I was wondering IF it is possible, and if so, HOW for a copyright gestapo organisation (e.g RIAA) to sue someone for DOWNLOADING? I understand how they could sue someone for uploading..... that person is distributing their copyright material for free and the copyright gestapo can easily find out by simply d/l'ing the file and getting their IP address. However, i've heard recently of the MPAA issuing warnings to people that have been DOWNLOADING movies etc. The only way i can see this would be possible is if the MPAA PUT THEIR OWN COPYRIGHT MATERIAL ONLINE FOR OTHERS TO DOWNLOAD FOR FREE. If not, can anyone explain how/why?

I remember when Madonna complained that Napster stole her unreleased song (I think it was Hey DJ at the time). I'm like, Hello, unreleased, where in the hell do you think it came from? Only way is from one of your own peeps took it and started to share it out on napsters network.

Some people just don't think.

the only way they would know if you are downloading would be if you were downloading from them directly (ie bait tactic)

Sharing is a different matter cause they can find out what files you have because thats how p2p networks work

so if they were using "bait" for people to download (like the MPAA has been doing on Bittorrent) wouldn't that be deemed as offering their own content for free on that network.... rendering it un-sue-able? And also even if they did try to sue someone wouldn't there be some form of entrapment law against that sort of behavior in any country?

As far as i see it, offering your own material on a network for free for someone to download and then suing them for copyright infringement (even though they offered it for free in the first place) constitutes entrapment or just plain stupidity and in no way a judge would rule in favour of the copyright holder in that situation? Someone correct me if im wrong please.... I am not a lawyer (IANAL) but thats just my humble opinion and that may become a tactic of the copyright gestapo (RIAA etc,) if not, already is.

id consider it entrapment. but then again the riaa has high level washington lobbies.

Remember they were saying they were going to put viruses out to stop file sharing. and tried to get a bill passed to make it legal for them to dos attack file hosters etc (ie illegal stuff)

Reminds me of the episode of south park where chef gets sued by the record producer. "I AM ABOVE THE LAW"

What happend to privacy? Isnt RIAA break the law or they things
like South Park chief that they are above the law?
Also I have to ask a question about divx subtitles. Here in Turkey
we had web site allowes people to find only subtitles for original
dvd converted dvix movies. A few days ago they received a letter
from one law firm represented US companies like Warner, Universal etc. asking them to close sharing subtitles because that
was illegal and cancell membership of those who continue share
"illegal subtitles" as their said. Now site has avaliable only forum
section, first page is in dark. Web site is www.divxtr.org