Copyright Blog: Universal Sues Myspace For Infringement

Universal is suing Myspace for allowing users to upload and download songs and music videos. Isn’t that what Myspace is used for? Users being able to find new artists that they may like and are able to listen to the musician’s music? I do that almost everyday and it’s the reason why I even have a Myspace account, I’m even doing it as I write this blog. For a while Myspace was popular for contacting and meeting new people, but now it’s mostly back to its main purpose, listening to new musicians. The suit also includes MySpace’s corporate higher level, The News Corporation,

because apparently they’re also the reason why Universal is suing for the exploitation of the copyrighted material.

(notice how even the logo has heads lis-
tening to music?)

The Law suit, filed in Las Angeles on November 17,2006, is seen as part of universals scheme to test the federal law’s “safe harbour” that internet companies are supposed to follow and complete procedures to filter copyrighted work by the makers. As of now, the law requires sites to be removed after being notified by the copyright holder. But why would the musicians make a Myspace and post music in the first place if they don’t want people to be able to upload or download it. To me, that makes no sense. Myspace would have to pay Universal $1,50,000 US as damages for each music or video posted on the highly active website with over 100 million users.

Earlier in the year, Universal also threatened to sue You-Tube for the same thing before it was sued to Google for 1.65 billion. And two months prior to the Myspace law suit they filed related companies that allow video sharing, Grouper Networks and Bolt. Seems to me like Universal is bored, and just wants something to do.

Myspace said in a statement that the are “closely apprised of our industry-leading efforts to protect creators’ rights and its unfortunate they decided to file this unnecessary and meritless litigation.” And “We provide users with tools to share their own work – we do not induce, encourage, or condone copyright violation in any way.” And they make a good point saying this. Myspace even stated the day before the law suit that they were planning to organize a new tool that would allow copyright owners to flag videos posted by users without authorization; and then they would remove the ones that become flagged. Universal even has a deal to distribute music by artists who are signed to a label run by Myspace themselves. Why would universal want to sue someone that they have a deal with?

Universals argument in the litigation is that unauthorized copies of music and videos from U2 and Jay-Z were easily available, although unreleased to the public. They also said that their “goal is not to inhibit the creation of these communities, but to ensure that our rights and those of our artists are recognized.”

Anthony Berman, a San Francisco lawyer, said that Universal’s case was intended to press Myspace into a profitable licensing deal with them rather than a real court fight. “It’s less about piracy. It’s a lot about control.”

The big bad scary univeral that doesn't
have anything else to do but sue other
companies. Tisk Tisk.