P2P Fines

[#1]

An interesting article appear on El Reg in which PluNet is mentioned.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/20/davenport_lyons_25000/

[#2]

However they are not "P2P Fines" more like claims for damages with suggested settlement figures.

[#3]

Yes you're right.  In the case this week where a woman was fined £16,000 for allowing a file to be downloaded the legal people wrote to a batch of others telling them to pay £300 or face legal action.

[#4]

If I could get (legally) £16,000 out of someone  why would I settle for a measly £300?

[#5]

I agree.  Maybe they think they've got a battle in the courts to get judgment in all these cases and it may be simpler to collect the £300.  It's a strange situation where when they act as judge and jury isn't it? 

[#6]

How are they judge and jury?
They are making a claim for damages (presumably presenting some supporting evidence) and appear to be offering to settle out of court at a certain level.
If the offer isn't accepted it may or may not be decided in court.

[#7]

They may be more willing to go to court  straight away now since they got such a good judgment.

[#8]

What I find puzzling is most of those who are "stealing" this material don't think they are doing anything wrong. Yet I bet they would be fuming if someone broke into their property and stole their CD or Video collection and would expect the police to prosecute if the thief was found.

[#9]

Quote from: glloyd

Yet I bet they would be fuming if someone broke into their property and stole their CD or Video collection and would expect the police to prosecute if the thief was found.

What if they copied your CD collection over the internet - and paid your internet bills - would you be quite so "fuming"?
Many games/music/films would never be bought (because they aren't worth the money demanded) - but your "thief" may well go on to buy original copies of the decent stuff - so as to get a higher quality item.

[#10]

The breaking into the house analogy is such a bad one.
Perhaps if they introduced a try before rather than having a buy a product that you don't know the quality of and have no come back if you think it's rubbish.
Not many other things that applies to..

[#11]

Quote from: axisofevil

What if they copied your CD collection over the internet - and paid your internet bills - would you be quite so "fuming"? Many games/music/films would never be bought (because they aren't worth the money demanded) - but your "thief" may well go on to buy original copies of the decent stuff - so as to get a higher quality item.

Yes I would suspect they would. Ah so it's OK to thieve something because someone considers them not worth buying is it? It does not matter a jot what the quality is thieving it's thieving. What you are saying is if you want something and you don't think it's worth the money being charged it's OK to pinch it. I bet you would not be saying that if it were your property.

[#12]

But the original owner invites the so-called thief in!
If I were to post a torrent of my CD collection, I am inviting people to browse my collection (and possibly keep/duplicate) my legal content.
Hardly breaking and entering is it?

[#13]

Believe you will find that the owner only own the physical CD the material on it still belong to the music/games industry. The industry give the owner of the CD permission to play their material but not to share it.

[#14]

Just to correct you slightly there itsme.  With CD's the industry is giving you permission to play it in private.  You will need additional permission to play much of it anywhere public such as in a show, or a video that you make, or anything like that.
I remember an open day that I went to when looking at Universities a good few years ago, and by the end of the day I was sick of the Lightning Seeds, since the university had a licence to their material, which they used on a promo video, they also decided to get the most out of it and to play it at any avalable moment throught the day!
Phil

[#15]

So if I have a party and I have an understanding with my guests that payment (bring a bottle) is expected, then they cannot expect to hear any music?
Bit dull.