RIAA Legal Ruling Could Shut Down The Internet
 

RIAA Legal Ruling Could Shut Down The Internet
U.S. government supports legal case that would criminalize making any files available on the world wide web

Prison Planet | November 29, 2006
Paul Joseph Watson

A landmark legal case on behalf of the Recording Industry Association of America and other global trade organizations seeks to criminalize all Internet file sharing of any kind as copyright infringement, effectively shutting down the world wide web - and their argument is supported by the U.S. government.

Ray Beckerman, a lawyer representing clients in cases against the RIAA, recently took part in a conference call organized by DefectiveByDesign.org, an organization which opposes DRM Technology, content restricting programs embedded into software that blocks users access to music, movies, software and other forms of digital data.

Beckerman describes how Internet users are randomly targeted by the RIAA for simply having a folder of music on their computer, kept in the dark about legal details and intimidated into paying thousands of dollars immediately or facing a federal lawsuit. The RIAA doesn't even attempt to prove copyright infringement with specific examples, dates or times - it simply coerces and threatens the victim until they relent into paying out huge settlement fees.

"They have an investigator pretend to be a user of KAZAA or one of the other similar file-sharing networks. He finds a shared files folder that has a goodly number of copyrighted songs in it. He has no idea whether those song files were obtained legally, whether though payed downloads, or through making personal copies from one's own CD for backup purposes, or whether anything illegal was ever done with those files, whether anyone ever copied one. And what he does: he takes a screen shot of this shared files folders (He of course does not see the folders, he merely sees the text in the metadata) and decides that this is a big shared file folder."

"Then through some secret process which he will not share with us and has tried to conceal from the courts, he then associates it with a dynamic ip address. And then, after he has what he believes is the correct dynamic ip address, for the date and time at which he made that screen shot, he then brings a proceeding to get the name and address of the subscriber who paid for the internet access, which of course would tell us nothing. But once he gets that information he then sues the person."

In one case, UMG vs. Lindor, a cleaner who has never used or owned a computer but simply dusted near one was sued as an online distributor in peer to peer file sharing.

Accusing the RIAA of "conducting a reign of terror" by bringing lawsuits against defenseless people, Beckerman warned that one case in particular, Electro vs. Barker, has the potential to shut down the Internet completely.

RIAA's argument is that Miss Baker, a poor nursing student who lives in housing projects, should be prosecuted on the basis that "merely making files available on the internet is in and of itself a copyright infringement."

Beckerman calls the complaint "a shocking argument because if it were accepted it would probably shut down the entire internet."

The U.S. government has also filed legal briefs supporting the RIAA's argument.

Deep sixing the entire Internet seems a highly unlikely move in that it would probably derail the world economy and put thousands of huge transnational corporations out of business. An outcome more likely to happen if this ruling is accepted is that it would further pave the way for government regulation and tracking of the Internet, namely "Internet 2," a completely controlled, surveilled and autocratic cyber police state similar to the Chinese model, whereby website owners have to obtain government permission to run a blog, be approved by a biometric thumb scan just to turn their computer on, and immediately get their Internet access shut off if they misbehave.

This case is another attack arm of forces in government and the corporate structure that seek to suffocate the last outpost of true freedom of speech and dissent and it must be countered at all costs.

It would not close the internet for me lmao

internet 2 will never happen.

Well, technically it already has.. It just hasn't shut down internet 1 yet.

Prisonplanet it where all the most edumacated people get their news.

I fail to see how some dipshit who tags "...effectively shutting down the world wide web" onto the end of a sentence has any credibility.

I guess time will tell, just about everything they have ever said since 96 til now has happened :2 cents:

Bump for thoughts and feedback :thumbsup

The RIAA is the most ass backwards organization ever.

Them and the MPAA.

This is just the newest version of trying to make VCR's and cassette/radio combos illegal. These people need to get with the times.

it will never happen they will cripple some of the largest US and World businesses... think about how many companies rely on the internet these days

Anything is possible. these are the same people who wage wars and decimate entire countries for fun :2 cents:

When you print the money, and basically control all economies, the Internet looks like the best thing to re-take over.

correlation and causality are two different things. Reading about something on prisonplanet and understanding the reasons about why things happen are not the same.

You can read this article and take it at face value as "ruling for the RIAA will shut down the internet". Then in the future if "the world wide web is effectively shut down" you can claim "I knew this already because prisonplanet said so". However, I can assure you that the root cause(s) of the event would not simply be this court case, and therefore that prisonplanet "predicted" the outcome.

The responsibility to differentiate between correlations and causes is left to the individual, and sadly 90% of people lack the ability to make this distinction, fueling an irrational delusion that they possess real insight. I think it is a disease of the internet age - too much information provided to people who lack the fundamental ability to analyze it in a rational way.

Thats sure is a lot of words that can basically be summed up with "bla bla bla"

:1orglaugh

lol, don't post garbage from consipiracy sites. shutting down file sharing would not shut down the internet. if anything it would help us out and shut down sites that are ripping members areas for all to download.

I just post articles that might get people conversing and discussing.. Don't tell me what I can and cannot post :2 cents:

Ya sorry I can't dumb it down for you.

Why don't you just go buy some ammo and a case of spam, grab your gun and find a bunker to hide out in while you wait for the new world order.

Dont worry, Alex Jones will be your internet friend.

I have a 6+ month supply of water and food at all times :2 cents:

people in New Orleans would have loved to be as prepared as I am :2 cents:

Really? Wow I never would have guessed.

Do you dress up in camoflague and go into the woods with your friends and perform 'exercises' to ensure you are always ready for when the king of england comes back to steal your land?

Source: Prison Planet :1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaugh

Right. Why is being prepared for your family's sake and safety, so DUMB to you? You really think daddy government will always be there to help you?

What a dumb viewpoint :2 cents:

how good is the food and water going to be when you're home is flooded or washed away? people obsessed with conspiracy and such make me laugh. i can't seem then as anything more than people with superiority complexes who get off on *thinking* they know more than anyone else, *thinking* they have the real answers while everyone else is a bunch of sheep. spending all their time 'researching' by reading articles on the net by bigger shut-ins than themselves. thinking if its an alternative news source, it must be true. give me a break.

yes we are being lied to but do you really think you're going to come across any real answers online? and even if you do, then what? who is going to listen to you? or anyone in the 'conspiracy community'. fact is it won't make a difference in life even if the truth is exposed so you might as well just forget about it all, take life for what it is and enjoy it. sure, its good to have an emergency supply of food and water but the world isn't gonna end any time soon.

hey man, you live in a free country, go nuts as long as you're happy. I just choose to not live in fear - seems like a waste of existence. But, to each his own.

I don't live in fear, far from it. But having real life insurace is very smart. Do you have health insurace? If so , why? Stop living in fear that one day you might get sick or hurt! :winkwink:

That article was by someone with theories who thinks whatever he wants. lol, The internet shutting down? what are you stupid??
It was written by a nobody, or chances are it was written by someone as stupid as you are.

Funny how you revert to attacking me over simply posting an article for discussion....

The way you made ur posts in this thread shows that you believe that there is a chance for this to happen. You didnt only post the article, you actually believe in its possibility. This shows you arent the smartest person around here. thats all :thumbsup

I stopped reading after "effectively shutting down the world wide web " :1orglaugh

Right right.. you are a smart one.

I cant respond to this without using big words. So I'll just stop.

Thank you. try getting back to work. :2 cents:

seriously...you're an idiot and all your threads are pointless.

internet shut down? LOL yeh keep dreaming.

Sigh, this is fucked up. RIAA have overstepped their bounds one too many times. Three possible outcomes I predict. a) The high court will insist legislation to protect internet users be passed, b) The world will simply block north america (deny access to root routers), or c) Nothing will happen

Well, at least you're posting something worth reading and on topic and not just personal attacks to me for posting an article.. :disgust

If news agancies like this http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=36027 are the only ones picking up the story then it must be real......

Thank you!

Here's that article below:

RIAA wants the Internet shut down

Interesting argument of the day

By Nick Farrell: Wednesday 29 November 2006, 08:38
ONE OF THE lawyers involved in defending cases bought against people by the RIAA claims that if the music industry wins a crucial case, the Internet will have to be switched off.

Speaking on the DefectiveByDesign anti-DRM campaign site, Ray Beckerman said the case of Electro vs. Barker has become very important for the web's future.

Barker was being defended by Beckerman who made a motion to dismiss the case because the RIAA had forgot to provide any acts or dates or times of copyright infringement as the law normally requires.

The RIAA argued that by merely making files available on the Internet Barker was making a copyright infringement.

Beckerman said that it was a shocking argument because if it were accepted by the court it would probably shut down the entire Internet. If you send any file on the Net the RIAA will be allowed to suspect that you are in breach of copyright.

What was more disturbing is that the RIAA called up its mates in Washington to back it up. Apparently the United States Government has put in motions supporting the RIAA. µ

it wont stop the internet , i think you'll find tha court proceedings in american courts have fuck all to do with the rest of the world world

They can take me out of the internets, but they cant take the internets out of me!