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Sony BMG: Making One Copy of a Song You Own for Yourself Is Stealing

10:50AM October 4, 2007 | Matt Buchanan

steal.jpgIf you weren’t aware, the first jury trial for copyright infringement via file-sharing, Capitol Records, et al v. Jammie Thomas, is currently underway, with the RIAA and multiple labels seeking $US1.2 million in damages against Thomas. The labels’ first witness, Jennifer Pariser, head of litigation for Sony BMG, offered testimony that pretty much encapsulates everything wrong with the way the RIAA sees things. When asked if it was wrong consumers to make a single copy of music they’ve purchased, she responded, “When an individual makes a copy of a song for himself, I suppose we can say he stole a song.” Making “a copy” of a song you bought is “a nice way of saying ‘steals just one copy’”.

Thanks for clearing that up, Jennifer. It’s nice to know I “stole” the wallet of copied CDs in my car, which I burned from my purchased discs precisely because I’m paranoid about the real set I paid for getting jacked. Guess that also makes the multiple copies of tracks I have spread across multiple computers dirty, thieved contraband. Raise your hand, fellow criminals. [Ars via Consumerist, Image via Flickr]

Comments

  • Kale

    October 4, 2007 at 11:00 AM

    I buy CD’s and i give my brother a couple of the songs he likes, I wonder if thats worther of some jail time?

  • R

    October 4, 2007 at 11:32 AM

    Amazing comment from Mrs Pariser. This is nonsense. Simply. So if I bought some CDs (from Sony BMG) and I want to listen to them in my PMP, how can I do it without “stealing”?

    Music industry has a serious problem, they need a new way to understand how the business works.

    I wonder what do they think about the last Radiohead announcment.

  • adamnfish

    October 4, 2007 at 1:55 PM

    Does this make Apple, Microsoft etc. criminals for offering a synch feature in their media software?

  • David D.

    October 4, 2007 at 2:11 PM

    So the song of the week that I get for free from itunes becomes stolen if I sync it with my ipod.

    to paraphase Hitchhikers Guide, “They’ll be the first up against the wall when the revolution comes”.

  • Peter G

    October 4, 2007 at 4:30 PM

    We’d better arrest all those that recorded shows onto blank video tapes as well while we’re at it… what a debacle…

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