Kazaa trial begins
p2pnet.net News:- Having failed to convince an American court that p2p operators are responsible for what their users do, the Big Four music label cartel is now trying to use Australia’s legal system to kill p2p file sharing.
Sharman Networks, owner of the Kazaa p2p file sharing application, is up against the labels in Day One of a battle expected to last for about three weeks.
“Sharman was also alleged to have tried to pressure recording companies – including Universal, EMI, Sony BMG, Warner and Festival Mushroom,” says The Australian.
This is in reference to Sharman’s desperate, and fruitless, attempts to persuade the cartel that it should use Kazaa and linked technologies, in particular the ineffective DRM software being touted by associate Altnet.
Hearing the case is judge Murray Wilcox.
Counsel for the major labels, Tony Bannon SC, said Sharman, “paint themselves as defenders of the interests of fans of music," The Austrailian continues.
But, Bannon went on, Sharman’s actions were, "all a charade" because it was interested only in making money from the copyright-infringing behaviour of its users.
“The 13 barristers and 21 solicitors in court yesterday were testament to the hefty legal bills,” says The Australian, adding:
“But, despite this commitment to seeking legal redress, the music industry has so far not been successful in several high-profile similar cases in Europe and the US.”
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See:-
pressure – Net music swap firm a ‘pirate’, The Australian, November 29, 2004
fruitless – Kazaa under Big Music’s gun, p2pnet, November 27, 2004
