One of the four college students the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) sued for copyright infringement involving a campus peer-to-peer file swap network has re-made the money he owed in his settlement with the RIAA – on the Web.
"Thanks to the many donors, I have exceeded my goal by $5.67," said Renssalaer Polytechnic student Jesse Jordan on his ChewPlastic.com Website. "As of 11:25pm EDT on 6/22/03, I have received $12,005.67 (100.05%) of your generous donations. Words cannot express my gratitude. Thank You!"
A published report indicated Jordan raised the money by way of 900 donations. Jordan had originally planned to earn some or all of the money back by way of a summer job, but he began soliciting donations on his Website and raised 100.05 % of the targeted $12,000 within six weeks.
Jordan's fellow Rensselaer student, Aaron Sherman, paid $17,000 to settle with the RIAA, while Princeton student Daniel Peng and Michigan Tech student Joseph Nievelt each paid $15,000 to the record industry group, all denying any actual wrongdoing.
In fact, Peng has an ally in trying to help him recover what he paid the RIAA: Jordan himself.
"Daniel Peng was attacked by the RIAA for running a search engine too," Jordan says on his Website, linking to Peng's appeal for help. "Help Daniel Peng with his legal and settlement costs!" Peng said on his page that he's received 483 donations averaging $12.34 each as of July 6, putting him "almost halfway" through the amount of the settlement including legal fees.
Just over a month ago, however, Jordan seemed uncertain when the stress of the RIAA settlement would end, even though he had had the chance to plead his case through interviews with CNN, MTV, and TechTV.
"I have spoken to the press for one reason - I believe it is important for people to realize exactly what happened," he said in a Website posting dated June 3. "I ran a search engine - nothing more, nothing less… Despite the fact that both the RIAA and I signed a settlement, my battle with the RIAA is ongoing. They are relentless, and they continue to add stress to my life. I am only a college student."
Jordan said he agreed to pay the $12,000 settlement voluntarily only because it "is much cheaper than defending a multi-billion dollar lawsuit."
