16 Year Old Takes On The Slimey Record Execs

Teen Strikes Back in Clash With Record Labels

Robert Santangelo, 16, his sister and his mother have all been sued by record companies for allegedly sharing music files illegally. Now Santangelo has struck back, raising a 32-point defense, demanding a jury trial and filing a counterclaim against the companies that accuses them of damaging his reputation and conspiring to defraud the courts of the United States.

Record industry versus 16 year old becomes music piracy test case

An Associated Press report that a 16 year old boy intends to make a stand against a lawsuit lodged by the the Recording Industry Association of America could turn into a global test case surrounding online music piracy. The music industry has been hit badly by the online downloads phenomena and in desperation is trying to use the tactic of scaring users off pirate file sharing sites with individual lawsuits. However, it's a tactic that could backfire.

Internet solutions won’t be easy

Deciphering copyright laws when it comes to Internet postings and file sharing hasn’t been easy, and regulators, the courts, the entertainment industry and millions of online users have a long way to go before much of this gets sorted out.

In the meantime, common sense should, at least, prevail. Which is why there is a modicum of good news in the fact the music industry has opted to drop charges against a Wappingers Falls mom who was accused of illegally trading copyrighted songs using a file-sharing program called Kazaa. Patti Santangelo and her lawyer effectively argued she never personally downloaded music and was unaware whether her children were doing so. The record companies are still pursuing cases against two of her children.