US record labels Arista Records, Warner Bros, Capitol and UMG recordings have started legal action against Moscow-based Mediaservices. The lawsuit was filed in New York and claims that sites Allofmp3.com and allTunes.com are selling songs without permission. On the other hand, Allofmp3.com insists it is paying royalties to a Russian licensing body called Roms, but the music industry argues that the Russian licensing group has no authority to collect and distribute royalties. Roms says the Russian constitution gives it the right to license music to allofmp3.com, even if it has not obtained permission from the copyright holders. It also claims to collect royalty payments from the download site on behalf of record companies and artists. "Allofmp3.com's activity is quite legitimate," said Roms general director Oleg Nezus. "The opinion of foreign copyright owners is just that - their opinion," he told BBC Russian.com. Albums on the Russian site are sold for about $1 (60p) in comparison to around $10 (£6) at iTunes. Mediaservices is already having trouble with legal action in Britain while credit companies (Visa & MasterCard) have denied transactions to these sites.
News source: BBC News
News source: BBC News
Because we all klnow the US legal system is the only one in existence.
In most legal systems, one can file in their own home country or in the country where the alleged offender is doing business. If the other country will enforce a US decision, it makes sense to file in the US and have US ruling apply. In this case, the US is going to be far more friendlier to the RIAA than Russia since Russia has unfavorable copyright regulations. Russia will most likely enforce the US ruling due to their WTO admission. It's very sound strategy.
I also didn't see anything in the article that outright spoke of the constitutionality of the issue as a defined fact. It read like a very very brief argument based in constitutional interpretation rather then actual stated law. Depending on what's in the Russian Constitution, their government might be able alter copyright laws without issue. i.e., The U.S. patent system was created by the U.S. Constitution, but the Constitution itself did not create each and every regulation. I would assume it's the same situation in Russia. But then again, that's just an assumption and I'm no expert.
To make matters worse you really can't draw a line between sharing and pirating from a DRM standpoint. LOL, DRM seems to only hinder those that purchase these items legally.
The RIAA even says thats illegal
The RIAA even says thats illegal
Yep, because if you break a CD, $$$$they want you to buy another one!!$$$$
Another way to think of this is say you buy something out of state from a website. Lets take Best Buy as a example. If Best Buy has a store in your state and your buying from a diffrent state where the website is hosted you have to pay Sales Tax. Witch Best Buy takes care of for you and handles.
But say you buy from a diffrent state and they don't take care of the taxes for you. They don't have to because there in a diffrent state. But you technicaly have to pay your state on a TAX FORM the sales tax owed. Now I know not many people will fess up to saying they pay there state sales tax later after the purchase.
Another way to think of this is say you buy something out of state from a website. Lets take Best Buy as a example. If Best Buy has a store in your state and your buying from a diffrent state where the website is hosted you have to pay Sales Tax. Witch Best Buy takes care of for you and handles.
But say you buy from a diffrent state and they don't take care of the taxes for you. They don't have to because there in a diffrent state. But you technicaly have to pay your state on a TAX FORM the sales tax owed. Now I know not many people will fess up to saying they pay there state sales tax later after the purchase.
Wait....did you really use think, instead of thing?
and that what ****ed USA Music Companies off.
Completely off topic: I'd be perfectly fine with buying a CD for $10 and knowing that $5 would go to the artist. Won't happen, but if that were the case then I'd buy a lot more CDs than I do now.
That's what makes sense on my end. Then again... I can't share the RIAA's view of this subject because I can't get my head that far up my ass.
Seriously who's going to care about Glenn Miller. Grandpa's in the hospital and who's going to stcok Glenn Miller??
Ah, WTF, they're not after fairness or the principle of the matter... they're after that $9 and album they're missing out on.
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