2 US States restrict used CD sales

Andrew Green

Grandmaster
MTS Alumni
Joined
Aug 1, 2004
Messages
8,627
Reaction score
452
Location
Winnipeg MB
New "pawn shop" laws are springing up across the United States that will make selling your used CDs at the local record shop something akin to getting arrested. No, you won't spend any time in jail, but you'll certainly feel like a criminal once the local record shop makes copies of all of your identifying information and even collects your fingerprints. Such is the state of affairs in Florida, which now has the dubious distinction of being so anal about the sale of used music CDs that record shops there are starting to get out of the business of dealing with used content because they don't want to pay a $10,000 bond for the "right" to treat their customers like criminals.
The legislation is supposed to stop the sale of counterfeit and/or stolen music CDs, despite the fact that there has been no proof that this is a particularly pressing problem for record shops in general. Yet John Mitchell, outside counsel for the National Association of Recording Merchandisers, told Billboard that this is part of "some sort of a new trend among states to support second-hand-goods legislation." And he expects it to grow.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070507-record-shops-used-cds-ihre-papieren-bitte.html
 

Bob Hubbard

Retired
MT Mentor
Founding Member
Lifetime Supporting Member
MTS Alumni
Joined
Aug 4, 2001
Messages
47,245
Reaction score
771
Location
Land of the Free
From Slashdot:

Politics: Two US States Restrict Used CD Sales
Posted by kdawson on Monday May 07, @09:17PM
from the papers-please dept.
Media
DrBenway sends us to Ars Technica for a report that Florida and Utah have placed draconian restrictions on the sale of used music CDs; Wisconsin and Rhode Island may soon follow suit. In Florida, stores have to hold on to CDs for 30 days before they can sell them — for store credit only, not cash. Quoting: "No, you won't spend any time in jail, but you'll certainly feel like a criminal once the local record shop makes copies of all of your identifying information and even collects your fingerprints. Such is the state of affairs in Florida, which now has the dubious distinction of being so anal about the sale of used music CDs that record shops there are starting to get out of the business of dealing with used content because they don't want to pay a $10,000 bond for the 'right' to treat their customers like criminals."

* Read More...
 

JBrainard

Senior Master
Joined
Jun 27, 2006
Messages
2,436
Reaction score
17
Location
Portland, Oregon
I recently picked up a used copy of Joe William's "Blues under a Europian Sky" for my wife, which I would have had to special order otherwise.
This new policy completely blows and I hope it doesn't spread.
 

tellner

Senior Master
Joined
Nov 18, 2005
Messages
4,379
Reaction score
240
Location
Orygun
The RIAA must have gone into near-fatal orgasmic coma at this one. They've been trying to ban the sale of used CDs for years.
 
OP
A

Andrew Green

Grandmaster
MTS Alumni
Joined
Aug 1, 2004
Messages
8,627
Reaction score
452
Location
Winnipeg MB
I imagine EBay is getting equally aroused. This can't but help them make money.

Used CD's are cheap, add on shipping and the benefit goes away, especially when you can't even check for scratches before buying.

If anything sees a boast because of this I'd guess it would be peer to peer downloads. Take away the resale value, remove the ability to get them cheaper if used. Yup, that will help stop piracy.
 

jdinca

Master Black Belt
Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
1,297
Reaction score
11
Location
SF Bay Area
Wow, yet another ridiculous law. This would put places like Rasputins right out of business.
 
OP
A

Andrew Green

Grandmaster
MTS Alumni
Joined
Aug 1, 2004
Messages
8,627
Reaction score
452
Location
Winnipeg MB
I bet it won't be the last, American corporations seem to be tightening up faster then a .... ok, better not type that :D

THe thing that worries the rest of us is how agressive American Politicians and corporations push other countries to adopt there laws as well. But, its in US interests for us to do so, not ours.
 

Bob Hubbard

Retired
MT Mentor
Founding Member
Lifetime Supporting Member
MTS Alumni
Joined
Aug 4, 2001
Messages
47,245
Reaction score
771
Location
Land of the Free
Well, considering the RIAA is probably somehow behind these stupid laws, and the amount of BS they push now.......


Hell, 85% of what I buy is used. Why? It's affordable!

Maybe if they didn't publish **** at ripoff prices......
 

JadecloudAlchemist

Master of Arts
Joined
Feb 12, 2007
Messages
1,877
Reaction score
82
Location
Miami,Florida
I buy used cds over the net and that is if I can not find it on Limewire or other peer to peer sharing. I would never buy a new cd unless it is actually from the band themselves at one of their concerts or a very small record label.
 

tellner

Senior Master
Joined
Nov 18, 2005
Messages
4,379
Reaction score
240
Location
Orygun
There's a reason "Florida" has its own tag on fark.com...
 

mrhnau

Senior Master
Joined
Aug 5, 2005
Messages
2,269
Reaction score
34
Location
NC
*scratches head*
used CD's? How about DVD's then? or VCR tapes?

ok, then what about used cars? used houses?

ok, so the concern is that its intellectual property? Lets close down the used book stores! Obviously an illegal trade... Can we not buy used books either?

Just being intellectually honest here, if they go down that road, there is no real difference between that any anything else I just listed, at least IMHO.
 

Latest Discussions

Top