(idm) Germany- MP3

From Peter Becker
Sent Wed, Jun 16th 1999, 14:07

Any German idmers having troubles?

Peter

>  From http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9906/11/shutdown.idg/
>
>
> German MP3 sites shut down
>
> June 11, 1999
> Web posted at: 3:34 p.m. EDT (1934 GMT)
> by Mark Lisabeth D'Amico
>
> MUNICH (IDG) -- A German music industry trade group Wednesday said it
> has shut down over 100 illegal music Web sites in recent months.
>
> The moves have been directed mainly at sites which offer users MP3
> (Motion Picture Experts Group, Audio Layer 3,) files for songs to
> which they have not obtained the copyright, said the German branch of
> the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry in a
> statement issued yesterday.
>
> MP3 is a format for compressing audio files, so that they can be
> easily downloaded over the Internet and stored on a disk drive or
> mobile player. Software to create and play MP3 files is freely
> available, opening the door to possible online music piracy.
>
> Working with IFPI members in 70 other countries, the German IFPI
> Group conducts constant searches of illegal Web sites, the group
> said. Internet piracy cost the music industry at least 20 million
> marks ($10.7 million) in 1998, the group said, and that figure is
> expected to rise in the future.
>
> The downloading of MP3 files continues to explode, in spite of
> efforts by the IFPI and other music industry associations to stop the
> illegal copying. MP3 supporters argue that the recording industry
> will have to accept the software piracy, and instead come up with
> another way to make money, such as offering music downloads on Web
> sites supported by advertising and subscriptions.
> Mary Lisbeth D'Amico writes for the IDG News Service.

xxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx, Peter Becker

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