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Record labels sue file-sharing company LimeWire By Nichola Groom
Fri Aug 4, 9:01 PM ET



LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Some of the world's biggest record labels sued the makers of the file-sharing program LimeWire on Friday, saying the software allows users to download music without paying for it.

The complaint, filed in Manhattan federal court, is the latest in a string of lawsuits the music industry has filed in an attempt to curb Internet piracy. That effort was bolstered last year when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that content companies can take legal action against technology firms that encourage copyright infringement.

Record labels owned by the world's four major music companies -- Universal Music, Sony BMG, EMI Group Plc, and Warner Music Group Corp. -- brought the lawsuit against New York-based Lime Wire LLC.

The suit seeks $150,000 in damages for every song "willfully infringed" by LimeWire. It also names LimeWire parent Lime Group LLC as well as chief executive Mark Gorton and chief operating officer Greg Bildson as defendants.

LimeWire officials could not be reached for comment.

In the complaint, the record companies accuse LimeWire of profiting from illicit downloads of their music, saying "the scope of infringement is massive."

LimeWire and its executives "have had a direct financial interest in, and derived substantial benefit from, the infringement

of plaintiffs' copyrighted sound recordings," the complaint said.

In a statement, industry trade group the Recording Industry Association of America said that "despite numerous efforts to engage LimeWire, the site's corporate owners have shown insufficient interest in developing a legal business model."

Last month, one of the world's best known file-sharing networks, Kazaa, agreed to pay more than $100 million and commit to going legitimate to settle two lawsuits brought by the movie and music industries.

Kazaa had emerged as the dominant file-sharing network after recording industry lawsuits brought about the collapse of the original Napster in 2001. Napster has since reemerged as a paid service.

In recent years, illicit file-sharing networks have lost ground as legitimate music services like Apple Computer Inc.'s iTunes gained popularity.

Further solidifying the case for legitimate music services was last year's precedent-setting ruling by the United States' top court, which stated that because "peer to peer" company Grokster's intent was to encourage copyright infringement, it could be held liable for the music traded on its network.


<a href='http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20060805/media_nm/media_limewire_lawsuit_dc_1' target='_blank'>Link</a>

This is good... i think most people here will agree with this... i don't think anyone on this forum steals music. One thing i've really come to respect about this crowd.

Limewire sucks. :lol:

Although I share Armen's view about Limewire I have to say the lawsuit is utter bollocks. It's just about corporate greed, nothing else so because of that, and out of the principle that all major corporations deserve to be screwed with I hope limewire and co. wins the case (though that'll only happen in bizarro world).

<!--QuoteBegin-The Angry Gnome+Aug 11 2006, 05:38 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (The Angry Gnome @ Aug 11 2006, 05:38 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->This is good... i think most people here will agree with this... i don't think anyone on this forum steals music. One thing i've really come to respect about this crowd.[/quote]
I actually think this is true for most metalheads. For some reason, it seems like rock fans don't download as much as, for example, pop and hip hop fans. I guess partly because having a big CD collection is just as good and important as a big penis, at least among other rock/metal fans. That, and the fact that we are much smarter and simply better than other music lovers.

I know this isn't exactly what the topic is about, but why hasn't the porn industry said anything about the whole p2p file sharing situation?

I'm sure they're losing a lot more money than the music industry.

That's probably because they (the porn industry) know they wouldn't win. And they can't win because they haven't got (as many) friends in high places nor do they have the society's support. I mean, no politician who wants to keep his reputation/job is going to stand up for the industry's rights (not even with bribes).

I think Agras stated the case pretty correctly. Also, I don't know how the porn industry works, but I would guess there are loads and loads of minor operators, which makes it hard for the them to organise in order to demand their rights.

As far as the court case is concerned, it's just one more reason for me not to buy albums that are linked to the companies. I'll root for Limewire.

<!--QuoteBegin-animal+Aug 7 2006, 09:26 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (animal @ Aug 7 2006, 09:26 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> -- Universal Music, Sony BMG, EMI Group Plc, and Warner Music Group Corp. -- [/quote]
Earth should open up and swallow them right away, those 4 are doing more harm to music than piracy ever will.

I agree to the last post.

<!--QuoteBegin-Twice the half of Myself+Aug 14 2006, 12:30 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Twice the half of Myself @ Aug 14 2006, 12:30 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-animal+Aug 7 2006, 09:26 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (animal @ Aug 7 2006, 09:26 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> -- Universal Music, Sony BMG, EMI Group Plc, and Warner Music Group Corp. -- [/quote]
Earth should open up and swallow them right away, those 4 are doing more harm to music than piracy ever will. [/quote]
Oh please yes... and it doesn't matter if you're downloading or buying, what matters in the end is that you're listening to the music.

Limewire has been bad news since it started.

i use limewire to download a few songs (3-6) of artists that ive heard of, and want to hear. based on my judgement of the songs, i go out/dont go out and buy the cd. its helpful cause it saves me some cash.

and porno kicks ass.

According to numerous sources Limewire has countersued RIAA for antitrust violations and consumer fraud. Sounds like they're not willing to go down quietly just because the RIAA is bullying them. Kudos to the gyus at Limewire for having the cojones to try and beat the big suits in their own game

In a couple of years time everyone will wonder what was all that fuss about internet piracy. If downloading kills music it isn't fit to live anyway and it will be like a mercy killing.