[Dixielandjazz] Only slightly OT: RIAA wants to shut down the Internet

[David Richoux]

I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV, but this seems like a big  
deal!



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30 November 2006 3:19 by dRD

A lawyer defending Net users that have been sued by the music  
industry's lobby group, RIAA, claims that the evidence -- or actually  
the lack of it -- in one of the cases RIAA is pushing in courts, if  
accepted, would effectively shut down the whole Internet.

The lawyer, Ray Beckerman, tells in an interview on DefectiveByDesign  
about a real case, Electro vs. Barker, in which, the recording  
industry, in its complaint, doesn't even bother to "specify any acts  
or dates or times of copyright infringement as the law normally  
requires". As the case proceeds in the courts, RIAA has made a  
statement that merely making files available on the internet is in  
and of itself a copyright infringement. "It was a shocking argument  
because if it were accepted it would probably shut down the entire  
internet", Beckerman says.

MPAA, obviously, has put in a brief supporting the RIAA's case. More  
interestingly, also the U.S. Government has filed a brief supporting  
RIAA's side in the case.

The full transcript is at: http://www.defectivebydesign.org/node/404

Dave Richoux