Megaloria wrote:Maurepas wrote:Megaloria wrote:For those who cannot tell, this is an exercise in fear. The idea is for people to see this lawsuit and think to themselves, "gee...99 cents isn't all that much". I am certain that the RIAA do not expect to get even a visible fraction of the 1.9 million from this woman. Their real profit is in the terror of those who may think twice now about downloading and distributing music illegally. While I agree that the price tag is absurd and the punishment far outweighing the crime, I can appreciate, and on some levels admire, the tactic.
I dont, I think it is a poor tactic to the point of being laughable...
all this can do is incite hatred for the RIAA and their constituents, and in many would even foster sympathy for the the person committing the illegal act, as the RIAA has now turned them into the Victim in this scenario...
But whether or not she is "the victim" does not matter in this situation. People will be angry, of course, but these people already hate the RIAA, and what this does for the RIAA is set a legal example of what they can do to you if you don't play by their rules. This is not about who is a victim and who is a monster. This is about making people so shit-your-pants terrified of being sued that they won't illegally download and distribute.
Thing is. It won't work. Actually it might even have the opposite effect. I'd love to see piracy jump over this. I think that would be hilarious.