UK record industry threatens to sue file sharers also - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Strange Famous · 01-14-2004, 12:02 PM

UK song-swappers 'could be sued'

The UK record industry is concerned about piracy
The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) has warned it may sue people who swap songs on the internet illegally.
The trade group's director general, Andrew Yeates, said it was hoping to encourage new, legitimate services.

"We want to increase awareness of the legal implications of file-sharing. If these are not working, there has to be a degree of enforcement," he said.

The BPI said the "disturbing increase" in piracy was making legal action against users "increasingly likely".

"The music industry will defend its rights under the law whether it is against traders selling illegally copied CDs on market stalls, or people uploading illegally over the internet," a spokesman said.

"The BPI has made no final decision on taking legal action, but nobody should be in any doubt that such uses of filesharing networks are illegal and are harming the health of British music. We will take legal action if we are forced to."

Industry-backed services such as iTunes, which is widely used in the US, are expected to be launched in Europe later this year, and the BPI wants to encourage users to switch to these when they are launched.

Mr Yeates said if they were successful and illicit song-swapping levels fell, legal action may not be necessary.

Record firms in the US have already started cases against file-sharers.

But the Recording Industry Association of America's (RIAA) actions generated bad publicity after it emerged a 12-year-old girl had been targeted, along with a 66-year-old grandmother who was alleged to have been downloading rap records.

Speaking at a London conference about music and technology, Mr Yeates said any legal crackdown would be "proportional".

Talks were taking place with internet service providers across Europe to streamline a process for identifying those who distribute the most songs, he said.

The move comes despite healthy album sales for the UK industry.

Album sales in the UK rose by 7.6% in 2003 to a record high, fuelled by falling CD prices.

But the singles market continues to fall - with a drop of 30% last year.

A BPI spokesman told BBC News Online: "We had a great year for albums last year because of the amount of great music around, but the singles market is in decline because it's so easy to download the track from the internet instead of buying them."

Critics of the music industry's legal action say it is not proportional to the problem of file-sharing piracy.

They argue that the world-wide music market is falling as it competes with an explosion in DVD and video game sales

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertain...ic/3395161.stm

spived2 · 01-15-2004, 03:16 AM

You know, i still dont see where the recording industry is losing money. All the numbers I have seen don't add up and I see an increase in sales. These guys probably spend more money fighting against piracy than they will ever lose from it.

flamingdog · 01-15-2004, 10:11 AM

the singles market in this country is going dow nthe tubes because there's such a glut of shit music being released week in and week out. this is just about gareth gates falling on his arse.

Holo · 01-15-2004, 01:27 PM

Sorry but I have to laugh a little. I remember reading all the UK ppl saying when the RIAA was busting Americans "it doesn't affect me" and bagging on Americans for having to deal with it. The long arm of the law stretches across the world, and in it's black gnarled fist is gold. Money=power and influence. Laws are bought, and that same money is getting them enforced. Good Luck chaps.

01-14-2004, 12:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
Strange Famous follower of the child's crusade?	UK record industry threatens to sue file sharers also UK song-swappers 'could be sued' The UK record industry is concerned about piracy The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) has warned it may sue people who swap songs on the internet illegally. The trade group's director general, Andrew Yeates, said it was hoping to encourage new, legitimate services. "We want to increase awareness of the legal implications of file-sharing. If these are not working, there has to be a degree of enforcement," he said. The BPI said the "disturbing increase" in piracy was making legal action against users "increasingly likely". "The music industry will defend its rights under the law whether it is against traders selling illegally copied CDs on market stalls, or people uploading illegally over the internet," a spokesman said. "The BPI has made no final decision on taking legal action, but nobody should be in any doubt that such uses of filesharing networks are illegal and are harming the health of British music. We will take legal action if we are forced to." Industry-backed services such as iTunes, which is widely used in the US, are expected to be launched in Europe later this year, and the BPI wants to encourage users to switch to these when they are launched. Mr Yeates said if they were successful and illicit song-swapping levels fell, legal action may not be necessary. Record firms in the US have already started cases against file-sharers. But the Recording Industry Association of America's (RIAA) actions generated bad publicity after it emerged a 12-year-old girl had been targeted, along with a 66-year-old grandmother who was alleged to have been downloading rap records. Speaking at a London conference about music and technology, Mr Yeates said any legal crackdown would be "proportional". Talks were taking place with internet service providers across Europe to streamline a process for identifying those who distribute the most songs, he said. The move comes despite healthy album sales for the UK industry. Album sales in the UK rose by 7.6% in 2003 to a record high, fuelled by falling CD prices. But the singles market continues to fall - with a drop of 30% last year. A BPI spokesman told BBC News Online: "We had a great year for albums last year because of the amount of great music around, but the singles market is in decline because it's so easy to download the track from the internet instead of buying them." Critics of the music industry's legal action say it is not proportional to the problem of file-sharing piracy. They argue that the world-wide music market is falling as it competes with an explosion in DVD and video game sales http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertain...ic/3395161.stm __________________ "Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate, for all things are plain in the sight of Heaven. For nothing hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain without being uncovered." The Gospel of Thomas

01-15-2004, 03:16 AM	#2 (permalink)
spived2 Desert Rat Location: Arizona	You know, i still dont see where the recording industry is losing money. All the numbers I have seen don't add up and I see an increase in sales. These guys probably spend more money fighting against piracy than they will ever lose from it. __________________ "This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is it vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished, as the once vital voice of the verisimilitude now venerates what they once vilified. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose vis-à-vis an introduction, and so it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V." - V

01-15-2004, 01:27 PM	#4 (permalink)
Holo A Real American	Sorry but I have to laugh a little. I remember reading all the UK ppl saying when the RIAA was busting Americans "it doesn't affect me" and bagging on Americans for having to deal with it. The long arm of the law stretches across the world, and in it's black gnarled fist is gold. Money=power and influence. Laws are bought, and that same money is getting them enforced. Good Luck chaps. __________________ I happen to like the words "fuck", "cock", "pussy", "tits", "cunt", "twat", "shit" and even "bitch". As long as I am not using them to describe you, don't go telling me whether or not I can/should use them...that is, if you want me to continue refraining from using them to describe you. ~Prince

01-15-2004, 10:11 AM	#3 (permalink)
flamingdog Still fighting it.	the singles market in this country is going dow nthe tubes because there's such a glut of shit music being released week in and week out. this is just about gareth gates falling on his arse.