In 2008 The RIAA Paid Out $16M, Recovered $391,000
The amount that the RIAA paid out to its lawyers in 2008? $16,000,000. The amount that the RIAA recovered as a result of their efforts? $391,000.
"So all in all, for a 3 year period," Ray Beckermann reports "they spent around $64,000,000 in legal and investigative expenses to recover around $1,361,000."
Priceless.
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I don’t think the overall purpose is to recover more money that they use. They want to scare the “fans”, and that might have saved for money than 16 millions (not that I like the way they do it!)
The point is to try and combat piracy. Whether this is achieved (or even achievable) is debatable. The fact is that they are actually trying, which is commendable. They don’t make a loss fighting it so why shouldn’t they fight it? Piracy is an inevitable part of the business but the fact that the RIAA is actually trying to protect Artists’ rights (and record companies, songwriters etc) is a good thing. Imagine the criticism if they were to do nothing at all…! Funny how there’s always a side to criticize from- regardless of the side from which you are looking at things.
Fighting against the wind… Again. Without gain.
Lawrence Lessig exposed the difference between a rival and a non-rival good : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-rival_good
Some of in this Industry – like Radiohead or Misteur Valaire – already understand that we just can’t force people to buy something the don’t perceive the value. As well as you can’t send in jail a whole generation.
If the consumers don’t want to adapt themselves to your needs, then start listening to their needs and adapt yourself to them.
Whether you fight against the wind… Or you use it to go forward.
RIAA’s choice is unfortunately not forward thinking.
this might have been a non-issue had the riaa approached this with more open thinking from the beginning: http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-243463.html
cliff notes: although cd sales declined a bit in the early 00s (this is about a report published in 2000) *napster users* bought MORE music. instead of really paying attention to the data (pay close attention to the quote from hillary rosen at the end) they forged ahead with the old way of thinking–“home taping is killing music!” taping didn’t kill music and neither did napster–the industry’s RESPONSE is doing that.