Website/Music copyright question...

[Liesje]

Is it illegal to have a website play a U2 song (.mid file embedded in the site)? The site is not commercial, nothing for sale.

 

[clarityat3am]

I'd guess not. Isn't that pretty much the same thing as all the songs playing on everyone's MySpace page and whatnot?

 

[Cleasai]

Technically yes. Copyrighted works shown or played in a public setting without the consent of the owner is illegal. Myspace will actually shut down any music account if they hold/play music if it's not really theirs. You could always keep playing the music until you get a cease and desist letter.

 

[Liesje]

That's what I was thinking. I've already been issued a cease and desist over a U2 song, so I'll avoid provoking the RIAA again. Shoot.

 

[Canadiens1131]

This is an interesting subject. Does MySpace pay royalties to the RIAA for all of the copyrighted music people put up on their personal pages?

 

[Liesje]

This is an interesting subject. Does MySpace pay royalties to the RIAA for all of the copyrighted music people put up on their personal pages?

I thought that people put up music by going out to the band's page to get the link? For example, my page plays Walk Into The Sun and I had to go to the Dirty Vegas MySpace to get it. Since they had it available, I used it on my page, so it's like they've already given people permission to promote their own music. It's not a clip that I uploaded on my own.

 

[Canadiens1131]

Ah that's probably the case then.

 

[clarityat3am]

Lots of people have players not tied to MySpace on their pages. Not sure how those are dealt with.