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Selling Used MP3s Found Legal In America

Posted by samzenpus on from the old-music dept.

bs0d3 writes "After some litigation; ReDigi, a site where people can sell used MP3s has been found legal in America. One of the key decisions the judge had to make was whether MP3's were material objects or not. 'Material objects' are not subject to the distribution right stipulated in "17 USC 106(3)" which protects the sale of intellectual property copies. If MP3's are material objects than the resale of them is guaranteed legal under the first sale' exception in 17 USC 109. Capitol Records tried to argue that they were material objects under one law and not under the other. Today the judge has sided with the first-sale doctrine, which means he is seeing these as material objects."

9 of 281 comments (clear)

  1. Ha-buh-wha? by American+AC+in+Paris · · Score: 4, Funny

    After some litigation; ReDigi, a site where people can sell used MP3's has been found legal in America.

    Punctuation it: can go, pretty; much? Anywhere,

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  2. Material object? by Hatta · · Score: 3, Funny

    What is the mass of an MP3?

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    1. Re:Material object? by rubycodez · · Score: 4, Funny

      A service right before Friday Night MP3 Bingo.

    2. Re:Material object? by mdenham · · Score: 3, Funny

      You try loading it into your media player of choice and see what it sounds like.

      If it sounds like static, it's random bits. If it sounds like music, it's an MP3.

      If it sounds like godawful screeching noises, it's also an MP3 (of popular music).

  3. African or European? by perpenso · · Score: 5, Funny

    What is the mass of an MP3?

    An African or European MP3?

  4. Re:For crying out loud, think. by SecurityGuy · · Score: 3, Funny

    I parsed that last bit as "then == ale", and realized it was time to go home. Then does in face equal ale.

  5. Re:For crying out loud, think. by Beardo+the+Bearded · · Score: 3, Funny

    I parsed that last bit as "then == ale", and realized it was time to go home. Then does in face equal ale.

    Wherever you are, it's well past time to go home. ;)

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  6. Re:If selling is legal.. by Chris+Burke · · Score: 5, Funny

    You can't, remember copyright? I have to give a "right to copy" a permission or a license to distribute my digital goods. Software, recordings, photos etc. are all covered here and copyright makes any second-hand market or distribution illegal by default unless authorized by the copyright holders.

    I heard there was a recent court ruling that found otherwise, saying that at least in the case of mp3s that they constitute 'material objects' and are thus subject to the First Sale Doctrine exception to the distribution right.

    I can't remember where I heard this though.

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  7. Re:If selling is legal.. by EdIII · · Score: 3, Funny

    Isn't Internet news great?

    That's not why we invented in the first place silly. We invented it for porn. When you consider that, the Internet kicks ass and is the most wildly successful invention in mankind's history.