Teehee!
file traders = 1
RIAA = 0
Mac software opens path for music pirates
Thursday, May 15, 2003
New software from Apple Computer that lets Macintosh users buy songs from an online music store can also be used to share songs via the Internet, raising concerns among record labels and music publishers about a new avenue for piracy.
Apple's new iTunes software was designed to allow people to store songs on one Mac and play them on other Macs on the same home network. But users quickly found a way to share songs with a wider group of people over the Net. Since the iTunes software was launched two weeks ago, several Web sites have sprung up to help users find others who are sharing their songs online. Some adept programmers also found a way to let people copy the songs that iTunes users were making available through the Internet.
"It sounds as if it is a hole in the security that needs to be closed," said Cary Ramos, an attorney for the National Music Publishers Association. "I don't know what Apple can do to achieve that, but I would certainly hope that they would take steps immediately to address this issue."
Notably, the copy-protected songs that Apple sells through its iTunes Music Store apparently cannot be shared through either a home network or the Internet. Only song files that users copy from CDs or download from unauthorized online sources can be shared.
(Complete story)
