RIAA Ends "Clean Slate" Scam

RIAA Ends "Clean Slate" Scam 21

Posted by timothy on Monday April 19, 2004 @10:24PM from the put-down-the-pen-slowly dept.

ChiralSoftware writes "The RIAA Clean Slate program, started in September, which allegedly attracted 1108 suckers, has finally been dropped. What was wrong with this program? The RIAA was offering something it had no ability to offer, namely amnesty for copyright violations. The mark would admit in a sworn written statement to having violated the law, but was not getting any real amnesty in return for this admission. Despite anything the RIAA says, other copyright holders can still sue a program participant who violated copyright laws, and of course only a US Attorney can offer amnesty for criminal copyright violations. In fact, the RIAA was sued for making false claims of amnesty. The RIAA of course has a different spin on it; they ended the program because their education had succeeded."

RIAA Ends "Clean Slate" Scam

This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

Load All Comments

Search 21 Comments Log In/Create an Account

Comments Filter:

status ?? (Score:3, Interesting)

by kayen_telva ( 676872 ) writes: on Monday April 19, 2004 @10:29PM (#8912564)

In fact, the RIAA was sued for making false claims of amnesty.

Does anyone know the status of this claimed suite ? Seems like a slam dunk to me.

liability insurance (Score:4, Interesting)

by Sammich ( 623527 ) writes: on Monday April 19, 2004 @10:32PM (#8912589)

They probably got Liability Insurance in case the 'marks' tried to sue them back.

Like... (Score:5, Funny)

by Bricklets ( 703061 ) writes: on Monday April 19, 2004 @10:34PM (#8912607)

[RIAA] ended the program because their education had succeeded

Like how the high school bullies would educate the nerd population on the best way to invest their lunch money?

- Re:Like... (Score:3, Insightful)
  
  by xenocide2 ( 231786 ) writes:
  
  More like how the U.S. Attorney General's office would educate the RIAA on amnesty.
Extortion? (Score:5, Insightful)

by moosesocks ( 264553 ) writes: on Monday April 19, 2004 @10:37PM (#8912633) Homepage

Doesn't it seem like the program was no more than a form of extortion? It seemed illegal on so many fronts. "Sign this agreement or we'll sue you for more money than you'll ever have". Things like this are illegal to prevent organized crime which is exactly what the record industry is turning into (not killing people -- but merely restricting personal rights and controlling the government.

That being said, I think the artists do need some sort of union to prevent widespread piracy. It's just that the RIAA has stepped far beyond its boundaries. Methinks labor unions shouldn't be exempt from antitrust laws.

- Re:Extortion? (Score:3, Funny)
  
  by SpaceLifeForm ( 228190 ) writes:
  
  s/RIAA/SCO/g
  then
  s/SCO/MS/g
  See a pattern?
  - Re:Extortion? (Score:1)
    
    by LittleBigLui ( 304739 ) writes:
    
    s/RIAA/SCO/g then s/SCO/MS/g
    
    result:
    
    That being said, I think the artists do need some sort of union to prevent widespread piracy. It's just that the [SCO|MS] has stepped far beyond its boundaries. Methinks labor unions shouldn't be exempt from antitrust laws.
    
    yeah. makes sense.
  - Re:Extortion? (Score:1)
    
    by gnu-generation-one ( 717590 ) writes:
    
    "s/RIAA/SCO/g
    then
    s/SCO/MS/g
    See a pattern?"
    
    Yeah : missing semicolons.
Education my left eye (Score:5, Funny)

by dacarr ( 562277 ) writes: on Monday April 19, 2004 @10:37PM (#8912635) Homepage Journal

Calling this education about copyright is like calling standing in a fire zone education about bullets.
Now pardon me while I go download some mp3z. Oops.

- Re:Education my left eye (Score:1, Funny)
  
  by Anonymous Coward writes:
  
  I think that Fire Marshall Bill should do a demonstration on file downloading and the RIAA.
  
  Now that would be education!!
Well, duh! (Score:3, Funny)

by Otter ( 3800 ) writes: on Monday April 19, 2004 @10:57PM (#8912793) Journal

Yes, the RIAA amnesty only applied to legal action from the RIAA. It did not, say, protect D-Link from misusing GPL'd source code.
Was there anyone so dimwitted as to think otherwise? If so, I hope YRO will step in to clarify that their polio immunization doesn't make them bulletproof.

How did they word their amnesty claim? (Score:5, Interesting)

by Toxygen ( 738180 ) writes: on Monday April 19, 2004 @10:58PM (#8912797) Journal

the RIAA was sued for making false claims of amnesty

Did the RIAA say that they wouldn't sue you, or that you wouldn't be sued? If it was the former, IANAL but wouldn't that be the same as an out of court settlement and hence it would be legal? The RIAA might be ignorant and stupid, but I'm sure their lawyers aren't.

- Re:How did they word their amnesty claim? (Score:2)
  
  by CarrionBird ( 589738 ) writes:
  
  That brings up an interesting point, what right do they have to sue anyone? According to them they are a trade orginization, they have never made or published a single song.
  One would think that it would be up to the individual publishers to pursue legal action.
RIAA raids (Score:2, Interesting)

by GuyMannDude ( 574364 ) writes:

The mark would admit in a sworn written statement to having violated the law, but was not getting any real amnesty in return for this admission.

Could you at least get immunity from getting raided by a gang of RIAA jacket-wearing FBI wannabes [slashdot.org]?

GMD
now they'll stop going after sharers, right? (Score:3, Funny)

by j-turkey ( 187775 ) writes: on Tuesday April 20, 2004 @11:11AM (#8916966) Homepage

The RIAA of course has a different spin on it; they ended the program because their education had succeeded."

Great -- their education has succeeded. Now they can stop going after file sharers...right?

RIAA scam (Score:1)

by Oshkoshjohn ( 537394 ) writes:

Are you still buying CD's? Stop. You don't need to commit acts of priracy to see bands perform live.
- - Re:RIAA scam (Score:1)
    
    by Oshkoshjohn ( 537394 ) writes:
    
    There are many local clubs with quality, live regional acts in any music genre you want. We're talking about five to ten dollar covers here.

There may be more comments in this discussion. Without JavaScript enabled, you might want to turn on Classic Discussion System in your preferences instead.

RIAA Ends "Clean Slate" Scam 21

RIAA Ends "Clean Slate" Scam More Login

RIAA Ends "Clean Slate" Scam

status ?? (Score:3, Interesting)

liability insurance (Score:4, Interesting)

Like... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Like... (Score:3, Insightful)

Extortion? (Score:5, Insightful)

Re:Extortion? (Score:3, Funny)

Re:Extortion? (Score:1)

Re:Extortion? (Score:1)

Education my left eye (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Education my left eye (Score:1, Funny)

Well, duh! (Score:3, Funny)

How did they word their amnesty claim? (Score:5, Interesting)

Re:How did they word their amnesty claim? (Score:2)

RIAA raids (Score:2, Interesting)

now they'll stop going after sharers, right? (Score:3, Funny)

RIAA scam (Score:1)

Re:RIAA scam (Score:1)

Related Links Top of the: day, week, month.

Slashdot Top Deals

Slashdot