[Fwd: EFFector 17.5: Record Industry Targets 531 More Filesharers]

["Olga Francois" <ofrancois@xxxxxxxx>]

FYI...

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: EFFector 17.5: Record Industry Targets 531 More Filesharers
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 16:45:39 -0800 (PST)
From: Effector List <alerts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: ofrancois@xxxxxxxx

EFFector    Vol. 17, No. 5       February 18, 2004   donna@xxxxxxx

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* Record Industry Targets 531 More Filesharers 

San Francisco, CA - In response to the record industry's 
announcement Tuesday of five new lawsuits targeting 531 more 
unnamed alleged music filesharers, the Electronic Frontier 
Foundation (EFF) renewed its efforts to ensure that the 
lawsuits adequately protect the rights of the accused.

EFF pointed out that the record industry failed to follow the 
basic rules required in all lawsuits when it lumped together 
hundreds of people in five lawsuits filed in Philadelphia, 
Atlanta, Orlando and Trenton, New Jersey.  The cases include 
alleged filesharers located throughout the United States who 
acted independently, used different types of filesharing 
software and allegedly shared different music files.  Also, 
the record industry has not ensured accused filesharers a 
means of reviewing and responding to potentially incorrect 
accusations before Internet Service Providers reveal their 
identities.

"The RIAA continues to cut corners in its crusade against 
filesharers and deny ordinary people the legal protections 
that are available in all other types of legal cases," said 
EFF Legal Director Cindy Cohn.  "The courts should require 
the record industry to sue people individually in the 
appropriate local courts and provide notice so those sued 
have a chance to refute accusations of filesharing before 
the record industry compels an ISP to reveal their 
identities." 

ACLU, EFF and Public Citizen amicus brief in RIAA v. the People:
<http://www.eff.org/cgi/tiny?urlID=127>
(EFF website)

More information on RIAA v. the People:
<http://www.eff.org/IP/P2P/riaa-v-thepeople.php>

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