On January 24, Rob Froetscher wrote a piece in the Declaration, an irreverent and incredibly intelligent news and entertainment weekly at the University of Virginia, about a new way to get music for free: take out CDs from the Music Library and burn them on your computer. Wrote Froetscher:
Despite how legal or illegal copying library CDs onto your computer is, it sure seems way more legal than downloading music illegally (Don’t worry, its still illegal enough to get that thrill of being a badass). What’s more is that you are doing UVa a proud service by adding good music to its library.
How legal or illegal it turned out to be was illegal enough for University Judiciary Committee charges to be filed against him this week. Maura O’Keefe wrote in today’s Cavalier Daily:
Though Froetscher may be unsure of the legality of his actions, University Law Prof. Glen Robinson said Froetscher’s article describes activity that is certainly illegal.
“It’s like taking a book out of the library and slapping it on the Xerox machine,” Robinson said. “What is the difference between [copying a CD] and taking it out of the store?”
Robinson added that Froetscher’s article certainly could be used against him in his trial.
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Tagged as: Government, Music, University of Virginia, UVA, Virginia
since he never explicitly states in the article that he copied the CD, he will likely win the UJC case. provided he was smart enough to wipe his HDD. i still think he’s an idiot tho.
http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/8057/riaapy0.jpg
Mmmmm…I’d like to get some opinions about the current music downloading/piracy/legality issues from some other Villains. I struggle with it on a lot of levels.
It’s weird to think about how everything has gotten so controlled and so legally complex in the digital age. I remember being a teenager and staying up for the bullshit “hot 10 at 10″ or whatever it was way back when radio stations would play the top singles at a certain time. I’d have my cassette tapes in my recorder and I’d hit record just as the songs started and ended. I never bought cassette singles as a youngster, just blank tapes. No one ever bothered me, or anyone else. I also remember getting a dual cassette deck player and borrowing cassettes from friends and dubbing them. Then came the whole tape trading deal with Phish shows and I was off…I’ve been getting free music ever since.
Is it just because things are more publicized now with the internet that the illegal downloads or this library thing are a big deal? I don’t know of ANYONE that hasn’t borrowed a CD and imported it into iTunes without paying for it at least a few times. I also know some sites like Oink were a little over the top in terms of freebies but some artists (like Radiohead) have embraced the digital age and are finding success.
I don’t want to ramble on further but I do think that we’ve all been guilty on some level…
About the article though…hardly on the DL…lol…
@1, I agree. Legally I think he’s ok. It’s like a guy on camera smoking a J, but calling it a “hand rolled tobacco cigarette.” It’s hard to prove.
I, too went throught the cassette tape era. Man, welcome the internet, huh? Anyway, I’ve always tried to buy cds of smaller local, up-and-coming bands that I think will really need and see the money. If I can buy it at a show, or from their website, I’ll do that. Bigger bands that I’ll pay $40+ a ticket to go see live, I don’t mind pirating thier music.
According to the RIAA, even copying CDs you’ve purchased to you computer “may not be legal”, let alone CDs you’ve borrowed. Sounds like UVa Law Prof. Glen Robinson feels similarly. If I were Rob Froetscher, I’d probably consult a practicing lawyer. Of course, I’d probably also sue the University for any costs I incurred defending myself.