The RIAA has opened a new front in its war on music piracy, and it's not about sharing tunes online. "Wipe your iPod before selling it," The Register suggests. The Recording Industry Association of America "last week told sellers in the US that doing so is a clear violation of copyright law [at least in the US and Europe] and warned them that it's sniffing out for infringers." For example, if your … [Read more...] about Music piracy on iPods
Law & Policy
What ‘DRM’ means for music fans
The bottom line on digital-rights management, or DRM, is that it dictates what people can do with the music they share, rent (via an online subscription service), or purchase. "Most countries have what is called a fair-use policy enshrined in their copyright law. It allows a reasonable number of copies to be made for your personal use," the BBC explains. What's different now, with DRM, is that the … [Read more...] about What ‘DRM’ means for music fans
Record label helps family
Canadian record label Nettwerk Music Group is helping a family fight a file-sharing lawsuit from the RIAA. The label "that is home to Avril Lavigne, Sarah McLachlan, Barenaked Ladies and Sum 41, is taking on the RIAA on behalf of Elisa Greubel, a 15-year-old Texan whose father was sued by the recording industry trade group in August 2005 for owning a computer that allegedly shared more than 600 … [Read more...] about Record label helps family
Virtual book talk
It's just another sign that the line between the "real" and virtual worlds is blurring. Author and Stanford law professor Larry Lessig gave a book talk in the virtual world, Second Life to promote his book Free Culture and talk about the government's approach to copyrights, CNET reports." He took the form of an avatar that looked like him, and he told CNET that, as far as book talks go, it was a … [Read more...] about Virtual book talk
Protections for file-sharers
Not in the US, but lawmakers and courts in two countries – France and South Korea – are making clear distinctions between file-sharing for personal use and doing so for money. The former activity is now seeing some legal protection in those countries. In Korea, personal file-sharers "will not be accused" under guidelines issued by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, the Korea Times … [Read more...] about Protections for file-sharers