Fight, don’t settle, on RIAA lawsuits

Dear Editor:

A while back I became aware that the Recording Industry Association of America was going after individual students at UCSD for infringing on the copyrights of some very rich music artists. I want to encourage those who are targeted by the RIAA to not settle and instead fight their lawsuits. Mark Cuban, (owner of the Dallas Mavericks and founder of a successful online multimedia enterprise) makes an excellent point in his blog (http://www.blogmaverick.com) that states that instead of going about file sharing illegally, people can now listen to music at a market rate of roughly $5 a month. This is the selling point of Yahoo’s new music service. It is important to note that the RIAA represents the same industry scandalous for its pay-for-play antics.

By mounting a challenge to the RIAA’s bullish tactics, a consciousness will arise to put the power in the voice of the consumer and redistribute revenue to the people that create music culture in America, instead of those that ride its shirttails.

— Michael Nitzani

UCSD alumnus