Class Action Initiated Against RIAA

NewYorkCountryLawyer writes "Ever since the RIAA's litigation campaign began in 2003, many people have been suggesting a class action against the RIAA. Tanya Andersen, in Oregon, has taken them up on it. The RIAA's case against this disabled single mother, Atlantic v. Andersen, has received attention in the past, for her counterclaims against the RIAA including claims under Oregon's RICO statute, the RIAA's hounding of her young daughter for a face-to-face deposition, the RIAA's eventual dropping of the case 'with prejudice,' and her lawsuit against the RIAA for malicious prosecution, captioned Andersen v. Atlantic. Now she's turned that lawsuit into a class action. The amended complaint seeking class action status (PDF) sues for negligence, fraud, negligent misrepresentation, federal and state RICO, abuse of process, malicious prosecution, intentional infliction of emotional distress, violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, trespass, invasion of privacy, libel and slander, deceptive business practices, misuse of copyright law, and civil conspiracy."

More, please!

[AltGrendel]

sues for negligence, fraud, negligent misrepresentation, federal and state RICO, abuse of process, malicious prosecution, intentional infliction of emotional distress, violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, trespass, invasion of privacy, libel and slander, deceptive business practices, misuse of copyright law, and civil conspiracy.

Can you add sheer stupidity and pigheadedness to that?

Oh, and while you're at it, tell them that we plain old don't like them.

I know how it'll go down

[weak*]

The witness has testified that you are personally responsible for the murder of a New York City police captain in 1947 and with him a man named Virgil Sollozzo. You deny this?

RIAA: Yes, we do.

Add me

[Edward Ka-Spel]

Yes, I have been illegally downloading music for years, I want to be a part of this class action suit.

Oh, wait... Umm... nevermind.

On the subject of a class action suit

[Haiku 4 U]

Dear RIAA,
Turnabout is fair play, you
rich smokers-of-cocks.

Love, Haiku 4 U
P.S. I look forward to
great music sans you.

CELEBRATE!

[WwWonka]

....after reading this glorious news it may be the first time I have wanted to leave my cubicle and head out into the streets to shout at the top of my overworked underpaid lungs...

"FLAVOR FLAAAAAAV!"

then I will promptly head back inside and continue to use our company's massive internet bandwidth to keep downloading pirated music.

Re:About time someone did this

[Billosaur]

Agreed. You get the pitchforks, I'll find the torches... and I think some tar and feathers would be in order to... BTW, where is there HQ again? If we can't find that, their lawyers' offices will do...

Re:So, Mr. NewYorkCountryLawyer,

[mcrbids]

$10 says the lawyers are the only winners.

If you are right, wouldn't that make you a winner too?

I disagree.

[Anonymous Coward]

I am very proud of the RIAA. They have proven that some people still actually care about protecting intellectual property (copyrights in this case). I have written many articles supporting the RIAA and encouraging students to purchase music. None of the high school students or college students think critically about their downloading of music illegally. These same students fail to understand why grammar and strong arithmetic skills are important. It seems being a scofflaw goes wih lack of academic excellence. Maybe people who fail to understand the ethical implications of their copyright violations have poor critical thinking skills. Unauthorized copying (downloading) of music really does hurt the record labels and the artists. Most of them don't have any talent, except for Madonna. Even unauthorized copying of the other artists is as bad as stealing from a thrift store. It is trash, but it is still wrong. It is not as tangible as theft of physical items, but it is still illegal and ethically wrong. The RIAA has always worked to advance the quality of music. For example, the RIAA helped establish standards for record cutting so that everyone could enjoy the music. The RIAA knows that unauthorized copying of music is significantly affecting the revenues of the record labels it represents. Unfortunately, it is going to be very hard to stop the mass unauthorized copying with lawsuits and digital rights management due to the nature of computers and people who are ethically challanged. Hardware solutions will likely reduce the amount of unauthorized copying, but it is difficult to secure anything from someone with physical access to the computer. It is really sad to see society so blatantly breaking the law without any care about the ramifications.

Re:So, Mr. NewYorkCountryLawyer,

[MajinBlayze]

If only lawyers win, and he wins, HE'S A LAWYER
Watch out!! *hides*

(wow, glad I previewed, I almost called him a LAYER)

I just creamed my pants

[danZbar]

"Class Action...RIAA." YES, YES, YES, OH GOD... I will never wash these pants again.

Re:About time someone did this

[Himring]

"I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide." --Gandalf

Re:I disagree.

[Pojut]

Wall of text crits you for 9,999 damage.

These same students fail to understand why grammar and strong arithmetic skills are important.

Apparently, so do you.

Re:Slashdot is closed minded.

[Volante3192]

I thought you got modded down because you inferred Madonna has talent.

Re:About time someone did this

[heelrod]

They haven't had a good band ever!

You must be a Jessica Simpson fan

Re:So, Mr. NewYorkCountryLawyer,

[eth1]

$10 says the lawyers are the only winners.

Hmm... So, if only the lawyers win, you win $10, which means that the lawyers AREN'T the only winners, so you shouldn't win your $10. But then the lawyers would be the only winners! Now if only they'd all disappear in a puff of logic...

Re: Class Action Initiated Against RIAA

[SL Baur]

Downloading is theft!

But wait. A couple of articles ago, they were saying that not downloading ads was theft. I'm so confused.

Re:So, Mr. NewYorkCountryLawyer,

[Anonymous Coward]

(wow, glad I previewed, I almost called him a LAYER)

That would actually be LESS of an insult.

I don't know, calling somebody a female chicken could be quite insulting.

- Bryan

Re:About time someone did this

[menkhaura]

And do you think that posting anonymously will keep you anonymous? They know about everything you write, They know about everything you do, They know when you log into the Internet, They read your e-mails, They intercept your phone calls, They trace your travels and your expenses. You might think I'm joking, but I'm not, this is serious. You, sir, are in deep trouble.

Re:Please let this go through...

[AeroIllini]

Hollywood delivers the goods on movies...

Oh, man, I hope that's some super clever satire I missed.

Initial reaction

[Odinson]

For some reason the song "The Final Countdown" popped into my head. The worst part is, now I have to go buy a whole album so I can get it out.

Re:About time someone did this

[TheRaven64]

Ray, Ray, Ray, you really should have learned by now. Don't leave important information in the article; no one makes it that far. If it's important, put it in the comments; that's all anyone here reads. Think of us as cheap barristers; we may listen to what you say, but we almost certainly won't read the brief before offering our expert opinions on it...