A woman to pay $1.92M for downloading Music

[boca.openminded]

MINNEAPOLIS – A replay of the nation's only file-sharing case to go to trial has ended with the same result — a Minnesota woman was found to have violated music copyrights and must pay huge damages to the recording industry.

A federal jury ruled Thursday that Jammie Thomas-Rasset willfully violated the copyrights on 24 songs, and awarded recording companies $1.92 million, or $80,000 per song.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_tec_music_downloading

these musicians (mostly untalented) earn so much freakin money and now they are going after the little people..

[TwylaTwobits]

This in a way is scary in a way it's not. You have so many file sharing programs out there for people to share their favorite music. Who put it up originally??? To me I've always viewed this like the Warnings on video recordings about not making a copy for DISTRIBUTING. If I copy a film for me to watch again and again, per the warning it's legal. If I copy a film to show to friends and family at a party, that's illegal, as bad as if I copied a movie to play and charged others to come see.


For me the same is music yet not the same. How many of us have copied CD's for ourselves putting our favorites on a disc and blasting it going down the road. Others are hearing it, but we aren't charging others to listen. Radiohead did an unthinkable thing last year. They released their new album for free download asking people to pay what they thought it was worth if they liked it.

Sometimes....we go too far. But how far is too far? Should we never xerox a favorite quote from Bartlett's Familiar Quotations or should the handwritten scribbles of college students then be penalised. Sigh rambling now but just infuriated at the same time.

[12voltman59]

MINNEAPOLIS – A replay of the nation's only file-sharing case to go to trial has ended with the same result — a Minnesota woman was found to have violated music copyrights and must pay huge damages to the recording industry.

A federal jury ruled Thursday that Jammie Thomas-Rasset willfully violated the copyrights on 24 songs, and awarded recording companies $1.92 million, or $80,000 per song.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_tec_music_downloading

these musicians (mostly untalented) earn so much freakin money and now they are going after the little people..

Its not the musicians doing the screwing here--the musical artists get fucked royally as a rule by the record companies--its "the suits" that run the recording industry--- running it right into the ground--- that are fucking with people!!

[Falke]

Pennywise and a few other bands have done so as well.


On a side note:

"Thousands of years ago..." *Smoke pours in* :bigrin:

[BiDesire]

What she did was wrong and illegal. To buy a CD or pay for a down load and then make a copy for yourself the music company does not care. But to put it on line for thousands to down load is wrong. I for one am glad they busted her ass.

[allbimyself]

What she did was wrong and illegal. To buy a CD or pay for a down load and then make a copy for yourself the music company does not care. But to put it on line for thousands to down load is wrong. I for one am glad they busted her ass.That's not what she did. She downloaded 24 songs. The fines are excessive. The equivalent of fining someone $60,000 for shoplifting a candy bar.

Is what she did illegal? Yes. Does the punishment fit the crime? Not even close.

[jamieknyc]

The Court will probably reduce the damage award to soemthing more reasonable, and of course she can appeal. From what I read, they offered to settle with her for $3,000 to $5,000 and she insisted on going to trial.

[allbimyself]

The Court will probably reduce the damage award to soemthing more reasonable, and of course she can appeal. From what I read, they offered to settle with her for $3,000 to $5,000 and she insisted on going to trial.Ooopsie!

[boca.openminded]

A few years ago I heard of a young girl (I think she was 13 yrs old) had to pay a $1,000 fine for songs that she downloaded. The songs were some Britney Spears and Barney (for her younger brother). This was the first time I heard of the industries suing.

I believe the one in this article downloaded from Kazaa.

I agree with the user that said $1m is pretty steep.

Here is the argument that I hear when I talk to friends (both sides):

Side A: they should allow free downloads because I would not pay $15 for a cd because I am curious about the group. Now that I got the free download I am now interested in this group that I never would have been before. I am so interested I will now see them in concert.

Side B: stealing is stealing!

there needs to be a some sort of agreement between the 2 sides. $1m worth of fines is ridiculous.