RECORD EXEC SAYS MAKING COPIES OF YOUR OWN CD IS THEFT
ERIC BANGEMAN, ARSTECHNICA - Testimony today in Capitol Records, et al v. Jammie Thomas quickly and inadvertently turned to the topic of fair use when Jennifer Pariser, the head of litigation for Sony BMG, was called to the stand to testify. Pariser said that file-sharing is extremely damaging to the music industry and that record labels are particularly affected. In doing so, she advocated a view of copyright that would turn many honest people into thieves.
Pariser noted that music labels make no money on touring, radio, or merchandise, which leaves the company particularly exposed to the negative effects of file-sharing. . . Pariser has a very broad definition of "stealing." When questioned by Richard Gabriel, lead counsel for the record labels, Pariser suggested that what millions of music fans do is actually theft. The dirty deed? Ripping your own CDs or downloading songs you already own.
Gabriel asked if it was wrong for consumers to make copies of music which they have purchased, even just one copy. Pariser replied, "When an individual makes a copy of a song for himself, I suppose we can say he stole a song." Making "a copy" of a purchased song is just "a nice way of saying 'steals just one copy'," she said.
6 Comments:
These RIAA and MPAA executives need to seriously go fuck themselves with spiky batons.
Based on what I've read about this case so far, the jury is going to do that for them.
The record executive is entitled to his opinions.
He can think what he wants, and, we can hope that his expertise in the music business surpasses his knowledge of the law because it is presently legal for individuals to create personal copies.
I'm not sure how personal beliefs that contradict well-established law can be allowed as evidence. If what she said were true, then iTunes would be illegal software because it makes it possible for you to copy a CD into your computer and makes it possible to copy downloaded files onto a CD.
When you purchase a CD you acquire one set use rights. They are not necessarily the same set of use rights associated with a product that is downloaded. There exist subtle differences, and, this is what a lot of the litigation will eventually sort out.
When you purchase a CD you acquire one set use rights. They are not necessarily the same set of use rights associated with a product that is downloaded. There exist subtle differences, and, this is what a lot of the litigation will eventually sort out.
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