RIAA Wants Right To Hack 651
An Anonymous Coward writes: "According to Wired, the recording industry wants the right to hack into your computer and delete
your stolen MP3s." From the article: "It's no joke. Lobbyists for the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) tried to glue this hacking-authorization amendment onto a mammoth anti-terrorism bill that Congress approved last week. A copy of an RIAA-drafted amendment obtained by Wired News would immunize all copyright holders -- including the movie and e-book industry -- for any data losses caused by their hacking efforts or other computer intrusions 'that are reasonably intended to impede or prevent' electronic piracy." Does this give you the right to crack RIAA systems to make sure no one there is selling copies of your term paper?
THIS IS GREAT!!! (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:THIS IS GREAT!!! (Score:3, Funny)
Ahem. I sense that some of you may have violated my copyright by caching this article on your hard drive. I'll be exercising my rights to hack into your systems shortly.
WAR OPPORTUNISM OF THE WORST SORT (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:THIS IS GREAT!!! (Score:4, Funny)
Jaysyn
New solutions (Score:4, Funny)
Of course infringement is not going to be a big problem, since the new version of the SSSCA expands the definition of an "interactive digital device" to include humans, so the neural implants required under the Act will keep things under control. And if someone tries to infringe, it can be set to kill them on the spot. After all, no one has the right to infringe, and it must be stopped by any means necessary. Any collateral damage is the fault of the infringer - if they didn't want to be electrocuted from within, they could have chosen not to infringe.
;)
(yes this is sarcastic, but you can see the parallels to what the copyright cartel is trying to do)
Farenheit 451 is here early. (Score:4, Insightful)
Running with the possibility that this is true, hopefully the folks who would hack into peoples' computers will be tried as terrorists under the US's spankin' fresh new bills.
Re:Farenheit 451 is here early. (Score:5, Informative)
The RIAA's interest in the USA Act, an anti-terrorism bill that the Senate and the House approved last week, grew out of an obscure part of it called section 815. Called the "Deterrence and Prevention of Cyberterrorism" section, it says that anyone who breaks into computers and causes damage "aggregating at least $5,000 in value" in a one-year period would be committing a crime.
If the current version of the USA Act becomes law, the RIAA believes, it could outlaw attempts by copyright holders to break into and disable pirate FTP or websites or peer-to-peer networks. Because the bill covers aggregate damage, it could bar anti-piracy efforts that cause little harm to individual users, but meet the $5,000 threshold when combined.
I'd call this "circumventing" wouldn't you? Those intrusive bastards want carte blanche to do whatever they want, while ordinary people get screwed.
On that note... (Score:2, Funny)
Problem solved.
Re:On that note... (Score:4, Informative)
I put one mp3 file on the ftp server and they can say that every download constitutes a lost sale on the CD which has that song. Pricing a CD at $20 that is 250 downloads.
You really need to learn the New Math companies use to determine on-line damage.
Re:Curses. Good call. (Score:4, Interesting)
And as they roll out each hit one by one each hit is worth the $20 in and of itself. After all, once one song gets played to death you need a new song to milk that money out of the people holding out (You bastards!)
If we were playing Paranoid I think I'd have to say you owed the RIAA $60US for that song. < evil grin >
And what do you mean theoretical?
Re:Farenheit 451 is here early. (Score:5, Informative)
Actually, according to the article, this is already legitimate. The article cites US Code, Title 18, Section 1030 [cornell.edu]
The real news in this is that the USA Anti-Terrorism bill includes language to prevent this, whereas RIAA is trying to open this loophole back up.
Re:Farenheit 451 is here early. (Score:5, Funny)
A dark cellar, somewhere in the world. One man - 1 - is examining goods in the cellar. A second man - 2 - enters...
2: FREEZE, thief! What mischief are you up to?
1: No mischief, Sir. My biclycle was stolen yesterday, and I am just looking to see if it is in your cellar.
2: You smashed a window to do this!
1: I had reasonable cause. I saw bicycles in your cellar, and you, Sir, look pretty thieverish yourself
Coming to think of it, I want this law to be passed. The nights would be exiting again!
Alex
Re:Farenheit 451 is here early. (Score:2, Funny)
Yes, your honor, it was self defense.
I know I was in his basement, but under the RIAA's bill, I caused less than $5000 damage while entering his basement.
I only fired after the homeowner refused to allow me to search his basement for my bicycle and threatened me with a handgun.
I'm sorry that his wife and kids are starving, but maybe the homeowner should have read up on the laws of our country. Ignorance of the law is no excuse.
Re:Farenheit 451 is here early. (Score:2, Interesting)
The more of this crap I see the more inclined I am to seek work arounds for anything they come up with. They'll never win and in the end it will have cost them more than their lost revenues.
Re:Farenheit 451 is here early. (Score:4, Interesting)
The more of this crap I see the more inclined I am to seek work arounds for anything they come up with. They'll never win and in the end it will have cost them more than their lost revenues.
If this legislation passes, I plan to put up a honey pot system for the sole purpose of setting them up for a billion dollar law suit. Once the drive has been corrupted or wiped, how does the RIAA prove the MP3's were illegal copies of songs, instead of recordings of my children singing silly little ditties and also on the drive were irreplacable pictures and videos of my GrandFather, the day before he died. No $$$ value, but tons of sentimental value. Any decent litigation Lawyer could convince a Judge this was worth way more than $5000.
Question for the RIAA + Justice dept. (Score:5, Insightful)
Encrypt access to your system (Score:5, Funny)
I don't have pirated stuff on there, and I don't want them snooping around my system
Re:Encrypt access to your system (Score:3, Interesting)
Making your own MP3s for hacking (Score:5, Insightful)
They can have my MP3's (Score:3, Funny)
Re:They can have my MP3's (Score:2, Insightful)
Imagine every few months waking up to find one of these sites screwed up and wiped your harddisk... and there's nothing you can do about it...
Re:They can have my MP3's (Score:2, Funny)
Yeah let the MPAA take care of the porn... but they won't use that law, they will need to rewrite the proposition so they can have the right to download "to be sure it's porn" before deleting it off
Are we really surprised? (Score:4, Insightful)
Who are these people?
They have that much time on their hands that they're willing to hack into individual people's computers to look for their files?
At dinner parties, do they go off about mp3's and how every college kid is going to kill the record industry?
Movements like this say "passion" to me, they're passionate about their copywrites, it's what they eat, sleep, and breath. Do they have nothing better to do? Are there this many idiots in the world?
Maybe I just haven't seen enough corporate America yet, but I can't believe people make their lives out of something this petty.
Re:Are we really surprised? (Score:3, Interesting)
I wish my post was still there, but I came across some evidence that the economy was mostly to blame. I found statistics on income and record sales and found that incomes fell, so did record sales. This makes sense, since music is a "luxury item" and is one of the first things to go off personal budgets in an economic slowdown.
They have a convenient scapegoat in "piracy", even though the economy is in the crapper, and the quality of the product is such that it should just follow the economy.
Re:Are we really surprised? (Score:5, Interesting)
And yes, once you've been in corporate America, you'll see that this shitty money grabbing politics happens all the time. Enjoy college while you can.
And besides, the only computers they'll end up cracking into to delete files from will be the Britney Spears and NSYNC teenie bopper fans of the world, which just means that they'll be pissing off little teenage girls and boys, who will in turn cry to their parents, who will then go ballistic on the RIAA. Just another wonderful way to alienate their user base even more than they already have.
Re:Are we really surprised? (Score:3, Insightful)
Then don't work for 'corporate America,' silly. There's no law saying you have to. What's more important? -- living in a giant-box two story house in the suburbanite jungle with two cars and an SUV or fighting for freedom and goodness and doing your best to help make the world a better place by helping others. That's not to say all corporate jobs are bad or that all big business is corrupt, but in the areas geeks gravitate towards (in which 'intellectual property' is the focus), you really have to weigh the ethical pros and cons with who you work for. Money and success matter not. PEOPLE matter. Don't waste your life. Enjoy college while you can, then go make a difference.
Re:Are we really surprised? (Score:3, Insightful)
I busted my ass working 2 jobs to get through school and I sold my soul the minute I could. that paid for things like a working car, a clean house, good food, and other things I never had until then.
I'm all for helping people and working to better the community but please realize that the lower on the food chain you are, the less idealistic your goals tend to be. homeless people don't worry about your MP3s or your digitally-encrypted whatever. they care about food, warm places to sleep and other basics.
sometimes there's a certain degree of perspective to be gained.
Re:Are we really surprised? (Score:4, Funny)
As for more talented artists, hey, anyone can make mistakes and accidentally miss a few songs, right? Nudge nudge wink wink.
ROFL! oh wait...its not april fool's day. (Score:4, Insightful)
Second of all, how would they go about hacking into our computers? If these guys are stupid enough to come up with such an idiotic proposal, how can we expect them to be able to hack a 386 running windows 3.1 on a network running win NT with no patches applied?
To get to the point, this is the stupidest idea I think i've ever heard in my life.
Ah, now I understand! (Score:4, Funny)
Doesn't this remind you of a witch hunt? (Score:3, Insightful)
Inspector: "Uh..."
RIAA: "So anyway, she drowned. She wasn't a witch, so we don't see the problem."
Inspector: "So, you're admitting you killed an innocent woman?"
RIAA: "No, we simply proved she wasn't a witch and that there's nothing wrong with her."
Inspector: "By killing her???"
I hope my analogy is clear.
Re:Doesn't this remind you of a witch hunt? (Score:3, Funny)
So let me see (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:So let me see (Score:5, Insightful)
Remember, one man's Terrorist is another man's Freedom Fighter.
Re:So let me see (Score:4, Insightful)
Innocence is subjective. As is terrorism.
America is bombing a nation that has supported terrorism against America. It does this after imposing sanctions against a country allied to that nation, sanctions that are causing slow death as millions starve. This act forms part of the motive for the terrorism against America. In bombing Afganistan, America is inflicting further civilian casualties.
Where is the respect for human life? America is as much to blame for murdering innocents as Bin Laden or the Taliban. Yet few people see it this way: economic sanctions, although often more crippling than all-out war, are socially acceptable. Bin Laden struck at the heart of America's economic power; an 'appropriate' response to abuse of that power.
Terrorism comes in many forms.
Re:So let me see (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:So let me see (Score:3, Insightful)
Your being an American might feel that every one of those acts was justified, honourable and morally defensible. (why you think this way is a much bigger issue...)
Now, one mans freedom fighter is another mans terrorist starts to seem a little more clear.
Religion is a simple matter of geography - as is politics - when people assume absolute positions tainted by ethnocentrism and ignorance you see conflict like what is happening now, afterall, who many americans think that the 'founding fathers' that gave birth to the American REVOLUTION were not "TERRORISTS" to the Brits? USofA has a short memory and is a perfect example of why 'one mans freedom fighter is another mans terrorist.'
This feature is built into the WIN XP license (Score:5, Informative)
Re:This feature is built into the WIN XP license (Score:2, Interesting)
I forget the exact legal terms, but consumer law protects citizens in the non-digital world in terms of bargaining power, seeking recourse, and being forced into something without really agreeeing to it (opening the celophane wrapper, etc.)
Re:This feature is built into the WIN XP license (Score:2)
I have service through roadrunner. Seems to me that they are blocking EVERYTHING. I cannot access anything on my computer (no ping, telnet, ssh, ftp, no nothing). Fine w/me. Come get me bitch.
Just make sure you don't enable the remote access crap, don't call them for technical support (ask your guru next door), or better yet, don't buy it in the first place.
Who the fuck does MS think that they are putting something in the license that says that they can control what I have on my computer just b/c i use their OS? Excuse me but I own my computer, I own my HD, and I own their OS. They don't own me.
They are scary.
Re:This feature is built into the WIN XP license (Score:5, Insightful)
"The things you own end up owning you." - Tyler Durden
Re:This feature is built into the WIN XP license (Score:2)
As for a friend of mine who said he's OK because he runs ZoneAlarm, er, ZoneAlarm hooks into the IP stack. Microsoft wrote it, they can operate at a layer lower than zone alarm. The only real protection is to have an external gateway or firewall recognize and block whatever this mysterious ability to disable content is, and until they start doing it, we won't know what to look for.
I'm sticking with linux and w2k personally (I go both ways...) and definitely Linux with the ultra-cool iptables running as my firewall on a ratty old box in my basement!
Re:This feature is built into the WIN XP license (Score:5, Informative)
And get this, I tried to play that .wma file with winamp, not windows media player, so the protection is either in the file drivers somewhere or winamp has the wma protection code built in too...
Yes-- it's a documented feature (Score:5, Informative)
Re:This feature is built into the WIN XP license (Score:2, Insightful)
+
3 questions...
If I infringed copyright for songs not belonging to RIAA Members, do they have the right to do anything ? for example, I have a large Reggae collection, and I'm sure Jamaican Producers from 1970 didn't belong to RIAA)
+
I happen to have only LEGIT MP3 (ripped from my own LP & CDs)... Can somebody tell me how to differentiate a legit MP3 from a fraudulent one if you only have access to my computer ?
For I have the right to make MP3s and backups (fair use...)
+
I'm a foreigner (Brit, french, German, whatever you want...)
If RIAA come to my pc and try to hack into it, this is illegal under my local law...no matter what (or they have to ask local police do do something)
which means I can sue them, even ban them If I want (can) (you know, you call ISP and tell him IP XXX.XXX.X.X just scanned all my ports, and flooded...)
Well, I don't know about you, but this is the sort of things I fear...
Not really (Score:3, Insightful)
They are afraid what they do all the time will be classified as cyberterrorism.
So really, even the RIAA is afraid of these new cyberterrorism regulations, and is trying to get their own loopholes put in.
Of course (Score:5, Funny)
What is most disturbing however, is that those folks are not responsible for consequential damage, according to the article.
Uuups, sorry we trashed your hard disk. Here's a 3$ off voucher for the new Britney Spears CD.
If a web site defacer could wind up in jail for life, then the same measures should apply to corporate entities.
BSA? The Boy Scouts of America? (Score:4, Funny)
how do they detemine? (Score:2, Insightful)
Couldn't this lead to even WORSE things? (Score:3, Interesting)
Dear Gaia . . . (Score:3, Interesting)
But are they REALLY so insensitive as to tack it on to the end of an anti-terrorism bill? This has nothing to do with keeping terrorists at bay (some could argue that half of the stuff that is still in the bill doesn't do that either, but at least those bits have rationalized themselves). This is just some greedy organization that tried to use a "get this through quick" bill to slip in some really nasty stuff.
The other day, I was trying to force myself to reconsider my opinions on the evilness organizations like the RIAA. Or at least take a closer look at the actual humans involved in the decisions they make. But this is just insane . . .
Retaliation (Score:2, Interesting)
will the last geek... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:will the last geek... (Score:4, Interesting)
I hear ya! With each passing week, I want to move to Germany more and more. Heck, their government funds open source projects and is practically begging for computer engineers and scientists.
Re:will the last geek... (Score:2, Insightful)
Everyone has to take an ID-Card around or your fine will be 500$.
Shops have to close at 8 PM (20:00).
Bureaucracy is nowhere as bloated as in Germany.
And secretary of interior Mr. Schily is pushing
anti-"cybercrime" laws as hard as US senators.
The pros: the politicians are not bought like in the US (there are strict laws against "donations" and lobbying), they have just no idea...
Of course the Greens are the salvation
as they are in government and really protecting your rights.
Re:will the last geek... (Score:4, Interesting)
I have been freelance contracting here (software engineering) and getting a visa and work permit is absolutely no problem. in fact, they really cater to foreign tech workers (almost embarassingly so).
It's an awesome place to live with great people who are super friendly. the best part? I have a 10 minute commute on my bicycle nd we don't even own a car! Compare that to the old 2 hour total commute up and down 101!
What you are talking about can be done. We have done it. I cannot tell you how happy we are to have left. We made the ultimate vote. We voted with our feet.
Onnel
RIAA: Come get my MP3's (Score:2)
The Silver Lineing... (Score:2)
I still think the hacking provisions of the anti-terrorist bill stink (and I hope they're sunsetted eventually) but it gives me a nice warm glow to know that they're also causing the RIAA lots of grief.
I can't wait for the first person to sue the RIAA for "terrorism" when they try to port-block someone. I'd even donate some $$$ for the cause.
Everyone wants to crack my computer! (Score:3, Flamebait)
Great! So now the government AND RIAA (is there any difference anymore?) want to hack my computer. What kind of country is this? Apparently freedom is only granted to those with the money. Matthew Lesko [lesko.com] should put that in his book.
We really need to start writing our congressmen and explaining the truth to them about technology. Has everyone written their congressmen yet? With so much bad legislation being proposed, one or two are bound to get passed.
There is another solution, though: transphasic torpedoes [startrek.com]. They took out the bork with one shot in the last episode of Star Trek Voyager; perhaps they can take out Uncle Bill's cube before he assimilates the entire government and media!
Re:Everyone wants to crack my computer! (Score:2)
Oops, so I don't get flaimed: "bork" was a mistype. I meant "borg".
bork bork brok (Score:2)
bork bork bork [almac.co.uk]
Although it seems like a joke... (Score:2, Insightful)
This is insane....
Already Legal? (Score:3, Interesting)
He HOPES??? (Score:2)
He hopes for public debate? We already know [slashdot.org] there won't be [politechbot.com].
woof.
How to get free lawsuit money.. (Score:3, Funny)
Step 2: Leave your PC connected to file sharing programs until the RIAA finds your IP address
Step 3: Allow RIAA MP3-Killer-Bot to delete your mp3's
Step 4: Sue the RIAA, pointing out the fact that you actually had a Step 1.5, in which you renamed some of your personal documents as mp3's, named after your favorite bands. It's their fault for not checking the data inside the files first.
Ta da.
Let's get this passed! (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Let's get this passed! (Score:2, Insightful)
No action may be brought under this subsection arising out of any impairment of the availability of data, a program, a system or information, resulting from measures taken by an owner of copyright in a work of authorship, or any person authorized by such owner to act on its behalf, that are intended to impede or prevent the infringement of copyright in such work by wire or electronic communication; provided that the use of the work that the owner is intending to impede or prevent is an infringing use.
Which means, if you own the copyright to something, and you believe that someone is poaching said thing, you have a blank check under this law. They can't prosecute you for whatever you do, provided you can prove the intent was to prevent/impede distribution.
But on the other hand, isn't intentionally breaking into someone's machine already illegal? How the hell would this amendment stand up as opposed to laws already in place?
Re:Let's get this passed! (Score:2)
I guess the big question is, what are the current laws that supposedly already allow them to hack/crack into peoples computers to do this? This amendment is only intended to prevent the anti-terrorism legislation from making their current activity illegal. What are they doing now? How is it legal? Can we do the same back to them under the pretenses that we are making sure they haven't copied any of our copyrighted materials?
OPEN BSD firewall...... (Score:2, Funny)
.....let'm try me...
Red Herring (Score:5, Insightful)
It seems unlikely that hacking the individual machines would be the best solution for this (even if the law were to allow it). The cost would be very high. Much cheaper to do what they are now doing:
A good development (Score:5, Funny)
I think this is a great idea. People who copy music and distribute it on the internet are robbing artists of their rightful earnings. After all, the RIAA is really just a kind of charity that collects money for poor musicians.
I think they should go further. They should allow the RIAA to break into people's houses to check that they don't have any music copies on cassette. If they do, the RIAA should be allowed to smash up their music system. And crap on their carpet.
RIAA isnt losing money (Score:2)
1) copy a friend's CD (unless friend doesnt have CD)
2) download songs off of internet
3) goes to the local store and steals it
cases one and two the RIAA doenst lose money because the student wasnt going to buy it anyway
case three, the store, the artist, the distributor, the Record Label and the RIAA lose money...
Stolen vs Legal MP3s? (Score:2)
April fool or juridical bug bite ? (Score:2)
How this could work. (Score:3, Interesting)
Simply release a great free sound player that incorporates some drice and network sweeping functions "to make it easier to find the music you want to play".
If an M3 is found the software can do one of two things;
1 Delete it, but keeping a copy within some HUGE archive file so the user can still play it but not copy or share it
2 Resave the file with your name, address, etc embedded.
Now if you share the file your info is going along with it. If the software finds a file with someone elses details, it gets deleted from your PC.
Keep the files playable so people dont go back to the old copy of REAL on a cover CD somewhere to get their old files back (as if 90% of users would know how).
That'd do it, quietly, like the way copy protection on CDs just slipped onto the market. They dont have to hack you - they just give you free software a la MS-IE
So... what IS terrorism? (Score:2)
Terrorists have their own agenda, too, and want to strike against targets of their own choosing, taking the law into their own hands.
RIAA wants to be able to act like a terrorist, yet be protected from the anti-terrorist laws.
Egad!
did anyone actually read the proposed amendment? (Score:5, Informative)
Here's the full text (emphasis mine):
'No action may be brought under this subsection arising out of any impairment of the availability of data, a program, a system or information, resulting from measures taken by an owner of copyright in a work of authorship, or any person authorized by such owner to act on its behalf, that are reasonably intended to impede or prevent the unauthorized transmission of such work by wire or electronic communication of such transmission would infringe the rights of the copyright owner.''
It looks like they are trying to come up with a way to detect if mp3s are being transmitted, and block it.
Re:did anyone actually read the proposed amendment (Score:3, Insightful)
Dangerous to respond/ (Score:3, Insightful)
1. RIAA starts portscanning my box, testing buffer overflow exploits, etc. in an attempt to get into my system.
2. I notice the suspicious activity, but don't know who it is.
3. I decide to figure out what's going on by scanning the originator and applying other various security tools. This could be anything, but if someone is trying to get in and I don't know who it is, I'm going to be tempted to respond in some way to stop the attack.
4. I get convicted of a felony (in many states) or terrorism (hasn't passed yet) for trying to hack into the RIAA's system.
5. They don't even get a slap on the wrist because it's legal for them.
My point is that it puts knowledgable people in a very risky position because they don't know who is attacking their PC and would naturally try to respond.
They claim they already have the right... (Score:5, Informative)
RIAA already claims that they have the right to hack your box if there is sufficient evidence (for them) that you are engaging in illegal distribution of their copyrighted material. Any 'incidental' damage to your computer outside of their copyrighted material was just side effects and not their fault, according to how their read the law.
The rub here is that in the recently passed USA bill, any act of hacking that incures more than $5k of damages could be concidered as a terrorist act, and thus, if RIAA were to accidently wipe your hard drive with their hacking attempts, that could be a terrorist act.
So RIAA was trying to get language added to the USA bill that would protect hacking done by copyright owners from being considered a terrorist threat, allowing them to continuing following the law as they believe they can already.
Apparently, if they've done this, no one has sued them, traced them, or otherwise indicated that their mp3's have suddenly disappeared. As it stands, I think it's a rather questionable application of the law and I wonder if further legal investigation of it should be done.
RIAA recieved NO money from me this weekend (Score:2)
oh and it was some good stuff to...
ACDC, thick upper lip
ACDC, Dirty Deads
Led Zepplin, Presence
Megadeth, Peace sells
Megadeth, Risk
Days Of The New, Yellow Album
and a bunch more...
RIAA, sociopathy, and lobotomies (Score:4, Interesting)
the "we claim to denounse the 'vigilante' actions of music piraters, but we are trying to become legally-protected vigilantes" hypocricy is, well, baffling. I don't think that any sane body of people could come up with anything as fundamentally and legally wrong. The RIAA just makes itself out to be a body of mentally-imbalanced sociopaths.
How far does the RIAA plan to take this? The mention of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 is not only symbolically but literally relevant. Will the RIAA start burning books because we could translate the music into multiple sinusoidal equations and print it on paper? Are they going to get 'expert witnesses' to testify that the human brain never loses any data which it receives, and thus the human brain itself is a physical medium of piracy? Will they then lobotomize me to get their song back?
Of course this is an exaggeration... however, it is more possible today than it was yesterday.
Good luck (Score:2)
Permission denied
I don't own the directory. Good luck :P
Congress didn't bite, but in the meanwhile . . . (Score:3, Interesting)
Perhaps it is time to set up some serious MP3-baited honeypots, and just wait for RIAA to bury themselves?
I can think of nothing more useful to turn the tables on RIAA's currently pristine image in Congress (or at least to get Congress to re-think their ludicrous rewiring of criminal computer laws), than to show the unintended consequences of massive remedies for improper hacking.
I am a copyright owner (Score:2)
Thinking about it, I'm not sure even the RIAA wants that kind of laws...
Zip em up or burn them to CDs (Score:2)
kinda hard deleting/finding mp3s when they are names DP_SOTW.zip (Deep Purple, smoke on the water)
My turn? (Score:2)
Is it ok?
It's the same thing? Really?
great, let me just go get my crowbar...
once again, slashdot misreporting at its best. (Score:2, Informative)
- A.P.
Let'em try..... (Score:2)
If they really care to go to all that trouble. But I doubt it. They're going to go after easy targets [microsoft.com].
--
Some of us are fish.... and some of us are sharks.
The interesting part in the story (Score:2)
The real news is that the RIAA is actually admitting they have plans to use those tactics for fighting piracy.
My guess? The RIAA does not plan to hack into individual user's computers and delete their MP3 files - this would not be cost-effective. What they have in mind is a plan in case they loose the case against FastTrack/Music-City. I bet they plan to distrupt the KaZaa/Morpheus network in case they loose the legal fight and FastTrack do not accept their terms in negotiation.
There is a lot that can be done to deliberately sabotage the KaZaa network, and make it unusable. I won't mention the possible ways not to give anyone any ideas, but I think this should serve as a warning for us - we should prepare for a new kind of attack from the RIAA.
RIAA Job Annoucement (Score:5, Funny)
to: alt.virii, alt.h4x0r, comp.sec.black-hat
subject: l33t h4x0r5 w4nt3d!!!!!111111
W3 wnat j00! if j00 c4n rwit3 b4d-455 viri1 liek s1rc4M, & c0d3 rde, w3 w4nt j00 to h4x0r f0r u5!!!!11111
phr34k in2 th3 b0X3n 0f l4m3r5 ru0nd th3 wl0rd 4nd t4a5h0r th33r MP3Z... l3g4lly!!!!111111 m4k3 m0n3y f45t!!!!!!11111111```````
w3'll 3v3n g3ts j00 a t3ch-g33nisu v33sa 1f j00 rw0t3 c0d3 rde 4nd l1v35 n1 ch1n0r!!!!!!1111
--The RIAA... ph33r us!!!!!!11111
Missing the POINT (Score:3)
Folks, the RIAA has shown us its true colors! In the face of one of the greatest national tragedies in the U.S., the RIAA decides to use the political momentum to sneak through controvercial legislation granting them the power to subvert the bill of rights without even so much as notifying law enforcement!
This is deeply anti-freedom, anti-American and just downright evil. If the RIAA had pushed for hearings on the topic, or even bought enough of a congress-crittur to get a bill introduced, that's one thing. If they had pushed an amendment to related legislation, that's kind of slimy, but I'm (unfortunately) used to it in the U.S.
But, when you try to hide your actions under the cloak of an anti-terrorism bill, in response to the death of thousands... I don't think I want to have to look at someone associated with the RIAA for a very long time.
Oh BTW, in case you were wondering why anyone would ever want to risk such public backlash, let me clue you in: the RIAA wants this amendment to be part of a bill that the courts dare not strike down. Do you think the supreme court would toss and anti-terrorism law because of an entertainment-industry amendment? Sorry, I can only take so much.... I have to go wash.
Two word solution to our problem (Score:3, Funny)
DMCA
Re:Not Unreasonable (Score:2)
So you break in and take the stereo. The neighbours told you it was their stereo.
And when you get home, it turns out it wasn't your stereo, just the same model. However.. under this law it's legal...
//rdj
VERY Unreasonable (Score:2)
No, you wouldn't.
You would (quite rightly) be hauled off to jail for break-and-enter, as well as theft.
The correct thing to do in your scenario would be to tell the police what you know, and allow THEM to get your stereo (after obtaining a search warrant.)
Just because someone stole from you, doesn't give you the right to steal.
Re:Not Unreasonable (Score:2, Interesting)
Imagine that you were the only conduit for music for a number of years. Now let's imagine that you ignored customer requests for things like a-la-carte songs, custom mix CDs, and reasonably priced CDs.
Now let's imagine that while you were out swimming in all your money, another distribution system-let's call it "the Internet"-emerges, offering your customers all those features that they begged you to include for years.
Well, you know it won't be long before everyone jumps on this "new distribution" bandwagon, because it offers better communication and profits between artists and music consumers.
So instead of embracing the technology, and competing in the marketplace, you decide to litigate your way back to monopoly.
Is it any wonder that anyone who knows anything about music distribution hates the RIAA?
Re:Not Unreasonable (Score:2)
The flaw in your analogy is if you break into your neighbor's house they have a right to defend themselves up to and including the possibility of killing you for trespassing on their property. Not to mention that you would be liable for any damage you did to their home.
Re:Time to get active (Score:5, Insightful)
Unfortunately, this is what Joseph Heller would call a Catch 22. One of those damned if you do, damned if you don't scenarios. If people stop buying stuff from RIAA members...then the problems would be even more dire. Then they would have "proof" that piracy is increasing because their sales are going down and people are obviously pirating the music they want. See? Either way is inefective. Sorry. I wish that would work...it would be a somewhat easy solution...get your way through economic pressure.
Re:Time to get active (Score:2)
That way the RIAA and the artists associated with them won't see a dime of your money. If Metallica and the rest want my cash they can form an indie label and tell the RIAA to stuff it. You don't get to price a CD at $20US only to put it on sale for $15US when I can get it on the Internet for $11US (are we seeing a trend as to how much a CD is actually worth?) and then treat me like a thief.
Even asking for the right to hack into my PC is too much. I've never been a big napster fan but I will certainly make sure that any way I get my music now will not benefit the RIAA.
already done here (Score:2, Insightful)
and i really wish rosen + crew would read this: i will never buy another cd or any other music product from any company that is affliated with riaa in anyway. you have crossed the line numerous times and there is no way in hell you'll ever get another penny of my money. let me put it this way: if jesus christ appeared before me and gave me the choice of buying a cd from you or going to hell--i'm choosing hell. fuck you!