Group #3 : Joseph Herron, Ashly Iacullo, Kimberlee Jones, Joseph Moore, Flavio Mota & Marianne

Group #3 : Joseph Herron, Ashly Iacullo, Kimberlee Jones, Joseph Moore, Flavio Mota & Marianne Timm

URL #1

How to not get sued by the RIAA for File-Sharing

Content:
Points out the up-and-coming lawsuits by the RIAA and how to navigate around them. Gives a link to allow file-sharers the access to the subpoenas issued as a result of the lawsuits to search for their names. Explains the technology and how to remove your computer’s files from harm’s way. Highlights the developers for identification of the files and provides information for advocates of file-sharing to get involved with the effort to make it legal.

Impact:

Provides an education on file-sharing and the lawsuits that are forthcoming for potentials litigants, defendants and the law professionals who would defend either side.

URL # 2:

Non-Infringing Uses of Gnutella.

Content Description:

This website provides a brief description of what a P2P is and the difference between this system and Napster. The main focus of this website though, is to demonstrate and explore all of the non-infringing uses this system allows. The website provides a detailed list of non-infringing uses and encourages others to share their non-infringing uses of a P2P if it is not listed.

Impact:

The website seems like a good starting place for lawyers or students who do not understand the difference between the P2P system and Napster. Also, it provides a quick way to find out what the different non-infrining uses are for a P2P. However, the website has not been updated since November 2002, so it may be a little out of date. It is a quick place to start, but more follow-up research would definitely be needed. The website is also very biased in favor of the P2P technology, yet it opposes using this technology for copyright infringement.

URL #3

Voice of the Peer to Peer’s Leading Companies

Description:

This site puts out information on behalf of the larger peer-to-peer companies such as Bearshare, eDonkey, Blubster, Grokster, and Morpheus. P2P United works with both the P2P develops and the governments involved in legislating use on the Internet. They deal with international issues in Europe and domestically with the US Government. The site contains a code of conduct for the participating corporations. The site has a FAQ section that talks about some issues generally for the public.

Impact:

This site seems to be a good source to track the legal landscape of P2P legislation and litigation. As with other sites, the political influence asks people to write to support or oppose current legislation on P2P issues. In addition to the political landscape, the current litigation section is valuable to assess the implications of upcoming decisions and the battles that are currently being fought.