A US jury has ordered a 32-year-old woman to pay $US1.92 million ($A2.4 million) in damages for illegally downloading 24 songs in a high-profile digital piracy case.
Jammie Thomas-Rasset, a single mother of four from the US state of Minnesota, was found liable for using the Kazaa peer-to-peer file-sharing network to download the songs over the internet.
Article continues at ZitZot.com
Previous post: Salfeld Child Control 2009 v10.179-NoPE
Next post: So You Think You Can Dance S05E09 WS PDTV XviD-FQM
How would they make her pay that i feel bad for her.
excuse me sirs while i go puke… this is outrageoeus
When are people going to learn to stop using that crap, and Kazaa??? I mean if you going to press your luck with those types of p2p programs use Limewire for gods sake, at least yuo could probably get 50-100 songs before they nab you for that.
Seriously ppl use ddl or torrents
lol…24 songs. i have got 200 games, 100 movies, 100 documentaries, 100s applications all illegaly downloaded..come and get me xD
Also like she Really caused that much damage. Crazy
Stop the RIAA and not the people
sad world
lame
one word…bankruptcy…
and then mc hammer busts in with …YOU CANT TOUCH THIS!
its all a con
thats the verdict but theres no way she can pay it
so theyll do a deal and shel pay 100 dollars or summat
as for the judge he musta been smoking crack
24 songs is worth about 20 dollars
its just proergander
if people realy had to pay 2 million
id predict a sudden urge in drive by shootings
at lawyers offices that represent the riaa and mpaa
lol wat a n00b using p2p for 24 song LuLz *Dumb Betch!
24 pir8ted mp3z=2.4M US$ ???? Who is the thief here??
how can a single mum find $2million? these people are delusional!!!the law IS an a$$ and there are much bigger problems to solve elsewhere!!!
see the problem with p2p is that your not only downloading illegally but you are distributing. this is the big thing they will get you for. F3D3X just so you know, torrenting is just as easy to catch as kazza or limewire or whatever its all the same p2p networking. none of that crap is smart its all highly traceable…but yah theyr obviously making an example out of this lady, pretty sad.
Serves that stupid prostitute right.
That's a lesson for her, that's what you get for being a stupid prostitute.
And this, my friends, is a lesson that you should remember. Before downloading mp3s, make sure you're also stealing internet so they can't trace it back to you.
what's that, 100k per song?! where do get these fairytale figures? that's maybe 2 albums worth of music total, no way that judgment will stand, I suspect some legal group will take up her appeal.
do not feed the troll @17
What if she had lifted a CD or DVD from Best Buy and lend it to a neighbor or friend? Would the verdict have been same then? This judge should be shot at in the head from point blank range.
@13 $US1.92 million / $A2.4 million
Saw this on yahoo..she was offered a 3k-5k settlement at first and she turned it down, it's her own fault for taking this thing so far. 3k is still pretty ridiculous for a few songs but at least it's reasonable to pay.
guyz guyz you really didnt get it…
the fine is US$1920000 from that US$1919900 are the lawyers fee, simple math really.
What are the names of the songs?
it was so normal in my country
lol
i usually download 300 songs a day…
Ha Ha
she is black, she deserves it
Its all a big scare I think this whole story is ludacris riaa just want to scare people 2.what million yer if she was paying it here grand kids will finish paying the money long after shes gone it shows you what kind of world we live in give me the red pill now.
@25
thanks god your soul in white's body.
=======
ridiculous amount of money. plus she is single mother. how can she pay all the money? damn u RIAA.
Maybe she does deserve to get punished..but its a bit outrageous..just a bit -.-' Has anyone thought that this may be like a technique to scare people? Like us..who download everyday for free..Pff..I hope she gets released or sth
USA sucks.
DOWNloaded 24 songs -> $2,4M damages/fines ?!?
Bloody hell, Riaa is really outta control.
@25 You are projecting your shadow on to other people. We all do this everyday to some degree, but if you are not aware of the phenomena, it's difficult to see it on your own. I hope this helps someone.
What a world we live in, eh?
im lucky i live in the netherlands
@15 who the hell do you think you are calling this poor woman a prostitute?
We have all done and keep doing similar things, u have absolutely no right for name calling – you disgust me.
all this is just to show that justice is blind, def, dumb,… and is controled by big companys
Unbelievable, If they think to scare me they better think again, we must now compensate for the woman, we must download songs worth 2.4 million common people start your torrents.
Insane laws! How do they even come up with this amount of money? Why exactly were these 20 songs wotrh 2.4 Million Dollars? Again, Insane!
@25, if the picture above is correct she doesn´t seem black at all, morelike latina, apart from a lobotomy you also need spectacles
This just shows that the current justice system is a farce! Known criminals and politicians go scott free, while this lady is treated like some big criminal.
Also shame on the judges! Ignorant people with no sense of reality shouldn't be allowed to convict people!
I think this is more or less a shout out too the pirates of the world there trying too scare all of us are you scared no chance will this stop piracy no chance are they loosing the war most def.I think this article should be ignored by all, who cares.She can pay $5 a week or become bankrupt at the end of the day she'll get away with an easy fine.It must put the RIAA in an aquard position this is bad press nothing more it only adds justice too our cause.
How to download and not be traceable?
and i thought the uk law was an a**!
Its about time one of you yanks got a gun and shot some of these RIAA scum.
@43, the UK law is an arse mate, you are correct, but the americans take i too far sometimes, for example 154 years in jail? you can't live that long, let alone pay back2.3 million.
wonder what sort of anti depressents she's on, poor blighter
well i think they need to shutdown the whole world internet so no illegal downloading take place and no p2p 
How pathetic! do they have nothing better to do in the US? let them get real criminals! the ones who made ppl lose everything of the financial crisis. aren't they the real criminals? look how much it costs the world and its inhabitants. But no, it's much easier to get a mother of four convicted instead of a CEO with his army of lawyers…
its pathetic governments listen to music industry etc. ones more the proof of how corrupt the USA actually is. bah
If I was an American I would (with the help of other rational human beings) try to raise some money for the lady. If this case goes to the Supreme Court and the court finds in her favor, the court will set a precedent that every other court in America must follow. Potentially this could be a landmark case for every single p2p and bittorrent user. I believe there is an amendment in the US constitution that protects its citizens from cruel and unusual punishment. Although the amendment was designed for punishments in criminal cases, the lawyers could potentially raise an implied proportionality argument. Its just a pity that the court is filled with republicans.
TBH, I don't see any sense in this. What does the RIAA get for something like this? She, obviously, won't be able to pay since she is a single mother, and all they will get is beef with the common American people. Why make an example out of her?
Too much booty in the pants!
Dance! Too much booty in the pants! [x7]
Dance! Dance! Dance! Dance!
[x3]
WASSAP! All the freaks out there with them big ole booties!
If you got too much booty in yo' pants,
then you want to dance,
yo T! Kick that stupid shhhhhhhhhhh
Everybody, gather around
It's the T about to throw down
If you don't know who I am,
I'm tha fool who makes you jam!
Now it's time for you to party
Feel the rhythm in yo' body
I got somethin' fo' yo' soul
Shake that booty, make it roll!
Work it work it ain't no stoppin'
Keep on keep on keep on rockin'
Twist that booty 'round and 'round
Bring it on down!
Bring it on down!
If you are a sexy cutie
And you got a big ole booty
Come on baby, come on dance
With too much booty in yo' pants
Dance! Too much booty in the pants! [x7]
Dance! Dance! Dance! Dance!
Now I got ya in the groove
Shake that booty like a fool
All the ladies with tha boo
1, 2, 3, lemme hear you say
Boom shakka lakka boom shakka lakka boom!
(Ladies: BOOM SHAKKA LAKKA BOOM SHAKKA LAKKA BOOM!)
Yeah, say boom shakka lakka boom shakka lakka boom!
(Ladies: BOOM SHAKKA LAKKA BOOM SHAKKA LAKKA BOOM!)
Aw yeah!
Come on, party people, don't stop
We gon' take it straight to tha top
Too much booty in yo' pants
Put the fellas in a trance
Yo, fellas lemme hear you say yeah!
(Fellas: YEAH!)
You like a big booty, say yeah!
(Fellas: YEAH!)
All you ladies in the house say yeah!
(Ladies: YEAH!)
If you got the big booty say yeah!
(Ladies: YEAH!)
Dance! Too much booty in the pants! [x7]
Dance! Dance! Dance! Dance!
Gotta lotta booty in ya pants, then you gotta do the! [x3]
Gotta lotta booty in ya, gotta lotta booty in ya!
(Ladies: BOOM SHAKKA LAKKA LAKKA) [x4]
Here I come, back for more
Soundmaster T on the floor
Nobody's leavin' out the door
Gonna work that booty till it's sore
Just keep on bouncin' up and down
Thats a very bad told story …
How can 24 musics can do a damage of that amount of money? Only in USA … i think its propaganda. Corruption and money suitcases …
Feed that cow you f*cks … you (labels) wont see a cent from me ever. Support small great artists that sell their albuns at small prices and go to live concerts …
Stupid Kazaa user
simply ridiculous… if someone caught me, I would have to pay 999 gazillion dollars for all the stuff I downloaded from the internet in the past 14 years.
I would get 4000 years of prison sentence.
Thats it!
From now on: go to a store and grab the cd's you want. Hide them in your jacket and just walk out.
It's much cheaper getting caught stealing a physical disc from a shop, then to download a digital copy!
The difference is that the industry doesn't care if you steal from a shop, it doesn't cost them anything. (Downloading doesn't cost them anything either, but they would like to think so.. 1 download = 1 lost sale…yea right…)
The industry is a dying business trying to grab what they can. They don't want to understand that good musicians can promote themselves nowadays, and sell without giving the record companys 90% of their money.
Why can't i just download an album & transfer 5-10 dollars to the artist directly, instead of buying it in a store for 20 dollars of which the artist gets 2 in the end!?
There's a lot of good, unknown artists i haven't heard of before downloading them. They have EARNED money BECAUSE i have downloaded them and later bought the physical album.
I'm getting real tired of living in this screwed-up world..
i dont know what im more disgusted with, the sentence or the attitudes displayed on this page. People on here are actually boasting about having such vast illegal collections – what, you want a medal? if your so righteous why not help her out financially. As a Briton, im amazed at the harshness in this verdict. she would have probably got something proportional in the uk – like a £24,000 fine and a years community service – thats 1k per song, and for a single mum its difficult, but doable and a lesson learned. Sicko "land of the free" (or in this case, land of 'RIAA financial rapage') has probably put her on suicide watch.
if a fund is set up to help her, ill definately contribute, just to spite your greedy RIAA.
very disappointing outcome, i hope she appeals and wins, you posters sicken me, if this is the america peoples general attitude, your not welcome in my country as far as im concerned.
Yes this is ridiculous, if they wanted to give her a punishment, just make her buy all the albums of the artists, she illegally downloaded from.
Not 1 million, that is just way to high!
Thank God I am outside all that crap.
The stupid thing is, I bet the 24 tracks she downloaded didn't even cost a fraction of this fine to produce by the artists and I bet they don't get to see any of this money.
What i *really* don't get than is putting those charges in context of the profit that the copyright holders made with the whole 'Rickroll' stuff…
Just about.. 11 british pounds for 154 million views on a videoclip. *HOW* can these songs be worth 2.4 million Dollars then?
This is Fraud they are trying to scare us into believing that they will not leave out any kind downloader. She is probably working with them to scare us all.
#
SS
June 19th, 2009 | 10:56
USA sucks.
#
Jack
its pathetic governments listen to music industry etc. ones more the proof of how corrupt the USA actually is. bah
bob
June 19th, 2009 | 12:15
if this is the america peoples general attitude, your not welcome in my country as far as im concerned.
————–
And all three of you should STFU as this is NOT the will of the people in the US. And need I relind you loudmouthed morons that it was the LIBERALS/SOCIALISTS that wrote and forced this law onto the books to protect their left wing buddies because they were whining about not getting paid what they wanted. Did any of you SFB whiners read the stories in the BBC and other international press about Metallica complaining about this? Or Don henley of the Eagles? Or Sheryl Crow? Or the Indigo Girls? Or Bruce Springsteen? Or Madonna? Over 97% of these people are left wing lugnuts who constantly give money to the left wing politicians who then in turn do stuff like this. So you can thank the liberals and socialists for this crap that is coming to your shores. And stop saying/thinking that you are safe where you live as The Pirate Bay used to crow about that as well….right up till they were convicted and sentenced with a pretty massive fine. As long as there is a thing like a treaty or Interpol, There is NOWHERE safe from the RIAA and the faster you understand that the safer you will be. Just ask FOSI how many times he has had to switch servers. Needz was just taken down because of an attack on a server they used and they lost everything. You stupid little whiners had better wake up to reality, and soon or you will be standing right next to her in the dock in any country that has a treaty that allows for "intellectual rights" to everyday items.
Silly whankers!
540865 Musics
1523 Movies
2903 Applications
134203 Images
1 Joint
And im still safe, being smart and cautious pays off.
They settled for only $80000 per song, when the maximum penalty could have been $150000. Also the didn't count all the 1700 titles she had shared.
I wonder why? It would have been no less of a joke if they demanded the full amount of $225000000. Or, to make it a little more drastic, expand it to $225 billion. That would teach her a lesson!
After all, she's the only reason for the decreasing profits of the music industry. And it's just fair if she has to pay for the damage she alone is responsible for.
at least she was black, who cares lmao, am i right, read the bible the old testament says all blacks should go to jail for stealing music
See what happens!!!! You do all know there is a safe and easy way to get all your tunes? It's easy! I use a trained monkey! He runs into the music store, carrying a list of albums i require. Once he has found and concealed them, he casually swings back out of the shop. Of course if he is caught, he has a cyanide pill inserted in a hollow tooth. He knows what to do! The only downside is his payment for doing the crime. Let me tell you, painting ones "private part" yellow then paying hide the banana or nd over again does become a yawn. But w00t, all those tunes from my lover monkey. Its the penk!!
May the batteries in my keyboard burn in ell. 
penk
Too much booty in the pants!
Dance! Too much booty in the pants! [x7]
Dance! Dance! Dance! Dance!
[x3]
WASSAP! All the freaks out there with them big ole booties!
If you got too much booty in yo' pants,
then you want to dance,
yo T! Kick that stupid shhhhhhhhhhh
Everybody, gather around
It's the T about to throw down
If you don't know who I am,
I'm tha fool who makes you jam!
Now it's time for you to party
Feel the rhythm in yo' body
I got somethin' fo' yo' soul
Shake that booty, make it roll!
Work it work it ain't no stoppin'
Keep on keep on keep on rockin'
Twist that booty 'round and 'round
Bring it on down!
Bring it on down!
If you are a sexy cutie
And you got a big ole booty
Come on baby, come on dance
With too much booty in yo' pants
Dance! Too much booty in the pants! [x7]
Dance! Dance! Dance! Dance!
Now I got ya in the groove
Shake that booty like a fool
All the ladies with tha boo
1, 2, 3, lemme hear you say
Boom shakka lakka boom shakka lakka boom!
(Ladies: BOOM SHAKKA LAKKA BOOM SHAKKA LAKKA BOOM!)
Yeah, say boom shakka lakka boom shakka lakka boom!
(Ladies: BOOM SHAKKA LAKKA BOOM SHAKKA LAKKA BOOM!)
Aw yeah!
Come on, party people, don't stop
We gon' take it straight to tha top
Too much booty in yo' pants
Put the fellas in a trance
Yo, fellas lemme hear you say yeah!
(Fellas: YEAH!)
You like a big booty, say yeah!
(Fellas: YEAH!)
All you ladies in the house say yeah!
(Ladies: YEAH!)
If you got the big booty say yeah!
(Ladies: YEAH!)
Dance! Too much booty in the pants! [x7]
Dance! Dance! Dance! Dance!
Gotta lotta booty in ya pants, then you gotta do the! [x3]
Gotta lotta booty in ya, gotta lotta booty in ya!
(Ladies: BOOM SHAKKA LAKKA LAKKA) [x4]
Here I come, back for more
Soundmaster T on the floor
Nobody's leavin' out the door
Gonna work that booty till it's sore
Just keep on bouncin' up and down
Demonstration of power by making a ludicrous exemple. That's not the right thing to do to impress me.
Well, if she had Dl’d 24 songs, she’s been sued twice for the same thing, so if you break it down…
…they get to sue her 22 more times!!!
You lot are harsh, come on put up some positive info on dl safely so she dont get caught again.
Also for that money she must own the rights`to the songs, so sell the comp album to Itunes and make some money un top
What a shame. But, as someone who works in the record industry, she should be glad they did not enforce rule 7. Imagine if they had asked the judge to envoke rule 7… Eeewwwwww STICKY!!!!
@64 That sounds so cool. Genuinely, I wish I had thought of that. Cheers
PS. I hope you get your keyboard ixed
if you want to continue downloading without being caught come down to South Australia. The police do most of the downloading over here.
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23495991-2682,00.html
I haven't used a single legal software in my whole life, except ubuntu 
@73
And your drivers xD
Lmao, only in the US…
Peer Guardian 2 FTW!
Maybe someone knows the list of songs in question here?
ahhh, America, land of the free and guilty.
i cant understand how woman that shared 32songs in kazza could make an 1.9 million dollar damage to music industry
????????????????????
RIAA must be feeling good right now knowing they just raped a woman up the ass.
Dang If those guys in Leverage are real defintely they will help this woman…
Oh well, one down 30,000,000 to go
Hope RIAA will drop dead one day!!! Those bastards!
Reminds me of that movie, "Runaway Jury". Actually, if you can't afford $3k settlement, doesn't matter to her if it was $100 million, bankruptcy.
"She had been convicted previously, in October 2007, and ordered to pay $US220,000 ($A275,000) in damages but the judge who presided over that trial threw out the verdict calling it “wholly disproportionate” and “oppressive”."
So she's just stupid.
The MPAA and the RIAA are desperately trying to reform copyright laws globally. When the leaders of other countries see stories like this, does the MPAA and RIAA not realize these stories only help the opposition of new copyright legislation in other countries. MORONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lol, by this account, I owe the RIAA 1,038,400,000. give or take a million…
After reading this I didn't even flinch when I downloaded another album on the other tab…
I must say, 100 years from now this laws will be remembered as the "Capitalist Inquisition", for all those who oppose the RIAA inquisitors, awaits nothing but a life time of pennants, and slavery at 2$ an hour.
indeed, this are dark times…
I know at least two guys, who've been stockpile rifles, hate the government with fanatical "I have 'Paper Street Company' tattooed on my ass" fever, and are ready to take down anyone who takes the wrong step on their yard.
this guys both download music, and plenty, so when the RIAA comes knocking down, they'll be enjoying a muzzle hospitality.
One of them already did some time for shooting a guy who was stupid enough to try steal his car; which is of course as good a reason as any to shoot a person, but do try not doing so with a hot M4, and a freaking hand-grenade… even the cops around here know not messing with this lunatic…
Is that figure a factor of 100 out?
Christ this is almost like the Spanish Inquisition.SHAME on the RIAA (The Gestapo of the modern era) and the American legal system that allows this gross miscarriage of justice to flourish.24 songs equals 1 CD in most marketing schemes,worth maybe 12 dollars.
is this the matrix we live in i would have taken
the red pill ignorance is bliss
How much would that work out to for every song/movie/tv show/app/game link posted on this site @ $80k each? More money than exists in the world probably…
the record companies should understand that if they didn't spend all their money on the RIAA, they could decrease the price on their music and albums, making illegal downloads decrease a little.
Some English sheep-shaggers got fined in Yorkshire in england for $4000 last month. In the local news.
This is a disgrace…can't believe they want a single mother of four to pay that much….for a few songs ffs…this will make more ppl want to go out and not pay for music, to keep it out of the hands of greedy corporate moguls !!
RIAA…you suck donkey balls !
Americans… Surely they will collapse. I'm just afraid whole world will go with them, their culture and way of life is widespread.
really?!? my ipod is now worth over 1,000,000,000
awesome!
dear RIAA,
Im not afraid!
v
I respect copyrights, licenses, etc. but $2.4M for 24 songs is too harsh.
Let me think, if the fine includes the amount she "stolen" because she's also distributing the songs, maybe those who downloaded it from her should be free from any future charges cos she'll already be covering for them. Imagine there's 100 people downloading and sharing just the 24 songs, each individual will be fined with $2.4M.. $240M.. whoa, RIAA can make a living by just suing/winning in court.
@ 48
well, the courts are not full of republicans. and majority of the senate is democratic liberals that like making all these stupid laws and that like making thegovernment bigger.
plus, the "great one" (self proclaimed i believe) obama is trying to pass a law where customs has the right to check all portable media players and laptops for illegal downloads. last time i checked obama isn't a republican. apparently you aren't an american.
i do agree with whom ever said that someone should maybe build a site to donate and help this woman out. i would definitely contribute.
signing out
Texas Republican
Comments(125)