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Jan 29
We've updated our Consumer Rights rating. It's now the Consumer Rights Report Card. Support your rights and put our Report Card on your site.
CONSUMER RIGHTS REPORT CARD UPDATE
- RIAA: Same ol' tricks. Tried to unsuccessfully co-opt ISPs. Launched a new round of lawsuits. NO CHANGE.
- COURT: NO CHANGE.
- TECH: ISP's ignored RIAA. But electronics companies are designing in content restrictions. WEAKENING SUPPORT FOR CONSUMER RIGHTS.
- INNOVATION: Nothing interesting. NO CHANGE - LIMITED INNOVATION.
- CONSUMERS: The initial wave of RIAA lawsuits may have suppressed casual users in the short term. But it only drove consumers to more secure and diverse networks. P2P usage continues to grow. CONSUMERS CONTINUE TO DEFY RIAA.
- FINAL GRADE: D+ based on mixed tech support.
Marc Freedman
Jan 21
RIAA LAWSUITS NOT WORKING: P2P FILE USERS INCREASE
Previous studies flawed, didn't include all users or all networks
http://www.businessweek.com
http://www.nytimes.com
BUT THAT DOESN'T STOP THEM: RIAA SUES 532 MORE
Use John Doe suits after previous subpoenas were ruled illegal. Average user was sharing 800 files. RIAA has filed 282 suits since 9-03 and settled 233 for an average of $3,000.
http://biz.yahoo.com
RIAA TRIES TO ENLIST ISP'S: NO TAKERS
Wanted Internet companies to send notice of infringement to their customers.
http://www.internetnews.com
CES REPORT: TECH MANUFACTURERS TOSSING ASIDE CONSUMERS' FREEDOMS
Companies "embracing Hollywood-dictated restrictions on how digital content is used -- have allied themselves with a greedy cartel at the expense of their own customers."
http://www.siliconvalley.com
FILE SHARING A GROWING CHALLENGE FOR SOFTWARE MAKERS
Developers struggle with cracked distributions. Few use P2P for software promotion
http://www.nytimes.com
MANY ARTISTS AND SONG OWNERS STILL RESIST ONLINE MUSIC SALES
Even as their files are freely available via file sharing
http://www.washingtonpost.com
US IMPERIALISM REBUFFED: TRUE FREE TRADE
Lawrence Lessig writes that poor countries should only support strong copyright law, which protects the US, to the extent that the US stops supporting agribusiness, which hurts developing nations.
http://www.wired.com
Jan 14
DIARIAA CONSUMER RIGHTS SCORE: 3 (out of 10). Last week: 3
Quiet week. The Consumer Rights Score is still a 3. Go back to bed.
Marc Freedman
RIAA LAWSUITS REDUCE FILE SHARING USERS
Survey estimates US file sharers have dropped by half. But that doesn't include teens and others disagree. Even a 50% drop still means 14% of all American, or 18 million people, still share files.
http://www.mi2n.com
http://www.reuters.com
RIAA COPS LOWER THE HAMMER
... RAID LA STREET CD VENDORS: IS A KNOCK ON YOUR DOOR NEXT?
http://www.laweekly.com
... HOW RIAA FINDS AND SUES YOU
http://www.muddlawoffices.com
ONLINE MUSIC FIELD GETS EVEN MORE CROWDED
But "[t]here are about three times as many music stores as there need to be," says analyst.
http://www.nytimes.com
MICHAEL MOORE ENDORSES FILE-SHARING OF HIS MOVIES
"I don't have a problem with people downloading the movie and sharing it, as long as they're not trying to make a profit off my labor."
http://www.flirble.org
MUSICREBELLION.COM USES DEMAND-BASED PRICING TO LOWER OR RAISE PRICE
http://www.musicrebellion.com
Jan 5
DIARIAA CONSUMER RIGHTS SCORE: 3 (out of 10). Last week: 2
Once again the courts save the consumer from the marauding music industry and overreaching legislation from political lackeys. Unfortunately the ruling is too late for the several hundred people who have already settled their RIAA lawsuits out of fear. The Consumer Rights Score raises a notch to 3.
Marc Freedman
RIAA SPANKED BY US D.C. APPEALS COURT ON FILE SWAPPER SUBPOENAS
Can't get identify from simple subpoena. Must file more difficult and costly "John Doe" lawsuit ... just like any other plaintiff.
http://biz.yahoo.com
http://pacer.cadc.uscourts.gov
http://news.com.com
http://makeashorterlink.com
http://www.wired.com
BEWARE SCAM FILE SHARING SITES LIKE MP3DOWNLOADHQ.COM
Promise millions of files for one low fee but only provide links and info on file sharing programs.
http://www.nytimes.com
DUTCH JOINS U.S.: THEIR SUPREME COURT RULES P2P SOFTWARE IS LEGAL
http://news.com.com
RIAA SUCCEEDS ... IN PUSHING CONSUMERS TO ENCRYPT THEIR INTERNET ACTIVITIES
http://www.shirky.com
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