Following yesterday's announcement that the RIAA would be suing more
than 400 students for sharing files on the Internet2 network, a cadre of student journalists were invited to discuss
the matter with RIAA president Cary
Sherman in an online press conference. I wouldn't exactly call the journalists' questions hard-hitting, and, sad to
say, Sherman's answers are entirely predictable, but my favorite part is where Sherman says suing the pants off college
students is "designed to educate the public". Cary also pushes the think-of-the-little-guys angle — apparently he
hasn't been in touch with Wilco lately — and mentions
the CD plant workers and delivery people, and so on, who, as one of our readers pointed out last week, are having their
livelihoods stolen by legal services like iTunes and Napster anyway.
Via Boing Boing.
1. This is not theft!!
If I buy a John Deer Lawn Tractor and loan it to my neighbor, do I need to worry that John Deer will sue me?? I think NOT! If I buy a Steven King novel and let my mother have it after I read it, should I worry that Mr. King will press charges, NO!
These laws are not made "by the people, for the people". Lets put this on the next ballot next election and let the people decide if these laws are just.
Posted at 4:32AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Bryan Purdie