The RIAA and Ithaca College

Recently the RIAA included Ithaca College students in its target group of college students to attack for copyright infringement. These fascists tried to collect money in "reparations" or really whatever you care to call them, from IC students and college students across the country. It is, of course, totally deplorable. The RIAA has been arguing that it is important for college campuses to cooperate, because it is important for them to instill the value and importance of copyright and its laws in youth in order for them to be able to interact properly with the world around them. What they are really trying to say is that it is important for us to stifle youth so that they will be properly tempered to be docile consumers and people who don't question either their government or other social systems. What they are really trying to say is, "Hey, we're trying to make some fucking money over here."

Bullshit, In My Opinion.

According to people with whom I've spoken, Apogee was contacted and "required" to deliver the names associated with IPs on the Ithaca College grid, and they denied the RIAA's request which is EXACTLY what they should have done. The RIAA does not have the right to go around policing the country and attacking people, ESPECIALLY (but not limited to) those with limited financial means, such as college students. Depraved!!!

However, Ithaca College has passed on the RIAA pre-litigation letters to the students cited, who now feel OBLIGATED to simply pay the FUCKING RIAA $3,000 dollars to prevent a lawsuit. Is this what we've come to? Just give me a boatload of money and I won't sue you. That's a great fucking message to pass on to the youth, guys.

Today at 7pm in Textor 101 there will be a meeting held by ITS and Judicial and Legal Affairs in something of a town council-style meeting.

IF YOU GO TO ITHACA COLLEGE, please forward that information to EVERYONE YOU KNOW who is concerned about copyright law, or who downloads music, or is angry about what the RIAA has been doing. Please go to this meeting and tell them that you firmly believe they must not reveal the names of their students! They must not bow to the BULLYING PRESSURE of the RIAA. It is their moral obligation to PROTECT the student body. Tell them to pursue actively educating students in not copyright law, but copyLEFT law and things like Creative Commons Licensing.

Links: EFF, Creative Commons