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RIAA response regarding copyright infringement lawsuits
by Jill Aho | Senior News Editor
Q: Where were the lawsuits formally filed? Did that happen today?
A: The lawsuits were filed in the closest federal district court to the internet service provider yesterday, August 8, 2007.
Q: How much was the offer for original settlement? One student paper reported the amount was as high as $5,000. Why so much?
A: Because these are private settlement agreements, we will decline - as we have always done - to disclose such figures. Suffice to say, though, as a general rule, the earlier an individual settles in the process, the better the proposed settlement. The later someone settles - for example, after we have filed a "Doe" suit or the next step - against the individual as a named defendant - the settlement offers incrementally increase. However, keep in mind that this amount is still far, far less than what the law allows.
Q: There were 17 UO students originally notified of pending litigation, and the new release says 17 UO network users are subject to the lawsuit filed today. Did any of the students attempt to contact you?
A: We do not publicly release that information. However, while we request that universities forward our pre-litigation letters to their students and strongly encourage schools to do so, it is up to school officials to determine their compliance.
Q: Is RIAA hoping all those involved in the lawsuits will just settle out of court?
A: The pre-settlement letters that we send to universities with the request that they will forward them on to the appropriate network user allow students the opportunity to settle at a substantially discounted rate, while also avoiding a mark on their public record. As always, we encourage anyone who faces a suit to seek legal advice. We created the website www.p2plawsuits.com to serve as an informational tool for the recipients of our letters. On the site you can see a list of some of the most frequently asked questions posed by those involved in a copyright infringement suit and our answers. You can also find settlement information.
A: The lawsuits were filed in the closest federal district court to the internet service provider yesterday, August 8, 2007.
Q: How much was the offer for original settlement? One student paper reported the amount was as high as $5,000. Why so much?
A: Because these are private settlement agreements, we will decline - as we have always done - to disclose such figures. Suffice to say, though, as a general rule, the earlier an individual settles in the process, the better the proposed settlement. The later someone settles - for example, after we have filed a "Doe" suit or the next step - against the individual as a named defendant - the settlement offers incrementally increase. However, keep in mind that this amount is still far, far less than what the law allows.
Q: There were 17 UO students originally notified of pending litigation, and the new release says 17 UO network users are subject to the lawsuit filed today. Did any of the students attempt to contact you?
A: We do not publicly release that information. However, while we request that universities forward our pre-litigation letters to their students and strongly encourage schools to do so, it is up to school officials to determine their compliance.
Q: Is RIAA hoping all those involved in the lawsuits will just settle out of court?
A: The pre-settlement letters that we send to universities with the request that they will forward them on to the appropriate network user allow students the opportunity to settle at a substantially discounted rate, while also avoiding a mark on their public record. As always, we encourage anyone who faces a suit to seek legal advice. We created the website www.p2plawsuits.com to serve as an informational tool for the recipients of our letters. On the site you can see a list of some of the most frequently asked questions posed by those involved in a copyright infringement suit and our answers. You can also find settlement information.
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