168

I am just impressed by the idea and execution. Just wow. Too bad he took it too far.

top 26 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] powerofm@lemmy.ca 60 points 2 months ago

Definitely an abuse of the system, but I'm struggling to see where criminal law says you can't make a bunch of fake accounts to listen to garbage music.

[-] bdonvr@thelemmy.club 27 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

In agreeing to be paid by music streaming platforms they almost certainly agreed not to do exactly this. Which makes it fraud.

[-] radiohead37@lemmynsfw.com 16 points 2 months ago

Sounds like a breach of contract, which is a civil matter.

[-] bdonvr@thelemmy.club 9 points 2 months ago

I think that depends on intent and amount of money involved, but I'm definitely not a lawyer.

[-] strongarm@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago

Its also cyber crime which is possibly why the FBI need to be involved

[-] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 1 points 2 months ago

Corpos commit cyber crimes against wage slaves daily... Feds don't do Jack shit about it ... I wonder why this would in the land of the Law 🤣

[-] conciselyverbose@sh.itjust.works 25 points 2 months ago

Fraud is pretty broad and covers most things that deliberately misrepresent reality to take money from someone else.

[-] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 8 points 2 months ago

Yet advertising and billionaires exist. It's not what you do, it's what clique you're part of.

[-] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 1 points 2 months ago

Dont hurt the normies mate!

[-] GammaGames@beehaw.org 16 points 2 months ago

From justice.gov:

SMITH, 52, of Cornelius, North Carolina, is charged with wire fraud conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and money laundering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

[-] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 8 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

This is a ridiculous law, it might as well be called "money fraud". Justice is a bad joke.

[-] DeltaTangoLima@reddrefuge.com 51 points 2 months ago

In a 2017 email to himself, Smith calculated that he could stream his songs 661,440 times daily, potentially earning $3,307.20 per day and up to $1.2 million annually.

Great idea, but why would you email yourself about it?

[-] veeesix@lemmy.ca 27 points 2 months ago

I have a friend that I’ve tried to convince using a notes app, but he swears that emailing himself notes and to-do lists is more effective. He’s wrong, but to each their own.

[-] DeltaTangoLima@reddrefuge.com 10 points 2 months ago

Oh, sure. I get that. Sending yourself reminders is absolutely understandable. Sending yourself documented evidence of your plans to defraud someone is entirely different.

[-] theneverfox@pawb.social 2 points 2 months ago

Recently, a bunch of people on tik tok found this "bug" in their banking app where you can write a bad check, then withdraw the funds before it clears... Then started crying about it when their balances updated

Dude definitely thought he discovered a cool new life hack

[-] JustEnoughDucks@feddit.nl 4 points 2 months ago

Google keep used to (don't use it anymore) store your notes "backed up" by email. You could view all your notes in gmail.

Maybe it was something like that?

[-] veeesix@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 months ago

I do vaguely remember that. Could be?

[-] flying_sheep@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago

I mean, if you treat your inbox as a to-do list, that's not that far-fetched

[-] veeesix@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 months ago

I can definitely follow his logic, but there are better tools available.

[-] RootBeerGuy@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 2 months ago

Bio...graphy?

[-] sneak100@hexbear.net 41 points 2 months ago

So when rich people do this it's called "innovative" and "disrupting the market", but if you do it FBI busts down your door for being a criminal. Sounds like freedom to me jack

[-] ALittleSticious@lemm.ee 13 points 2 months ago

They only take crimes against the rich seriously - what a joke of a country the US is.

[-] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 1 points 2 months ago

The better people.... Shiti organics just suck too much

[-] Case@lemmynsfw.com 9 points 2 months ago

I've thought of this, but don't have the wherewithal to actually make a project come to fruition.

I'm also not a lawyer, but I've read multiple articles on this, and it doesn't seem like any legal violation. Corporation got lazy, didn't confirm where 10m in royalties went and under what circumstance, and got burned.

Finally a corp gets scammed by the common man.

I say good on him.

[-] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 4 points 2 months ago

Great use of taxpayer money ,🤡

[-] cyclicircuit@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 months ago

NGL... I'm upset I didn't think of this

this post was submitted on 06 Sep 2024
168 points (98.8% liked)

Piracy: ꜱᴀɪʟ ᴛʜᴇ ʜɪɢʜ ꜱᴇᴀꜱ

54390 readers
313 users here now

⚓ Dedicated to the discussion of digital piracy, including ethical problems and legal advancements.

Rules • Full Version

1. Posts must be related to the discussion of digital piracy

2. Don't request invites, trade, sell, or self-promote

3. Don't request or link to specific pirated titles, including DMs

4. Don't submit low-quality posts, be entitled, or harass others



Loot, Pillage, & Plunder

📜 c/Piracy Wiki (Community Edition):


💰 Please help cover server costs.

Ko-Fi Liberapay
Ko-fi Liberapay

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS