Letter RIAA orders US Navy to surrender

Letter

Dear Mr. Orlowski:

I have just read your story re: "RIAA orders US Navy to surrender." I am shocked by your factually inaccurate reporting. The RIAA has not, as you wrote, "mounted a daring raid on the US Navy." Your so-called reporting gives tabloid journalism a bad name!

We did send letters to colleges and universities as stated in the original story that you seemed to base your story upon. Perhaps you misread this paragraph? Or perhaps the truth is less interesting than the facts?

"Amanda Collins, a spokesman for the Recording Industry Association of America, said yesterday that the Naval Academy was among the colleges and universities around the country that were sent two letters from entertainment industry and educational associations asking them to address Internet piracy and establish policies against it.

"An Oct. 3 letter signed by four entertainment-based lobbying associations spelled out that Internet copyright infringement violates federal copyright laws. Amanda Collins, a spokesman for the Recording Industry Association of America, said yesterday that the Naval Academy was among the colleges and universities around the country that were sent two letters from entertainment industry and educational associations asking them to address Internet piracy and establish policies against it. An Oct. 3 letter signed by four entertainment-based lobbying associations spelled out that Internet copyright infringement violates federal copyright laws."
We take copyright infringement seriously but at no time did we demand that the Naval Academy confiscate computers nor were we aware of their actions until a REPORTER informed us. We work hand-in-hand with colleges and universities to address internet piracy. The characterization of what happened at the Naval Academy is flat-out wrong.

Your rewriting of The Capital's story was a complete fabrication. I demand a retraction and I demand the story be taken down immediately.

Thank you.

Amy Weiss
Senior VP, Communications
Recording Industry Association of America
1330 Connecticut Avenue, NW
#300 Washington, DC 20036
[tel numbers supplied]

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