EMI Says You Can't Store Your Music Files Online

iamaposeur · #1 04-23-2008, 08:34 PM

Bad Company: EMI Says You Can't Store Your Music Files Online

Quote:

Today, MP3tunes' CEO Michael Robertson sent out an email to all users of the online music backup and place-shifting service MP3tunes.com, asking them to help publicize EMI's ridiculous and ignorant lawsuit against the company. EMI believes that consumers aren't allowed to store their music files online, and that MP3tunes is violating copyright law by providing a backup service. (And we're not using a euphemism here—it really is a backup/place-shifting service and not a file sharing site in disguise.)

In March, a court told EMI it couldn't demand that MP3tunes turn over all the music stored by customers on its servers. Robertson writes on his corporate blog that the request is absurd:

"Files are not MP3tunes' possessions any more than the contents of a safety deposit box are owned by the bank that houses them. The storage provided by MP3tunes is the user's own space. A Locker is empty when someone opens an account and that customer decides what files are placed into their Locker. All files are stored at the request of the user. People who choose to utilize remote storage should be guaranteed the same level of privacy they have for the files stored on their local hard disk."

Here's part of Robertson's email from earlier today:

"As you may be aware, the major record label EMI has sued MP3tunes, claiming our service is illegal. You can read about the case here. Much is at stake — if you don't have the right to store your own music online then you won't have the right to store ebooks, videos and other digital products as well. The notion of ownership in the 21st century will evaporate. The idea of ownership is important to me and I want to make sure I have that right and my kids do too."

"Court Ruling Denies EMI Access to Millions of Personal MP3 Files" [MIchael Robertson]

In other words, major labels are still jerks.

orchestral · #2 04-23-2008, 10:59 PM

well, the consumers say they can store it there.
so, i'd like to see EMI try to get their sass on with the lonley handful of people who even bother to buy over-priced major-label records.

it doesn't bode well for them.
the music industry is so whiny and arbitrary. i mean, the oil industry could have pitched a MUCH bigger fit about their situation, but instead they chose to change what they sell (fuel) and how they sell and market it (hybrids, biodiesel, ethanol, etc).
and music industry is stupidly stubborn, as if they assume the public will come back around.

but no no, we're done.

bort · #3 04-23-2008, 11:11 PM

There's an opening for King Cnut in the music industry. He had a cool name too.

FreakMagnet · #4 04-24-2008, 12:40 AM

I'm reminded of the Sex Pistols song EMI. EMI..goodbye.

spasmachine · #5 04-24-2008, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bort

There's an opening for King Cnut in the music industry. He had a cool name too.

I think this every time I see one of these articles. On one hand I can see where they're coming from because these sites are so overt - P2P networks are like swapping stolen goods under a pub table whereas upload sites are like walking around with a t-shirt on saying "ASK ME ABOUT THE CAR STEREOS I'M GIVING AWAY" (do people actually still nick car stereos? I hope I'm not sounding all fuddy-duddy here). But actions like this just draw attention to sites that people might not realise exists if they can't work sharing programs.