EMI sues Hi5, VideoEgg over user-uploaded videos

Some people might be embarrassed if their friends found an old copy of Mr. Big's "To be with you" or Paula Abdul's "Cold hearted (snake)" stashed away in their CD collection. But not EMI. They own those songs, and they want the world to know it.

The music giant is suing social-networking site Hi5, video advertising start-up VideoEgg, and 10 unnamed defendants for allegedly infringing on the copyrights of those and hundreds of other pop throwbacks.

The lawsuit alleges that Hi5 users have uploaded and disseminated hundreds of music videos the company owns rights to. VideoEgg is on the hook because it's a former partner of Hi5, and those allegedly infringing videos were uploaded to its servers. (On May 31, VideoEgg stopped hosting videos uploaded by the public and refocused efforts on its ad network, prompting rumors that the company was on its way out.) The lawsuit doesn't say much of anything about who the 10 John Does are.

The companies had attempted to work out some kind of deal for more than a year, a source told TechCrunch, but those efforts eventually failed.

[unknown unknown]

Hmm, as site that actually took the RIAA's advice and bought Audible Magic, not much of an endorsement. I guess they've decided on litigation as a business model much like other dying companies, only difference being they're doing it over copyrights instead of patents. I think TechCrunch has it right, EMI is only looking for a pay off...very MAFIA of them.

[gumpman155]

well companys like EMI and other companys use the communist way of doing things. But one day I hope to see use get to a point where they can not use comunist ways of doing things. The RIAA and MPAA are both communist based enterprizes. Microsoft is another one. Any company who want to make life hell for those who use thrie products are communist. I hope that we get people in congress and in the white house thats going to fix things.

[zincmann]

MPAA = Monopolistic Practicing Arrogant A$$holes...