Duluth jury decides Brainerd woman must pay $222,000 for downloaded music files
A 12-person jury in Duluth ruled Jammie Thomas, 30, of Brainerd, did pirate 24 copyrighted sound recordings, and ordered her to pay $222,000.
The ruling could set precedent, determining what proof is needed to find someone liable for copyright infringement.
The verdict ended three days of testimony and questioning in U.S. District Court in Duluth against Thomas, a single mother of two who was accused of downloading and sharing certain music files. Six recording companies sought damages that could have reached millions of dollars.
Here is an interesting analysis on how and why this happened. But even from the RIAA’s viewpoint, was it really worth it?
Send all your love directly to the RIAA and tell them what you think.
NPD has some interesting stats on the whole affair:
http://tinyurl.com/ypmh5r
I thought the significant contradiction between the RIAA and reality is that the total value of what she was proven to have downloaded would have been $23.76 at iTunes.
Bobbo, if they have your host name they can ask for your records and your real address. Best to hide your IP address. There are jumping off sites available that can do this.
Or how about paying money for songs you want? Nahhh,
Check out Steve Gibson’s page “Shields UP” — no login req’d and it’ll show you your host and IP. Try the “Proceed” link for more info.
https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2
that was cool…I’m in the middle of a smallish lake….glub, glub,glub….
21- Good article.
Even better reason to tighten up the defenses and fight back.
Why rebel?
Some of the less egregious examples:
- Sony with rootkits.
- The whole Blue Ray -vs- HD-DVD fiasco. Which is the choice? Neither. Take your petty format argument and stick it where the sun don’t shine.
- Apple and it’s bricked phones. Steve Jobs is a burrito hole.
- The truth about the music industry, where basically all music profits go to everyone besides the musicians.
- Hardware exclusive DRM, like the iTunes crap. Low quality, plays on only one type of device. You buy Apple DRM’d music, you are an idiot.
- Media companies fighting against net neutrality.
- Internet throttling. False performance advertising. 6Mbs that is really 1 Mbs if you are lucky.
- Apple with it’s self obsoleting devices (irreplaceable batteries, incompatible system overhaul every three years)
- 9 dollars to see a movie that has 20 minutes of advertising before the movie and 20 minutes of product placement inside the movie, cost 20 million to make and is not worth a 90 cent Netflix rental.
and on and on and on… and idiot consumers keep going for it without complaint. Some, like Apple fans, even cheer it on in their mindless blandness and utter conformity (while obnoxiously pretending they are different)
Well, I’m mad as hell and I won’t take it anymore. It’s time for consumers to start holding companies to the same standards that the consumers are held. That means not giving them your money, in and way. No music purchases at all to start with. (Although Amazon with it’s non-DRM 256k downloads might be a company worth rewarding.)
Until the music companies are starved into changing their ways and becoming consumer oriented, I’m not spending a penny on them. Treat people badly, don’t expect every one of them behave like the majority of sheep and take it.
#24, Bubba,
Thanks, I’m there now and reveling in the info.