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Universal Music Group Sues MySpace for Copyright Infringement

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 20, 2006 - 5:47pm.
Santa Monica, Calif. - Major record label Universal Music Group has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against News Corporation's MySpace, seeking $150,000 in damages for each instance where Universal's copyrighted songs or videos were posted on the online social network.

"Notwithstanding MySpace's frank admission that it is 'unable,' i.e., prohibited by law, from offering its music and video services without first obtaining the permission of the copyright owner, MySpace has knowingly and intentionally operated its business on the fiction that it has obtained the licenses it needs from members that MySpace well knows are not the true copyright owners," reads Universal's filing to the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

Universal also pointed to the fact that rapper Jay-Z's album "Kingdom Come" is already available for streaming and downloading on MySpace, prior to its release tomorrow. Before filing the lawsuit, Universal and MySpace had negotiated for weeks over copyrights, Universal spokesman Peter Lofrumento told CNET News.com.

"We didn't try to sue (MySpace) right off the cuff," Lofrumento told News.com. "We've been trying to negotiate a deal like the one we have with YouTube. Filing is always a last resort." MySpace recently licensed technology from Gracenote that allows it to filter unauthorized copyrighted music from its site, a new feature it announced on Friday just hours before Universal filed its lawsuit.

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/y6h2gu
http://tinyurl.com/yanatv (CNET)
http://tinyurl.com/y7ah4y (Hollywood Reporter)
http://www.umusic.com
http://www.myspace.com

Published in DMW Daily, November 20, 2006
tags: Law | Lawsuits | Music | MySpace | Universal Music | Fox | FIM | Copyright | News Corp. | UMG |



Comments

I feel that the music should

Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on November 21, 2006 - 7:33am.
I feel that the music should only be used if the artist wants it to be used.

xinportals.com offers copyright alternative

Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on November 21, 2006 - 11:00am.
A new website just launched, www.xinportals.com, offers users the ability to buy or sell virtually anything including DOWNLOADABLE DIGITAL FILES. It operates using a UNIVERSAL ROYALTY FREE LICENSE. All files are checked within 7 days of uploading, if files sold on xinportals are found to be in breach of copyright law, they are removed from the system and customers provided a refund. This system is designed to enable Digital Artists and Internet Entrepreuners a new level of independence. It is a much cleaner way to run a website that transacts using Digital media. Surely this is a more sustainable business model?

That idea is pretty

Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on March 5, 2007 - 3:10am.
That idea is pretty shocking. i Mean do you honestly expect that to sell? I just saw your website- I'm taking all the half decent ideas and presenting them to my friend in ebay to see if they can take them. Good luck. your gonna need it. Actually maybe it would work - if you made it a porn site - www.xinporntals.com haha get a job ya bum

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