RIAA now going after people that load their own CD's onto their own computer.

[Shutterbug]

Seems now that even if you legally bought and own the CD, the Recording Industry Association of America says it is illegal to transfer that CD into mp3's so you can listen to them on your computer or portable music device.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/28/AR2007122800693.html

 

[Toby'sFriend]

next they are going to start suing people for the illegal humming of copyrighted songs while in the shower.

 

[jrmasm]

next they are going to start suing people for the illegal humming of copyrighted songs while in the shower.

I think that's still legal as long as you're alone. No sharing.

 

[minnieandmickeymouse]

That is ridiculous

 

[agnes!]

Does anyone else think that the RIAA whining about consumers (GASP!) stealing is just a little disingenuous, & kind of the pot calling the kettle black?
I guess all those years of the industry stealing from the pioneering artists of blues, r&b and rocknroll isn't really "stealing" ...

agnes!

 

[daisax]

I thought they already lost that battle with cassette tapes - when Walkmen came out, they tried to prevent people from putting their albums on tape and listening to them -- I'm pretty sure the (?Supreme?) Court found that once you bought it, duplication for personal use was perfectly kosher (but making dupes for friends, etc., was not).

I assume the defense lawyers will say this is the exact same issue, but the RIAA will say that technology has made the duplication process instantaneous and therefore it's different. However, I still should think that first generation copies for your own use will remain legal.

It's a dying industry and they're grasping at straws.

 

[mirthmaiden]

I did not read the article, so forgive me if this was answered there. But I don't understand the difference between buying songs one at a time from a subscription service, like iTunes or Napster, then downloading them into an mp3 player, and buying the cd and doing the same thing.

I rarely buy cd's anymore because I cannot justify paying $12 and up for one or two songs I like. I subscribe to Napster, but even that at $9.95 per month, plus $.99 for each song I buy. And since they don't offer direct download to iPod, I have to burn the songs to a cd first, then transfer them at home. But I'd much rather do that, pay $25 or so for 25 songs I WANT then buy a pre-recorded cd.

Personally, I think RIAA is digging their own grave with all of this craziness.

 

[ducklite]

That's absurd. If I buy a CD, why can't I load it into my computer--which has no peer-to-peer sharing--and listen to it on a plane for example rather than lugging the disc? I don't understand how they are going to make their case on this one. I bought it, what does it matter to them if I'm listening to it on my home computer, my CD player at work, or someplace else.

I see it the same way as years ago when we'd buy a vinyl album and record it onto a cassette tape so we could listen in the car--and the RIAA wasn't coming after us then.

Frankly they won't win this one. They'd need to prove damages, and unless the person is giving it away, there are no damages to be proven.

 

[Lintasare]

That is ridiculous, plain and simple. I have a very large MP3 player and I ripped all of my CDs to put on it. And now I almost exclusively buy and download the digital albums just to avoid the hassle of a CD.

Someday very soon all these tactics of the RIAA is going to come crashing down on them.

 

[mandy200587]

This has happened with VCR tapes, and Walkman. I don't even buy cd's anymore, very rarely will I buy an actual cd. All my old cds are collecting dust in my room somewhere because I don't listen to them anymore. I don't have a boombox, I have either my tv or my computer to listen to music.

 

[Beth76]

the article states

the industry maintains that it is illegal for someone who has legally purchased a CD to transfer that music into his computer.

Does that mean if we buy a CD illegally, that we can then legally transfer it to our computer?

And besides, how do they know if someone is copying CDs to thier computer?

 

[disneymac]

This just sounds crazy - they've lost sight of what their business is. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you!

 

[Shutterbug]

I guess what they are saying is when you rip it to your computer you are in effect making a copy of it and making copies are illegal regardless if its for your own use.

I agree its stupid.

One things that I found out about Itunes, is that they now offer some songs that are DRM free for extra an 30 cents. That means that song is not limited to the types of mp3 players it can be played and not limited to the amount of computers it can be played on. Also those songs have a higher bit rate for more of CD quality sound.

I know all the EMI recording artists songs on Itunes are all available as DRM-free

http://www.news.com/2100-1027_3-6172398.html

 

[Fitswimmer]

That is ridiculous, plain and simple. I have a very large MP3 player and I ripped all of my CDs to put on it. And now I almost exclusively buy and download the digital albums just to avoid the hassle of a CD.

Someday very soon all these tactics of the RIAA is going to come crashing down on them.

me too. I have a 60 gig iPod and I've uploaded a TON of my CD's onto it. RIAA already made their money on me thank you very much.

Isn't their image bad enough already?

 

[Barbossa]

Ha, the RIAA and what army are going to go after the millions of people who copy legally purchased CD's for their own use. Will I now have to pay the RIAA a royalty for everyone within earshot of my speakers when I play a tune? The RIAA had better be careful, they could create a backlash that they'd never recover from.

 

[MzDiz]

That's insane. My kids buy CDs all the time, but the first thing they do with them is rip them and stick them on the ipod. I guess we should stop buying CDs all together.

 

[MosMom]

They are fighting hard to stop the music industry from changing instead of looking into ways to grow with the change and continue their business. It will bite them in the end.

 

[Faerie]

I'm another one whose entire CD collection is ripped through iTunes onto my Pod. I can't remember the last time I bought a physical CD. I've got all mine in a book and that book is collecting dust.

 

[Shutterbug]

I think it has been a long while since I actually purchased a CD. I hate buying a whole CD just for a couple of songs.

The cost of manufacturing CD's has come way down but that has never been passed on to the consumer. The prices are still the same.

 

[Keli]

Actually I believe the RIAA has been distorting the actual copyright laws all along and trying to push them further than the courts actually ruled.
But they are a dinosaur, as technology develops they will become less and less of a force in music. As soon as Artists can find a way to get their music to the public on a large scale without the record industry and still get paid that's what will happen.