Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

AllofMP3 Voucher Resellers Quit After Police Raid

Posted by Zonk on from the squash-enough-bugs-and-the-hive-dies dept.

Broohaha writes "Europeans who resell AllofMP3.com vouchers are quitting the business after a UK raid against one prominent reseller there. An Ars Technica article talks to several of them about their situations. 'Until a few days ago, I had never heard of the IFPI [the international music trade group],' said one reseller. 'But yes, I am concerned about them now. Although my attorney assures me that reselling gift certificates bought from AllOfMP3.com isn't breaking any laws, it isn't worth the possibility of engagement with their legal machine.' The music industry seems determined to choke off AllofMP3's funding, no matter how small the source."

9 of 137 comments (clear)

  1. The RIAA wins then... by BecomingLumberg · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I guess the RIAA wins... I'll just have to go back to BitTorrent...

    --
    If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.-TJ
    1. Re:The RIAA wins then... by NetDanzr · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Actually, that's exactly what I was recommending to my friends to whom I previously recommended Allofmp3. I don't have the time and energy to keep troubleshooting their problems with music file formats from various legit stores that don't play on their mp3 players, and Allofmp3 was the only significant source of regular mp3 files that worked; now it's back to music piracy again...

  2. actionable? by sammy+baby · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Okay, first, IANAL. But I know that in the US, harassment of a company's business partners can be considered actionable under RICO. Anyone know if AllOfMP3 may be able to bring a suit against IFPI?

  3. my attorney in the UK ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful


    since when has anybody in the UK called a solicitor or lawyer/barrister an "attorney"
    that word is used almost exclusivly by Americans, was this reseller an American in the UK or was the "quote" edited for a US audience

    smells like bullshit here in London

  4. Legal system problem by MobyDisk · · Score: 4, Insightful
    This quote has the essence of the biggest problem in the 20th century, boiled down to one simple sentence:

    Although my attorney assures me that reselling gift certificates bought from AllOfMP3.com isn't breaking any laws, it isn't worth the possibility of engagement with their legal machine.' I would paraphrase that to:

    Although what I am doing is legal, I dare not engage the legal system Which makes justice impossible. No justice, kiss freedom goodbye.
    1. Re:Legal system problem by haggisbrain · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Which makes justice impossible.

      Almost there.

      Which makes justice impossible. for those who aren't wealthy .

  5. sigh by wizardforce · · Score: 4, Interesting

    the selling of gift certificates isnt illegal but the use of them is frowned upon and thus anyone selling them is brought into the whole mess. The RIAA and company represent a group of interests that foolishly cut off any legal way to try out music or be locked in with DRM. that is why they lose cash, you cant screw people like that and expect to make MORE cash forever. if they were smart they would realize that they'd make more money by giving people the legal freedom to listen to music more freely than current and piracy would probably decrease as well- why pirate what is easy and cheap to begin with?

    --
    Sigs are too short to say anything truly profound so read the above post instead.
  6. Ironic by caseih · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The RIAA is trying to stop allofmp3.com (operating under certain Russian copyright licensing laws) for doing the exact same thing that they are pushing to be allowed to do right here in the US. The RIAA wants to collect fees (sell if you will) for music played on radio stations (regular radio stations) regardless of whether or not the music is actually copyrighted by any of their members. This means that if a public radio station plays a few RIAA songs, but the majority are indie labels or any music not owned by the RIAA members, the RIAA gets a cut as if it was.

    One can certainly argue against the moral rightness of the way the Russian copyright licensing laws work, since no American artist will ever see any of the fees that the Russian copyright organization collects. But certainly the RIAA is clearly acting morally wrong as well.

  7. Re:Shhhh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    And we ALL know the RIAA supports full compensation for artists as well. Oh, wait.