2008 Woodie Awards
Student may fight RIAA on file-sharing
Chris Yu
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: News
Jessica has a lot on her hands.
After she downloaded nearly 300 songs from LimeWire last year, the RIAA warned her that if she didn't agree to pay a $3,000 settlement, she could be sued. Saying the Recording Industry Association of America's demands were unfair, she refused to pay the settlement.
That means the University of Maryland University College accounting major could go to court - and potentially be forced to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages. If she loses her case, she said, she could be out of options.
"I'll file for bankruptcy," she said.
Jessica is one of 38 students who received pre-litigation letters from the RIAA for illegal file sharing last year. In an Office of Information Technology forum on file sharing Wednesday, she spoke out about her experience, calling the fines disproportionate and saying she refuses to pay. Jessica agreed to share her story with The Diamondback, but asked not to be identified because she feared involving her employer on the campus. Jessica is a pseudonym.
Illegal file sharing became a hot political issue for universities after the Digital Millennium Copyright Act passed almost a decade ago, said Gerry Sneeringer, director of IT security at the OIT. Last year the RIAA launched a campaign to sue students who download and share files illegally.
Jessica's troubles began last year when she installed LimeWire on her work computer and downloaded 274 songs illegally. It was just for convenience, she said - she already owned the CDs to most of the songs but didn't want to bring them to work.
In July, she arrived at work on the campus and found her computer was confiscated. A week later, she discovered she was one of the students targeted by the RIAA.
"When I first found out, it really upset me," she said. "[But] I cannot let it affect my work or school."
The RIAA discovered Jessica by identifying her IP address as one that downloaded a large number of files. After matching the IP address to her name, OIT sent Jessica a letter from the RIAA warning her that she could be sued.
After she downloaded nearly 300 songs from LimeWire last year, the RIAA warned her that if she didn't agree to pay a $3,000 settlement, she could be sued. Saying the Recording Industry Association of America's demands were unfair, she refused to pay the settlement.
That means the University of Maryland University College accounting major could go to court - and potentially be forced to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages. If she loses her case, she said, she could be out of options.
"I'll file for bankruptcy," she said.
Jessica is one of 38 students who received pre-litigation letters from the RIAA for illegal file sharing last year. In an Office of Information Technology forum on file sharing Wednesday, she spoke out about her experience, calling the fines disproportionate and saying she refuses to pay. Jessica agreed to share her story with The Diamondback, but asked not to be identified because she feared involving her employer on the campus. Jessica is a pseudonym.
Illegal file sharing became a hot political issue for universities after the Digital Millennium Copyright Act passed almost a decade ago, said Gerry Sneeringer, director of IT security at the OIT. Last year the RIAA launched a campaign to sue students who download and share files illegally.
Jessica's troubles began last year when she installed LimeWire on her work computer and downloaded 274 songs illegally. It was just for convenience, she said - she already owned the CDs to most of the songs but didn't want to bring them to work.
In July, she arrived at work on the campus and found her computer was confiscated. A week later, she discovered she was one of the students targeted by the RIAA.
"When I first found out, it really upset me," she said. "[But] I cannot let it affect my work or school."
The RIAA discovered Jessica by identifying her IP address as one that downloaded a large number of files. After matching the IP address to her name, OIT sent Jessica a letter from the RIAA warning her that she could be sued.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 11
For reals
posted 2/29/08 @ 7:53 AM EST
Spoiled little brat. I hope they fine her millions
Sqrl
posted 2/29/08 @ 9:06 AM EST
She'll get what's coming to her, when they say file sharing is illegal it means its ILLEAGAL. Not just for some people but ALL people.
She should have paid the $3,000, I bee they make an example out of her. (Continued…)
CB
posted 2/29/08 @ 9:36 AM EST
I guess this student never heard of Jammie Thomas. She went to court against the RIAA and lost to the sum of $9,250 for each song downloaded. A total of $220,000. (Continued…)
RIAA hater
posted 2/29/08 @ 12:15 PM EST
What is with all you people? Its a shame that OIT doesn't take a stand like other Universities already has and does the dirty work for the RIAA. If you haven't been keeping up with things, judges are throwing out legal claims by the RIAA left and right these days, especially their basis for all these lawsuits, the "make available" claim. (Continued…)
RIAA hater 2
posted 2/29/08 @ 12:34 PM EST
Screw the MAFIAA and their money grubbing policies. They prey on students purely because they are easy targets. And many artists don't even get a penny of the thousands worth of damages they collect. (Continued…)
FtheRIAA
posted 2/29/08 @ 3:07 PM EST
I don't see why the RIAA doesn't just make her pay retail prices for every song that she downloaded? That makes so much more sense. Thieves.
SkrueDaRIAA
posted 2/29/08 @ 3:12 PM EST
Here is proof that the RIAA is dirty.
http://torrentfreak.com/riaa-keeps-settlement-money-080228/
Mickey
posted 2/29/08 @ 6:37 PM EST
Set me straight here. They talk about fines. Is this a civil case and not a criminal case? I don't believe any US Attorney is in the court room prosecuting a criminal case. (Continued…)
RIAA hater 5
posted 3/01/08 @ 12:44 PM EST
Good for her! I hope she counter sues the RIAA for millions! But in reality she is probably screwed.
Shawn
posted 3/01/08 @ 5:21 PM EST
I agree, good for her. I also agree that our university should do more to protect its students from these copyright bullies like other schools have:
http://arstechnica. (Continued…)
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