Recording Industry Says Ripping CDs To Computer Is Illegal

Washington (DC) - The Recording Industry Association of America has filed a landmark federal lawsuit in Arizona, claiming that it is illegal for users to make copies of CD tracks to their computer for personal use.

The RIAA is going after Jeffrey Howell of Scottsdale, AZ. The group alleges that Howell shared 54 music files over the peer-to-peer network Kazaa. This kind of complaint has become commonplace for the RIAA, but they added something different to this lawsuit.

Ira Schwartz, an Arizona-based lawyer for the trade group, says Howell is also guilty of making "unauthorized copies" of CD tracks by ripping them to his computer, even though he may never have shared them with anyone else.

[bym051d]

I really don't see how it's anyone's business what you do with the music you purchase as long as you aren't profiting and keeping possession of the music to yourself.

[BrianC6234]

What morons. The RIAA is trying to kill the music industry. I don't download illegal music. I don't believe people should. I do own a lot of music CDs though and have them on my iPod. And I should have the right to do it. I can show the RIAA all my CDs if I have to. They need to keep this dumb idea out of lawsuits. Maybe Apple will sue them to try and stop it.

I just hope we don't have any judges dumb enough to side with the RIAA.

[Close_Second]

...if you look in every CD slipcase you'll see the copyright warning which pretty much means the RIAA have the right to do what they're doing.

If consumers were not able to rip CD music then what kind of shape would the MP3 player (including IPod) market be in?

[gamesR4fun]

you gotta buy a mp3 version given one is available...
thank god this is only in the states....

[RudeSole Devil]

This will never change I will never buy music again hahahahahahah. all free to me

[BrianC6234]

But your attitude is just as bad. Why shouldn't you have to pay for the music? The people who make the music need to be paid too. This isn't about that issue though. It's about having the right to put your legal music on your computer and iPod. The RIAA can't be allowed to stop that.

[08_CiViC_Si]

its not even really about the actual musicians making money for their efforts. they make crap compared to the record labels.

musicians have and always will make most of their cash through concerts, endorsements, etc.

record labels can suck it i say.

[heyheyhey]

just like millions of other companies who get pissed off about this and file a lawsuit this one is gonna fail to

[niall77]

really how??

[BrianC6234]

But this is under Tech. This site isn't just games. Look at the tabs at the top. There are other categories besides games.

[mccomber]

Considering that many gaming companies are trying to sell more and more downloadable content and titles, not to mention the continued push of MS into the video market, anything related to how other industries are treating consumers who use digital files is important for us to be aware of.
The outcome of cases like this could have consequences that reach beyond music, as they set a precedence for future trials and laws. If they rule in the RIAA's favor about ripping music, that would mean that features of the PS3 and 360 are allowing for "illegal" uses since you can rip and playback music from CDs.

[bym051d]

It's gaming related because the PS3 and 360 allow for the ripping of music onto the machine via CDs. The 360 even allows you to substitute game music for your ripped music.

Gamers should be aware that these actions have been called into question.

[Azures]

Come stop me RIAA.

The RIAA is to the recording industry what Jack Thompson is to gaming.

[moses]

I bought the music on a CD, I can transfer it to what ever device I own that I want. Come sue me for listening to the music I bought.

[captainpwn]

They try acting gay and not let me do what I want with MY music that I PAID FOR. Then fuc# them, Ill just download it for FREE, which'll hurt them more in the long term!

[Fux4Bux]

Lol I guess they really want to kill off CD sales once and for all.

[AceLuby]

90% of my music on my Ipod is live music and is legally distributable any way you see fit. 99% of that music is endorsed by the band. archive.org, a beautiful site for some great free music.

But nothing is going to happen from this. It is ridiculous and would be an absolute killer for the mp3 playing devices like the iPod. Apple and M$ would put up a huge fight against this.

[gamesR4fun]

wuts the url on that m8? (nothing showing on google)

[PS3n360]

This ruling would drive more people to the itunes store which is already making billions. If anything I would bet this would be good news for apple. Nothing is going to kill the ipod.

[AceLuby]

Go to the live music section or search for a band. LOTS of local bands I see are on there from the MPLS area. Like I said, I have tens of thousands of live tracks on my iPod from this site and it's totally legal.

[gamesR4fun]

Sweet many thx AceLuby bubbles++

[Boink]

the riaa is a bunch of tools.

I hope this gets thrown out. but who knows, lobbyists in the US have probably paid off quite a few people.

[Meus Renaissance]

Anyone know how to play 300 (In 720p) onto the PS3 as its an .MKV file?

Lol

[sfinXters]

TVersity? :D

[TechWiz]

Try using Convert X-to-DVD, DVDSanta 4, or Movkit Batch Video Converter. I recommend you have Combined Community Codec Pack (CCCP) installed on your computer.

[MikeE21286]

Yeah, this will never pass.....

[khellendros1]

I really hate these people. Does that mean that burning CD's of music purchased in MP3 form would be illegal also? I really don't think this will pass. It will hurt too many companies.

[Kugar77]

do you know how many americans rip music? millions. how could they even enforce it? i think its way too late for them to do this, if they were unhappy, they should have done this like 10 years ago but its too late. plus there reasoning is really lame, there's tons of loop holes. riaa needs to live with it an move on

[GodsHand]

Its illegal to buy music cds for $12.99. I just hope the RIAA doesnt find out about this.

[mintaro]

hmmm, if you bought the music why shouldnt you be allowed to rip it on a computer

[xplosneer]

you might as well arrest me now... :|

[bozemanriverrat]

Seriously. Don't buy another CD. I used to buy about 3-4 CDs a week. I bought 4 CDs all of LAST YEAR. The RIAA filing all these lawsuits is like an old man desperately hanging onto the past; like the makers of VHS tapes suing people for having the audacity of switching to DVDs.

I hope the Radiohead model takes off, although they'll have to actually put a price on the music (name your own price won't work for everyone). If some way could be found for a band to promote itself to the masses without the backing of a major record label, then we can officially hold the funeral of the RIAA. Let's say a band sells its new CD digitally for $10 to 100,000 people. They would make as much money as they would have had they sold it through a major record label to a couple million people for $18 at a brick and mortar store, because the band only makes a few pennies off every CD sold in the store, but would retain most of the $10 sold through online.

We just need a few more big name bands and artists to turn the middle finger to the record labels (U2, Kayne, 50 Cent). Hopefully soon, the only artists who are using major record labels would be those who would never make it in the music industry without huge marketing pushes (Justin Timberlake, Brittney, PCD (I can't say P*ssycat Dolls?)).

I was hoping that after about 10 years into the Digital Music revolution that the industry would have found a way to embrace it by now. But the RIAA has proven to be nothing but a dinosaur and extinction is coming SOON!

[Jason 360_Niglet]

Lime wire rules! hahaha

[THX7168]

"Wateva! Wateva! I do wateva I want!"

;-)

[Salvadore]

How is it illegal if I intend to use it for self purposes?

[TechWiz]

RIAA will not win the argument over illegal copies. You are allow to make back-ups of your investment. However sharing your copies is illegal and the RIAA will win that portion of the case.