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Chinese court rules Yahoo violated music copyrights

Slimy   on 24 April 2007 - 22:41 · 6 comments & 5539 views

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In a copyright infringement lawsuit, a Chinese court ruled against Yahoo's China operations and ordered the company to pay 210,000 yuan ($27,000) in damages to member companies of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. John Kennedy, the IFPI's chairman and CEO, called the ruling "a good news day for the music industry. This judgement will boost the growth of a licensed digital music business in China and provide better protection for intellectual property in this vast, exciting market.”

Eleven IFPI member companies alleged that Yahoo China infringed IFPI members' copyrights by making copyrighted songs available for download without permission and filed suit in the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate Court, seeking 5.5 million Chinese yuan ($710,000) in damages. The IFPI specifically objected to a Yahoo China music search engine that the IFPI charged "induces and facilitates" the search of music tracks and their subsequent playback or download for free from within Yahoo China's Web site. The court told Yahoo China to delete the offending links to the free download sites. The ruling will allow IFPI members to demand the removal of infringing links from all music search services in China, Kennedy said.

The IFPI represents the interests of its 1,400 music industry member companies in more than 70 countries worldwide, including Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group, three of the record companies involved in the Yahoo China lawsuit.

News source: InfoWorld

Post a comment · Send to friend Comments · There are 6 additional comments
(2 replies) #1 fear_machine on 24 Apr 2007 - 23:39
Quote -
"This judgement will boost the growth of a licensed digital music business in China"


From what? Nothing to something?
#1.1 statepkt on 25 Apr 2007 - 00:04
Is this a joke?

China and copyright infringement go together peanut butter and jelly.
#1.2 +Berserk87 on 25 Apr 2007 - 01:30
Quote - (statepkt said @ #1.1)
Is this a joke?

China and copyright infringement go together peanut butter and jelly.


LOL! that pretty much what i was gonna say.

like china is one to point fingers
#2 GreyWolfSC on 25 Apr 2007 - 00:42
This is funny... Pot: meet kettle!
#3 thornz0 on 25 Apr 2007 - 01:04
china, convicting someone of violating copyright laws.....lol. oh thats right, they're not based in china or directly benefiting them.
#4 jwjw1 on 25 Apr 2007 - 04:41
its all politics...this is costing Yahoo Inc....the chinese will still mass produce pirated music and software...just won't be any chinese paying out fines.

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