VNU Net: MP3 liable for copyright infringement, court rules

By Linda Leung, VNU Net

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has
claimed victory over MP3.com as a US judge ruled that the online
music source is liable for copyright infringement.

But MP3.com’s chief executive Michael Robertson, argued that the
RIAA has not won because, “New technologies for delivering music
are here to stay, and the new technology trend is moving in only
one direction: forward.”

The RIAA sued MP3.com in January claiming that the website’s
My.MP3.com listening service violates copyright law.

My.MP3.com, which was rolled out at the beginning of the year,
allows users to download digital copies of CDs they already own or
those that they have bought from the company’s retail partners.

MP3.com argues that its service protects artists’ intellectual
properties because it requires users to purchase CDs in order to
use the site.

Robertson said: “The record companies are at a crossroads and
are required to make a decision about the technology that they
choose to embrace.”

He continued: “[MP3.com] will protect their intellectual
property interests and grow their business. They will be left with
copyright chaos, as we are witnessing today.”

The case now proceeds to the damages phase.