RIAA to prosecutors: beware of crack dealing pirates

RIAA to prosecutors: beware of crack dealing pirates
Pretend you're a representative for the RIAA and you're tired of taking on file sharers in court, and of course as always you're looking to make your problems somebody else's responsibility. So far your attempts to get additional criminal provisions to make those people prosecutors' problem have failed. So what's your next move? You might put together a presentation telling those same prosecutors that the music pirates you've been taking to court happen to also be crack dealers.

Although it sounds like the plot you might expect to see written during the writer's strike, it turns out that this is exactly what RIAA lawyers have done. In an attempt to show prosecutors the value of piracy charges for going after dangerous criminals for other offenses the RIAA has produced a video in association with the National District Attorneys Association where RIAA representative Frank Walters says "When you buy a CD, would you like it with or without—the with is enclosing a piece of crack or whatever the case may be."



While it seems likely that there are large scale distributors of pirated CDs, DVDs, and other goods who are also major drug traffickers, it seems unlikely that these same people are the ones selling them one off the the back of a truck or out of the trunk of a car.

The real question is whether the RIAA can convince the prosecutors that they need more authority over copyright offenses that are currently civil affairs. This would include all the cases that the RIAA has brought for file sharing to date. If they can make the connection in the lawyers' minds it may only be a matter of time before the kind of legislation that the entertainment industry has pushed for in the past, where many current civil offenses become criminal matters, becomes a reality.



Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 21 Feb 2008 22:57
Advertisement - News comments available below the ad
  • 23 comments
  • M4DHATT3R

    I saw this story on G4 - Attack of the Show and almost feel out off my couch because I was laughing so hard.

    21.2.2008 23:37 #1

  • WierdName

    First it was funny..... now it's a horribly scary possibility. I mean, if the RIAA's lawsuits and others ridiculous ones get passed, like a guy hurting himself breaking in somewhere and then winning a lawsuit about it, this is a very real possibility. But wait, what happens when they RIAA claims they should be able to hack into everyone's computers to check their files? And then what happens when they get that passed and get into your computer and find a 30 second clip of something? Guess what, you life is OVER. Now you are a criminal. Can you imagine have to fill out a job application and filling in the convicted felon box? "What did you do?" "....Broke a copyright." Aren't politics great kids? Of course this whole post commits the "slippery slope" fallacy, but it is getting to become a possibility.

    22.2.2008 01:05 #2

  • 21Q

    Hmmm I can't see this going far. If you into buying pirated material your not likely to be the kind to buy drugs along with it. But if you buy pirated material in the first place then you aren't very smart anyway.

    22.2.2008 02:09 #3

  • nobrainer

    you can watch and see for yourselves!

    Originally posted by myself: "How to use piracy investigations to combat, murder, drugs and terrorists!"

    The funniest thing on mininova has to be "In Trial" the RIAA's latest propaganda movie sent out to law enforcement agencies & district attorneys to inform them about copywrite theft and piracy's impact and that if it's not stopped it will be the catalyst for ww3 from all proceeds going to drug barons and terrorists.

    http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/200...igital-age.html

    Originally posted by ars link: We attended a special screening last night of In Trial: Prosecuting Music Piracy, the first feature-length film produced by the National District Attorneys Association in collaboration with the Recording Industry Association of America. Prosecuting Music Piracy is a sordid tale of drugs, terrorism, and technology that artfully challenges society's preconceived notions about justice.

    This highly entertaining film isn't destined for theaters and was actually intended for use as a training video to familiarize district attorneys with the complexities of anti-piracy enforcement. The video was leaked and made available on the Internet. When we saw it for ourselves, we just couldn't keep a straight face. Instead of reporting on the facts surrounding the leak (first noticed by p2pnet), we thought it would be more fun for all involved if we treated it like a theatrical release and reviewed it accordingly.
    Everyone should watch this training video to see the lies, the record industry uses to enforce copywrite, and convince law enforcement to make IP theft the TOP priority.

    mininova link for the film: http://www.mininova.org/tor/1182553

    the link can also be found via P2P.Net: " target="_blank">http://www.p2pnet.net/story/15014

    The BPI Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.

    The RIAA Soundexchange Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.

    The IFPI Are: The same anti consumer lot as listed above!

    The MPAA Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, DISNEY, PARAMOUNT, FOX.

    How do you stop anti consumer = its easy purchase only second hand media and avoid their propertarian hobbled by DRM hardware! http://www.boycott-riaa.com/

    22.2.2008 04:28 #4

  • ZippyDSM

    Well..... black markets do like to flock together but this is not middle Asia or the 3rd world where the drugs are more prevelant...altho I must say they may be going after software cracks since some/most fall under the DMCA.

    22.2.2008 07:58 #5

  • 7thsinger

    This makes me want to giggle.

    Then it's just scary.

    Twisting the law to uphold it is pure fallacy.

    22.2.2008 09:08 #6

  • logan2057

    After reading the latest bit of tom foolery to come out of the RIAA's mouths, it never fails to amuse me at just how desperate they've become to keep their long dead business model alive. I mean, C'mon, comparing file sharing to being a crack dealer, not THAT THAT is a stretch of imagination I would imagine any DA or judge will laugh out of court. These clowns are so desperate to hang to life with their dead dinosaur decaying at their feet that they'll say anything to justify their illegal actions. And Yes I did say ILLEGAL!! Their use of Media Sentry, a private company that looks for copy right infringement within large companies, which has no license to operate as a detective agency in NY or most of the United States, to find supposed file sharers. Why they don't investigate themselves is beyond me, I can imagine their computers are full of illegal music that they too have downloaded and god forbid even porn of all types. Yet they try to say they are pious and in the right even when they have NO physical proof other than an IP address. If anyone is running a wireless laptop or have a wireless desktop connection someone else can tap into it and download on their bandwidth and IP and they won't get caught the one whose bandwidth and service they've appropriated will.
    Logan2057

    22.2.2008 09:29 #7

  • numscull

    What the RIAA failed to mention is that these drug dealers best customers are people involved in the music industry.

    22.2.2008 11:48 #8

  • ZippyDSM

    Originally posted by numscull: What the RIAA failed to mention is that these drug dealers best customers are people involved in the music industry.
    Hell ya ad hollywood needs its Columbian gold!

    22.2.2008 11:50 #9

  • spydah

    Its a sad day when you can blame the street pharmacist for why they cant get the money they want out of music sales. They really need to go back to school and learn what it means to sale a good product that people want at a good price. Also blaming piracy for all their forced bad music artist and songs its crazy. These artist today make some of the crappiest songs and videos. First off the songs they make dont ever even match the freak videos then the concepts they make these artist song about dont match the artist.

    22.2.2008 12:43 #10

  • spydah

    Originally posted by numscull: What the RIAA failed to mention is that these drug dealers best customers are people involved in the music industry.
    So true ahahaha

    22.2.2008 12:44 #11

  • goodswipe





    Are you kidding me? Man, these guys will do anything they can to come down on people.

    22.2.2008 16:18 #12

  • c1c

    I wish I could download drugs.

    22.2.2008 16:50 #13

  • iluvendo

    Originally posted by c1c: I wish I could download drugs.
    According to the RIAA, downloading is DRUGS!

    If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck!
    "The flimsier the product,the higher the price"
    Ferengi 82nd rule of aquisition

    22.2.2008 19:32 #14

  • wetsparks

    I think these RIAA types need to get out of LA. There aren't crack dealers at every corner in every city like there are in LA. Maybe if they get out of their billion dollar mansions and see the rest of America they would understand what the hell is going on.

    (and for those who have a broken sarcasm detector, that was indeed sarcasm)

    23.2.2008 01:35 #15

  • nobrainer

    Originally posted by wetsparks: I think these RIAA types need to get out of LA. There aren't crack dealers at every corner in every city like there are in LA. Maybe if they get out of their billion dollar mansions and see the rest of America they would understand what the hell is going on.

    (and for those who have a broken sarcasm detector, that was indeed sarcasm)
    What is happening is that the rhetoric of the RIAA/MPAA/BPI/IFPI/ECT, is trying to turn a civil crime into a criminal one, so they can use the tax system, YOU to pay for their continual litigation and any miscarriages will also be forfeited by the tax payer, so its a win win situation for the media industry.

    The BPI Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.

    The RIAA Soundexchange Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.

    The IFPI Are: The same anti consumer lot as listed above!

    The MPAA Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, DISNEY, PARAMOUNT, FOX.

    How do you stop anti consumer = its easy purchase only second hand media and avoid their propertarian hobbled by DRM hardware! http://www.boycott-riaa.com/

    23.2.2008 07:36 #16

  • Gorgoroth

    Quote:What is happening is that the rhetoric of the RIAA/MPAA/BPI/IFPI/ECT, is trying to turn a civil crime into a criminal one, so they can use the tax system, YOU to pay for their continual litigation and any miscarriages will also be forfeited by the tax payer, so its a win win situation for the media industry.The sad thing is, most people ALSO aren't aware of the recent law signed by president Bush himself, which in essence takes away states and federal powers, and allows the military to declare "marshal law" in times of emergency. What is really happening is that all those military bases that were being closed all across the country? They're being converted into prisons... Prisons designed to hold a VERY large number of people, and basically, for those that don't know, marshal law means if a soldier gives you an order, you either obey it or be shot down dead. Still think there isn't a small group of people running things in government? Let this stuff pass and it won't be just people who decide they don't agree with the government and voice that opinion. You could be arrested and thrown into one of these "secret prisons" just for having an illegal copy of Harry Potter.... Scary thought where our country is headed...

    24.2.2008 14:37 #17

  • hermes_vb

    One thing doesn't have do anything with the other. I can walk and talk at the same time. It's called multitasking.

    25.2.2008 01:23 #18

  • RNR1995

    Originally posted by numscull: What the RIAA failed to mention is that these drug dealers best customers are people involved in the music industry.Rotflmao
    GREAT POINT!

    4.3.2008 18:17 #19

  • goat45

    Our friends don't know anything about selling drugs it the money that's you make from it. The sharing world is very dull anyways and that piracy is just what the laws make of it. Industries design devices and people test the equipment to keep making the companies of the industries happy. I think drugs and piracy don't mix it's just entertainment only. Microsoft start the revolution of the internet and the FCC allow them fequency communications through optic fibers. They should just learn to control the sharing world. They can't because it would out law themselves.

    5.3.2008 20:02 #20

  • borhan9

    We have been trying to tell the riaa to define themselves along time ago and this way its not going to work you can not stop piracy u can just mayb manage the volume of it.

    9.4.2008 22:58 #21

  • beanos66

    Originally posted by numscull: What the RIAA failed to mention is that these drug dealers best customers are people involved in the music industry.and lawyers

    1.5.2008 15:05 #22

  • plazma247

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTbX1aMajow

    and this

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcMNl-JBJ8U&feature=related

    lol this reminded me of the above :-p

    11.5.2008 09:04 #23

© 2024 AfterDawn Oy

Hosted by
Powered by UpCloud