ISP Demands Payment For Acting As Copyright Cop

[GhostShip]

Its seems not everyone feels they should work for nothing under the new ISP "fake down notice" plan as outlined by the RIAA recently

http://www.p2pnet.net/story/17963

Vivendi Universal, EMI, Warner Music and Sony BMG and their RIAA have, seemingly, finally  abandoned five years of trying to sue their own customers into becoming servile consumers of corporate cookie-cutter crap.
Now they’ve come out with another equally worthless scheme. This time around, they’re demanding ISPs act as unpaid corporate copyright cops.

Scroggin, who sells Internet access to between 10,000 and 12,000 customers in Louisiana, heard the news on Friday that the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has opted out of suing individuals for pirating music. Instead, the group representing the four largest music labels is forging partnerships with Internet service providers and asking them to crack down on suspected file sharers.

According to Scroggin, if RIAA representatives ask the help of his ISP, they had better bring their checkbook–and leave the legal threats at home. Scroggin said that he receives several notices each month with requests that he remove suspected file sharers from his network. Each time, he gets such a notice from an entertainment company, he sends the same reply “I ask for their billing address,” Scroggin said. “Usually, I never hear back.”

“They have the right to protect their songs or music or pictures,” the story has Scroggin stating.
“But they don’t have the right to tell me I have to be the one protecting it. I don’t want anyone doing anything illegal on my network, but we don’t work for free.”

It defies belief anyone should take notice of "fake" take down notices originating from the cretinous companies employed by RIAA members, if they really believe they have a valid claim of infringement they should go down the legal route.
I myself don't see how such Cartel companies can make claims that have no legal standing or proof as they have been doing, and quickly dropping cases when challenged, honestly is this a group any ISP should listen to ?

Perhaps worse for such ISPs is the threat of compensation payouts that many who are threatened will go to court to fight for, this could cost many ISPs millions.   

[White Stripes]

According to Scroggin, if RIAA representatives ask the help of his ISP, they had better bring their checkbook–and leave the legal threats at home. Scroggin said that he receives several notices each month with requests that he remove suspected file sharers from his network. Each time, he gets such a notice from an entertainment company, he sends the same reply “I ask for their billing address,” Scroggin said. “Usually, I never hear back.”

seems only fair to me... (from the ISPs standpoint)

methinks its just time for the old farts at the RIAA to just give it up...

[Trestor]

I myself don't see how such Cartel companies can make claims that have no legal standing or proof as they have been doing, and quickly dropping cases when challenged, honestly is this a group any ISP should listen to ?

Hear, hear! Exactly so!

Perhaps worse for such ISPs is the threat of compensation payouts that many who are threatened will go to court to fight for, this could cost many ISPs millions.  

This could be a motivating fear for ISP's, so I hope they start talking amongst themselves and realize that the legal action prospect is a red herring since the RIAA can't make it happen, as the ISP's have broken no law in this matter. They could give a united front in resisting the RIAA and protect the interests of their customers, with whom they have a contractual arrangement.