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Girl, 12, Settles Piracy Suit for $2,000
Tue Sep 9, 7:19 PM ET


By TED BRIDIS, AP Technology Writer

WASHINGTON - A 12-year-old girl in New York who was among the first to be sued by the record industry for sharing music over the Internet is off the hook after her mother agreed Tuesday to pay $2,000 to settle the lawsuit, apologizing and admitting that her daughter's actions violated U.S. copyright laws.

The hurried settlement involving Brianna LaHara, an honors student, was the first announced one day after the Recording Industry Association of America filed 261 such lawsuits across the country. Lawyers for the RIAA said Brianna's mother, Sylvia Torres, contacted them early Tuesday to negotiate.

"We understand now that file-sharing the music was illegal," Torres said in a statement distributed by the recording industry. "You can be sure Brianna won't be doing it anymore."

Brianna added: "I am sorry for what I have done. I love music and don't want to hurt the artists I love."

The case against Brianna was a potential minefield for the music industry from a public relations standpoint. The family lives in a city housing project on New York's Upper West Side, and they said they mistakenly believed they were entitled to download music over the Internet because they had paid $29.99 for software that gives them access to online file-sharing services.

Even in the hours before the settlement was announced, Brianna was emerging as an example of what critics said was overzealous enforcement by the powerful music industry.

The top lawyer for Verizon Communications Inc. charged earlier Tuesday during a Senate hearing that music lawyers had resorted to a "campaign against 12-year-old girls" rather than trying to help consumers turn to legal sources for songs online. Verizon's Internet subsidiary is engaged in a protracted legal fight against the RIAA over copyright subpoenas sent Verizon customers.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., also alluded to Brianna's case.

"Are you headed to junior high schools to round up the usual suspects?" Durbin asked RIAA President Cary Sherman during a Senate Judiciary hearing.

Durbin said he appreciated the piracy threat to the recording industry, but added, "I think you have a tough public relations campaign to go after the offenders without appearing heavy-handed in the process."

Sherman responded that most people don't shoplift because they fear they'll be arrested.

"We're trying to let people know they may get caught, therefore they should not engage in this behavior," Sherman said. "Yes, there are going to be some kids caught in this, but you'd be surprised at how many adults are engaged in this activity."

Archived topic from Iceteks, old topic ID:1305, old post ID:11471

Well they settled that one in a hurry. $2000 is pretty lower for all the damge claims they've been making too. Avoidance of a PR disaster for the RIAA? Maybe, but I think the stigma of this is going to hang around for a while. If they didn't have a stranglehold on the entire music industry, they'd be dead. I mean what kind of business model puts so much emphasis on alienating your own customers?

Archived topic from Iceteks, old topic ID:1305, old post ID:11472

That was quick. Still horrible of the RIAA to do this. I guess while some thought they were fooling around at start, now we know they ain't fooling around that's for sure. I just wonder what they are planing to do with all this money. That's something that scares me.

Archived topic from Iceteks, old topic ID:1305, old post ID:11473

hmm well guess downloading music is gonna come to a stop but this just makes you wonder did thay get the information the "legal" way or did thay hack in to her computer to get the info needed to file a case? such as names and address

and its not the artists that we are ripping off lmao we are ripping off the record industry and thay rip off our artists cuz i dont think our artists care if ppl get there music free just as long as there music is heard cuz thay only get one check from the record industry and thay make the rest playing live lmao

Archived topic from Iceteks, old topic ID:1305, old post ID:11483

True, the artists are the ones getting ripped off by the riaa and we simply help by distributing their music.

What's madning is that the riaa does it illegally, but because they are the riaa they have that right. That's what pisses me off about them. I suppose it's the US government that gives them special rights to break the law. The law is the law and it should be the same for everyone!

Archived topic from Iceteks, old topic ID:1305, old post ID:11488

My thought on the whole fiasco was, if the girl paid 29.99 for the service, that should prove that she didn't know she was doing anything wrong. What was the service fee for?

The family is living in a low income housing facility, where is the $2000 coming from?

Archived topic from Iceteks, old topic ID:1305, old post ID:11495

yep, so true!

Archived topic from Iceteks, old topic ID:1305, old post ID:11496