AOL pulls MP3 service, finds messaging Napsterized

 

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Shockwaves from the controversy surrounding Napster and the music industry make their way to America Online, as the Internet giant decides to pull a search engine that ferrets out MP3s on the Web. Yet even while AOL works to ensure its subscribers aren't pirating copyrighted music online, new software taps the company's instant messaging technology to swap files.

AOL pulls MP3 search engine The online giant says it has scrapped a search engine that finds links to downloadable music files, many of which are pirated copies of songs. AOL Instant Messenger gets Napsterized A new Napster-like program springs up online that piggybacks on the popular instant messaging service, limiting swaps of music and other files to close, trusted groups of people. Scour draws big-name lawyers to copyright suit Top lawyers step to the aid of the Napster-like file-swapping service that stands at the center of a major entertainment industry lawsuit over alleged copyright violations.