Post: The $75,000,000,000,000 lawsuit against LimeWire
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03-25-2011, 11:01 PM
#1
I-MilkShake-I
Gym leader
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No, that is not a typo. LimeWire is being sued for more money than what physically exists as cash on the planet today. Apologies if you folks already discussed this, but perhaps one more refresher just to grasp the scope of it all:
Does $75 trillion even exist? The thirteen record companies that are suing file-sharing company Lime Wire for copyright infringement certainly thought so. When they won a summary judgment ruling last May they demanded damages that could reach this mind-boggling amount, which is more than five times the national debt.
Manhattan federal district court judge Kimba Wood, however, saw things differently. She labeled the record companies' damages request "absurd" and contrary to copyright laws in a 14-page opinion.
The record companies, which had demanded damages ranging from $400 billion to $75 trillion, had argued that Section 504(c)(1) of the Copyright Act provided for damages for each instance of infringement where two or more parties were liable. For a popular site like Lime Wire, which had thousands of users and millions of downloads, Wood held that the damage award would be staggering under this interpretation. "If plaintiffs were able to pursue a statutory damage theory predicated on the number of direct infringers per work, defendants' damages could reach into the trillions," she wrote. "As defendants note, plaintiffs are suggesting an award that is 'more money than the entire music recording industry has made since Edison's invention of the phonograph in 1877.'"
No, that is not a typo. LimeWire is being sued for more money than what physically exists as cash on the planet today. Apologies if you folks already discussed this, but perhaps one more refresher just to grasp the scope of it all:
Does $75 trillion even exist? The thirteen record companies that are suing file-sharing company Lime Wire for copyright infringement certainly thought so. When they won a summary judgment ruling last May they demanded damages that could reach this mind-boggling amount, which is more than five times the national debt.
Manhattan federal district court judge Kimba Wood, however, saw things differently. She labeled the record companies' damages request "absurd" and contrary to copyright laws in a 14-page opinion.
The record companies, which had demanded damages ranging from $400 billion to $75 trillion, had argued that Section 504(c)(1) of the Copyright Act provided for damages for each instance of infringement where two or more parties were liable. For a popular site like Lime Wire, which had thousands of users and millions of downloads, Wood held that the damage award would be staggering under this interpretation. "If plaintiffs were able to pursue a statutory damage theory predicated on the number of direct infringers per work, defendants' damages could reach into the trillions," she wrote. "As defendants note, plaintiffs are suggesting an award that is 'more money than the entire music recording industry has made since Edison's invention of the phonograph in 1877.'"
03-26-2011, 01:09 AM
#50
Winning
Former Staff
Originally posted by Camaro
So? Wow look how many people thanked him for it. 2 not including you.. Obviously no one cares... And btw nice insult, dickhead? What are you 10?
The thread literally was started 5 minutes ago. Already has 2 noms, and 3 thanks. People care. These ****ing copy/pasters are ruining the GD.
03-26-2011, 01:13 AM
#51
Camaro
Chevy Runs Deep
Originally posted by Unsuccessful
The thread literally was started 5 minutes ago. Already has 2 noms, and 3 thanks. People care. These ****ing copy/pasters are ruining the GD.
Oh cool, still I don't think many people actually care about people who copy and paste... Sure it's not the right thing to do, but spreading news is spreading news, and honestly if I was interested in the topic, I could care less if they copied and pasted or if they summarized it, I'm just thankful for the information.
03-26-2011, 01:15 AM
#52
Winning
Former Staff
Originally posted by Camaro
Oh cool, still I don't think many people actually care about people who copy and paste... Sure it's not the right thing to do, but spreading news is spreading news, and honestly if I was interested in the topic, I could care less if they copied and pasted or if they summarized it, I'm just thankful for the information.
If i wanted news in my bowl of NextGenUpdate soup, known as the General Discussion. I would watch the news on TV, or go to Yahoo.
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03-26-2011, 02:04 AM
#54
03-26-2011, 02:08 AM
#55
Rath
Today Will Be Different
Originally posted by I
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No, that is not a typo. LimeWire is being sued for more money than what physically exists as cash on the planet today. Apologies if you folks already discussed this, but perhaps one more refresher just to grasp the scope of it all:
Does $75 trillion even exist? The thirteen record companies that are suing file-sharing company Lime Wire for copyright infringement certainly thought so. When they won a summary judgment ruling last May they demanded damages that could reach this mind-boggling amount, which is more than five times the national debt.
Manhattan federal district court judge Kimba Wood, however, saw things differently. She labeled the record companies' damages request "absurd" and contrary to copyright laws in a 14-page opinion.
The record companies, which had demanded damages ranging from $400 billion to $75 trillion, had argued that Section 504(c)(1) of the Copyright Act provided for damages for each instance of infringement where two or more parties were liable. For a popular site like Lime Wire, which had thousands of users and millions of downloads, Wood held that the damage award would be staggering under this interpretation. "If plaintiffs were able to pursue a statutory damage theory predicated on the number of direct infringers per work, defendants' damages could reach into the trillions," she wrote. "As defendants note, plaintiffs are suggesting an award that is 'more money than the entire music recording industry has made since Edison's invention of the phonograph in 1877.'"
No, that is not a typo. LimeWire is being sued for more money than what physically exists as cash on the planet today. Apologies if you folks already discussed this, but perhaps one more refresher just to grasp the scope of it all:
Does $75 trillion even exist? The thirteen record companies that are suing file-sharing company Lime Wire for copyright infringement certainly thought so. When they won a summary judgment ruling last May they demanded damages that could reach this mind-boggling amount, which is more than five times the national debt.
Manhattan federal district court judge Kimba Wood, however, saw things differently. She labeled the record companies' damages request "absurd" and contrary to copyright laws in a 14-page opinion.
The record companies, which had demanded damages ranging from $400 billion to $75 trillion, had argued that Section 504(c)(1) of the Copyright Act provided for damages for each instance of infringement where two or more parties were liable. For a popular site like Lime Wire, which had thousands of users and millions of downloads, Wood held that the damage award would be staggering under this interpretation. "If plaintiffs were able to pursue a statutory damage theory predicated on the number of direct infringers per work, defendants' damages could reach into the trillions," she wrote. "As defendants note, plaintiffs are suggesting an award that is 'more money than the entire music recording industry has made since Edison's invention of the phonograph in 1877.'"
I wouldn't doubt it. My neighbor got taken to court for using limewire to pirate songs. At the time no one really knew it was illegal. But I guess the Record Labels realized you can't really go after the people who use LimeWire because they don't know better. I mean there wasn't any real disclaimers saying "Hey, your breaking the law moron" etc. Sorta like an idiot light. But I can't wait to see how LimeWire is going to pull all this money out of their ass :carling:
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