more on RIAA Sues a 12-year old girl

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

I assume you try to sue the parents djf

Date: Tue, 09 Sep 2003 11:31:24 -0500
From: Adam L Beberg <beberg () mithral com>
Subject: Re: [IP] RIAA Sues a 12-year old girl
To: dave () farber net


Hi Dave,

The net and press coverage of this one has a very surreal feel to it. 
People are embracing one change - that the CDROM model is dead, long live 
iTunes, while ignoring one that goes far beyond music.

In 1997 a survey of 12-18 year old kids found the average allowance was 
$100/week (Ohio St. U). That was a collective $1B/week in 100% 
discretionary spending power. I've had a cash card since I was 15 - and 
that was 15 years ago. Now it's trivial for even the 13+ crowd and the 
family dog to get one.

Let me spell it out - purchasing power is increasingly in the hands of 
minors not subject to contract law, copyright law, click-wraps, or anything 
else. Legally they are non-entities. The RIAA's target market is those 
minors and their bank accounts. So how do you do business when your 
customer base is immune to the law? We're all watching them flop around 
like a fish out of water, completely helpless.

It would be hard to find a kindergarden grad that doesn't understand 
exactly what stealing is. Time to change some age limits.

- Adam L. Beberg - beberg () mithral com
  http://www.mithral.com/~beberg/

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