This is an interesting article for those of you who dont know how the RIAA gets their fingers in so many pies,
http://techdirt.com/articles/20080926/0004192380.shtmlThe RIAA has always been unable to actually innovate with its own online offerings -- in large part because the record labels still think about how to control the music and how to limit what consumers can do with it. So, instead of learning what's innovative, the RIAA has simply decided on a two pronged strategy: (1) get every new and innovative site shut down and (2) offer them one way to return: if they hand over a big chunk of equity.
Very few people seem to be talking about this, but most of the "agreements" that the big labels have reached with various new and innovative sites have involved handing over equity. Basically, the record labels are using a protection racket system: give us some equity, or we'll shut you down.
The rest of the article explains the specific case under discussion but the activity is quite correct and the same thing they did to many p2p networks before the Grokster decision went in their favour, their sole idea of doing business it to either threaten the innovator or take them over and they dont care how they do it, what can we expect from those who employ criminal groups and pay mail stealers.
