AfterDawn: News

Recording Industry challenges Yahoo

The recording industry has challenged Yahoo Inc! to stop the "massively damaging abuse of intellectual property rights" by Yahoo! China. Yahoo! Inc. owns 44% of Yahoo! China through its investment in the Alibaba Group. The Chinese company has been in court in Beijing trying to contest a ruling that it facilitated mass music piracy through its specialised music service.

Yahoo! China was ruled liable for illegally providing links to copyright infringing music files in a landmark court decision in Beijing in April. Members of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) claims the site offers a bespoke music delivery service that enables and induces users to search for, play and download infringing music tracks for free without ever leaving Yahoo! China's website.



"It is incredible that the music industry should have to defend its rights in a Chinese court against a company in which an American corporate icon has such a large stake. Yahoo! Inc is one of the best-known international brands on the internet, which runs its own legitimate music services all over the world, including in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Yet in mainland China, Yahoo! Inc is investing in and profiting from the widespread breach of intellectual property rights," IFPI Chairman and CEO John Kennedy said.

Kennedy added: "Yahoo! Inc should be making its name as an architect of legitimate online commerce in China and not allowing its brand to be tarnished with mass copyright infringement." The claims filed by the record companies concerned infringement of tracks by international artists such as Coldplay and Gorillaz, as well as local repertoire performed by singers such as Penny Thai and Ivana Wong.

Source:
Press Release

Written by: James Delahunty @ 14 Nov 2007 18:28

• Previous article

• Envision unveils Omni series high def displays

• Next article

• Indonesian authorities close digital download outlets

• 7 comments

• nonoitall

  Who won't they sue these days? They're just acting like a bunch of spoiled babies who aren't getting their way. I really hope this blows up in their faces.

  15.11.2007 02:05 #1

• BludRayne

  Assassinate Kennedy.

  15.11.2007 12:17 #2

• P51ride

  Yahoo crapped in its own bed. When Yahoo gave up the emails and names of Chinese dissidents to the Chi Com government (military) I lost a lot of respect for them. It's a shame that a U.S. corporation or interests would sell anyone out in a foreign country that is striving for individual freedom and liberty. Another beef that I have with the Chinese government is that they knew about and advocated all this contaminated junk to come into the U.S. in the first place.
  
  Just my $.04

  15.11.2007 13:25 #3

• P51ride

  Yahoo crapped in its own bed. When Yahoo gave up the emails and names of Chinese dissidents to the Chi Com government (military) I lost a lot of respect for them. It's a shame that a U.S. corporation or interests would sell anyone out in a foreign country that is striving for individual freedom and liberty. Another beef that I have with the Chinese government is that they knew about and advocated all this contaminated junk to come into the U.S. in the first place.
  
  Just my $.04

  15.11.2007 13:25 #4

• WierdName

  What isn't copyright infringement of "intellectual property" these days?!

  15.11.2007 16:04 #5

• Mez

  Just wait and see! The media mafia knows how to bribe politicians. That is how the get most of their money. If you think about it the copywrite laws are insaine. The only enity that benifits from it is the media mafia. It does not matter the Chinse companies will lose out as long as the politicians get theirs.

  16.11.2007 07:07 #6

• borhan9

  this is the funniest thing i have read in awhile that yahoov itself the china version has done this. :P lol

  3.12.2007 00:36 #7