07.21.03
Protesting the RIAA
No surprises here: RIAA’s dogged pursuit of nearly a quarter of all Americans for downloading illegal files is spurring a growing backlash.
But websites detailing the music of RIAA members have been put on the internet to aid boycotts, while street protests have been planned in a number of US states, including Texas, New Mexico and Georgia.
In California, protests have been planned for various venues as anti-RIAA momentum grows.
“They are picking on the kids, hoping their parents will go crazy and scream at their children for doing something the RIAA says is illegal,” claimed Wayne Rosso (pictured), president at P2P network Grokster.
“But the parents are going to ask: ‘Why are you suing me because my kid downloaded a couple of files? You must be out of your mind’.”
Rosso described the RIAA’s actions as “insane” and predicted that the organisation could find its mission to sue individuals blowing up in its face.
He pointed out that the growing backlash in the US could prove more damaging to the industry than the cost of illegal downloads, and said the only result of legal action would be to turn more than a quarter of Americans into instant “felons”.
I’m no expert in legal fees, but the Pokemon approach to P2P users (gotta catch them all) isn’t feesibly possible. It’s just going to piss a lot of people off.