Europe's First Criminal Judgement Against Internet Piracy
A French court ruling on December 6, 1999 against two individuals, a 24-year
old computer technician and a 21-year old information technology student,
convicted of illegally distributing whole albums of music repertoire, is the
first criminal judgment against Internet pirates in Europe. The case was
brought in June by the French anti-piracy organization SCPP on behalf of
Sony Music Entertainment, Island Records, Warner Bros., Atlantic Records and
the French author's society SACEM. Both men were given a three month
suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay $15,300 in damages. This
ruling spurs the development of a legitimate on-line music market and gives
an important boost to the global fight against music piracy on the Internet.
IFPI Press Release, December 8, 1999. To read the entire press release, visit GrayZone's web site:
http://www.grayzone.com/ifpi120899.htm
Wisconsin True Name and Address Statute
RIAA Vice President of Anti-Piracy Legislation, Don Valdez, recently
testified before the Wisconsin Assembly Judiciary committee on behalf of
legislation to institute the Wisconsin True Name and Address Statute. This
law, if passed, would require that manufacturers of sound recordings put
their full name and address on each CD or cassette so it can be properly
identified as legitimate music.
RIAA Fast Tracks, February 2, 2000
Recommended Reading
Hip-Hop Bootlegs: Blessing or Curse
A bootleg became a contentious issue when Untertainment music executive
Lance "Un" Rivera was allegedly stabbed by rapper Jay-Z at the Kit Kat Club
in early December. During the skirmish, the rapper angrily accused Rivera
of bootlegging his soon-to-be-released album "Vol. 3 ... Life and Times of
S. Carter." Ironically, bootlegs can be influential to Hip Hop music which
gets its stamp of approval from the street. "To a certain degree, you want
to see your artists bootlegged," admits Blak Shawn, an A&R executive at
Rawkus, "because that means your shit is hot." Often the officially
released work will be altered based on what was being sold illicitly prior
to release. Jay-Z has since added three new songs to his album which was
scheduled for release in late December.
New York, January 3, 2000 (Ethan Brown). Point Your Browser Tip:
http://www.newyorkmag.com/page.cfm?page_id=1750
The History of Bootlegs
Curious about the history of bootlegs and how it all began? Check out Hot
Wacks Bootleg Guide: "A Brief But Incomplete History of Bootlegs."
Point Your Browser Tip: http://log.on.ca/hotwacks/hist.html
Findlaw On The Web
An excellent source for up-to-date legal information:
http://www.findlaw.com/
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