Daily Pennsylvanian (U. Pennsylvania)
(U-WIRE) PHILADELPHIA – Students who rely on file sharing networks might soon be losing their software, thanks to the wave of lawsuits against companies that provide such services. Last Monday, Sharman Networks, owner of popular file sharing software Kazaa, lost an 18-month legal battle in the Australian court.
The court ruled Kazaa illegal based on Australian copyright laws, as the Recording Industry Association of America called the ruling a “global victory for legitimate online music services,” in an official statement by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mitch Bainwol.
“This decision reflects a growing, international chorus: Those who promote theft can be held accountable no matter how they may attempt to escape responsibility,” Bainwol added.
Before, there used to be a centralized system such as Napster, from which users could download files-now software such as Kazaa allow users to exchange files directly.
The music service could cost students around $2 per month, but the files will be systematically “tethered” in that they won’t get saved in student’s individual computers.