IFPI preparing to sue portuguese illegal music downloaders

[nOBeLium]

I just posted the article IFPI preparing to sue portuguese illegal music downloaders.

agomes used our news submit to tell us that the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is preparing a new vague of letters to sue portuguese illegal music...

Read the full article here:  [http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/11709-IFPI-preparing-to-sue-portuguese-illegal-music-downloaders.html](http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/11709-IFPI-preparing-to-sue-portuguese-illegal-music-downloaders.html)

Feel free to add your comments below. 

Please note that the reactions from the complete site will be synched below.

[Siswell]

“It seems like the RIAA actions are working…” But are people now buying music? Or merely spending less time in front of there computers?

[nOBeLium]

Well, when I wrote that, I was trying to say that if IFPI is using the same tactics, it’s probably because RIAA’s actions are being successful. At least, in their eyes. Almost noone can say he hasn’t downloaded a music from the internet (illegally, that is), in my country (Portugal). Unlike Mr. Kennedy’s opinion, I do think the prices are really high for the music I pay. I used to buy 3-5 albums a week, but now it’s completely prohibited to do that, otherwise I won’t have enough money to pay the fuel for my car. The end result is less new music on my 900+ originals-CDs collection.

[Mordorr]

As Portuguese, yes i confirm that they did have big impact… Especially, on the “kids”, using internet payed by their parents… Public charges were made against , 28 unknow users… Now, or the ISPs are notify to give the logs or not.... But i believe, that wont work… Also, the internet users are reacting very strongly against “Yankes” companys policies in our country, arguing sueing everbody with letters and asking more € 3000… - Internet connection is like Bank count! Only the Courts, can ask the logs to the ISPs! So the "letters", have no meaning, in law view.... Why can i record a TV serie, or Movie, and cant, record from Internet? Why is a CD, with stupid music, more expensive than a DVD? Why discographic companies, dont give more $$$ to the artists? Why cant, we internet users, have option to pay a royalty to the ISP? They wont win this TERRORIST WAR :S WE ARE THOUSAND! 28 charges? Let see in the Courts, if they get there, the fundamentacion of the acusations…:S I m using Emule, getting ± 2g per day…and it seems work better! And yes, the biggest Portuguese forum Emule: MAXPT is down… Get down the Prices, F****! - This war is already loose, IGPI… Adapte or disapear!:B Long live to Emule in Portugale! Long live to fast Internet in Portugal! Bowlfish 8b rulez! Your “letters” have no law fundamentation!!:S

[hazel_wu]

It can be a big income for them as reported few days earlier. When you don’t enough money selling CDs, just sue them and get thousands of dollars from EACH person in one shot.

[Bodygard]

Well said mordorr! I’m portuguese too and i’m using emule! Altough downloading music is not my “area” i’m with all the portuguese people that are against this bull**** What counts is the law and law says: All the people who download music from internet to make profit is considered guilty! How will they proove that we are making profit of it? almost insane task and to me near impossible. To finish, they don’t have authority to make us pay any amounts of €, because only the Courts can make that by the Portuguese Law :B IFPI=:r

[NeoRonin]

Again unveil the faceless ones. Let the public opinion sway their thoughts. Let them hear our wrath.

[agomes]

As Rui marinho says, this campaign has been “advertised” to a large extent and covered by most media, that refer to downloaders as the “pirates”. However the 28 targeted “pirates” seem to be just people that is accused of uploading stuff to the net, and the direct author of the initiative is the local Association, that is member of IFPI… They say their action is just a start and minded to have a signaling effect. If it proves to be necessary, they will go after the “pirates” that just download music. Quite a lot os misinformation going on a purpose…what is funny is Mr. Kennedy to show up as battling to save portuguese music and at the same time saying that it only represents 20% or less of the market…this is a very “precise” instrument, as I wander if all the “pirates” go to the net looking for local music to download!!! By the way, blank discs pay a levy to compensate authors due to copies…the maximum being DVD-RAM that pays € 1,00 - don’t know why this format offers the highest risk, as you will have a lot of work to find it in the shops !

[agomes]

By the way, I neither dowload from nor upload music to the net. I don’t use the computer to listen to music and don’t like the headphones inside my ears. But when this people talk about the loss of market they should consider other factors, specially when it comes to local music. I bought my last CD yesterday - was it a portuguese music one? No! And why not? Because most local music editions stamp on the cover the label of copy protection, and that the discs may not play in all systems, and that’s too much to me…local Law allows me to make private copies (to listen in the car, for instance) and I don’t recognize these epople the right to override the Law and denny me that right!!! Therefore, I look at the disc’s cover and if it bears the symbol it stays at the shelf…during the last couple of years, the numbers of discs I didn’t buy due to that reason account by some dozens. As this doesn’t mean that I’ll buy “compressed” files from the internet instead, from my side there is a downward market effect not due to “piracy”… And if you also conside all the rubbish they try to sell at “Mr. Kennedy’s bargain prices”, you will find another reason. Funny to realize a music at 99 cts is cheap, puting 99 cents of a dollar equal to 99 cents of an euro…where did they get this magic fair value from? And why do they try to dematerialize the market and move people from buying CDs to download files… that they say now…you can listen to forever…but, being “so cheap”, they may find a way to sell for a temporary use only? Yes, DRMs can do that and the if they find it can be a business case you may bet on it…

[Mordorr]

Someone did shoot the wrong Kennedy:S:B Dont forget the amazing number of information, i do get by this away... Thanks to Emule, i became a big Fan of Asiatic cinema.... Or séries like Stargate, Firefly, Invasion, Lost.. So, as a big fan, i can now buy the real stuff! I didnt buy less originals, them my times at skool, where everbodys use Tape records… I just have now more access to the culture… Dont they defend global economy?:X Almost everbody here, make a very strong effort, to pay the Internet, wich, in Portugal, still has international limits ( i have 4G limit ).. I pay +- €60 per month, and we have the worse net of Europe :+ If we cant use P2P , we will finish the contract with ISPs, and dont the ever dream, we are starting to buy more original stuff… Like agomes said before, when i buy my DVD/CDs, with a tax to those B*****! - Do they ask me if i go to make a back up of a Movie, or, do a photo album with them? Donwload DRM stuff? Must be joking…:+ Like somebody said, P2P is the closest thing to the Alexandria Blibliotec, and some barbarians freaks, want burn it again… Pay fast internet to see e-mails and news? ye, keep dreaming!:S i can do that on my PC Work…for free * sorry the bad English Todos unidos - All united!

[whaledad]

To finish, they don’t have authority to make us pay any amounts of €, because only the Courts can make that by the Portuguese Law
No, they don’t set fines. They send an offer to settle out of court. They have every authority to do that. If the settlement is refused, they will take you to court… and the fine set by the court will likely be MUCH higher.
[edited by whaledad on 08.04.2006 19:06]

[Bodygard]

No, they don’t set fines. They send an offer to settle out of court. They have every authority to do that. If the settlement is refused, they will take you to court… and the fine set by the court will likely be MUCH higher.

Once again, even that is forbidden by Portuguese Law witch i know “a little”…if they send me an offer in witch they mention about money, about idemnization, or something like that, i can go to the police immediatly with the letter and make an “complaint crime” acusation (i know that this term is not correct but i think you will understand, sorry for my English) and that’s it. What counts here in Portugal is our law and not “their law”.

[Mordorr]

quote: “Once again, even that is forbidden by Portuguese Law witch i know “a little”…if they send me an offer in witch they mention about money, about idemnization, or something like that, i can go to the police immediatly with the letter and make an “complaint crime” acusation (i know that this term is not correct but i think you will understand, sorry for my English) and that’s it. What counts here in Portugal is our law and not “their law”” Well said! Some folks here think that we aply law from a distant country… Worse or bad, we have our own law… And if i receiva, also a letter, i will go to court againt those bastards, to violate my personal life, and the ISPs, to give such privacy information... Court is worse? I now how does it work inside.....:B People go by car more 180KM People use guns,,, People drive drunk.... And they wanto more € 3000, much more that the punish for the crimes above? Must be joking Mr. Kennedy....we are in Europe, not Cowboys land`s…:+