12 Year Old Sued For Downloading Music

[Protoman 56]

b]NEW YORK — The music industry has turned its big legal guns on Internet music-swappers — including a 12-year-old New York City girl who thought downloading songs was fun.[/b]

 

Brianna LaHara said she was frightened to learn she was among the hundreds of people sued yesterday by giant music companies in federal courts around the country.

 

"I got really scared. My stomach is all turning," Brianna said last night at the city Housing Authority apartment where she lives with her mom and her 9-year-old brother.

 

"I thought it was OK to download music because my mom paid a service fee for it. Out of all people, why did they pick me?"

 

The Recording Industry Association of America (search) — a music-industry lobbying group behind the lawsuits — couldn't answer that question.

 

"We are taking each individual on a case-by-case basis," said RIAA spokeswoman Amy Weiss.

 

Asked if the association knew Brianna was 12 when it decided to sue her, Weiss answered, "We don't have any personal information on any of the individuals."

 

Brianna's mom, Sylvia Torres, said the lawsuit was "a total shock."

 

"My daughter was on the verge of tears when she found out about this," Torres said.

 

The family signed up for the Kazaa (search) music-swapping service three months ago, and paid a $29.99 service charge.

 

Usually, they listen to songs without recording them. "There's a lot of music there, but we just listen to it and let it go," Torres said.

 

When reporters visited the apartment last night, Brianna — who her mom says is an honors student — was helping her brother with his homework.

 

Brianna was among 261 people sued for copying thousands of songs via popular Internet file-sharing software — and thousands more suits could be on the way.

 

"Nobody likes playing the heavy and having to resort to litigation," said Cary Sherman, the RIAA's president. "But when your product is being regularly stolen, there comes a time when you have to take appropriate action."

 

At the same time, the RIAA offered amnesty to file-swappers who come forward and agree to stop illegally downloading music over the Internet.

 

People who already have been sued are not eligible for amnesty.

 

Brianna and the others sued yesterday under federal copyright law could face penalties of up to $150,000 per song, but the RIAA has already settled some cases for as little as $3,000.

 

"It's not like we were doing anything illegal," said Torres. "This is a 12-year-old girl, for crying out loud."

 

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,96797,00.html

 

Its pretty sad that a 12 year old is being sued for copy right infringement. In addition, she is enrolled into all honor classes and the RIAA isn't stepping back. Among her, an additional 261 people were undergoing lawsuits. Its really depressing when I read this. I have some similarities and can relate to this girl's situation. I probably would have been crying too. The fact of the matter is, your being sued for something "idotic". I'm almost certain almost 85% of the world download's music from either p2p or a website.

[XGhozt 410]

You can sue 12 year olds? What the hell?

[Speedskater 167]

i was lol and wtf at the sametime

[Azqato 503]

You legally cannot sue anyone under the age of 16. WTF

[Speedskater 167]

thats where i was wtf! you have to becareful about that sometimes

[Sithus 1]

Well good thing the RIAA has a good chance of disappearing.

 

http://www.Ghoztcraft.net/forums/ipb_seo.p...-disappear.html

[Ruler of War 169]

they most likely arent suing the 12 year old girl but instead her mother.... (i mean its a way to get around the not able to sue under 16 years old)

[Aimcrack 40]

Well good thing the RIAA has a good chance of disappearing.

 

http://www.Ghoztcraft.net/forums/ipb_seo.p...-disappear.html

The idiots in the article can't even spell.

[Brownie Man 41]

ok wtf... lets say u got 100 songs... so then u owe the RIAA or what ever the hell 15000000? wtf i couldnt offord that .. and i got around 2 k songs.. luckly i live in canada and file sharing is legal :)

 

BUT you know what? i dont get it .. wtf, if i go out and steel a pair of shoes that cost 150 and i get cought, i bet i wont have to pay over 150.. why the hell cant the kid just pay what ever it cost?

[Magical_Trever 60]

i would of told the government to puck off

[Speedskater 167]

then trever id lol

[Zander 85]

thats sad... but they had to have sued the parents not the girl

[Speedskater 167]

yeah that really sucks, some people dont know its illegal. i think they should cut some ppl some slack

[ShadyShell 89]

@speed: i agree

 

That is pretty sad. She didnt even know what she was doing was wrong. I mean, she thought the service was paid for. It is the people that do it on purpose that need to be punished.

[IFireflyl 1]

Omg. They're retarded. It's things like this that DON'T make me proud to be an American. You know 50 years ago people made something of themselves and less laws were broken. That's because they wont stop making retarded laws to sue everyone. Here we are 50 years later and you can't hardly spit in public without getting fined. I wish George Washington and Benjamin Franklin could be here now. They'd hate us.

[plutomic 76]

i would of told the government to puck off

Yea you do that......Then about 24 hours later you will be forcefully dragged of your house by FBI screaming "Don't TASE ME BRO!!!".Then asking for someone to help you... Then you'll feel like a clown.

 

 

Omg. They're retarded. It's things like this that DON'T make me proud to be an American. You know 50 years ago people made something of themselves and less laws were broken. That's because they wont stop making retarded laws to sue everyone. Here we are 50 years later and you can't hardly spit in public without getting fined. I wish George Washington and Benjamin Franklin could be here now. They'd hate us.

You know.I a with and against file sharing.. Im with it because i get free shit... But somewhere,someone down the line is losing something. If i spent my time making something,and someone just stole it.I'de be like "hay dont do that" I wouldn't say "Oh hey,while you're at it take some moar"..

 

I don't understand how you think stealing being illegal is stupid. I bet if someone breaks into your house and takes your shit you will call the police and say "someone STOLE my shit.."..I bet you won't say "meh,its a dumb law,im not gonna call the cops.

 

You're probably about to respond with "they are rich they have tons of money". Well,what happens when everyone in america decides to just download music/videos/game? Well,ill tell you what will happen.Game companies will lose billlions and you can say bye bye games... Music producers will lose a shit load of money and stop signing artists...No more music,except for the homemade/underground shit.Then movies.Bye bye movies too....Then guess what,you get to read and watch reruns of Dewbey Houser MD (..is that what it's called?).

 

Kthanksbia.

Edited January 30, 2008 by plutomic

[g21_dxx 14]

Noone should be punished, However if i was an artist i wouldnt want this happening to my music. But kids are the oens who dl music..i mean ppl who are 20 years old and have a job just buy there music. I think they are still sueing just to make an example.

[Cripp 167]

All they are trying to do is scare the younger population. Because the younger kids dont think they can get in trouble. But anyone that knows how to dl can dl a song. I think nothing is going to happen only if the artist of the songs are dick heads.

[Suteki 114]

I don't know if it was already said or not, but just incase you guys didn't know this story is actually like 5 years old. Google it and you will see.

[Xthar 136]

I think its time i start securing myself on the Internet... this shit is getting real for me.

[SwedenHacker 0]

I feel sorry for that kid,

but if the news is about one year old, anyone know what happend to the girl then?

 

luckly i live in canada and file sharing is legal :(

 

Wtf! Do you share legal? ,

Ah, its just a crime to share, not to download. Just cancel the sharing after the download.

[Brownie Man 41]

i dont think you quite understand, in canada p2p programs and just reguler downloading is 100% legal as long as it is for personal use, if you somehow make money from it, it is then illegal, meaning if i download autocad and make some blue prints for a company and charge them, but i used illegal copy of autocad i have then broken a law, but for personal use, its 100% legal in canada, however once you upload a file yourself it is then illegal, thats why i set utorrent to 0kbps upload limit and i usually use rapidshare if i have acess to premium.

[Major Zhuinden 128]

And when you think RIAA couldn't get worse. Seriously, why hasn't RIAA been locked down yet? No one likes them, and no one likes the music they protect for a longer time. I personally would support 1-2 bands which I really like/liked but I cannot afford it. So, Go Go Mule! ^^

[SwedenHacker 0]

i dont think you quite understand, in canada p2p programs and just reguler downloading is 100% legal as long as it is for personal use, if you somehow make money from it, it is then illegal, meaning if i download autocad and make some blue prints for a company and charge them, but i used illegal copy of autocad i have then broken a law, but for personal use, its 100% legal in canada, however once you upload a file yourself it is then illegal, thats why i set utorrent to 0kbps upload limit and i usually use rapidshare if i have acess to premium.

 

Ok, i get it,

wich we could have it like that in sweden to,

[DeLuca 0]

This whole situation is just fucked up...I have a p2p program that I barely use. My sisters use it everyday, and the fact someone can get sued over this...

 

I think the USA should have the same law as they do in Canada. I use the songs for my personal use, mp3 player etc...

(Yes it does rip off the people who made/produced the music, but let's take a look at albumbase.com...)

 

12yr old girl, now having her mother get sued. That's fucked.