Post by Sal on Feb 21, 2008 20:57:13 GMT -5
I received this PM about music and files that may be posted:
Hi Sal! I read your questions about your music player and the concerns of people about whether or not you have permission to have the songs on your site. I used to be a paralegal and did a lot of work in entertainment law so this is one area at least where I know what I'm talking about. ;D
As long as the music was originally purchased by you or acquired through legal file sharing, you can have mp3 files of those songs on a player for people to listen to ONLY on your website... you just can't allow people to download them. When you buy a cd or otherwise purchase a song it belongs to you, and you own the license that allows you to transfer it to mp3 or cassette tape for your personal use and let others listen to it... what you aren't supposed to be allowed to do is give or sell those music files to someone else without permission. So listening by people on your website is ok as long as the music was legally acquired and you aren't selling the ability to listen... it's letting people download those files that isn't ok.
I think a lot a people are really confused about the law regarding music file sharing, and the music industry would just love it if they can make people believe they can't do anything with music they legally purchased or otherwise legally acquired. They should be thrilled that people share the ability to listen to songs some other way than radio stations or how would the industry ever sell anything?
Hi Sal! I read your questions about your music player and the concerns of people about whether or not you have permission to have the songs on your site. I used to be a paralegal and did a lot of work in entertainment law so this is one area at least where I know what I'm talking about. ;D
As long as the music was originally purchased by you or acquired through legal file sharing, you can have mp3 files of those songs on a player for people to listen to ONLY on your website... you just can't allow people to download them. When you buy a cd or otherwise purchase a song it belongs to you, and you own the license that allows you to transfer it to mp3 or cassette tape for your personal use and let others listen to it... what you aren't supposed to be allowed to do is give or sell those music files to someone else without permission. So listening by people on your website is ok as long as the music was legally acquired and you aren't selling the ability to listen... it's letting people download those files that isn't ok.
I think a lot a people are really confused about the law regarding music file sharing, and the music industry would just love it if they can make people believe they can't do anything with music they legally purchased or otherwise legally acquired. They should be thrilled that people share the ability to listen to songs some other way than radio stations or how would the industry ever sell anything?
