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Universal Music Sues MySpace
Grooves writes "Universal Music is suing MySpace for copyright infringement. Universal threatened to sue YouTube before the
Google acquisition was announced, so now it looks like they have moved on to the next target. Ars speculates that Universal is really after a piece of the action. 'On the morning of the
Google-YouTube deal, Universal — along with Sony BMG and CBS — signed
a licensing agreement with YouTube. If MySpace were to sign a similar agreement with the label, there is little doubt that the lawsuit would disappear.'"
Google doesn't maintain a lawsuit defense fund for nothing. Rumor has it that it grew to $500M after youtube was acquired. Apparently google was aware that likelihood of lawsuit would go up dramatically. It looks like Universal decided to test legal waters on MySpace first before tackling Google.
"You mortals are so obtuse." -Q
This way, the "barriers to entry" can be set to any level the more powerful entity desires, so they can maintain their monopoly.
Smaller companies simply do not have the financial stamina to fend off litigation attacks like this.
The strongest ( most well funded ) entities will do well under such a system.
The rest of us... well... better do it in another country.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
What is it with companies starting with "Universal" and web 2.0 litigation?
If MySpace were to sign a similar agreement with the label, there is little doubt that the lawsuit would disappear.
And the legalized extortion continues. I wouldn't care so much except that they also persist in extending copyright terms.
The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
I really hate this crap. Small company does some innovation and becomes popular and the next thing you know, they're being sued by a multi-national corporation that's really just hoping the other company will settle the case so they can get a piece of the action.
I don't understand how MySpace would be liable for copyright infringment that's committed by users of the service. Doesn't MySpace classify as a common carrier? Of course no one ever goes to court to fight the big guys, *sigh*.
Remember Universal are getting money off Microsoft for every Zune sold. Perhaps this deal was done in order to give them a bit more money to go after Google. Just like MS did with their SCO Linux licences.
I don't know why so many people are lenient on MS, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice and all that... MS have fooled many people, many times but some people associate anything bad said against them as coming from a zealot.
Personally I think their track record means they deserve to be thought of badly, they have to prove us wrong not the other way round.
Universal Music, RIAA, etc should stop thinking so small. All this pirated, or copyright infringing content is on the Internet right? Why not just sue the Internet and get it over with ;-).
At least this one will be a battle of equals. One corporate titan against another. The interesting copyright issues that need to be decided here can be fully briefed on a full and complete record. That is a plus.
Ray Beckerman +5 Insightful
They should move myspace servers to russia. Look they can't even stop all out piracy, why do you think they'd care about some teens posting imitations of britney spears?
Or elsewhere, where there is no copyright, enforcable one. Get a few of those Sun containers and ship them around the world.
Make a licensing/IP agreement then sue everone else.
"Enjoy what you're doing! If it becomes drudgery, you're doing it wrong!" - Jim Butterfield
is this about trying to get a licensing agreement, or are they maybe thinking they could destroy a website that has proved to be an excellent avenue for unsigned and indie musicians to get exposure?
my pet machine
They are the driving force behind the broadcast flag.
KFG
"You should never forget what a fundamentally strong position we are in. We are like the sexiest girl in the world. And all of this bad behavior on the Dentist's part is just his way of showing that he wants to mate with us."
"And control us."
insecurity asks the wrong question irritation gives the wrong answer
Here's how the phone call went....
MySpace: Hello?
Universal: MySpace? Nice website you have there. It would be a shame if anything happened to it.
MySpace: What?
Universal: You could make this "problem" go away if you gave us a "donation." Otherwise, something bad is going to happen. Capiche?
This is my opinion. To make sure you don't steal it, it's covered by the DMCA.
You must of missed the memo or the previous post in this story.
MySpace is owned by News Corp one of the largest media companies on the face of the planet.
There are no small companies or individuals involved in this lawsuit.
http://www.newscorp.com/investor/index.html
News Corporation (NYSE: NWS, NWS.A; ASX: NWS, NWSLV) had total assets as of June 30, 2006 of approximately US$57 billion and total annual revenues of approximately US$25 billion.
the most interesting thing about these pre-suing agreements that have been arranged (ie. the youtube payout) is that these companies are circumventing the legal system. originally you have a legal battle that ends in a decision. then we started seeing one company sue another but settle out of court (so that no decision on the issue could be rendered by the judicial system.) now we are simply seeing arrangements made before anyone sues, the grandest way of avoiding any real legal decision on the issue. very interesting how they work things out without even deciding if they fall within the laws of the country. we'll never know if it's any kind of infringement, cause they'll never get to court in the first place.
"i stand on the edge of destruction" -shai hulud
The "little guy" in this case is the legion of 13 and 14 year old kids who are uploading videos they saw on MTV.
"I'm a Laver, not a Phyto[plankton]"
These are the sacred rules of Slashdot to decide which of the two opposing parties is actually the good one in any given fight. If both parties are equal, proceed to the next step.
1. Small business = good, big business = bad
2. open source = good, proprietary = bad
3. rootkits = bad
4. suing people = bad
5. lots of patents = bad
6. internet related = good
7. given all above items are equal, put on wizard's cap and role 16-sided die for one party. If it is even they are good; odd is evil. first poster to declare their results determines the outcome unless they make a typo - in which case the first person calling them an idiot or troll will determine the good/evil ratio of the two opposing parties.
I want MySpace to lose money, but I don't want Universal Music to get money by suing people.... well, I guess if I support lawyers, then I win no matter what!
I put the 't' in electrical engineering.
for blindness. . . made me take an olive fork and start stabbing.
Good to hear from you. Give my love to your mother. - Dad
KFG
Who's named as the defendant? "MySpace", Intermix, or News Corp?
Big deal. Plumbers created and maintain basic sanitation. Give somebody a choice between having a toilet and having an Internet connection, and the toilet is going to be chosen every single time.
I wouldn't, however, expect plumbers to change our entire legal and political system any more than I would expect IT people to. Although with that being said, I've met several plumbers that are more in touch with the real world than most IT people could ever hope to be.