AllofMp3 / RIAA-IFPI duke it out

Begin forwarded message:

From: Dewayne Hendricks <[email protected]>
Date: December 26, 2006 7:56:02 PM EST
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <[email protected]>
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] AllofMp3 / RIAA-IFPI duke it out
Reply-To: [email protected]

[Note:  This item comes from reader Steve Schear.  DLH]

From: Steve Schear <[email protected]>
Date: December 26, 2006 11:14:27 AM PST
To: [email protected]
Subject: AllofMp3 / RIAA-IFPI duke it out

In the first serious battle between AllofMP3.com and the recording=20=20
industry, in Octrober, VISA and Master-Charge systems blocked all=20=20
AllofMP3.com transactions.

--  Round 1: to The Industry

Also in October, in a quiet legal proceeding that caught little in=20=20
the way of media attention, the IFPI brought a civil lawsuit against=20=20
Danish ISP Tele2, demanding the cessation of customer access to=20=20
AllofMP3.com. Tele2 is one of Europe=92s largest ISPs, and like=20=20
anywhere else in the world, has its fair share of customers who enjoy=20=20
the Russian gray market site. The IFPI (International Federation of=20=20
the Phonographic Industry) brought the lawsuit in hopes of forcing=20=20
the ISP to block AllofMP3.com from its customers.

The IFPI prevailed and a court ruled that Tele2 must block=20=20
AllofMP3.com from its Danish customers. The Danish recording industry=20=20
had been active in its attempts to prevent Danish citizens from=20=20
accessing the site.

--  Round 2: to The Industry.

The telecommunications industry in Denmark has expressed outrage and=20=20
concern over the verdict, as they feel it implies ISPs are now=20=20
responsible for the activities of their users =96 not to mention a=20=20
legal gray area where no verdict has been made against AllofMP3.

The court decision that forced ISP Tele2 to block access to=20=20
AllofMP3.com had a ripple effect on other service providers. On=20=20
December 12, the ISP Perspektiv Bredband also blocked AllofMP3.com=20=20
from its Swedish and Danish customers.

AllofMP3.com is a Russian music store who sells an unrivaled=20=20
collection of digital music for dramatically reduced prices. Not only=20=20
are music files purchased on AllofMP3.com of a superior quality to=20=20
most "authorized" services, the music sold has no DRM and is=20=20
available in a variety of formats. Because copyright holders claim=20=20
they have yet to see a dime from AllofMP3.com, the service is often=20=20
times labeled as illegal. However the Russian site has contested=20=20
otherwise, and has yet to fall under any type of successful=20=20
prosecution in Russia.

Since AllofMP3.com has yet to be ruled illegal in Sweden or Denmark,=20=20
the actions by both ISPs drew enormous criticism from citizens,=20=20
journalists and copyright reform organizations such as the Swedish=20=20
Bureau of Piracy. Criticism was fueled when Perspektiv Bredband=20=20
admitted the action was a morally based decision - not a legal one.

"This kind of moral policing is an attack on the essence of what has=20=20
made internets such a wonderful arena for communication," said the=20=20
Bureau of Piracy. "Internet can be this vibrant space much thanks to=20=20
the stupidity of the infrastructure, it delivers data from A to B, no=20=20
questions asked. Configuration and intelligence is left to the end=20=20
users. Choosing what is transferred is up to you and me, not your ISP=20=20
nor the Chinese or your own government."

The Swedish Bureau of Piracy, in conjunction with its allies=20=20
ThePirateBay, used their considerable political pressure to fight=20=20
back. The organizations responded by blocking Perspektiv Bredband's=20=20
customers from accessing the overwhelmingly popular PirateBay=20=20
BitTorrent tracker.

ThePirateBay has become an Internet phenomenon, who's global=20=20
popularity is only surpassed by its popularity in Sweden. The threat=20=20
of an ISP losing a considerable percentage of its customer base,=20=20
coupled with an increasingly "pro-censorship" reputation, has forced=20=20
Perspektiv Bredband to reverse its decision.

In a press release issued today, Perspektiv Bredband has rescinded=20=20
its decision to block AllofMP3.com. Perspektiv Bredband cites that it=20=20
acted hastily, and did not consider its initial decision properly.

"We made a hasty decision and we withdrew from our mission. We are=20=20
sorry about this. Together with our new chairman of the board, the=20=20
management agrees that limiting Internet access is not within the=20=20
framework of our business, says Fredrik Winbladh, President of=20=20
Perspektiv Bredband.

--  Round 3: to AllofMP3 and P2P.