Industry Group Pays Child's RIAA Fine

P2P United, a newly formed industry trade association, says it will pay the $2000 fine imposed on 12-year-old Brianna LaHara by the recording industry for illegally downloading music from the Internet. The fine was the result of a settlement reached Tuesday between the Recording Industry Association of America and the girl's single mother.

The RIAA has filed 261 lawsuits against music enthusiasts who, the group alleges, have uploaded more than 1000 files using online music-sharing services such as Kazaa and Grokster. This was the first settlement the group has reached to date.

Also, a Californian has filed a countersuit over the RIAA's Clean Sweep amnesty program for repentant file-sharers, contending it is deceptive.

RIAA Derided

But the executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based P2P United, Adam Eisgrau, says the RIAA should pick on someone its own size, not a little girl who downloaded songs like "If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands."

He is also calling on the RIAA to abandon its campaign and stop going after children and grandparents--one RIAA target is a 71-year-old grandfather. Eisgrau contends the RIAA is taking its legal action because it fears technology and is unable to embrace it.

The RIAA couldn't be reached for comment.

Debate Urged

Eisgrau says legal and policy questions need to be addressed in regard to peer-to-peer file-sharing, but those debates should take place in courts of law and the halls of Congress.

"We don't condone copyright infringement, but it's time for the RIAA's winged monkeys to fly back to the castle and leave the munchkins alone," Eisgrau says in a statement. P2P United consists of six of the largest file-sharing Web sites, including Grokster, StreamCast Networks (which owns Morpheus), and BearShare.

P2P United took its stance to draw the attention of policymakers and the public to the situation, Eisgrau adds. He also notes that while his group was able to help in this particular situation, it can't and won't be able to do so again.

The IDG News Service contributed to this report.