like to inform you that I have already deleted all the songs on my pc that took me many hours to put on there.

I would also like to infrom you that I have destroyed my cassette tape collection of songs that I recorded off the radio, especially the whole albums they play on KLOS's Sunday program known as the 7th Day.

Wait.......I changed my mind...I have now decided that I will do all these things when you stop over inflating the prices of CD's I am forced to buy just to get one song,when you start paying the musicians the money they are really entitled to,when you stop trying to throw your weight around and scare people because your sales have dropped and now you can't buy Johnny the G I Joe with the Kung Foo grip for christmas, but most of all I will do the above things described when you also do your part.

So I guess in others words........GO FUCK YOURSELF!!

Have a blessed day

guthmund · 09-04-2003, 08:23 PM

This "amnesty" has an air of smugness pouring off of it.

I think they've realized that tracking down millions of different IP addresses and then, in some cases, going to court to find out who they really are and then filing their subpeona is turning out to be much much harder than they originally anticipated.

We're going to track you down *wink wink BUT if you want to go ahead and plead guilty *wink wink we promise that we won't prosecute you and we'll keep all the information private and we won't sell or show it to anyone at all *wink wink.

I'm an advocate for sensible downloading, but asshat "gestures" like this make me cheer for the shitheads with 10,000+ songs who share the shit out of them.

dr_clocker · 09-04-2003, 08:24 PM

The RIAA thinks a few compromises will win there support back, when in actuality, they charge too dam much for there products, plain and simple. No matter what some server in Whothefuckcaresaskistan will still share a gabizillion songs that they will never be able to touch. Charge less and sell more, You dont need to be Einstein to figure that out.

The_Dude · 09-04-2003, 08:27 PM

They do have a heart.......

Memnoch · 09-04-2003, 08:54 PM

To use the words of Eminem..."We ain't eager to be legal."

Kyrin · 09-04-2003, 10:02 PM

I wonder how public the "admissions" will be, will the RIAA somehow integrate that into their publicity campaign? How many people are going to goto the trouble of getting these notarized documents? Can they really be bothered? Do they have to get a lawyer or something to watch them delete the stuff? If the RIAA is going to take their "promise" to delete shit, why do they require the official document thing? SO THEY CAN USE IT AGAINST THEM if they ever get caught with the stuff in future.... or for use in official publicity type stunts, etc...

clavus · 09-04-2003, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mrcraptastic
it IS the recording industry artists of AMERICA, right? so canadians (such as myself) shouldn't have to worry

Lemme explain something. Canada is a "foreign" country. Canada has oil. Canada has a weak military.

Watch your ass.

Colin Powell is creating a multimedia presentation on "Canada's MP3's of Mass Destruction" and the clear and present danger they represent to the USA.

fuzzix · 09-05-2003, 04:27 AM

Hahahahaha, the RIAA is so desperate. Their offer of amnesty goes to show how shit scared they are. You don't bargain with the enemy if you can crush them

And crush them we will.

quadro2000 · 09-05-2003, 04:40 AM

The more I read about it, the more I wonder when the RIAA is going to wake up and realize that they need to stop treating music lovers like criminals and start using the digital revolution to their advantage. iTunes is a step in the right direction - if I hear an artist I like on there, I buy the music. It did a lot to revolutionize the industry's way of thinking - the real test will be when the Windows version comes out....

RoadRage · 09-05-2003, 05:11 AM

The RIAA may have caught wind of the plan of several of the litigants were planned on using: make the RIAA fight as hard and long as possible to get their victory, and then declare bankruptcy to deny the RIAA their cash prize. A hundred or so cases of that, and the RIAA's lawyers will be suing the RIAA to collect the lawyer's fees.

The RIAA's "heart" is actually a malformed hemorrhoid.

tinfoil · 09-05-2003, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by clavus
Lemme explain something. Canada is a "foreign" country. Canada has oil. Canada has a weak military.

Watch your ass.

Colin Powell is creating a multimedia presentation on "Canada's MP3's of Mass Destruction" and the clear and present danger they represent to the USA.

haha... Don't forget our superior beer-making skeelz.

Anyhow,

The amnesty program shows the level of contempt that the RIAA has for it's customers, the very consumers that pay for their salaries, for their cushy office chairs and fancy cars.

They attempt to scare the piss out of people by launching indiscriminate lawsuits against anyone and everyone (extreme file-sharers my ass). Once they feel they have done this (as partially evidenced by the 22% drop in P2P traffic) they stop and introduce this belittling 'Amnesty' crap to make themselves look benevolent.

It's utter crap. It's a two-faced approach to a problem that would not have existed in the first place if the industry had woken up to the internet earlier and embraced it as a tool.

Blistex · 09-05-2003, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CrazySaturn
Dude, that's just insane. The proof is in the IP tracks anyways.

EDIT:

Actually I'm wrong! In the US all the RIAA has to do is to download the song from you and they have all that they need.
Since it would be a civil and not a criminal case against you. ( you can't plead the 5th in civil court).

punx1325 · 09-06-2003, 02:22 PM

I think we should sue the RIAA for price goudging, thats what I will do it they sue me. Until then they can go FUCK THEMSELVES!!!

tinfoil · 09-06-2003, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by punx1325
I think we should sue the RIAA for price goudging, thats what I will do it they sue me. Until then they can go FUCK THEMSELVES!!!

Quote:

While most people will find it obvious that the recording industry has been tampering with the price of CD's for a long, long time, the courts now believe it as well.

New York and Florida were the first of the 43 states to eventually join in the action that will ultimately cost the big five record companies along with three retailers $143.1 million.

The action centers around the 'minimum advertised price' of a CD. Retailers agreed not to sell a CD below it's MAP and in turn the record companies would subsidize some of the retailers advertising. This went on from 1995 to 2000.

Universal Music Group, Sony Music, BMG Music Group, Warner Music Group and EMI Group PLC -- and the three retailers, Musicland Stores Corp., Trans World Entertainment Corp. and Tower Records, agreed to stop using MAP policies as part of the settlement.

The ultimate cost of the action will be $67.4 million to the 43 states as a cash payout and $75.7 million to all 50 states in free merchandise to public entities and non-profit groups.

The record companies nor retailers will admit to any wrongdoing.

Of course, none of it has been paid out yet.

skier · 09-06-2003, 04:45 PM

The RIAA is waking up. Waking up to the fact that they are now completely obsolete because you no longer have to buy CD's from them at prices they determine. The internet provides a direct link from the artist to the listener. No recording contracts, no million dollar music videos, no managment "skimming off the top".
Their actions are a desperate, useless attempt to stem the oncoming tide of creativity. As CD sales drop, the RIAA will have less money and less options to fight the revolution. Music artists will be judged on the quality of their music not on how well they can suck up to the RIAA.
I personally can't wait until a time when I pay for a song and over 80% goes directly to the artist.

Buk · 09-06-2003, 07:11 PM

i have two words for the RIAA:

HELLZ NO!

09-04-2003, 06:49 PM	#4 (permalink)
CrazySaturn Insane Location: Champaign, IL	Dude, that's just insane. The proof is in the IP tracks anyways. However, when you feel bored and your computer's like way outdated you could always give it to Best Buy and act suprised when it blew up in their faces. Then demand a new one. __________________ What's the difference between you and a mallard with a cold? One's a sick duck...I can't remember how it ends, but your mother is a whore!

09-04-2003, 07:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
nostalgic1 Insane Location: Location: Location: Location:	yeah man.. they don't even need the hard drive as evidence... at least i don't think they do... i'll admit, i think about how much it would suck to get nabbed by the riaa.. but there isn't a chance in hell that i'm going to admit guilty to something so fucking ridiculous... screw that idea... __________________ I dare you to forget the marks you left across my neck from those nights when we were both found at our best. Now I could make this obvious, and you..you could deny me all in one breath. You could shrug me off your shoulders. Just forget me.. it's that simple.

09-04-2003, 07:58 PM	#7 (permalink)
KeyserSoze Psycho Location: Lost Angeles	Dear RIAA, I would like to give you ALL MY personal information so you won't sue me for sharing songs that I paid for with my hard earned money. I would also like to inform you that I have already deleted all the songs on my pc that took me many hours to put on there. I would also like to infrom you that I have destroyed my cassette tape collection of songs that I recorded off the radio, especially the whole albums they play on KLOS's Sunday program known as the 7th Day. Wait.......I changed my mind...I have now decided that I will do all these things when you stop over inflating the prices of CD's I am forced to buy just to get one song,when you start paying the musicians the money they are really entitled to,when you stop trying to throw your weight around and scare people because your sales have dropped and now you can't buy Johnny the G I Joe with the Kung Foo grip for christmas, but most of all I will do the above things described when you also do your part. So I guess in others words........GO FUCK YOURSELF!! Have a blessed day __________________ THERE IS NO KEYSER SOZE!!

09-04-2003, 08:23 PM	#8 (permalink)
guthmund big damn hero	This "amnesty" has an air of smugness pouring off of it. I think they've realized that tracking down millions of different IP addresses and then, in some cases, going to court to find out who they really are and then filing their subpeona is turning out to be much much harder than they originally anticipated. We're going to track you down wink wink BUT if you want to go ahead and plead guilty wink wink we promise that we won't prosecute you and we'll keep all the information private and we won't sell or show it to anyone at all *wink wink. I'm an advocate for sensible downloading, but asshat "gestures" like this make me cheer for the shitheads with 10,000+ songs who share the shit out of them. __________________ No signature. None. Seriously.

09-04-2003, 08:24 PM	#9 (permalink)
dr_clocker Insane Location: ND	The RIAA thinks a few compromises will win there support back, when in actuality, they charge too dam much for there products, plain and simple. No matter what some server in Whothefuckcaresaskistan will still share a gabizillion songs that they will never be able to touch. Charge less and sell more, You dont need to be Einstein to figure that out. __________________ You cant help from growing old, but that doesnt mean you have to grow up.

09-04-2003, 06:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
Kaos Ssssssssss Location: Ontario	I think this is an underhanded way to get people to plead Guilty. Even if the RIAA gives you amnesty for signing it, doesn't mean that it can't be used against you as an admission of guilt if other Record Companies decide to sue you.

09-04-2003, 06:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
Blistex Psycho Location: Tiger I Turret	RIAA will never get me, I've got a small incendiary device attached to my computer's hard drive (inside it) that will run a buttload of current through it .001 seconds before several small charges (road flare compound) is ignited inside. Thus reducing it to a fried and melted peice of crap that no information can be retrieved from while doing no damage to the rest of the PC. There are several triggers on my pc that even a bomb squad would be hard pressed to find and disarm. 1. is a photodiode that will activate the device if it is exposed to light. 2. is a switch that catches if the pc case is opened. 3. is a mercury switch that triggers if the pc is at all tilted or picked up. 4. is a keypad on the front of the computer deactivating switches # 2, and 3. They will find it pretty hard to prosecute me without any actual evidance to show other than a record of how many GB's were transfered through Kazaa and IRC within the last month. Plus I'm Canadian!

09-04-2003, 08:27 PM	#10 (permalink)
The_Dude The GrandDaddy of them all! Location: Austin, TX	They do have a heart....... __________________ "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." - Darrel K Royal

09-04-2003, 08:54 PM	#11 (permalink)
Memnoch Insane Location: Land of milk and honey - Wisconsin	To use the words of Eminem..."We ain't eager to be legal." __________________ Doing my best not to end up like Kathleen Chang.

09-04-2003, 10:02 PM	#12 (permalink)
Kyrin Upright Location: The Basement in Calgary, Alberta, Canada	I wonder how public the "admissions" will be, will the RIAA somehow integrate that into their publicity campaign? How many people are going to goto the trouble of getting these notarized documents? Can they really be bothered? Do they have to get a lawyer or something to watch them delete the stuff? If the RIAA is going to take their "promise" to delete shit, why do they require the official document thing? SO THEY CAN USE IT AGAINST THEM if they ever get caught with the stuff in future.... or for use in official publicity type stunts, etc... __________________ My opinions are my own, you may or may not agree with them, but those are your opinions, which I also may or may not agree with.

09-05-2003, 04:27 AM	#14 (permalink)
fuzzix Psycho Location: Australia	Hahahahaha, the RIAA is so desperate. Their offer of amnesty goes to show how shit scared they are. You don't bargain with the enemy if you can crush them And crush them we will. __________________ I'm most definately not 'lovin' it'.

09-05-2003, 04:40 AM	#15 (permalink)
quadro2000 All Possibility, Made Of Custard Location: New York, NY	The more I read about it, the more I wonder when the RIAA is going to wake up and realize that they need to stop treating music lovers like criminals and start using the digital revolution to their advantage. iTunes is a step in the right direction - if I hear an artist I like on there, I buy the music. It did a lot to revolutionize the industry's way of thinking - the real test will be when the Windows version comes out.... __________________ You have to laugh at yourself...because you'd cry your eyes out if you didn't. - Emily Saliers

09-05-2003, 05:11 AM	#16 (permalink)
RoadRage Stay off the sidewalk! Location: Oklahoma City, OK	The RIAA may have caught wind of the plan of several of the litigants were planned on using: make the RIAA fight as hard and long as possible to get their victory, and then declare bankruptcy to deny the RIAA their cash prize. A hundred or so cases of that, and the RIAA's lawyers will be suing the RIAA to collect the lawyer's fees. The RIAA's "heart" is actually a malformed hemorrhoid. __________________ Join TFP Team SETI 43K workunits complete, 34 members, more of each needed.

09-06-2003, 02:22 PM	#19 (permalink)
punx1325 Junkie Location: San Diego	I think we should sue the RIAA for price goudging, thats what I will do it they sue me. Until then they can go FUCK THEMSELVES!!! __________________ If something seems too good to be true, then it probably is....

09-06-2003, 04:45 PM	#21 (permalink)
skier Rawr! Location: Edmontania	The RIAA is waking up. Waking up to the fact that they are now completely obsolete because you no longer have to buy CD's from them at prices they determine. The internet provides a direct link from the artist to the listener. No recording contracts, no million dollar music videos, no managment "skimming off the top". Their actions are a desperate, useless attempt to stem the oncoming tide of creativity. As CD sales drop, the RIAA will have less money and less options to fight the revolution. Music artists will be judged on the quality of their music not on how well they can suck up to the RIAA. I personally can't wait until a time when I pay for a song and over 80% goes directly to the artist.

09-06-2003, 07:11 PM	#22 (permalink)
Buk Addict Location: Seattle, WA	i have two words for the RIAA: HELLZ NO!