The minds at the RIAA must have thought economists of the future would describe their innovative business model -- suing their customers -- with flowery adjectives such as “brilliant” and “good.” So, it must really hurt to hear their practices being described as a campaign of “sham litigation.” Shahanda Moelle Moursy, a North Carolina resident, was a defendant in such a sham lawsuit with the RIAA, and she has had it. She is suing the RIAA (along with Vivendi Universal, Warner Music, Sony BMG, Motown Records, Safenet, and MediaSentry) for abusing the legal system. According to Moursy's attorney:
These suits are designed to attract media attention, and often do, as stories emerge of [the RIAA, etc.]’s suits against the elderly, disabled, technologically clueless, and other vulnerable victims. Many of these victims have no idea how to operate a computer, let alone how to install and use peer-to-peer networking software to exchange music they would not likely be listening to anyway. But actual innocence is rarely a consideration.
Along with the much dugg Pirate Bay trial (which ends today), this lawsuit against the RIAA represents yet another blow to the current system of record sales, distribution, and the corresponding enforcement suits. It will be interesting to watch this case unfold.
