Europeans Sue Major Record Labels

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Europeans sue major record labels


European consumer group is suing four of the Big Five labels for selling copy-protected CDs that won't play in car stereos or on computers.

The Belgium-based Test-Aankoop says so far, it's had more than 200 complaints.

"Industry observers believe Test-Aankoop's suit is the biggest European legal challenge yet to the music industry's controversial campaign to release copy-protected discs to minimize the impact that digital piracy is having on sales," says a Reuters report here.

Test-Aankoop cited more than a dozen top-selling releases which wouldn't play on "multiple devices," says the report.

It says although on that EMI, Universal Music, Sony Music and BMG are named in the suit, which is expected to be heard this week in a Belgian court, Warner Music wasn't.

It doesn't explain why it was apparently left out.

"We are trying to establish legal precedent in this matter. Then, we expect other consumer organizations will follow," spokesman Mechels Ivo is quoted as saying.

Test-Aankoop says it contacted record label enforcer the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) in the fall about the concerns, adds the story.

Source

[Sparkle1984]

Nice one !!!!

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RIAA must be destroyed !! Long live Kazaa !!!
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[internet.news]

Originally posted by Sparkle1984@6 January 2004 - 15:59
Nice one !!!!

Nice one nice - I think it is not nice if you desperately trying to play a CD which is copyright protected in your car radio/stereo - and the worst thing at all is THAT:

some copyright protected CDs have had no information on the cd case that they won't play on pc or in car.

The newer CDs has this information on the back of the case. Be sure to look on it.

[Aimless6]

The consumers organisation Test-Aankoop took this step because of the industries attempt to block our legal right to make a private copy. And the fact that you pay € 22 (us$ 28) for a CD and it doesn't even play on most car stereos.

Belgian copyright law contains an article that gives costumers the right to make a copy for private use. In return the industrie receives a fee from all sold blank media's. Cripleware CD's make it hard(er) to use that right, and don't ad much protection against ripper software. So the general public gets annoyed, and pirates crack it in 5 minutes.

AFAIK, the Netherlands and Canada have simmilar copyright laws, that allow private copying.

There already was a French ruling last summer where EMI ??? was slapped on the wrist for selling "defective" CD's without a propper warning sticker. So I reckon all new releases contain some sort of warning in the fine print by now.