The Daily OrangeA $675,000 playlist
Boston University student ordered by the RIAA to pay thousands in fines for illegally downloading 30 songs
By Laurence Leveille
Posted: 9/8/09, 2:01 AM EST Section: News
Boston University student Joel Tenenbaum walked into a Boston courtroom on July 27. He walked out owing $675, 000 to five major record companies.
Tenenbaum, 25, was charged with copyright infringement and the use of peer-to-peer networking. The jury awarded the Recording Industry Association of America $675,000 in statutory damages, $22,500 for each of the 30 songs he downloaded.
The RIAA then filed an injunction against Tenenbaum Sept. 1, saying the BU student promoted file-sharing programs on his Twitter page.
The tweet was "a clear example of him thumbing his nose at the verdict and not taking us seriously," Cara Duckworth, the RIAA's vice president for communications, said in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
If accepted, the injunction will prevent Tenenbaum, or his supporters, from making any sort of reference to the case.
Tenenbaum's first encounter with the RIAA was on Aug. 10, 2004 when it discovered more than 800 files that Tenenbaum downloaded. Five record companies sent him a letter, claiming copyright infringement, and ordered him to pay $5,250.
The companies included Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Bros. Records Inc., Atlantic Recording Corporation, Arista Records LLC and UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tenenbaum sent $500 in response to the letter. His payment was denied because the record companies wanted the full amount, according to the trial account Tenenbaum kept on his personal blog.
Because the company did not follow up with him, Tenenbaum felt the matter was over. In August 2007, a lawsuit was filed against him.
Tenenbaum is one of many college students to face such charges.
In March 2007, the RIAA demanded 37 Syracuse University students pay $3,000 in order to avoid such lawsuits, The Daily Orange reported. Seven of the students did not pay their dues within the 20-day deadline, and lawsuits were filed against them. At the time, SU was ranked No. 12 out of 25 universities having the most warnings from the RIAA.
Tenenbaum, 25, was charged with copyright infringement and the use of peer-to-peer networking. The jury awarded the Recording Industry Association of America $675,000 in statutory damages, $22,500 for each of the 30 songs he downloaded.
The RIAA then filed an injunction against Tenenbaum Sept. 1, saying the BU student promoted file-sharing programs on his Twitter page.
The tweet was "a clear example of him thumbing his nose at the verdict and not taking us seriously," Cara Duckworth, the RIAA's vice president for communications, said in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
If accepted, the injunction will prevent Tenenbaum, or his supporters, from making any sort of reference to the case.
Tenenbaum's first encounter with the RIAA was on Aug. 10, 2004 when it discovered more than 800 files that Tenenbaum downloaded. Five record companies sent him a letter, claiming copyright infringement, and ordered him to pay $5,250.
The companies included Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Bros. Records Inc., Atlantic Recording Corporation, Arista Records LLC and UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tenenbaum sent $500 in response to the letter. His payment was denied because the record companies wanted the full amount, according to the trial account Tenenbaum kept on his personal blog.
Because the company did not follow up with him, Tenenbaum felt the matter was over. In August 2007, a lawsuit was filed against him.
Tenenbaum is one of many college students to face such charges.
In March 2007, the RIAA demanded 37 Syracuse University students pay $3,000 in order to avoid such lawsuits, The Daily Orange reported. Seven of the students did not pay their dues within the 20-day deadline, and lawsuits were filed against them. At the time, SU was ranked No. 12 out of 25 universities having the most warnings from the RIAA.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
ryan
posted 9/08/09 @ 9:56 AM EST
Yet another reason to live off campus.
SU LAX NO. 1
posted 9/08/09 @ 11:47 AM EST
Are you Mike Leveille's little brother???
2008-2009 CHAMPS, BABY!
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