Wednesday, October 01, 2003
A Legal Defense Fund and Downhillbattle invites you to read about it:
The Defense Fund, (at downhillbattle.org/defense) allows everyone who thinks the RIAA lawsuits against families are callous and unfair to make a contribution to one of the people who have been sued. The fund is based on a p2p model -- donations go directly from donors to RIAA targets with no middleperson collecting or distributing the funds. This mechanism solves both the trust and tax issues that would plague a centralized defense fund. They currently have 9 RIAA targets signed up, and together they have a total of $60,000 in estimated legal costs.
The Defense Fund is about three weeks in the making. They've talked to about 50 of the people who've been sued, and it's been a sobering experience.
"Initially we, like everybody else, thought about the
lawsuits in mostly strategic/intellectual terms (i.e. this is--or is not-- a good move for the record companies, etc.) Talking to these families made us realize that the people being sued are not computer savvy, have no idea what hit them, and that they have real lives with real problems and shouldn't have to deal with mega-corporations suing
them to make a political point. The economy is not good right now.
"Lot's of the people who've been targeted are facing unemployment, debt, and in one case even eviction. The major labels' claim to speak for artists in this is transparently false, and the RIAA's blatant self-interest makes these lawsuits even more disgusting.
We hope the Defense Fund will be able to raise some money for these people, either to fight the RIAA or to settle the suit and get on with their lives -- their choice."
Below are some links to articles about Downhillbattle in the press:
denver post
new york times
Think a bit about the 12-year old living in the projects who just liked hearing different versions of her favorite song -- her mother was threatened by the suits and there goes $2,000 that could have been used for her education. You've followed some of these stories that have made it to print. Now read a few more.
You can exercise your good citizenship as a consumer:
Check out the tones flying in under RIAA Radar
¶ 10/01/2003 08:27:00 AM
The Defense Fund, (at downhillbattle.org/defense) allows everyone who thinks the RIAA lawsuits against families are callous and unfair to make a contribution to one of the people who have been sued. The fund is based on a p2p model -- donations go directly from donors to RIAA targets with no middleperson collecting or distributing the funds. This mechanism solves both the trust and tax issues that would plague a centralized defense fund. They currently have 9 RIAA targets signed up, and together they have a total of $60,000 in estimated legal costs.
The Defense Fund is about three weeks in the making. They've talked to about 50 of the people who've been sued, and it's been a sobering experience.
"Initially we, like everybody else, thought about the
lawsuits in mostly strategic/intellectual terms (i.e. this is--or is not-- a good move for the record companies, etc.) Talking to these families made us realize that the people being sued are not computer savvy, have no idea what hit them, and that they have real lives with real problems and shouldn't have to deal with mega-corporations suing
them to make a political point. The economy is not good right now.
"Lot's of the people who've been targeted are facing unemployment, debt, and in one case even eviction. The major labels' claim to speak for artists in this is transparently false, and the RIAA's blatant self-interest makes these lawsuits even more disgusting.
We hope the Defense Fund will be able to raise some money for these people, either to fight the RIAA or to settle the suit and get on with their lives -- their choice."
Below are some links to articles about Downhillbattle in the press:
denver post
new york times
Think a bit about the 12-year old living in the projects who just liked hearing different versions of her favorite song -- her mother was threatened by the suits and there goes $2,000 that could have been used for her education. You've followed some of these stories that have made it to print. Now read a few more.
You can exercise your good citizenship as a consumer:
Check out the tones flying in under RIAA Radar
¶ 10/01/2003 08:27:00 AM
