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ASCAP Wants To Be Paid When Your Phone Rings
gerddie notes a piece up on the EFF site outlining the fairly outlandish legal theories ASCAP is trying out in their court fight with AT&T. "ASCAP (the same folks who went after Girl Scouts for singing around a campfire) appears to believe that every time your musical ringtone rings in public, you're violating copyright law by 'publicly performing' it without a license. At least that's the import of a brief (PDF, 2.5 MB) it filed in ASCAP's court battle with mobile phone giant AT&T."
...needs a cup of tea and a lie down
No sig for the moment.
Even if ASCAP doesn't win, the RIAA will sue for your phone to see if you have any illegal downloaded ring tones.
Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.
. . . why these people have not been struck by a meteor. If there were a God in this universe, there would be a meteor.
I wondered who that nigger who keeps driving past my house is. Turn it down or fuck off home, you black bastard.
I once fell down the stairs and the next day I recieved a bill from ASCAP and RIAA for performing a Lars Ulrich drum solo ... ok, maybe I do mean to be ridiculous.
Do we just let AT&T and ASCAP fight this one out? This is like Iran and North Korea going at it.
Initially I thought they were on crack. Then I realized what would happen if they actually won. Consider the implications for a minute or two and then see if you don't agree...
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
(to be posted on NotN tomorrow, probably)
The American Super-Society of Composers and Performers has filed a brief in a lawsuit against AT&T arguing that its members deserve payment every time a mobile phone rings.
The owners of the musical compositions are already paid for each ringtone download, but this does not cover ASSCAP public performance royalties.
"The musicians and songwriters are the true creators of objective value in society," said ASSCAP spokesdroid Ayn Rand. "They deserve your support. How would civilisation survive without Crazy Frog or the Nokia Tune?
"To this end, we are bringing suits against those individuals who, having purchased RIAA-licensed ringtones, do not then silence them when in public. Statutory damages of $80,000 should have a salutary effect on our coffers and, of course, our public image."
Further lawsuits will then be brought against those who silence their mobile phones. "4'33' by John Cage is a copyrighted work. Without the money going to his estate, he may never write another measured piece of silence again."
http://rocknerd.co.uk
Sure there is; otherwise, assassinations would rise tremendously.
ASPCA Wants To Be Paid When Your Dog Rings.
Yeah, that process is called "Amendment".
Remember, The Constitution grants the Federal Government its legitimate authority. If it's not delegated, it's not legitimate.
They thought good and hard when they wrote: "to Promote the progress of Science and the useful Arts".
No Doubt's "Bathwater" doesn't meet that criteria. I might entertain arguments for "Hella Good", but it's still gonna be a uphill climb.
Technology -- No Place For Wimps! Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Chatroom -- http://www.wemissjerry.org
Please stop with the outlandish displays of ignorance.
Ewe muss bee gnu hear.
If ASCAP really believes that ringtones constitute a performance, then surely they won't mind standing between any decent rock band and their fans when the band comes out and only performs 16 bars of all their hit songs.
For the joy your friggin' phone is bringing to those around you when it goes off? ASCAP should be forced to set aside a fund to pay _US_.
I really hope they get their measure passed. Any incentive for people to abuse my ear less with this idiotic invention of "ringtone" is very welcome by me.
I do not believe in karma. "Funny"=-6. Do good and forbid evil. Yours, Oft-Offtopic Flamebaiting Troll.