Breaking Windows

Now, in an unusual case in which an Arizona recipient of an RIAA letter has fought back in court rather than write a check to avoid hefty legal fees, the industry is taking its argument against music sharing one step further: In legal documents in its federal case against Jeffrey Howell, a Scottsdale, Ariz., man who kept a collection of about 2,000 music recordings on his personal computer, the industry maintains that it is illegal for someone who has legally purchased a CD to transfer that music into his computer.

The industry's lawyer in the case, Ira Schwartz, argues in a brief filed earlier this month that the MP3 files Howell made on his computer from legally bought CDs are "unauthorized copies" of copyrighted recordings.

Did that just sink in? The RIAA is saying that it it is illegal for someone who has legally purchased a CD to transfer that music into his computer.

What. The. Hell. This is simply going too far. I mean the RIAA is well known for spreading FUD, but this is a new low for them. It is like the DMCA times infinity bad, or something.

I pray for the human race a little more each time I read something like this.