A downloaded music case goes to court UPDATE

From what I understand, most 'illegal downloaders' who are caught usually settle out of court. However, a Brainerd, Minn. woman is not settling, she's let this go to court and today was the first day of the trial.

Duluth jury hears 4 witnesses in illegal downloading lawsuit

One thing which I will probably never understand. It's illegal to share files of music on the internet -- most are not making money off it, yet it's legal in most places for a ticket scalper to sell a ticket for much more than face value. Doesn't much make sense to me.

 

Re: A downloaded music case goes to court

It is illegal to sell a ticket for more than face value (at least here it is).

It's the enforcement there that is lacking.

 

Re: A downloaded music case goes to court

I will absolutely laugh my ass off if the music industry loses this one. I'm glad they finally picked on someone with the resources to fight back.

 

Re: A downloaded music case goes to court

That's not true everywhere.

 

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Especially on the corner of Addison and Clark.

 

Re: A downloaded music case goes to court

Yea, you guys are right, there is enforcement.

I was commenting more along the lines of Rosie's comment. There should probably be more focus on catching scalpers, instead of spending tons of resources on smaller downloading cases.

 

Re: A downloaded music case goes to court

I think there are probably very few places left where the resale of tickets above face value is illegal.

 

Re: A downloaded music case goes to court

I think the music industry will eventually lose this battle (if it hasn't already). It's just plain silly to keep this up.

 

Re: A downloaded music case goes to court

Scalping might as well be legal here in Toronto at least as far as Leaf and concert tickets go.

I used to deal with a scalper a few years back (way before online ticket places like StubHub) and when I asked him if he ever got hassled he said, "Fuck no. Where do you think the cops go when they need hockey tickets or their kids want to go see Madonna?"

I'm sure that attitude is prevalent elsewhere.

 

Re: A downloaded music case goes to court

It's legal in most places to sell your car for more than face value (or any other price to which the buyer may agree).

 

Re: A downloaded music case goes to court

Perhaps using the ticket scalping scenario wasn't the best analogy. It seems to me the main argument the record companies have is the loss of revenue and the money the scalpers are making is money the record companies are 'losing' -- even though they really aren't.

Different analogy. Someone takes a newspaper and makes 10 or 20 copies of your column, then hands them out to friends and family. Some of them make copies, and like the old shampoo commercial, and so on and so on. Can you see the owner of your paper going after all these people and taking them to court for copyright violations? To me, the file sharing on the internet isn't that much different.

I'm conflicted over the whole situation. I understand the need to protect intellectual property, but on the other hand, it's time for the record companies to pull themselves out of the dark ages and figure out a way to work with the electronic world in which we now live.

 

Re: A downloaded music case goes to court

They call it piracy as if the person who is downloading the song is then sitting there making thousands of CDs to sell. It may happen, but most likely not in this country (see China).

And the record companies should be partly to blame for their own downfall. They do such a shitty job of protecting their product. I can log on to a torrent site right now and download any number of upcoming releases. You'd think if they were hurting they would not release a thing until the actual release date. The same goes for Hollywood. Hey guys...Don't send out perfect digital copies of your movie which is still in theaters. Make those Oscar voters get off their asses and go to the theater.