RIAA, Surrender Now!
By Stephen Hinkle

The RIAA is going to wage a war on consumers. They plan to start suing file traders. They are going to sue them because they realized that this is the only way to really try and shut down the decentralized file sharing networks which are not companies (i.e. Gnutella, Freenet, etc). Unlike Napster, these networks do not have one node to cut off, that would cut off all nodes. Also, there is no organization or company to bankrupt.

In addition to planning to sue consumers, they plan to intercept transmissions of music, and put "decoy" files on file sharing networks. These decoys contain 30 second loops of music over and over, or silence. The idea is to deter P2P users by decreasing their chances of getting a song for free.

These attacks may cause a bigger backlash against the labels from consumers, which are their best customers. People would probably go to the news media, if the process becomes widespread, and anyone sued would probably stop buying CDs of the plaintiffs labels.

Consumer confidence in the music industry is at an all time low. With recent reports and allegations of price-fixing, very little royalties to artists, and the first generation of lawsuits, people are not buying as many CDs as before. In addition, most people I have talked to, disagree with the labels practices, and think that they should be more consumer and artist friendly.

If the RIAA and its member labels were smart, they should SURRENDER now, and regain consumer confidence by withdrawing all file sharing suits, stop spying on P2P networks, and treat artists more fairly. In addition, they should make their subscription services better than Gnutella, KaZaa, and the other "free" services out there, in terms of catalog of music offered and file usability. In addition, they should support a proposal that KaZaa and Verizon suggested that would pay artists indirectly for music transfered on decentralized P2P systems through blank CD sales and internet service sales.

So, the RIAA needs to realize that there is no way to get their "dinosaur" distribution models back. They need to adapt to the times, and find new business models that embrace the technologies that others invent, even before the labels have their own version of that technology.

Stephen Hinkle
Network Tech
City Heights Educational Pilot

The RIAA and the rest of the industry are screwing themselves by doing such a thing like this. All they're gonna do is waste money that should go to the artists instead. Then this will be another excuse to charge more for CDs, which in turn more people will download music since they can't afford the newer prices.. it's a viscious cycle...

First post baby

To quote a comment I read somewhere else about this strategy " Load gun, shoot self in foot, repeat repeatedly" or something to that effect.....very apt...

This is war alright, but we as consumers must not surrender, regardless of what scare tactics the RIAA may try to use. Music, such an important part of our art and culture throughout the centuies hinges on this decisive battle. If we fail, our children and children's children will feel the reprecussions. Tell your friends, tell your neighbors, tell them to never give up their file-sharing habits. The bible it self says
1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.

The RIAA have become like a wounded boar and are using their one great advantage, capital to advance their despotic campaign. But the despotism of the RIAA will never stand up to a mandate of the people. I have prayed for our sucess in this campaign, and i know that, inevitably we shall be victorious. The road ahead may not be difficult, but let this be a wake up call to everyone to remember what we are fighting for.

One thing to say---LET'S GET IT ON!!!

Well then, I guess this is the signal for me to replace that old PC of mine for a new one and stuff the harddisc with MP3. RIAA, you gonna sue me? Try me suckers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

my comp is slowing down with all the ripped cd's i'm packing into it.

Don't get all caught up in the independence day festivities and the righteous rage of the wronged consumer here though.

We ARE about changing the way things are done. Without question the business model isn't flawed, it's COMPLETELY erroneous. We can't, however, turn the music industry into a scorched plot of earth. There MUST be some form of business involved. There must be companies that spend their days promoting, and distributing music. There are millions of bands all over the world now. And music-lovers like myself want to be able to find them! We need something in our "global village" better than the word of mouth of people we know on p2p networks. We need things like the radio, and the internet webradios. We need companies that will migrate the music from the artist to the consumers.

The utter destruction of the RIAA will cost us dearly. That JohnnyBoomBoom guy in the forums proves my point. People want music. They have ALWAYS wanted music. and they ALWAYS will. There needs to be a CONSCIENTOUS industry created to fulfill that demand. Anarchy is great, but even more musicians will starve if it wins out.

Just a few thoughts..

Very true, Svensta, and a point that is all too easy to forget when the record industry pulls things like this. Music lovers should NOT have to cower in fear and invest in thermite-lined hard drives lest a couple RIAA goons come to their door. As hard as it may be to remember sometimes, our goal should be to break and remake the industry, not blow it back to kingdom scum.

does anybody actually think that they'll trace each of the millions of people all over america and/or the world and sue them...

they talkin crap, if they stopped making so much of a fuss and jacking up prices people wouldnt need to download there songs.

im a just a paperboy from england i cant afford the cds.im forced to download the songs and if i find something special ill buy it to compliment the artist (i bought the eminem show even though i had half of it on mp3)

when will they learn that when your in a hole you should stop digging

arrggg @ the fukin RIAA... Im from the England & I listen to rap/hip hop... & since I started usin AG a few years ago I had no idea about all the underground stuff & other artist e.g three 6 & dayton familey coz we jsut dont have any CD's or anythin over here by them... so when i 1st heard these artist I went to great lengths to buy their CD's like I used to go to the US & come bk with a shit load of Cd's or order them online all this just so i could have an orignal copy... the world of AG as opend my eyes to so many new artist that i never would have heard of... & if the RIAA wants to cause all this shit & do all this shit then in the long they will be the ppl losin out coz if ppl like me dont kno about these artist then well HELLO no more buyin Cd's it really is that simple... we will ALWAYS be sharin files/music & there is nothing they can do to stop up. they close one site then 5 more pop up. it will NEVER end & so the only ppl losein out is the RIAA its self coz they will lose money to pay for the court caeses & wot not & will lose money from us the fans/comsumers... & so many ppl will get PISSED OFF with this shit they are pullin that we just wont buy Cd's full stop.... so i mean just what is the point in all this.... no matter what u do WE WIN & the RIAA LOSE!!!!! SO GIVE UP & SURRENDER

we the consumers have done nothing but bitch and fucking moan. maybe a few of us have stop buying cds or at least RIAA cds but until one of us stands up and starts suing the RIAA and makes a differnce. all we can do is bitch and moan because you know what our kids are going to grow up with the ideas the P2P networks are wrong and illegial and as soon as they have our kids then our kids' kids will be paying $50 for the same ammount and quality of music that is on a cd now. Hillary knows that she cant changes our minds about it so she attacks generations to come. if she even effects half of the newborn generation then no matter how untraceable freenet is there wont be any users.

so in the true spirit of rebellion and bitching and moaning

Hillary you can suck my rebel dick

FreeNet will live on dammit

One question relating to the RIAA's recently-adopted scorched-earth tactics begs to be answered: Is the RIAA really the music-industry lobby . . . or has it morphed into what amounts to an American wing of the Taliban, taking actions which could be interpreted in some quarters as the legalistic equivalent of the smashing of Buddhist statues in Afghanistan as happened last spring?

I, for example, am going do go to the charts and download the top 20 songs that are there right now (yeah, they are probably crap, but who cares, it will only take a few minutes on my DSL line). The more people take avantage of their brodband for file sharing, the better.

In other news, just for the heck of it, I did a search for Eminem's "Without Me" on BLUBSTER and found 675 files! Many of the have Cable/DSL and even T1 connections. And BLUBSTER is only considered a small file sharing network. Good luck RIAA

you go hinkle!!!

Song swapping is the same thing as the cassette copies that circulated during the 70s and 80s, the only difference is the technology used. As usual the record industry fails to understand the way in which people USE music to negotiate identities and sense of community, even if it is a virtual community. File sharing is a part of normal everyday life and the truth is: IT DOES NOT HARM THE RECORD INDUSTRY AT ALL!! Their main concern is over hegemonic control of consumer purchasing habits. With file sharing, they are loosing their iron-fisted control over what people listen to. Did you know that the majority of signed artists' music never reaches the ears of the consumer? They do this in order to sell their pop crap to everyone. Any musical act that is seen as competition to these "stars" is conveniently shelved by the industry. The consumer does not have freedom of choice. File sharing offers that choice. It offers a chance to hear music that the industry has kept from us. During Napster's heyday record sales were up 13%. The year after the RIAA shut Napster down, sales dropped by 11%. Therefore Napster did not financially damage the recording industry, it helped it. But, they destroyed it because they did not control it!!! Although they could have developed equivalent technologies and joined the Internet fray, they chose to oppose what the majority of their consumers want. As usual the industry, blinded by ridiculous profiteering, is late to embrace changes in our cultures and in technology. Instead they use their political clout to attack their customers. Folks, it's all our own fault if we continue to support an industry that so aggresively targets the freedoms of its customers. Our human rights are under attack! Did you know that the RIAA is trying to pass legislation that will state that the CDs we buy do not belong to us, they are merely leased to us by the record companies? In this scenario we would not have ANY freedom of usage. In this case I would NEVER buy another CD as long as I live.
(Although I would begin a large scale CD bootleg operation).
I suggest that everyone boycott ALL labels of the RIAA and their affiliates for one year. I have been doing so and I have purchased over 300 CDs this year without paying more than US$8.00 for any of them, and none were new. BUY USED CDS! It is possible to circumvent their price gouging if you really wish to.
Let's stand together as consumers of OUR OWN cultural production and protect our rights as citizens, music lovers and consumers. THE RIAA IS EVIL!!!!!!

So it's finally happened. The war has started on the consumer now. They are motivated by the great success so far in squeezing artists's money, levering the tax from government and rallying for a cause that seems every day to get more and more uncontrollable. There have been few offers, too little compromise, too much power and far too much money in their hands. Instead of fighting every person on their doorsteps they could've been saviours for every musician wanting to make a mark. Shot themselves in the foot? More like stepping onto a busy highway.

i say we get the taliban in on this. i'm sure they'd love to lend us consumers a hand in combating the RIAA--a giant of an organization. CONSUMERS OF AMERICA AND THE TALIBAN UNITE!!!

The RIAA's most powerfull hit yet is one done for them by the broadband providers. Where I live if you want broadband you can either get cable from rogers, or dsl for sympatico. Sympatico intoduced their 5 gig download limit this month, rogers will be placing theres in the months to come, bye bye downloads..

smelv1n,
The biggest thing they do is to tell your isp that you are exchanging copyrighted files and they must stop you or besued themselves. (the Safeharbor provision in the DMCA) The problem is that there is no hearing, no evidence needed, just the mere accusation and bam, you're kicked from your isp with no recourse. Basically guilty until proven innocent. Check out the user agreement with your ISP and what recourse you have if accussed. They can pull down your website or ISP account until you appeal in writing. At that point they notify the RIAA or copyright holder and they have 10 days (i think maybe 14) to file a lawsuit. If they don't, your account can be reactivated and your website put back up. So they can kick you off for about a month without ever having to prove a damn thing, or spend the money on a lawsuit.

hey 'tack.. on the subject of ISPs..
I recently got a phone call about something from MY DSL service. Seems there's a group out there called BSA.com.. and all they do is search for copyrighted material.
They call *I* got was my own damn fault, I had dl'd an application, and it ended up in my "shared" folder on limewire, and BSA.com got hold of it. Little white lies are wonderful if they keep you downloading. I just told em that yes, I did dl the program (letting them assume of course that I got it from a legit place _smirk_). I also told them I'd move it so it wasn't available anymore to John Q. Public. Problem.. problem solved. NO threats, tho I did and do expect to be monitored a bit more now .. price I pay I guess. Point is.. people don't believe it happens, but it does. Nice of you to bring that out.

Ok, thumbtack. If they want to play that game, I can just call up my credit card company and ask them to cancel the monthly ISP payment. If they don't provide me with service, they are not going to get paid. Thats all.

Hell, the BSA concerns me more the the music cops they will lie to get search warrants, shut your business down for days while they search your computer files, diassemble your computer, wipe hard drive etc...the represent the biggies, like Adobe, Microsoft, Macromedia, Corel, and others companies that could buy they music industry lock stock and barrel...I've heard real nightmare stories about them, check out Slashdot and do a search for Business Software Alliance or BSA.

thumbtack, sure that's alot more severe than a download limit, but the download limit will affect ALL broadband users, while the example you provide affects maybe 1 in 10000 of people who download HEAVY amounts of copyrighted music on a daily basis. With the download limits, most of these heavy users will be pretty much put an end to, so they won't have the need to call up isps and ask them to suspend someones account.

"But, they destroyed it because -THEY- did not control it!!!"
jfb summed it up in one sentence

They've cast they're MAGIC WAND for so long and with so much success they're stupefied by the fact IT DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE.

Sue the consumers!!??

GIVE ME A BREAK!

I'll believe it when i see it.

A SCARE TACTIC MANIFESTING AS NOTHING MORE THAN A HALF-ASSED EFFORT TO SIMPLY SPY ON US WHILE WE FILE-SHARE. YES THEY MAY BE ABLE TO MAKE US DOWNLOAD BOGUS FILES. SOME TROJAN HORSES THEY MIGHT UNLEASH. I'D LIKE TO SEE THE TROJAN HORSES THEY GET IN 'THEIR' MAIL AFTER MESSING WITH YOUR NOT-SO-RUN-OF-THE-MILL FILE-SHARER. THEY BETTER THINK TWICE ABOUT THAT ONE. IN THE END ALL OF THIS WILL MAKE US A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE TO SAY THE LEAST.

But if they do attempt to go all the way with this one and i wouldn't put it past them, then YES...NOW THEY'RE TOYING WITH FIRE. Every other post pointed this fact out. Suing the consumer is the worst thing they could do...not because it may hurt sales or further alienate disgruntled consumers. Rather this threat of 'suing the consumer' WILL RESULT IN THE KIND OF 'PEOPLE VS. THE MUSIC INDUSTRY' LAWSUIT THAT IS SURE TO UNVEIL THE WORLD TO THE CERTAIN TRUTH THAT FILE-SHARING IS SIMPLY NOT STEALING, IS NOT PIRACY, BUT MERELY A PART OF OUR FAIR-USE RIGHTS AS CONSUMERS CAUGHT UP IN AN ERA OF TECHNOLOGY THAT DOES NOTHING BUT SUPPORT IT, THAT BECKONS IT, THAT CALLS IT FORTH, DARE I SAY DEMANDS WE ALL FILE-SHARE, AND YES DAMMIT YES EVEN SUPPORTS THE GODDAM MUSIC INDUSTRY.

Um, can anyone say "CHECKMATE" MOTHERFUCKER.

I'm kinda wondering something here. There was piracy BEFORE the internet.. BEFORE napster.. BEFORE all this started. Is this move by the RIAA going to stop the major shit that's happening??
NO!!!!!
All it's done so far is piss off a LOT of little 80meg a day downloaders who happen to buy music and download some stuff they don't sell anymore. The same people who still used to buy the _cartel label_ stuff, because to be honest, some of it's not bad. I stopped buying cds cuz I couldn't afford them first, THEN because of what's happening.
I can agree that piracy should be curtailed. I agree that people who d/l the stuff to make TONS of copies to cds for profit should be dealt with.
When did this become about EVERYONE who ever downloaded a song and not about the true-by-definition pirates?

The riaa is scared because the have lost the power they once had. If they sue one person there will be others who will sue them. They are opening up a door they will never be able to close. The question we have to ask ourselves how far will they go.

Hello RIAA. I offer you nothing for your product. That's right, I will just download any music I want using Gnutella. I will go to IRC if I have to. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

I think I should have the right to purchase an artist's product on condition I can 'opt out' of paying the RIAA fee incorporated into the price. Watch the price of a CD drop by 50%....

I should first say that I'm mostly in agreement with what we're all saying here, so hold off on throwing the vegetables and fruit for now...

...but I sit here and wonder if i'm the only person to disagree with the comparison of today's file sharing technology and the copying of music onto cassette tapes in the 70's and 80's! it's in NO WAY the same! Today's technology has made it possible to aquire LOADS more music with MUCH less effort (and each copy does not degrade - a serious limitation of copying by analog tape). With our computers and the internet, we share with people globally as we sit at home - we don't even have to drive to our friend's house or blockbuster to obtain the original.

If we're serious about defending our position and responsibly considering all angles, I think we need to admit this to ourselves. We're in a COMPLETELY new age now - breaking totally new ground. No one knows where we're going or where the chips will fall. Comparisons to the past (including VCRs) are simply not relevant or fair!

I agree completely forrix. The comparison to cassettes is not accureate. Also, I'm sure that eventually mp3s will take the place of CDs. The recording industry will have to figure out what to do about that.

Does anyone else see something wrong with diverting funds from CD-R sales to record companies? I mean, I share alot of non-music (non-copyrighted for that manner) files, many of which are my own creations, with friends. CD-R's are cheaper than CD-RW's, but they are limited to a one time use. I also use them to create compilation CD's and MP3 disks for going on trips, all of which do not harm the recording industry at all. Why should they be paid for the legal use of my CD burner drive?

Forrix, you said "Today's technology has made it possible to aquire LOADS more music with MUCH less effort (and each copy does not degrade - a serious limitation of copying by analog tape).

That,...what you just said,

....is the point!

Today's technology so overwhelmingly supports file-sharing, makes it simple if you will, that we are all naturally flowing to it. And this exchange of information keeps getting easier and easier. The RIAA is facing a tidal wave, a kind of tsunami of information. And it can't be stopped. We must let it flow. We can be responsible by buying this and supporting that and going to the movies and such, but in today's world file-sharing is OUR right, and like it or not, it doesn't appear to tear down industries as alot of fear-mongors keep suggesting. Studies show it supports the sale of new media. If we buy and duplicate a cd into mp3 form and share it, it prompts others to buy the album. Many will pay even when they don't need to. Always the media will be bought by someone because such things do not dangle from trees. But once the media is purchased, remember, it is OUR information, not to sell, but to share. And why?
Because technology allows us to. And we'll always retain the right not to share.

As data gets smaller and the world connects we will eventually be able to access any kind of media we want with a push of a button. And that is why people will continue to file-share. Not because their criminals. Simply because they enjoy movies and music and find it convenient to use their computers to entertain themselves. The idea that ALL the media is going to dry up or something from file-sharing is ABSURD! Many industries i think are simply being paranoid about their money coming in. Some markets may die, but new ones will be born.

Finally i give you the ridiculous truth about the RIAA.

The RIAA is at war with no one. They are fighting technology, not people. The people they are harassing. Mp3s are part of the reason people are interested in music these days. When they ask people to stop file-sharing they are in essence asking people to stop buying music. "Stop buying our music you thieves," is pretty much what they are saying. Well if i bought it or someone else bought it then how am i a thief? They don't know how to answer that one. "Copyright laws", they might refer to. BUT HOW CAN YOU COPYRIGHT A BUNCH OF ONES AND ZEROS, which is all an mp3 is made of. Regardless there's just too many music files floating around out there. Sorry its a fact. NO POINT IN COPYRIGHTING THE AIR WE BREATHE, SO WHY BOTHER. ALL THEY KNOW IS THAT THEY HAD THE POWER TO CONTROL US BEFORE and now finally technology is placing control in our hands. THAT is what they don't like.

Up until January of this year, I would've sided with the RIAA and the recording industry regarding the whole file-sharing and Internet Radio issues.

However, now that I own a newer computer with a CD burner, and the capability to listen to MP3 files, I've switched sides!

I feel that the RIAA is, and has been, going WAAAAAAAAAAY TOO FAR in its quest to protect their "business models"!!

Their outright REFUSAL to adapt to new technologies and the new digital world as it REALLY is just shows how STUBBORN these "people" REALLY ARE!!

I feel that we should be allowed to download our favorite songs off the Internet at little, or no cost, and we also should be able to listen to our favorite Internet Radio stations UNFETTERED by some lawyer somewhere trying to impose ONEROUS sound recording royalty fees on the webcasters!!

Personally, I would encourage people to continue to use file-sharing networks, AND to encourage their favorite Internet Radio stations to continue streaming their stations (but REFUSE to pay their OUTRAGEOUS fees!!)

I feel it's HIGH TIME that WE show the RIAA that WE, the CONSOMERS, MEAN BUSINESS when we say that we're UN-HAPPY with their current practices!!

If the RIAA has ITS way about it, we will be forced to listen ONLY to those artists THEY want us to hear (Britney Spears, *N-Sync, Ja Rule, etc.). And they'll force us to PAY to listen to even those...EACH AND EVERY TIME you listen to a song!!

And as for Internet Radio, there will be VERY LITTLE REAL CHOICE, cuz they'll have FORCED consolidation of the Internet Radio industry to the same extent that the Terrestrial Radio industry is now at....FURTHER LIMITING OUR CHOICES!!

This IS a war!! But it's time that we should show who's really at war with whom!!

If cds were cheap enough there wouldn't be a problem. I think in the end they will give up and help lower prices, although I don't think many consumers that have the ability to download music will buy at all based on principal because of the current situation.

What the RIAA doesn't want is for artists to realize they don't need a record company at all. Music that isn't heard doesn't exist and doesn't generate any money. The business model bands have to move to is just using MP3's for the exposure. Beg people to download your songs. Yes, give away the music for promotion and have a web site to sell CD's and merchantise. Real fans will buy the CDs even if they already have the MP3's. The only way to get real fans is the get people to hear the music.
I've spent alot of money on CDs that I was exposed to through MP3s. Now I'm boycotting the RIAA, so they can kiss the $1000/year I was spending goodbye.

I think the RIAA are simply stupid. I live in nigeria and my access to original cds in non-existant but i can download any song i want off the net. What the RIAA should have done is invest in the file sharing business because it is cheaper to obtain music (free in most cases) and they'll have access to an unlimited amount of customers. I hardly think that they make $10000 from cd sales in my country but i have all the music i want. RIAA embrace the future!!!