Lawsuits for downloaded SYW concert songs?
 

Ok, so I open the morning paper and I see this huge article on how there are going to be hundreds of lawsuits filed for downloading songs off the Net. I understand that the primary target is shareware such as Kazaa, and those who trade a huge amount of songs.

My question is: do we need to be worried about downloads from "fan" sites that are providing the SYW concerts online?

I loved Kazaa, but am now worried about using it.

I heard they were going to target sites that have a lot of downloads and on a frequent basis. Im hoping sites we know of and love (and wont mention here in case Big Bro is watching) WONT be targeted.

I don't think they're going to be targeting web-based fan sites.

From what I understand, "they" plan to roam peer2peer file-sharing services, like KaZaA, and fine the users with the largest amount of shared songs.
And I think we're talking in the high hundreds/thousands here... not just a few dozen mp3s.

At any rate, I suggest that anyone who's worried just burn what you have, then delete the files from your PC.
If you burn mp3s as files, you can get up to 700MBs on one disc. And if you leave the "session" open, you can add to the disc later (if you haven't already filled it).

mmm, then I'm in trouble I have over 900 songs currently on my hard drive. ;) You can choose which songs Kazaa can share. Most share programs have a default folder to check for files. Your default music folder for Kazaa is found under Tool/Options and then pick the Traffic tab, it's located right on top. Or you can just move the files out of your default My Music folder to some other folder on your hard drive.

but Johnny is also right, you should back them up to RW cd's. You never know when these corporate greed monsters will strike!!

I think they're going after people who are sharing a huge amount of songs.

I use share services myself (can't use Kazza though as they never made it for the mac which has pissed me off but I digress) and I have a couple hundred songs but mainly of stuff that you just CAN'T buy anymore or remixes of things or albums that were complete crap except for one song. If they're not going to release a commercial single like hell I'm going to pay 18 bucks for it.

The Music Industry is ripping people off left and right anyway. It costs about $2 to make and market a CD and they're charging 18 for even older CDs. That's insane.

Is this really something to be worried about? I have over 500 songs from when Napster was around and over 300 in Kazaa. What do you think? Should I start deleting?

From what I gathered, they are only going to be looking at the big peer to peer sites like Kazaa, imesh, etc. Also, I don't think they are worried about live shows, demos, etc. They are targeting people that are downloading songs from cd's that you could buy in the store (example: Rumours, the White Album, etc.) Hope this helps.
Brett

Most, if not all of my downloaded songs are FM/SN songs. About 98.9 % of them I own on MULTIPLE copies of the FM/SN albums I own on cd/cassette/vinyl. Plus not to mention the 4 copies of Say You Will I bought! The record industry is trying to go on a witch hunt...a witch hunt it will lose....


~Alex

I can understand that . . . but the article I read specifically said that eventually they will be going after people who just download a few songs.

They didn't say anything about fines, other than a person can be sued for EACH downloaded song to the tune of $150,000.00!!!

They specifically mentioned Kazaa, and some other programs that I am not familiar with.

I can promise you that FM would never allow their fans to be sued for something like this

Well, unless they do something about JTodd, I am not so sure that they are as faithful to us as we are to them, unfortunately.:confused:

I guess that could possibly be something they might threaten to do in the future, but I can't see that happening any time soon.

I would think that the fees they would have to pay to all of the lawyers it would take to cover millions of ongoing lawsuits, would be pretty prohibitive.
Kind of like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

If record companies are seriously interested in boosting their business again, they need to mark down the list price of CDs, start making both albums and singles available as reasonably-priced internet downloads, and stop pushing manufactured, one-trick-pony type artists on us.

But that would be using logic... and why use logic when you can just sue (and thus alienate) your consumers?

The problem could be that the Mac may not necessarily have a "vote" in pursuing the litigation. Warner Bros. may be able to pursue it because of their "lost profits".

The $150,000.00 figure is based on copyright infrigement laws.

I recall seeing some report on tv where some congressmen are pushing for a software package that is designed to infiltrate the computers of people who download songs and destroy them. That is scary! However, I don't think that type of radical "solution" will have enough votes in Congress to ever be enacted.

My understanding of the article is that if as long as you aren't actively using peer-to-peer networks you're fine. You can move the songs you've downloaded from Kazaa into another folder on your hard drive, and then delete the Kazaa program completely off your PC if you're really nervous about the RIAA. But see, that to me is giving in to the RIAA, and it's just really evident to me that if they slashed their outrageous prices, people might be more willing to part with their $$$. I still buy CD's. I like holding them in my hand and looking at the liner notes and all that stuff. But I like using the file swapping networks because I can find songs that you can't find anywhere else and that are either no longer commerically available or were neither commercially available to begin with. That being said, my best files have come from certain sites that are kind enough to share their files with the rest of us (you all know who you are and you are very much appreciated)!

Im with Dee & DarkWing. I still buy CDs to have them & for the liner notes, etc. I also feel the Mac wont have any say in this, this is the record company NOT the band. I download mostly demos or rareties no longer available. I wonder if they will try to fine you for sharing a "free" file - a lot of free files are available now directly from the record cos themselves.

If your really nervous just take what precautions you can now and see what the tidal wave will bring.