Ithaca Times – National News — This is rich. I can assure you that this suit will only progress if there is some real fraud involved. Otherwise it could lead to action against (get this) gun manufacturers. Seriously, this defendant should contact the NRA immediate for a free lawyer. Think about it.
Jan. 19–Wayne Chang hopes to return to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst this year to finish up a business degree. But he might not be altogether welcome on campus, since dozens of his fellow students are threatening to sue him for $157,500.
That’s what it will cost the students to settle lawsuits from music recording companies, which claim the students illegally distributed copyrighted tunes over the Internet using a file-swapping service founded by Chang and called i2hub. Chang said he had no idea students would use his system for illegal activity. But the UMass-Amherst students say i2hub’s advertising misled them into believing that the file swapping was legal. They want Chang’s now-defunct service to pay the damages.
It reminds me of the last computer show I went to. There were several tables where venders were selling CDs that were clearly marked “not for sale without new hardware” or something similar. What they were doing was clearly illegal. Now should the vender/buyer be arrested or the guy providing the building where the show was taking place?
To me it sounds like the buyers/sellers want to sue the building owner for giving them a place to commit their crime.
Clog the courts! Filibuster, drag your feet, kick, scream!
Unless Chang encouraged people to illegally download the music and charged a fee then I don’t understand how he could be responsible for the other student’s actions.
What a load of *beep* *beep* *beep*!
These lame-o students haave found their scapegoat and are kicking and screaming to save their hindesides.
This is the height, it’s like suing Einstein for writing “E=MC2” on a blackboard.
To the UMass-Amherst students: Go find a shrink and stop acting like loonies and destroying the few smart developers that are left out there!
I agree the students are looking for a scapegoat to get out of the suits filed against them. However, when Chang says “he had no idea students would use his system for illegal activity,” give me a break!
This is like telling me that people sell RADAR detectors don’t expect me to speed on public roads.
The only reason he wasn’t sued by RIAA himself was because he closed shop as soon as the courts ruled that his site could be held liable.
Now, do I agree with RIAA? Hardly. But, Chang knew what he was doing and what he was promoting. No, he didn’t come out and tell people to use it as an I2 Napster, but, people who sell RADAR detectors don’t tell you to speed either.