Secondary Copyright Infringement

It's becoming increasingly popular to extend legal responsibility for illegal behavior way beyond the person who actually commits the crime. Bartenders are sued or even charged criminally if a person who buys alcohol from them drives drunk. Gun owners are blamed if criminals steal their weapons and commit murder or robbery. Parents are fined if their teenage children skip school, even if the parent has delivered the child to the schoolhouse door. Vehicle owners get tickets if their cars run red lights - even if they weren't driving.

The concept of holding others responsible has been extended into the copyright arena, too. The recording industry has been sending letters to colleges, threatening to hold them responsible if students download music illegally from their university accounts. ISPs have been served with subpoenas requiring and threatened with legal action if they don't cooperate with RIAA in suing their customers who are accused of illegal downloading.

Read the article HERE.

And the pirate cartoons are HERE.