Majors Go After LimeWire

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) filed suit against LimeWire on Friday in the United States District Court in Manhattan. The RIAA, who represent the Major Recording Labels, seeks damages of $150,000 per infringing file. The action comes after negotiations broke down when the RIAA insisted that the current LimeWire service be completely shut down while a new industry-approved application was developed.

The RIAA feels that the momentum is in its favor with the recent $115 million Kazaa settlement. However, many feel that LimeWire is less vulnerable since they’ve been around long before the “Napster era” and the charges that its executives intentionally encouraged the infringement of major label copyrights is thin. In the new lawsuit, the RIAA will utilize the precedent established in MGM v. Grokster, which broadened infringement responsibility to companies that knowingly encourage and profit from the illegal trading of copyrighted files.

Author: FutureMusic

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