Quote:
Originally Posted by ballen420 /forum/post/16959831
It's ridiculous - but, it's newsworthy and makes people think twice about what they are doing. It's just too bad for the people that they are making examples out of. They aren't going to get this money from anyone. Most people will claim bankruptcy and not have to pay it.
It's a form of advertisement for them - at the expense of a handful of the millions that have done this.
Now you said you were sued, I'd be curious to hear your story about the process and how it came about. Did you receive initial notifications that you violated the copyright law, and then continue to violate?
There are 5 levels of copyright infringement notifications. The first couple levels are warnings. Did you not receive these? Or is this just a new practice that was put into place after 2003 when you were sued?
Well we first received a phone call from Cox Cable employee (one that I am sure wears a suit to work), giving us a heads up that our information had been subpoenaed by the RIAA.
I would say it was a good 6 months before we heard anything else. We got a very large packet delivered to us by a courier. In it was hundreds of pages listing everything I had in my shared folder or anything related to that folder. It had not only songs listed but documents, media and anything in there.
The documents spelled out the the cost of everything, how many songs I had, the record companies that were involved, etc.
We consulted a lawyer who advised that we settle out of court and take any judgement under $5000.
They have a 1-800 # you call to settle your case. You give them your case # and they pretty much throw out a number. In my case it was $4250. They wanted immediate payment. I told them I was 16 and did not have that much money and they asked my parents if they would pay it. They said they did not have that much money available. The representative asked us if we would put it on CC's. After a little back and forth they gave me 6 months to come up with it. I do not come from a well off family so, I worked my ass off for the next six months saved what money I made, sold my car and sent them a cashiers check for $4250.
I also had to sign something saying that I would destroy any copies of the music I had made.
Never heard anything from them again.
I don't negate the fact that what I did was illegal or that I should have to pay. I was just young, didn't weigh the consequences and ate shi* for it in the end.
