RIAA says ripping CDs to you computer is illegal
Washington (DC) - The Recording Industry Association of America has filed a landmark federal lawsuit in Arizona, claiming that it is illegal for users to make copies of CD tracks to their computer for personal use.
The RIAA is going after Jeffrey Howell of Scottsdale, AZ. The group alleges that Howell shared 54 music files over the peer-to-peer network Kazaa. This kind of complaint has become commonplace for the RIAA, but they added something different to this lawsuit.
Ira Schwartz, an Arizona-based lawyer for the trade group, says Howell is also guilty of making "unauthorized copies" of CD tracks by ripping them to his computer, even though he may never have shared them with anyone else.
"It is undisputed that Defendant possessed unauthorized copies of Plaintiffs’ copyrighted sound recordings on his computer," said Schwartz in a legal brief. "Once Defendant converted Plaintiffs’ recording into the compressed .mp3 format and they are in his shared folder, they are no longer the authorized copies distributed by Plaintiffs."
This means that the RIAA is saying it could actually come after anyone who has ever used a CD ripping program to transfer tracks from a disc to a computer, regardless of whether or not file sharing was involved. The organization’s website makes this clearer by noting, "If you make unauthorized copies of copyrighted music recordings ... you could be held legally liable for thousands of dollars in damages."
The case against Howell is believed to be the first to take this stance this far into the legal process.
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The greed of the record companies has prompted me to download all of my music. Thankfully netlabels.org has a huge listing of legally free music, so I won't be contributing to talentless scum in suits.
I remember when mp3.com had a much better system for artists to promote their work, and for users to find and rate tracks. I guess the music industry got their hooks into it and made it all more commercial.
The music industry execs need to either get with the times and technology, or STFU+FOAD. Why should we go online and buy mp3 versions of music we already own on vinyl, tape or CD, just to use on an mp3 player?
Nothings changed, they just dont want people to put music in sharing folders, they havnt said people cant rip music from CDs for personal use.
Another pointless lawsuit simply filled with greed. If i own a cd that is MINE now, I will lend it / sell it / delete / modify it however I please because I PAID for it. It is MY choice that I lend the CD to the ENTIRE world, what would the RIAA say if i said that it is my GIFT to the world that i am lending this CD to anyone I wish.
Xeshu
Because it is classed as 'unauthorised lending' amongst other things, therefore you have broken the law. Read the small print on any CD/LP/tape and it's there.
However, if the RIAA succeed with the concept that making your own mp3's for your own personal use is illegal then you may as well say that the vast majority of people who own mp3's have illegal copies. They should not succeed and I sincerely hope that the judge will concur that it is ok for the public to make a copy for their own use and commonsense prevails.
For my part, over 90% of my collection is on vinyl. It is a total ball ache to copy this into mp3 format so I have downloaded copies to make this easier for me. So is this also illegal? According to the RIAA's latest claim it is. They are effectively saying that if I want to copy my vinyl I should buy the mp3 from a website. Preposterous. They will alienate the whole music buying public.
since common sense has been removed from the law, why should we respect it?
why dont u people get that they arnt stopping u making mp3 copies of music u have on CD or vinyl or w/e else. they just dont want it in a sharing folder!! this article is misleading