Fandom Forums - View Single Post - Minnesota Mom Hit With $1.5 Million Fine for Downloading 24 Songs

ask me anything · 11-07-2010, 07:13 PM

Primarily the RIAA is just trying to make an example of this woman, but the large fine is part of it. They offered to settle this case for $25,000 and an admission of guilt. From their point of view they can't afford to not force her to pay the fine, because that sends the signal that the record industry is a bunch a pussies that won't go after you. What would happen if they were to demand a fair settlement? According to the article the market value of those songs is $24 on Itunes. If that's all the courts made her pay, then internet piracy would get worse. People would just keep stealing shit and knowing their is almost no penalty except actually having to to pay if they got caught.

A comparison would be shoplifting. Everyone knows it's wrong, but lots of people do it. Hell I do it all the time. I was stealing some Tylenol at my local grocery store one time (I'm not paying $5 for that shit), and this women had got caught stealing steaks by the store manager. She had them in her purse, and the guy couldn't legally search her purse, so he made a compromise with her. If she handed over the steaks and left the store he wouldn't press charges. Mainly because the guy hates having to appear in court to testify and shit (I know this guy personally btw). So she was like "cool", and handed the steaks over and left. Do you think that deterred her any. Hell no. I saw her stealing shit that next week.

Where I live the penalty for shoplifting is reimbursement to the store for the amount of the items stolen + $250 court fee, and maybe some community service if you're a repeat offender. It's not exactly a harsh law, but to me that's a fair punishment for the crime. I sure as hell wouldn't want to pay $250 over some $25 ribeye steaks. Not unless I was just good at stealing shit, like most recurring shoplifters are. Most kids get caught once and never do that shit again. It's the same with the record industry. If the record industry had done the same thing with this women it would have been alright. Slap her with $1000 fine and send her on her way, and consistently enforce the law on everybody. That would scare away to casual downloader, and mean more profit back in the pocket of the greedy record labels, while the hardcore pirates would do so at their own risks. That is...justice.

11-07-2010, 07:13 PM	#17
ask me anything Simply AMAzing Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Impel Down Posts: 3,052 Thanks: 8,821 Thanked 3,361 Times in 1,497 Posts	Re: Minnesota Mom Hit With $1.5 Million Fine for Downloading 24 Songs Primarily the RIAA is just trying to make an example of this woman, but the large fine is part of it. They offered to settle this case for $25,000 and an admission of guilt. From their point of view they can't afford to not force her to pay the fine, because that sends the signal that the record industry is a bunch a pussies that won't go after you. What would happen if they were to demand a fair settlement? According to the article the market value of those songs is $24 on Itunes. If that's all the courts made her pay, then internet piracy would get worse. People would just keep stealing shit and knowing their is almost no penalty except actually having to to pay if they got caught. A comparison would be shoplifting. Everyone knows it's wrong, but lots of people do it. Hell I do it all the time. I was stealing some Tylenol at my local grocery store one time (I'm not paying $5 for that shit), and this women had got caught stealing steaks by the store manager. She had them in her purse, and the guy couldn't legally search her purse, so he made a compromise with her. If she handed over the steaks and left the store he wouldn't press charges. Mainly because the guy hates having to appear in court to testify and shit (I know this guy personally btw). So she was like "cool", and handed the steaks over and left. Do you think that deterred her any. Hell no. I saw her stealing shit that next week. Where I live the penalty for shoplifting is reimbursement to the store for the amount of the items stolen + $250 court fee, and maybe some community service if you're a repeat offender. It's not exactly a harsh law, but to me that's a fair punishment for the crime. I sure as hell wouldn't want to pay $250 over some $25 ribeye steaks. Not unless I was just good at stealing shit, like most recurring shoplifters are. Most kids get caught once and never do that shit again. It's the same with the record industry. If the record industry had done the same thing with this women it would have been alright. Slap her with $1000 fine and send her on her way, and consistently enforce the law on everybody. That would scare away to casual downloader, and mean more profit back in the pocket of the greedy record labels, while the hardcore pirates would do so at their own risks. That is...justice. __________________ Last edited by ask me anything; 11-07-2010 at 07:32 PM.