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RIAA chief: Copyright bills won't kill the Internet

Editor's note: This is a guest column. It is a rebuttal to an October 31 column written by Molly Wood, a CNET editor.

Let's all take a deep breath.

That's what we do every time we read another headline about how initiatives designed to protect intellectual property are going to kill the Internet.

There is a place for passionate, vigorous debate over rogue-Web-sites legislation pending in the House (the Stop Online Piracy Act) and Senate (Protect IP Act). We welcome it. Facts are always useful, and especially in this instance.

We obviously support the proposed legislation. There … Read more

Reporters' Roundtable: RIAA defends SOPA in fight over content rights

Today we're discussing what's been called the end of the Internet. And the Great Firewall of America. Or, technically: SOPA, the Stop Online Piracy Act, aka HR 3261, a law now wending its way through the House of Representatives.

This is a very controversial bill that would provide new powers to copyright holders and the government to sue, and take offline, sites that host legally protected content. The content industry says it's required to protect rights holders and their jobs. The technology industry says it will break the Internet and cost high-tech jobs.

To discuss, I have two guests. First, in the studio with me, our commentator Larry Downes, who writes on these topics for CNET and elsewhere. Larry has taught IP and computer property law at UC Berkeley.

And dialing in from the other side of the country, and the debate, is Mitch Glazier, senior executive vice president of the Recording Industry Association of America.

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U.S. government also a villain in piracy act story

Now that we've had a few days to digest the MPAA-backed Stop Online Piracy Act (PDF), can we all finally agree that the MPAA is evil and Hollywood wants the Internet to die? And then can we stop letting them write laws for us?

SOPA is the latest--and perhaps the most brazen--effort in a string of attempts by the MPAA and RIAA to bend the Internet to their corporate will and undermine all kinds of consumer rights. It's a breathtaking piece of work that would give Hollywood and private companies free reign to censor, remove, or prevent the … Read more

RIAA's sales numbers: A closer look

Cloud-music services have received a lot of attention over the past year and are supposed to represent the next phase in music retail. But looking at music sales from the past five years, it may be hard to understand why.

Supporters have said that cloud music services will generate a big chunk of revenue through subscription fees. The problem is that subscription-music services have been a problem for a while and the public still hasn't shown any indication that it's willing to pay to store and access music.

Last week, Nielsen SoundScan reported that overall music sales rose … Read more

Google vows to fight antipiracy bill even if passed

Google has signaled that the company is prepared to oppose the major film and music companies as well as Congress and the president of the United States on a controversial bill designed to thwart online piracy.

Google Chairman Eric Schmidt said today in London that the company is prepared to go on fighting the bill should it become law, according to published reports. U.K. publication the Guardian is reporting that in a discussion with reporters during a London business conference, Schmidt said: "If there is a law that requires DNS [domain name systems, the protocol that allows users … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1469: PlayStation Network: safe enough for America! (Podcast)

Sony is firing up the PlayStation Network again and most of America should have access by now. But the Japanese government says it won't allow PSN back on in its country until Sony can ensure that it's triple-dog-super-secure. Which, uh ... I kind of want it to be that secure here, too, don't you? Plus, artists gets screwed by pirates AND the RIAA, the fascinating and potentially globally destabilizing bitcoin project, and the power of Prey gets back a man's laptop from hundreds of miles away. --Molly

Silver lining for music fans in Lime Wire case

Fate smiled on Mark Gorton this week.

The founder of file-sharing company Lime Wire agreed on Thursday to pay $105 million to the Recording Industry Association of America to settle a 5-year-old copyright case. Sure, that's a lot, but consider that the settlement figure is equal to only 7 percent of the $1.4 billion the RIAA sought.

This is likely the final chapter for LimeWire, after 10 years in operation. The two sides agreed to settle a year to the day after U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood ruled that Gorton was liable for willful copyright infringement. Later, Wood ordered that the LimeWire peer-to-peer network be shut down. The financial agreement between Gorton and the labels came amid a jury trial to determine how much Gorton would have to pay in damages.

For fans of cheap, easy-to-obtain music, a few modest reasons for hope sprung up during the two-week-long damages trial.

Edgar Bronfman, CEO of Warner Music Group, one of the four largest record companies, said under oath that he supported the unbundling of music. You might be saying to yourself: "So what?" People have had access to unbundled music for a decade now, thanks to services like iTunes and, yes, LimeWire. All I can tell you is that there are plenty of decision makers at the labels who believe the industry won't recover until consumers are buying albums again. … Read more

Lime Wire settles with RIAA for $105 million

Having facilitated the mass piracy of billions of songs over a 10-year period, Lime Wire founder Mark Gorton and his file-sharing company have agreed to compensate the four largest record labels by paying them $105 million.

As first reported by CNET, Gorton's lawyers closed in on a settlement agreement today after meeting this morning to hammer out a deal.

"We are pleased to have reached a large monetary settlement following the court's finding that both Lime Wire and its founder Mark Gorton are personally liable for copyright infringement," said Mitch Bainwol, chairman of the Recording Industry … Read more

In Lime Wire trial, sounds of discord (roundup)

A year after a judge found Mark Gorton liable, a jury is now deciding how much the founder of Lime Wire must pay in damages for willful copyright infringement.

Lime Wire settles with RIAA for $105 million Mark Gorton, creator of the LimeWire file-sharing system, agrees to compensate the four largest record labels for facilitating the mass piracy of billions of songs over 10 years. (Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval) May 12, 2011 3:51PM PDT

RIAA, Lime Wire close to settling copyright suit Lime Wire, the file-sharing service found liable for copyright infringement last year, could pay … Read more

RIAA, Lime Wire close to settling copyright suit

Lime Wire, the company that helped people obtain perhaps billions of songs illegally, is close to forking over a "significant" amount of money to settle a copyright suit filed against it by the Recording Industry Association of America, sources close to the discussions told CNET.

The two sides were still negotiating this morning, but a deal could be finalized as soon as today, the sources said. They didn't specify the exact settlement figure and cautioned that the talks could still break down.

Should a deal be finalized, it would put an end to a 5-year-old copyright case and close the book on Lime Wire, the company behind the peer-to-peer system of the same name that the big four record companies alleged cost them billions of dollars and thousands of employees their jobs.

After a U.S. District Judge found Lime Wire and founder Mark Gorton personally liable for copyright infringement and ordered the company to cease operations, the case then moved to assessing damages. Over the past two weeks, a jury in Manhattan was hearing evidence in the case as they determined what amount Lime Wire and Gorton would have to pay. If they found he deserved to pay the maximum under the law, Gorton could be required to pay as much as $1.4 billion.

Ethan Smith at The Wall Street Journal reported that the sides have held three settlement meetings without securing a deal. The talks began in earnest yesterday, said the sources who spoke with CNET.

Gorton was in a precarious legal position.The jury tasked with assessing damages was often reminded by Glenn Pomerantz, the RIAA's lead attorney, that Gorton had already been found liable of willful copyright infringement by U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood. … Read more