Woman fined $1.9 million for downloading 24 songs

Tim's gotta get out his trusty scientific calculator for this one!

Twenty-four music tracks costing 99 cents each comes out to - hmm, 24 times 0.99 - that's $23.76.

Hmm, my calculator must be broken - because the RIAA just said it comes out to $1,900,000.

That's the sum that a Minnesota mother of 4 has been ordered to pay in a federal trial, after she was found to have downloaded these 24 songs. (I'd also like to know what "evidence" the RIAA used to find that she had illegally downloaded them.)

She has to pay $1,900,000 for 24 songs? Is the RIAA crazy, greedy, or both?

Hell, people out there who have been pirating my book don't have to pay a penny.

I doubt the songwriters, musicians, or singers will even see a dime of this $1,900,000. The RIAA represents corporations, not artists. Most of the money you spend when you buy music goes to big record labels who gouge performers and writers.

In fact, I doubt anyone will see much of this $1,900,000. The defendant in this case doesn't have even close to $1,900,000.

The states or the federal government need to rein in the RIAA for its ongoing threats and court filings against members of the public, many of whom have never used a computer in their lives. The RIAA has even assembled a private force to impersonate police to raid folks' houses. Where I come from, we call the RIAA's acts racketeering.

(Source: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/06/18/minnesota.music.download.fine)