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Britons Warned Over AllofMP3 Use

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

June 6, 2006, 4:15 PM

Britons were warned Tuesday by the British trade association BPI that use of AllofMP3.com was illegal, although it did not plan to pursue users of the service when it files suit against the Russian company in British court. The industry claims that the site is not authorized to sell digital music.

"AllofMP3.com is illegal under UK law and it is illegal to download from it," BPI General Counsel Roz Groome said. "We are going to sue AllofMP3.com in the UK courts - we are going to seek a judgment not against the users of the site, but against the site itself."

The music site has disputed those claims, saying it carries the necessary licenses. AllofMP3 has become the second most popular download site in the country behind iTunes with a 14 percent share of the market. Individual tracks on the site sell for as little as four pence (7 cents US), with entire albums retailing for as low as one pound ($1.88 USD).

AllofMP3 claims licenses from Russian Multimedia and Internet Society (ROMS) and the Rightholders Federation for Collective Copyright Management of Works Used Interactively (FAIR). However, the industry has called the ROMS license invalid and said that is would not cover users in foreign countries.

The site went offline in mid-May for "maintenance," leading some to believe it had finally given in to pressure. However, AllofMP3 has since returned.

It was believed at the time that the Russian government may have played a hand in the shutdown. Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised to crack down on his country's piracy problems and lack of copyright protections.

Putin is attempting to bring Russia into the World Trade Organization, and support from the United States will be a necessity to make that happen.

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By velichk

posted Aug 7, 2007 - 8:27 AM

There are many internationally based web sites like Allofmp3 which offers music download service, and are continually coming under pressure from other countries to shut down. i know more 19 store or service that provides the best digital music experience at lens http://www.squidoo.com/review_russianmp3site .

Score: 0

By gatekiller

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 3:01 PM

I would just like to point out that, as in the article, there HAS NOT been any court cases yet. So how can British trade association BPI say its illegal... this is just scare mongering!

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 3:52 PM

illegal under UK law and it is illegal to download from it,

Just because it hasn't been brought to court (and how could it be?), doesn't mean such an operation wouldn't be illegal in the UK.

The problem is that UK law does not apply in Russia.

So while, under UK law, what they are doing is illegal, the fact that they are *not* in the UK makes their claims meaningless.

I do not know the laws in the UK regarding importing music purchased in other countries, but in the US, at least for now, it is legal.

The BPI is stating fact when they say the above, but the facts stated have no relevancy to the company in question.

Score: 0

By lama_songchen

edited Jun 7, 2006 - 1:49 PM

The truth is the poor keep getting poorer while the rich - including CEO's from RIAA/MPAA member companies - keep getting richer. Many of my friends in their 30 to 40ies do not have a job and the general feeling is that of being excluded from society without being able to make any plans for a future (no family, no children). Politicians keep making promises but as long as the majority have a job, nobody really cares about the sacrifice being made. At one stage though, workers will not be sufficient to support retired people (why would they have increased retirement age in the UK otherwise?). There is a bomb ticking and some day CEO's and other greedy managers belonging to socially irresponsible corporations will be punished for their excesses and lack of consideration for the poor.
In the meantime, we must continue and strive to level the playing field so that there is more equality among individuals, where nobody is left out.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 2:11 PM

Many of my friends in their 30 to 40ies do not have a job...

nobody really cares about the sacrifice being made.

At one stage though, workers will not be sufficient to support retired people

In the meantime, we must continue and strive to level the playing field so that there is more equality among individuals, where nobody is left out.

Wow.

I don't think I've *ever* encountered so much hypocrasy in one single post.

Congratulations. You're another one of the "Entitled" masses.

Tell your friends to get a job. I hear McD's is hiring.

Score: 0

By lama_songchen

posted Jun 14, 2006 - 6:20 AM

This must be the most irresponsible, superficial and immature reply I have *ever* seen!

I would like to invite you to read this article from BW: http://www.businessweek....4_22/b3885001_mz001.htm

Would you deny the working poor the right to listen to afforadble and reasonably priced music? (while Time Warner's executives certainly can afford any of the music and actually probably get it for free!
http://paycheck.demo.mar...ny-execs.xqy?ticker=TWX)

But all this does not just apply to the working poor, I believe the developping and emerging countries or regions of the world - be it Africa, Latin America, Tibet (incl. china), India, etc. - are also entitled to have access to digital content.

Score: 0

By GCoder

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 5:01 PM

LOL.

Score: 0

By Reap_r

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 9:18 AM

This should be fun. Sounds like posturing pols to me. Dancing to the RIAA's tune (sorry bad pun that) but doing really nothing of substance. Sounds vaguely familiar...perhaps I have seen the elected officials of the US doing similar things...wonder where they learned that.

Just another finger in the dam. It really makes little difference. They cannot stop it. I just wish they would look for solutions and not just publicity stunts. A use license fee that reimbursed the artists by tracking downloads and was media/format neutral would be ideal. I would certainly pay some monthly fee to have the RIAA/MPAA just curl up and die.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 10:51 AM

Saw someone mention German Copyright law the other day.

Interesting stuff:

Apparently, copyright is retained by the individual or group and *cannot* be sold. Copyright then dies with said individual or group.

Some idiot is going to scream "Anti-Capitalist", but it sounds like it would go a hell of a long way in solving a lot of our problems with IP over here in the US.

Organizations such as the RIAA and MPAA, and the industries / corporations supporting them would cease to exist right quick without being able to contract an artists copyrights away from them.

Score: 0

By SteveJohnSteele

posted Jun 8, 2006 - 1:14 AM

I think you will find that was the original form of copyright

Originally 50 years ... then Life of 'artist' ... later Life of 'artist' plus 50 years ...

The originaly idea of copyright was to give the 'artist' breathing space to market the 'art' exclussively before others where able to copy it

It is still thought that an 'artist' makes 95% of their returns on a peice of 'art' in the first 10 years ... then slumps ... apart from the occasional 'greatist hits' collections, they wont make a lot more

So I think that 50 years is plenty of time

Score: 0

By Silentmaster101

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 8:00 AM

wow the pigopolists are really going on a blitzkrieg arent they?

Score: 0

By Galway

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 7:26 AM

This is a result for us Brits. Noone will be chased up for using there service and it should continue until the courts and lawyers have fleeced them for all they can.

Cant complain about that :P

Cant seam to find my warning though ? i wonder how they attempted to inform me :P

Score: 0

By Mark Gillespie

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 3:53 AM

LOL, like people actually thought it was legal!! It's $0.04 a track compared to iTunes $0.80. Of course it's illegal...

Some people are really thick...

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 10:53 AM

I can get an album from AoMP3, encoded in FLAC, for roughly $5.

Does that mean every used CD shop in the country selling CDs for under $5 is also illegal?

Some people are really thick, indeed.

Score: 0

By SteveJohnSteele

posted Jun 8, 2006 - 1:17 AM

most copyright notices say you are not allowed to sell, or resale

microsoft took people on ebay to court for reselling software

Score: 0

By Mark Gillespie

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 11:07 AM

Errm, it's USED.. That's why it's $5

If it were a NEW CD for $5, then it would be fair to assume it's counterfeit (or bargain basement)..

We are talking about all the lastest releases for a 1/20th of the usual cost. Anyone that thinks this is legitimate is a fool.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 11:13 AM

For a download without the case, CD, or cover-art?

Nope. $5 is right about where it should be. :)

Score: 0

By GCoder

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 5:02 PM

Wholehearted agreement!

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 5:17 PM

Who are you, and what did you do to that flaming bas****, GCoder?

*evil grin*

Score: 0

By Mark Gillespie

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 3:29 PM

I agree, downloaded compressed music is worth no more than $5, but iTunes and the like charge considerably more than this, which makes it's obvious that what allofmp3 is offering is hooky..

Score: 0

By SteveJohnSteele

posted Jun 8, 2006 - 1:19 AM

agreed

if a CD is #10 - then a lower quality download should not be the same price

also concider the distribution and material costs are much lower

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 3:49 PM

Obvious to whom?

Price means nothing. They have been investigated several times. Each time, no violations of russian law were found.

In fact, they not only comply with ROMS and FAIR, they are also striking deals with artists themselves.

The main problem with the US and Brit folks, is that they don't comply with RIAA, the IFPI, or the BPI....and why should they?

AllofMP3 is legal. The *issue* is whether or not it is legal for folks outside of Russia to import the music purchased form them.

Right now, in the USA, it is.

Score: 0

By Mark Gillespie

posted Jun 8, 2006 - 12:34 PM

"Price means nothing. They have been investigated several times. Each time, no violations of russian law were found."

True, but Russian law does not apply cross borders, you are controlled by laws in YOUR country. So unless you live in Russia, AllOfMP3 is illegal.

Score: 0

By Galway

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 7:19 AM

Or dont care.

Score: 0

By beta_

edited Jun 7, 2006 - 2:24 AM

You guys would be surprised HOW MANY sites like allofmp3.com :)))

1. http://delit.net
2. http://allofmp3.com
3. http://mp3.ru
4. http://www.mp3.ua

and at least 10 more....

I personally against piracy BUT i think it stupid to pay more than 5$ per CD for that s*** that comes from TV and media.... I have enough on web radio, online TV, satellite TV etc...

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

edited Jun 6, 2006 - 4:21 PM

when it files suit against the Russian company in British court.

Um, what?

Filing suit against a russian company in a british court?

Do they *like* throwing money out the window?

There a surplus of cash over there guys?

However, the industry has called the ROMS license invalid...

What industry? The UK extortion industry?

This ought to be amusing.

Score: 0

By joeshmoe7

posted Jun 6, 2006 - 4:53 PM

exactly, maybe they'll send James Bond over there to arrest them.

Or maybe they will just force all british ISP's to block the site?

What else could they possibly be thinking?

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jun 6, 2006 - 5:08 PM

Or maybe they will just force all british ISP's to block the site?

That'd be amusing. It's not like the folks using AoMP3 could ever figure out how to use a proxy, right?

lmao...

Score: 0

By dhjdhj

posted Jun 6, 2006 - 9:35 PM

Interesting - so you think that the only people who use AoMP3 are the techies? I'd be very surprised if that was true.

--->That'd be amusing. It's not like the folks using AoMP3 could ever figure out how to use a proxy, right?

Score: 0

By Tenoq

posted Jun 6, 2006 - 11:43 PM

You don't need to be a tech to configure a proxy, but I see your point. Still, of those with enough knowledge to find and use the site a fair percentage would be able to workaround a simple IP block (or get their friends to do so for them).

Score: 0

By dhjdhj

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 11:14 AM

My 12 year old daughter and 14 year old son (prime customers for music) would not be able to work around a block - they wouldn't know where to start other than to ask me - and "most" kids don't have parents who are seriously computer literate. That's going to keep a lot of "friends" busy.

In other words, IMO, blocking the IP address will in fact serve to diminish the traffic greatly, if in fact these services are being used by the masses.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jun 7, 2006 - 12:07 PM

Until they see the "workaround" posted on their fave site, or get it messaged to them in AIM. ;)

Score: 0

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