TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Record Labels Sue Baidu for Copyright Infringement


Record Labels Sue Baidu for Copyright Infringement


Reuters News Wire (reuters@telecom-digest.org)
Sun, 18 Sep 2005 13:25:52 -0500

The four largest record companies have sued Baidu.com Inc. for
copyright infringement, alleging the Chinese Internet search engine
has been illegally providing links to free digital music downloads,
according to a trade group the represents the music industry.

Universal Music Group, EMI Group Plc and Warner Music Group
Corp. filed their suits in July in Beijing to stop Baidu from
providing those links, a spokesman for the International Federation of
the Phonographic Industry said. Sony BMG Music Entertainment filed its
suit earlier this month.

The music industry has been cracking down on piracy, one of its
largest costs. It recently won a landmark decision against Grokster, a
peer-to-peer network that allowed users to download music from one
another without permission from the artists.

The Baidu case is believed to be different, since the search engine is
providing links to sites that offer illegal downloads.

Baidu, known as the Chinese Google, lost nearly a third of its market
value earlier this week after two of the investment banks that managed
the company's initial public offering said the stock price was
overblown.

Copyright 2005 Reuters Limited.

NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the
daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at
http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new
articles daily.

Post Followup Article Use your browser's quoting feature to quote article into reply
Go to Next message: Allen Newman: "Use of Bell Logo: Qwest? SBC?"
Go to Previous message: Anick Jesdanun: "Google to Put Copyright Laws to the Test"
Next in thread: Tony P.: "Re: Record Labels Sue Baidu for Copyright Infringement"
May be reply: Tony P.: "Re: Record Labels Sue Baidu for Copyright Infringement"
May be reply: Robert Bonomi: "Re: Record Labels Sue Baidu for Copyright Infringement"
TELECOM Digest: Home Page