| 26-02-01 |
RIAA targets file-swapping systems
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has been sending out legal notices to ISPs that it believes host similar services to Napster, in a further effort to protect copyrights on the web. The RIAA has sent out legal notices to 50 ISPs that host file-swapping servers that are used to in a similar way to Napster but are not affiliated with the company. The RIAA is taking action against the clones because says they serve as the music piracy tracker for record labels. The RIAA is referring to a 1998 law, called the Digital Millennial Copyright Act, which states that an ISP must block access to any customer upon notification that they are infringing copyrights. A prolblem in the new RIAA effort is that for example file-sharing system Gnutella does not rely on central servers, making it more difficult to shut down in court. |
| 22-02-01 |
Subscribers to pay Napster billion
If record labels accept Napster's $1 billion offer to settle their copyright infringement lawsuit, Napster will count on monthly subscriptions to pay the bill. Napster made its offer in a joint statement with the Bertelsmann eCommerce Group. Bertelsmann AG-owned BMG Music entered into an agreement with Napster last October, offering to drop its lawsuit if the two groups could work together to create a suitable business model. Napster proposed a two-tiered membership model, with a "basic membership" costing between $2.95 and $4.95 per month for a limit on file transfers and a premium membership would cost between $5.95 and $9.95 and allow for unlimited transfers. |
| 21-02-01 |
Napster offers $1 billion to settle copyright infringement lawsuit
Napster has offered a five-year, $1 billion deal if the recording industry agrees to drop the lawsuit in which it files for shuting down Napster’s file-swapping service. The online music are willing to pay $150 million per year in licensing fees to major record companies and $50 million per year in fees to independent labels and artists for five years. |
| 17-02-01 |
Napster developing new technology
Napster is working toward becoming a service which meets the needs of copyright holders. Napster says that the development of a key aspect of the technology necessary to implement a new, membership-based business model, supported by the recording industry, is moving along. Secure administration of transferred files within the peer-to-peer structure will be integrated into the service. Napster earlier announced plans to transform into a membership-based service. |
| 16-02-01 |
European legal action against music file-sharing
Acting on complaints from the music industry, Belgian police have raided the homes of users of music-sharing websites looking for evidence they infringed copyright rules. Police searched the home of a first suspect in late December and two more in January. The searches were part of an investigation of the Internet site mp3blast.com, but added four cases against Napster users were currently under review. The European Parliament on Wednesday endorsed tougher rules granting artists and record labels more copyright protection for their works downloaded from the Internet. |
| 12-02-01 |
Free Napster service must shutdown
Napster must shutdown its free Internet-based service to share copyrighted material, a federal appeals court has ruled. In a ruling that Napster officials said could force the file-swapping clearinghouse to shut down, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Napster must lock out those users who exchange copyrighted songs without permission. The three-judge panel told a lower court judge to rewrite her injunction to focus more narrowly on the copyrighted material. The panel also directed Napster to remove links to users trading copyrighted songs stored as MP3 files.
The appeals court said it was apparent that Napster has knowledge, both actual and constructive, of direct infringement. |
| 10-02-01 |
Decision on Napster future expected on Monday
The fate of Napster will be decided on Monday when an appeals court in San Francisco is expected to rule on the file-exchange service. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a brief notice on its website last Friday announcing that a three-judge panel would issue its ruling Monday. The panel has been reviewing a lower court opinion that effectively would have shut Napster down. The appeals court prevented that order from taking effect until it had a chance to review the injunction. |
| 09-02-01 |
Scour makes comeback
Scour Exchange, a Napster-like file-sharing service is working on a comeback. The new owner, CenterSpan, is asking former customers to opt in to a beta test that will be free, but which will involve only secured, traceable music files. The test is to begin in late March. Those contacted have until February 14 to opt out of the test if they do not wish to participate. Those who do not opt out will automatically be subscribed during the testing period. |
| 03-02-01 |
Shaggy comments on Napster
Shaggy has said that while Napster provides a service by helping unsigned bands get exposure to major record labels, it won't be widely accepted as legitimate by the professional music community until it starts paying artists for their work. |
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