RIAA considers amnesty for P2P users

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Downloaders who admit they done wrong could be let off the hook

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is believed to be preparing an amnesty for users of peer-to-peer (P2P) sites, but it comes with tough conditions.

The RIAA refuses to comment on the plan, or even that is being drawn up, but vnunet.com understands it will apply to people who admit they illegally share music files across the internet.

Users will have to complete a notarised amnesty form that includes the following promises:

To destroy any CDs they have created.
To delete any music files from their PCs that the RIAA deems illegal.
To never participate in illegal file sharing again.
To include a photo of themselves.

News source: vnunet.com

It is believed that anyone who complies will be excluded from any future legal action by the RIAA.

But the decision will not apply to those already facing legal action, which could begin as early as next week, according to a report from Reuters.

The RIAA has admitted that it is unlikely to take to court all 1,600 people accused of illegally uploading music files from sites such as Kazaa and Morpheus.

But it has warned that those it does take to court will have to take their chances before the judge.

Meanwhile, others in the music industry are also adopting a less combative stance to P2P sites, following the decline in music sales.

Universal Music is cutting the wholesale price of many CDs in the US from $12.02 to $9.09.

It also plans to shelve advertising discounts and has dropped its recommended retail price to $12.98 from $18.98, hoping that retailers will be persuaded to drop the price to below $10.

Sony has also joined the growing market for services that allow consumers to download music legally, putting itself in direct competition with Apple and Microsoft.

The new service will be launched in Japan, with the US and Europe to follow next spring. Sony said that it will also ship a handheld device on to which the songs can be downloaded.

(1 reply) #1 er0n on 08 Sep 2003 - 07:22

How many times do we need to be told about this?

#1.1 PatrynXX on 08 Sep 2003 - 14:33

Hmmm people admitting that downloading music is wrong is moronic. I'd never do it. I download music (when I do, which isn't often) to find new music to listen to. If I didn't, I wouldn't buy the corrosponding cds. You'd think the RIAA would embrace Kazaa. Some of us honest people download music to get a feel as to whether we like the cd or not. Whereas it's easy to rent dvds (better on Netfli

It's very hard to rent cd's. And at $15-20 a pop for 30-40 minutes worth of music, it'd better be damn good. And going to the library is not an effective use of my time.

(1 reply) #2 Detriment1 on 08 Sep 2003 - 07:25

"To include a photo of themselves. " WTF? LMAO.

#2.1 Spike101M69 on 08 Sep 2003 - 07:46

maybe they're hoping there are some hot female swappers. . .

(1 reply) #3 psycheb on 08 Sep 2003 - 07:32

QUOTE

To destroy any CDs they have created.

*hugs minidiscs*

#3.1 MR_Candyman on 08 Sep 2003 - 14:55

i agree...no matter how you look at it, minidiscs are the most legal way because they can't prove anything

#4 Phil Gates on 08 Sep 2003 - 07:48

is this a joke? hahaha

#5 perochan on 08 Sep 2003 - 08:02

how can RIAA takes millions ppl into court?? hahahah~

#6 Mav Phoenix on 08 Sep 2003 - 08:16

#7 Xab on 08 Sep 2003 - 08:16

They are hoping by suing a few people they can scare everyone else into deleting Kazaa off their comp. The scumbags will really pick their targets too, like the college students they sued earlier this year, added a nice $15,000 to their already big debts from school I'm sure. Sad how the EFF is the only organization that actually stands up to these terrorists, we could use more groups like them.

#8 aem4162 on 08 Sep 2003 - 08:35

hmmmm...if i send in my pic, it MIGHT scare the riaa into leaving everyone alone....

#9 Coolme on 08 Sep 2003 - 09:04

Wasn't this like on Back Page News a lllllooooonnnnnnngggg time ago?

(4 replies) #10 csdavidson on 08 Sep 2003 - 09:27

Am I right in saying that those of us living outside the US can't be touched by the RIAA?

#10.1 WS togermano on 08 Sep 2003 - 10:27

I think its possible to sue out of other countries now and why would you wanna live out side of the usa

#10.2 dyreryft on 08 Sep 2003 - 11:11

No the question is why would you want to live in the US. No thank you.

#10.3 C_Guy on 08 Sep 2003 - 13:41

Canadians are safe....for now...because our laws still prohibit Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from releasing customer details unless authorities have a very strong case for it (eg: customer is suspected of kiddie porn).

#10.4 MoRiA on 08 Sep 2003 - 15:31

I think those outside the USA are safe, yes. The European equivalent of the RIAA isn't planning any such actions (as far as we know..)

(2 replies) #11 Neb Okla on 08 Sep 2003 - 11:49

My response to the RIAA...

#11.1 GUNNER on 08 Sep 2003 - 13:26

I feel the same way

#11.2 chuayw2000 on 08 Sep 2003 - 14:45

Me 3, and that is from Matrix.

#12 SimplyPotatoes on 08 Sep 2003 - 13:20

BAhaHAHHAHAHAahah YA! OK haha who ever does this must be legally insane, how about someone says they recorded all the songs off the radio with there analog tape player/recorder then burned them onto a cd?! is that legal?! im going to send lots of pics of myself all naked with RIAA: My mp3's come from here start sukcing wit an arrow pointing down on my chest, if anyoe wants the pics i goin to send them jus PM me, stupid riaa are all

an need to die off

#13 RauL on 08 Sep 2003 - 13:39

looks to me like someone commited crimes of war.

Watch out, maybe you end up in Guantanamo

Last edited by 33515 on 08 Sep 2003 - 14:02

#14 C_Guy on 08 Sep 2003 - 13:51

For the record, I am dead-set against piracy and illegal media distribution. However...

Does anyone get the feeling that the RIAA is trying to set up an AA-style "File Swappers Anonymous"??

"Hello, my name is C_Guy, and I swap files on the Internet. Here is my photo. I used to be a sinner but I have erased all my illegal files and promise never to do it again. And just so the RIAA can make sure I am telling the truth my ISP and IP are..."

I would also like to admit to the RIAA that I may have stolen a cookie when I was 4 but I will sign a paper promising to never do it again if they promise not to inform my mother and sue me.

#15 MR_Candyman on 08 Sep 2003 - 14:53

provide a photo and tell them who you are? are you insane???? There's no way a judge would not sentence you to a fine or jail time once they've got that. They need the pic to prove exactly who in the household was doing the filesharing!

#16 Aaron660R on 08 Sep 2003 - 15:15

LOL does the RIAA think we are stupid? LOL

#17 Grappa on 08 Sep 2003 - 17:22

"And furthermore I promise to go right out and spend $15-$25 per CD of music that I have never heard more than one song of..."

Riiiiiiight.

G

#18 mrbester on 08 Sep 2003 - 17:32

It is believed that anyone who complies will be excluded from any future legal action by the RIAA.

Highly unlikely. Not only have you incriminated yourself at the behest of a non-authoritarian group, they also know who you are and would probably keep tabs on you just to make sure you aren't "breaking" the "terms" of your "amnesty" and then give massive publicity if you "reneged" on your "agreement".

Self-incrimination of this kind would get the case thrown out of court. The entire principle of "innocent until proven guilty" is that the onus is on the accuser to prove you've done something. In seeking to abrogate your rights by incriminating yourself, they breach this fundamental tenet of law (at least in UK, I believe also in US) and they should be hounded to the ends of the earth for it. Bunch of tossers.

#19 C_Guy on 08 Sep 2003 - 17:51

And let's not forget about all the people that the RIAA has already threatened and sued...did they even get a chance to sign their paper and admit their "guilt"?

Sounds to me like the RIAA is desperately trying to fix an image that is just beyond repair. Suddenly they won't sue if you admit you were wrong?

If anyone actually trusts this organization I would be very surprised!

#20 ineffective on 08 Sep 2003 - 23:29

how does the riaa find out who is downloading music... by hacking peoples systems...
which is (last time i checked) AGAINST THE LAW so how is any evidence going to hold up in court. Why aren't these dam hackers being prosicuted? If any of us did this we would be in jail. So if any of these law suits succeed then count on many people not to buy any music from a bunch of dam criminals.

#21 dsteele_7 on 09 Sep 2003 - 16:28

THIS is officially the most MORNIC thing they could do. They are doing this to make sure that the appropriate artists get paid and stuf and to stop ppl form violating copyright laws but what I want to know is where is the money (if any) that they get from these ppl going to go??? and there's a good saying to go along with that "You can't squeeze blood from a stone" In other words you can't get money from somebody who's broke or say a 12 year old!

BTW aren't they just alienating they're buying public?? And Y shuld we the buying public be forced to put up with this stupidity, bullying, and tyrany? I think that if ppl boycotted music for a while then what would the RIAA do?

Either way at least I live in CANADA

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