AfterDawn: News

European P2P users to face American-style manhunt?

According to IFPI's (The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, kinda "mother of all world's RIAAs") chairman, Jay Berman, European P2P users should expect same kind of treatment as their American counterparts have had from RIAA during the last year. This means that recording industry associations around the world and specially in Europe, are preparing to sue hundreds, probably thousands of individuals who distribute music illegally through P2P networks.

Just recently, Nielsen/NetRatings Internet traffic study found out that there are now more European users in Kazaa than American users. Europeans have already had the pole position in most of the other P2P networks, including eDonkey and DirectConnect. Recording industry considers this (number of American users in Kazaa dropped to half) to prove that RIAA's hard tactics in States have been successful.



Mr. Berman wouldn't comment on specific plans, but mentioned the lawsuits as one tool to combat against growing Net music piracy.

More information:

Guardian
IFPI

Written by: Petteri Pyyny @ 17 Dec 2003 14:10

• Previous article

• Downsized Sony PSX meets the Japanese market

• Next article

• Sony quits DVD±R manufacturing

• 6 comments

• Nephilim

  Despite the fact that IFPI stated earlier this year they wouldn't do this. High and mighty liars.
  

  Gun Control - The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, strangled with her pantyhose is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to the police how her attacker recieved that fatal bullet wound.

  17.12.2003 15:01 #1

• rah

  Maybe someone should explain to them that the +- 50% of Kazaa users who Have left Kazaa behind, did not do so over fears of being sued but because of all the crappy false and corrupt files on the network, they also did'nt stop sharing tehy just starting using eDonkey, eMule, Morpheus etc etc etc, and there are probably now twice as many P2P users if not more than when they started. with 10 times as many P2P networks which all in all mean more files shared better available bandwidth etc all thanks to them screwing with napster so all together.... Thankyou RIAA for Helping P2P to evovle and grow, whithout you we would never have had such a wide and extended choice of Networks Files and P2P applications to choose from

  18.12.2003 03:06 #2

• strcruzer

  All that the RIAA and the music industry is doing is using the media to generate "FUD" and alienate the consumer. I figure that the Music Industry will look back at these tactics sometime in the future and say "this is where we screwed up, sueing the consumer" I for one will not buy any music from RIAA members any longer, that is until they stop trying to squeeze the consumer for more $$.
  
  I don't think they (RIAA members) live in the same world as the rest of us, they don't seem to realize (or want to) all businesses are hurting from the economy, and have to lay off people and tighten the corporate belts. I say REALITY CHECK to the RIAA members!
  
  THe real concern I have is that other industries are taking the same tactics now, if the consumer won't spend money on our wares then lets sue them (or threaten to) to get the money out of them.
  
  IMO, the DMCA is a LAW that is hurting the consumer and allowing big business to take away our fair use rights. Basically the DMCA is being abused to no end. I have not heard of one instance were the DMCA was used appropriately.
  

  Starcruiser
  
  Intel 440BX MB, Dual Intel 1.2Ghz P3's, 2GB RAM
  TDK 440N, 390GB ATI AIW 8500DV Win2k Srvr
  

  18.12.2003 05:16 #3

• Vular

  Ha Ha! I laugh at all these industries thinking they can control what people do on the internet. The internet can't be totally controlled, you would have to have the power to control the whole world to do that. There's always a way around everything, they will lose the battle as time goes on. If Kazaa was made so that your ip adress was impossible to retrieve by other people then the RIAA would have no way of knowing what isp you come from and thus would not know who or where in the world you were.

  18.12.2003 06:28 #4

• GrayArea

  Vular, it is true the internet cannot be TOTALLY controlled. The way the law is currently set up in the USA and the EU, they CAN (and WILL if allowed to) control the MAJORITY of how end users access and pay (and pay and pay and pay) for media content. Don't laugh too loud or too soon...
  

  We mustn't lower ourselves to the level of those we loathe, lest we become loathsome ourselves.
  

  18.12.2003 09:37 #5

• dphats5

  The RIAA wields a lot of influence - its time that we show them that we are not powerless. Check out http://www.p2pact.org - its a community that I joined that discusses p2p and what we can do to help preserve this technology.

  18.12.2003 10:51 #6