3,500 File Sharers Arrested

Man of Honour
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Blimey.

Police in Germany have charged 3,500 users of a file-sharing network in the biggest single action against the illegal distribution of music online.

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) - the record industry's global body - said each could face five years in prison.

They may also have to pay compensation for offering up to 8,000 files at a time for download on the eDonkey site.

The investigation led to searches in 130 locations across Germany.

The charges affect people who upload "large amounts" of music to file-sharing networks, not those who solely download tracks to their computers or who use legitimate services such as Apple's iTunes.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5009224.stm
 
Soldato
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That's a lot of people! :eek:

I'm afraid I still don't see it as a serious crime though, wish police would concentrate on violent crime instead. Hope the UK police don't raid.. although I'm safe I rarely download anything that's not a google movie these days :p
 
Soldato
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1 meg line I'm on thanks to living in the sticks, people can try leeching off me if they want, it'll take a while :p

I know of some people who's spare PCs are on 24/7 sharing and downloading though, they're just asking for trouble.
 
Associate
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If they raided a uni at a fine of 100 quid each and 8000 students at least thats 600,000 quid think about it its all to do with money!!! it not like the music industy needs the money coz ya know the police will get a cut!!
 
Associate
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The police don't consider it a serious crime, but the Recording Industry does and that's why its IFPI that are doing the investigating and developing the cases. They employ many ex-police officers to run their investigations and use the same intelligence software as used by many major police forces.

The police will only become involved once IFPI have convinced a judge that there is a case to answer and will only really be involved in carrying out the raids.
 
Associate
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3,500 people, doubt that would happen here, well the jail time part of it anyway, we just wouldn't have space. Wouldn't put it past them for the money though. 8000 is asking for it really.
 
Associate
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What happens if someone does their leeching/sharing with a server in another country? That would make things interesting.
 
Soldato
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Well, if the server is in Canada then they are stuffed, as if they haven't passed the law there for file sharing to become illegal than they will not bother with one request from a UK company.

I don't care anyway. I buy music or borrow a friends CD.
 
Soldato
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ArmyofHarmony said:
Brave men, doing what they are doing so everybody can have a better future
Hold up there a second. Downloading music illegally means two things:

1. You get music for free. Does that give you a better future? No.
2. Artists who spend years working on their music lose money. Does that give them a better future? No, quite the opposite infact. If people didn't buy their music they wouldn't be able to make a living being musicians.

:rolleyes:
 
Associate
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That’s interesting. I thought file sharing was a civil case of copyright infringement that had to be pursed with a lawsuit. I didn’t know it was an actual crime you could be arrested for.
 
Soldato
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i thought it was triggered by some recent change in german law and it does say uploaders sharing 500 songs.

At the moment it is civil offence in the uk meaning compensation for loss of potential earnings rather than jail. But serial uploaders are asking for it.
 
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Al Vallario said:
Hold up there a second. Downloading music illegally means two things:

1. You get music for free. Does that give you a better future? No.
2. Artists who spend years working on their music lose money. Does that give them a better future? No, quite the opposite infact. If people didn't buy their music they wouldn't be able to make a living being musicians.

:rolleyes:


Ok it was a bit stupid of me to say "better future"

Im a little shocked that it says you are a student in your profile, and you replied in that way.

Artists lose negliable amounts of money, because most the people who download, wouldnt buy, no matter what (this is fact, whether you like it or not).

If i was a famous musician, i wouldnt care how many people downloaded my stuff, aslong as i still got a load of money.
 
Associate
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I personally download music. If I like it I'll feel compelled to go out and buy it. If you go to buy a car you don't just buy a Ford because you liked the last Ford you have, you'd take it for a test drive first; why can't the same be true for music?
 
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