RIAA does not have godlike legal powers

A ROBED but not wigged one has told legal eagles working for the Recording Industry Association that the outfit does not have the supreme legal powers that it thinks it has.

RIAA lawyers had demanded full access to Tanya Andersen's computer so that it could prove that she had downloaded files. Anderson claims that she has not downloaded files in her life and has counter-sued the RIAA with a racketeering charge.

She opposed giving the RIAA unlimited access to her computer because she felt that was a violation of her privacy, because it would allow the outfit to look at files that have nothing to do with the case.

Much to the RIAA's surprise judge Donald Ashmanskas agreed with her. He told her to get an independent forensics expert and get the RIAA to foot the bill.

It seems the courts are getting fed up with the recording industry's guilty until innocent approach.

When the RIAA first made its accusation against Anderson, she claims they refused to accept that there was anyway that they could be wrong about her downloading music. All they told her was they wanted a few thousand dollars to go away.

More here. µ