Peer-to-Peer Debate in Pittsburgh

The record industry’s antipiracy campaign may be fading as a topic of discussion at some colleges, but it is still a contentious issue on campuses in Pittsburgh. Last year over 40 students from the city were named in industry lawsuits, and a number of the defendants drew publicity by starting a support group to research their legal options.

In a debate between two lawyers, held last week at the University of Pittsburgh’s main campus, students got more food for thought on file swapping. The debate pitted Geoffrey L. Beauchamp, who represented the Recording Industry Association of America, against Charles Lee Mudd, who has defended several people named in the industry’s suits.

The lawyers, each paired with a student debater, took some real shots at each other: Mr. Mudd called the RIAA “ruthless,” while Mr. Beauchamp likened the music industry’s role on the Internet to that of a shopkeeper in a dangerous neighborhood. (The Tartan)