The US company MP3Board has introduced a feature on its web site
that will enable aggrieved copyright holders to remove links to
copies of their works. The MP3Board web site presently contains
thousands of links to MP3 files.
MP3Board Inc. has introduced a new feature to its web site
mp3board.com that will enable aggrieved copyright holders to remove
links to copies of their works. The MP3Board web site presently
contains thousands of links to MP3 files although it does not store
any of the files on its servers.
The addition of ‘LinkBlaster’ software has been viewed as a
concession to copyright holders who argue that their works are
infringed by web sites that enable users to download unauthorised
music recordings in easily transferable MP3 format.
By subscribing to an account on the MP3Board web site, copyright
holders will be able to use LinkBlaster to identify what they
consider to be infringing links to their material. The links will
then be deleted by the web site.
Accounts will only be available to applicants who are easily
recognisible as legitimate copyright holders. However, copyright
holders will likely argue that the links should not appear on the
MP3Board web site in the first place.
The unauthorised trade in MP3 files has been a major issue of
late, particularly in the ongoing case against Napster in which the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is seeking a
preliminary injunction to shut down the company’s web site.
The RIAA claims that by providing free software that enables
users to download MP3 files, Napster Inc. is illegally contributing
to the breach of copyright. A hearing into the matter is to be held
today, although the judge’s final decision may not be announced
until next week.
