[FUBAR-BDHR]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/06/18/minnesota.music.download.fine/index.html

Now that is just ridiculous.  The original verdict was for something like 22 grand but was thrown out.  My question is where the hell do they find jurors that think that is reasonable?

[watsisname]

Well damn, I guess that means I owe someone about a billion dollars.  I am humbled.

[Rick James]

This is merely another case of legally crucifying one individual in the vague hope that it scares enough people off of peer-to-peer networks to make some measurable difference.

Of course, "measurable difference" means little when the RIAA cannot offer anything substantial in the reasoning of how downloading affects them in the least, aside from "because we said so".

[peterv]

Seriously, i use to think that a "Pirate bay party" was a modern joke. I don't think that any more. 

[Grizzly]

....

Does this mean I can get the death penalty for speeding?

[Mongoose]

Now that is just ridiculous.  The original verdict was for something like 22 grand but was thrown out.  My question is where the hell do they find jurors that think that is reasonable?

I'd like to know where they find jurors who side with the music industry to begin with.  Payola, perhaps.

[BengalTiger]

....

Does this mean I can get the death penalty for speeding?

If you crash into something at an appropriate speed, hell yeah.

And as for the topic:

I think the Pirate Party will steal votes from the Democrats in the nearest election.

I also think that she should get the same penalty as she'd get for stealing a CD with 24 songs worth $24, which gives:


http://www.crimeandpunishment.net/MN/

Theft or Receiving Stolen Property
($250 or less)
 Up to $700 Fine &/or Up to 90 Days in Jail

Therefore the whole punishment is unlawfull.

[colecampbell666]

That's the most sensible anti-piracy sentiment I've seen, although I'm pro-sharing. WHatever happened to burning a CD or copying or loaning a tape? People are too greedy, artists get less than 1.00 a CD in most cases, while that's a lot it's nothing compared to what execs are obviously making. Why does anyone NEED that money? What can you do with so much that is actually semi-sensibe/necessary?

[Inquisitor]

I like this:

I also think that she should get the same penalty as she'd get for stealing a CD with 24 songs worth $24, which gives:


http://www.crimeandpunishment.net/MN/

Theft or Receiving Stolen Property
($250 or less)
 Up to $700 Fine &/or Up to 90 Days in Jail

Therefore the whole punishment is unlawfull.

[Snail]

1.9 million.

[Scotty]

I think we need to look at the definition of cruel and unusual punishment.

'[A punishment] so disproportionate to the crime for which it is inflicted that it shocks the conscience and offends fundamental notions of human dignity.'

24 songs, 1.9 million.  Disproporionate?  Hell yes.  Shocking?  Yes (to me, at least).

[Blue Lion]

I haven't really looked too hard at the case, but was she convicted of simply possessing the songs or also with distributing them?

Not that I think they kept track of every person who got a song overall from her, but it might help show where this total kinda came from.

[FUBAR-BDHR]

It says guilty of downloading.  I didn't see anything about sharing. 

[colecampbell666]

I haven't really looked too hard at the case, but was she convicted of simply possessing the songs or also with distributing them?

Not that I think they kept track of every person who got a song overall from her, but it might help show where this total kinda came from.

Even then she could say that she didn't know she was sharing, and that it wasn't willful sharing. Mos tof the people I know seem to think that songs pop out of nowhere rathe rthan the PCs of others.

Wouldn't they have to chbarge every other person related millions of dollars, those who downloaded from her as well as for the other songs they had, the ones that seeded to her as well as their songs, as well as the songs they shared, as well as the ones who had those... Let's charge10%+ of the American populace.

[BengalTiger]

That's the most sensible anti-piracy sentiment I've seen, although I'm pro-sharing. WHatever happened to burning a CD or copying or loaning a tape? People are too greedy, artists get less than 1.00 a CD in most cases, while that's a lot it's nothing compared to what execs are obviously making. Why does anyone NEED that money? What can you do with so much that is actually semi-sensibe/necessary?

It's not that I'm really anti-sharing, it's the fact that a court in the USA appears to be breaking the law in broad daylight that p!$$es me off.

And worries me...

BTW- I'd also probably let her go (alright, only if she'd pay the $24; the law states Up to $700 Fine, so $24 is below this upper limit ). There are people with friggin 100's of GB's of illegal stuff on their HDD's, worth far more than 24 bucks, and these could get spanked harder.

It says guilty of downloading.  I didn't see anything about sharing. 

Funny thing is that DLing files is not even punishable under Polish law (even if they are DL'd from an illegal source)...

Sharing is punishable though, as a form of illegal distribution.

[Polpolion]

How again did they justify fining the person $80,000 per song?

On an less related note, that fine money could buy 24 Javelin AT missiles.

[Blue Lion]

I've seen less "crimes" go for more money.

[Nuke]

well thats what you get for listening to pop music. if you can even call it music, cash cow would be a better desdcription.

[Dark RevenantX]

Listen, the reason they managed to do $80,000 per song is twofold:

1. The lady was an idiot; she was basically saying "lol I didnt dl anything" rather than "oh ****, sorry guys, I'll pay you my vacation money after I battle to get the fine down to size."  The jury got massively pissed off after a long time of this and ****ed her over.

2. RIAA considers pirating music COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT.  It's not stealing something physical/digital from the artist/record label.  If it were that, her fine could only possibly be $18,000 at the very conceivable maximum.  RIAA believes that when you pirate a song or whatever, you are robbing the record label of their digital rights, ideas, property, and copyrights.  Copyright infringement is, using the dictionary definition, like you, without authorization, producing copies of Windows 7 and selling it of your own volition.  RIAA observes how pirates will upload/distribute a digital (non-physical) item (since the item is not technically property , they can get away with saying it's copyright infringement because pirates DO in fact acquire a full copy of the music without payment or agreement) and then distribute it under conditions that are contrary to the record label's copyright.  Notice how when you download ****, there's this damn agreement you have to click "I AGREE" on?  That's mostly just copyright information.  Basically, RIAA goes through these loopholes to absolutely DESTROY you for it - a maximum fine of $150,000 per infringed item, as according to United States Copyright Law.

[Grizzly]

Which in the end, doesn't help anyway.