Russian website threatens iTunes

Ottawa Citizen ^ | June 3, 2006 | Alex Nicholson

[Star Traveler]

MOSCOW - A Russian website that lets visitors download albums for less than $1 is a smash hit with music fans -- but not with U.S. trade and music industry officials.

The site is a pirate, they allege, adding that Russia's failure to close it down presents a direct obstacle to the country's negotiations to join the World Trade Organization.

[ ... ]

The website www.allofmp3.com just adds to the dispute.

The site's knockdown prices, coupled with its huge catalogue, crisp design and convenient downloading software make it a strong draw.

[ ... ]

"MediaServices pays licence fees for all materials downloaded from the site subject to the Law of the Russian Federation," the site says, citing an agreement with the Russian Multimedia and Internet Society.

That group, which goes by the acronym ROMS, says it collects and distributes royalties for online use of copyrighted music. ROMS claims that under Russian copyright law, it does not need permission from copyright holders to licence the sale of music on the Internet.

[ ... ]

(includes only minimal, selected excerpts; majority of article left off; go to link to read the entire article...)

[Star Traveler]

The article basically says that the web site of www.allofmp3.com is a "problem" to Russian joining the WTO.

My answer to that -- "waaa..., waaa..., waaa..." Just too bad...

Russia is a sovereign country; they have their own laws, they have courts and officials and www.allofmp3.com has passed their own laws. And unless the RIAA "forces" Russia to change its "sovereign laws" to suit the RIAA -- everyone can continue to buy legal music for 1/10 of the price of other sites. Isn't that capitalism at work?

Regards,
Star Traveler

[SamAdams76]

Actually allofmp3.com has been around quite a while. They are a legal company that pays royalties on the music they sell. However, in order for a recording artist to collect royalties, they must join the Russian equivalent to ASCAP (I forget what they are called). However, the RIAA threatens recording artists that join this organization so as a result, very few recording artists ever collect those royalties.

Whether or not allofmymp3.com are allowed to sell music in the USA has yet to be addressed by the courts.

[RS]

If they are collecting and paying the required royalties, where's the problem ?

... and I thought France was trying to force iTunes to cough up it's proprietary system - If the Russians aren't using iTunes system, or have figured a way around it, just where is their dog in this fight ?

[Star Traveler]

By the way, I've been using www.allofmp3.com for over two years. It's been on the "news" many times since then, saying all the same thing. There have been "threats" by the RIAA, but they are unable to penatrate the sovereign laws of Russia -- to their great chagrin (ain't that just too bad...).

I've gotten many oldies for songs I've listened to 40 years ago, many current ones and whatever else. It's great. I pay about 1/10th the current online price of other web sites here in this country.

Their site has been legally challenged and they've withstood all challenges over the years and say they have legitimate rights within their own sovereign laws. In the same manner as anyone can buy things in another country and possess it for themselves, I likewise purchase songs from them and possess them wherever I go in the world.

There has never been a problem with *anyone* purchasing their songs in the years and years of their operation.

So, go get some songs for yourself...

Regards,
Star Traveler

[jimtorr]

Let me get this straight: ROMS only pays royalties to the music owners if they join the Russian federation? If that is correct, it is a big problem.

[Star Traveler]

You asked -- "If the Russians aren't using iTunes system, or have figured a way around it, just where is their dog in this fight ?"

I think news articles try to use the word "iTunes" -- any way possible -- in anything they write. If they do include that word, it gets more coverage of the article. That's probably the only reason the word "iTunes" is in that article.

They really should have the acronym "RIAA" -- because this is really an article from them -- not from anyone else.

Regards,
Star Traveler

[Proud_USA_Republican]

MediaServices pays licence fees for all materials downloaded from the site subject to the Law of the Russian Federation," the site says, citing an agreement with the Russian Multimedia and Internet Society. aka the Putin inner circle poltical slush fund

[Hoplite]

Isn't that capitalism at work?

No. It's theft.

Pretty basic distinction there, sport.

[Star Traveler]

You said -- "Actually allofmp3.com has been around quite a while."

And I've been using them all that time, too. They're a great company. It's interesting to be charged in Rubles and have it exchanged into American Dollars on your card. Sometimes they do miss the price by a few cents on the transactions -- but I've never worried about that.

Regards,
Star Traveler

[Star Traveler]

You said -- "No. It's theft."

It's legal within their system of laws. It's not called theft there. And so, since every country has the right to form their own laws -- it's not possible to call it theft *there* -- since they are within their own laws.

You can only call it theft here -- and -- here the laws are *engineered* by the RIAA -- which makes them "suspect" as to "whose interest they are for"...

You're saying that *only* from the perspective of what people *here* have enforced upon the public. If they haven't enforced the same kind of "thinking" upon the public in their laws over there -- it can't be called theft (legally, or even morally) -- because they have the right to form their own laws the way they want to (just like we do, even if they *are* for the "primary benefit" of the RIAA, "here").

Regards,
Star Traveler

[Star Traveler]

You said -- "Let me get this straight: ROMS only pays royalties to the music owners if they join the Russian federation? If that is correct, it is a big problem."

I can't tell you anything about that, since I don't know how they administer their own system over there in Russia.

Regards,
Star Traveler

[Star Traveler]

You said -- "... citing an agreement with the Russian Multimedia and Internet Society. aka the Putin inner circle poltical slush fund"

I'll have to send a "thank-you note" to Putin, for my cheaper music. Now, where is his e-mail address?

Regards,
Star Traveler

[bfree]

why is that? I disagree that there is any theft by the buyer. If the RIAA has a problem, and they always seem to have a problem, let them join the Russian group and collect.

Oh gee, maybe they can go to the "World Court" that their left wing supporters believe in.

[balls]

Is the license as restrictive as iTunes, or can you store it on more than one PC?

[free_at_jsl.com]

Lots of different opinions on this one here. Some people call it "theft" even though nothing was "stolen". (The original owner of the content still possesses it.) Some people call it copyright infringement but different countries have different laws regarding copyright. This site is in Russia and it conforms to their laws. It probably doesn't conform to US law. When you download from them, you are presented with a warning that it is your responsibility to ensure that you are in compliance with you local government's laws.

(I have never even visited their site.)

[Star Traveler]

You asked -- "Is the license as restrictive as iTunes, or can you store it on more than one PC?"

There is no "DRM" on it. You can choose from several different formats, and many different bit rates. Take a look for yourself...

Regards,
Star Traveler

[Echo Talon]

RIAA think they rule the world.

[DTA]

>>>>>>No. It's theft. Pretty basic distinction there, sport.>>>>

Interesting logic. It can be applied to Uncle Sam procurement of knock off AK-47 to arm allies around the world.

If Uncle Sam's procurement likes AK-47s so much, why they do not buy the original in Russia, instead of ripping off Russian intellectual property.

Because of the price. The original cost around $300 while knock off can be purchased for 1/10 of the price. Just like albums on allofmp3.com

See how the shoe fits on the other foot.

You seem to be full of righteous anger. Methinks you are bigot if you do not call above example theft as well. With a difference. Artists are getting at least something from Russian RiAA while Russia is getting zilch from selling of counterfeit AK-47s.

[Rate_Determining_Step]

Dude, the STEAL the property. It's OK by Russian laws. In Hugo Chavez' Venezuela, they're making it legal to steal stuff too. Does that make it right?

Property rights is a FUNDAMENTAL human right. Perhaps your opinion didn't take that into account?

[Comstock1]

What allofmymp3.com is doing is called theft. Neither the artist who produced it, nor the publishing rights holders have authorized their distribution through allofmymp3.com. Just because some corrupt Russian legislators legalized it doesn't change a thing, it just makes them theives too.

Just like when some banana republic authorizes seizure of oil company property its theft.

What part of taking somebody else's creative property and reselling it without their permission isn't theft? Just because you have a beef with the RIAA (and who doesn't?) doesn't make it right.

And any idiot who would give a credit card or debit card to these jokers deserves what willhappen when this house of cards comes tumbling down.