2008 Woodie Awards
Record industry renews anti-pirating campaign aimed at college students
By: Megan Connelly
Issue date: 3/22/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 2 next >
The music industry is beefing up its war on illegal file-sharing with a new pre-lawsuit approach. In an effort to increase respect of property rights, the Recording Industry Association of America launched its new initiative Feb. 28 by sending 400 pre-litigation letters to 13 universities. Webster has had contact with the RIAA in the past, but has yet to receive any letters.
The RIAA requests university administrators to pass these letters on to the network user that has been targeted for copyright infringement on the campus' network. The user, typically a student living on campus, has 20 days to pay a settlement fee, which amounts to $3,000 on average.
"If we hear back from the student within 20 days, we can reach a settlement in advance of a lawsuit ever being filed," said Steve Marks, executive vice president and general counsel of the RIAA. "This means the student gets a discounted settlement and avoids anything ever appearing on a public record in Federal Court."
Following the 20-day period, if a settlement has not been reached a lawsuit will be filed. According to the RIAA, minimum damages for each copyright recording that has been shared is $750, resulting (in most cases) in a much larger fee than the $3,000 settlement. The RIAA will send 400 letters a month to suspected copyright infringers on college campuses.
"We began the user lawsuits in September of 2003," said RIAA CEO Mitch Bainwol. "Since that time, there have been roughly 8,000 students sued over the course of three and a half years. During the course of the next year, there will be 5,000 college students sued, so this is a substantial ratcheting up, refocusing on the college community, and infringement by students."
Associate Dean of Students and Director of Housing and Residential Life John Buck said the amount of downloading that takes place on a college campus is only a fraction of the illegal downloading that exists.
"I believe the RIAA is focusing on colleges and universities because they think they can get a reaction and they're an easy target," Buck said. "I also believe that if students are engaging in illegal activity we've got to jump all over that."
The RIAA requests university administrators to pass these letters on to the network user that has been targeted for copyright infringement on the campus' network. The user, typically a student living on campus, has 20 days to pay a settlement fee, which amounts to $3,000 on average.
"If we hear back from the student within 20 days, we can reach a settlement in advance of a lawsuit ever being filed," said Steve Marks, executive vice president and general counsel of the RIAA. "This means the student gets a discounted settlement and avoids anything ever appearing on a public record in Federal Court."
Following the 20-day period, if a settlement has not been reached a lawsuit will be filed. According to the RIAA, minimum damages for each copyright recording that has been shared is $750, resulting (in most cases) in a much larger fee than the $3,000 settlement. The RIAA will send 400 letters a month to suspected copyright infringers on college campuses.
"We began the user lawsuits in September of 2003," said RIAA CEO Mitch Bainwol. "Since that time, there have been roughly 8,000 students sued over the course of three and a half years. During the course of the next year, there will be 5,000 college students sued, so this is a substantial ratcheting up, refocusing on the college community, and infringement by students."
Associate Dean of Students and Director of Housing and Residential Life John Buck said the amount of downloading that takes place on a college campus is only a fraction of the illegal downloading that exists.
"I believe the RIAA is focusing on colleges and universities because they think they can get a reaction and they're an easy target," Buck said. "I also believe that if students are engaging in illegal activity we've got to jump all over that."
Be the first to comment on this story