RIAA hiring goon squads to track down "pirates"

[DevilsChild]

At first, the RIAA was content with suing teenagers for sharing files on p2p networks. Now they're hiring ex-cops to stage raids on taco stands suspected of selling "pirated" material:

http://www.laweekly.com/ink/04/07/news-sullivan.php

"The RIAA saw it differently. Figuring the discs were bootlegs, a four-man RIAA squad descended on his stand a few days before Christmas and persuaded the 4-foot-11 Borrayo to hand over voluntarily a total of 78 discs. It wasn’t a tough sell."

I hope the RIAA doesn't try doing this in states with concealed handgun laws. People generally don't like it when you try to take their property without due process of law...

[sxd]

"A large percentage [of the vendors] are of a Hispanic nature," Langley said. "Today he’s Jose Rodriguez, tomorrow he’s Raul something or other, and tomorrow after that he’s something else. These people change their identity all the time. A picture’s worth a thousand words."

Um... I don't really like the sound of that.

"They tried to scare me," Borrayo said. "They told me, ‘You’re a pirate!’ I said, ‘C’mon, guys, pirates are all at sea. I just work in a parking lot.’ "

Heh, that's great.

This really scares me though. How long before it's not just bootleggers, but people who copy their friends' CDs and others?

[wmansir]

While I agree with what they are doing (going after actual bootleggers) I don't agree with their method. Do they really need to look like a SWAT team? If you listen the the RIAA it sounds like a very civilized matter. "If they’d like to voluntarily turn the product over to us, we’ll destroy it, and we agree we won’t sue"..Oh, and while were talking it over we are wearing masks and pointing guns them.

Not that the article mentioned them carrying guns, but it's all just an intimidation method and it is intended to make them appear to be a government authority. I'm sure the language barrier doesn't help this matter.