Do you have a My Space site?
It’s EASY to illegally download YOUR MUSIC here;
http://Myspacevalley.com/
TAKE ACTION: Here’s what I’ve done:
PLEASE join me in OUTING thiefs…Sent to Abuse@Bluehost.com
——————–
Dear Sirs;
You company is currently hosting a web site that is VIOLATING USA and INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT law.
http://Myspacevalley.com
This site is CLEARLY allowing the ILLEGAL download of copyrighted material from Myspace.com.
This technology and practice are clearly illegal.
Your continued hosting of this site borders on collusion in illegal activity.
Please explain and inform is, the wider community, of Independent Musicians your plan of action.
Michael Stone
AudioPros.Com
Michael Stone Music.com
AudioPros.BlogSpot.Com
Fruther details of this ILGEAL ACTIVITY HERE:
Registrar Name….: BlueHost.Com
Registrar Whois…: whois.bluehost.com
Registrar Homepage: http://www.bluehost.com/
Domain Name: MYSPACEVALLEY.COM
Created on…………..: 2006-07-25 22:14:18 GMT
Expires on…………..: 2008-07-25 22:14:18 GMT
Last modified on……..: 2007-07-18 00:06:05 GMT
Registrant Info: (FAST-12861188)
Ben Fleet
1448 Vance Rd. Ste. B-10
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421
United States
Phone: +1.4238997284
Fax..: +1.8017651992
Email: awesome_aims@yahoo.com
Last modified: 2007-07-17 16:59:18 GMT
Administrative Info: (FAST-12861188)
Ben Fleet
1448 Vance Rd. Ste. B-10
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421
United States
Phone: +1.4238997284
Fax..: +1.8017651992
Email: awesome_aims@yahoo.com
Last modified: 2007-07-17 16:59:18 GMT
Technical Info: (FAST-12785240)
Attn: myspacevalley.com
C/O BlueHost.Com Domain Privacy
1215 North Research Way
Suite #Q 3500
Orem, Utah 84097
United States
Phone: +1.8017659400
Fax..: +1.8017651992
Email: whois@bluehost.com
Last modified: 2007-04-05 16:50:56 GMT
Status: Locked
Domain servers in listed order:
NS2.TEAMAWESOMEWEBS.COM
NS1.TEAMAWESOMEWEBS.COM
This application is clearly not illegal in any way, the owner even makes users agree to a terms of use letting you know not to download illegally. Also the fact that myspace makes the files public and not protected shows fault on their part. It clearly states that it is for testing purposes and not for illegal use; that leaves the responsibility with the user.
Hello Bobby…
You state the owner of the website: “states that it is for testing purposes and not for illegal use; that leaves the responsibility with the user.”
Enabling is enabling! They are clearly providing a way for people to do something ILLEGAL. I don’t think there is any gray area just because they publish a disclaimer.
Thanks for your comment!
Michael Stone.
Check these this out :
http://myspacemp3.org
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3006
http://www.eches.net/myspace-music
Zach’s comment-post above proves to be extremely disheartening to anyone who believes in right and fairness.
His unveiling of even more PURE THEFT sites is troubling. If you steal my music (download it without my permission) YOU are a thief, pure and simple.
If I have the resources or find the resources I will hunt ya down.
It is very disappointing to think that so many people think that to download something they don’t own is OK.
There really needs to be a new mindset to take hold on the web.
Michael Stone
There are two camps on this issue. One camp holds the idea that the music should be free, the other camp believes that they should be paid for it. Me personally, I think theres room for both, and with a simple change in the law both sides could be appeased. Here’s my proposal; The law should be changed so that artists are given a ‘grace period’ of ‘X’ amount of year/s before the material can be legally up/downloaded for free by anyone. After the grace period, the material would be available for free. Any site that breaks this ‘covenant’ would be liable for damages, penalties, and face an immediate shutdown of their site. The offending downloader should take some legal responsibility as well, such as the cost of the material, plus a fine or community service. I would also reccomend an amnesty for past offences before the law is changed. After all the industry is equally to blame for the mess it is in as those out there who are downloading.
This would allow the artists and record companies time to gain the revenue they rightly deserve for their hard work. This way a compromise is made, and everyone gets what they want. The artists gets paid, the record company gets paid and everyones happy on that side of the coin. Granted they would take a loss when the songs are released for free, but this loss would not be as great as it is for them now under the present system. A And giving your music away for free will only serve to make the fans happy as well as further promote the band. We all love a good bargain.
And us cheap-scates would still get our songs for free. We would just have to wait a bit longer. And considering how we would be getting the material for free, I dont thing that having to wait a little while for it is too much to ask.
Hey chemical mike…
In many past posts I have argued against artists giving away their music. I just think it devalues all independent artists and their music.
Should they have the right to give it away? Certainly.
Should it be enshrined in law that after a period of time it should automatically be available for free? I’m much more reticent on that matter.
You mention a period of years. How many? One ? Two? Five? 15?
Or should it be for the life of the creator plus 50 as in copyright law. I would choose to err on the side of the latter.
It is MY creation, no one else’s, and I, and my heirs should reap any (if any
benefits, and no one else, unless I, (the creator) deem it appropriate.
Thanks for your comments. All the best!
Michael Stone
Before I write about this topic at length, I would like to remind everyone of the growing number of independant artists, myself included, which are willingly giving out their songs for free. Please support them by downloading their songs.
Thanks.
There are two camps on this issue. One camp holds the idea that the music should be free, the other camp believes that they should be paid for it. Me personally, I think theres room for both, and with a simple change in the law both sides could be appeased.
Here’s my proposal, and I think this system could be used for movies as well. I hope it isn’t too much of a pill to swallow for anyone;
The law should be changed so that artists are given a ‘grace period’ of ‘X’ amount of time BEFORE the material can be legally up/downloaded for FREE by anyone. After the grace period, the material would THEN be available for free up/download, but ONLY under a FREE OF CHARGE agreement between the site providing the music and the artist or record company. A simple permission form could be posted on the artist/record companies site for all to sign up to.
This would restore control in favor of the artist/record label over the material while at the same time allowing people to get the music for free.., And by setting this legal precident; PERMISSION BECOMES A LEGAL (AND BINDING?) REQUIRMENT TO POST MUSIC!! The agreement should state that the ‘uploader’(the website providing the music)agrees to provide PROMINENT links to the artist site AND record label page which supplies the material and details of the ‘grace period’, as well as agreement to abide by the ‘grace period’, in return for permission to provide the music. The artist/label would retain the right to remove content that does not conform to the ‘grace period’.
It would be the ‘uploaders’(the content provider) responsibility to ensure that the material they offer complies with the ‘grace period’. The ‘grace period’ would begin a full working week or more, BEFORE the release of the material, so that the artist or record company has time to declare its intent to release on a certain date, and make the public aware that the material is subject to the ‘grace period’ from that date, and is not for free release until the ‘grace period’ is over. Failure on the artists/labels part to do this, would result in the material being exempt from the ‘grace period’. Failure to comply on the ‘uploaders’ part with songs under the ‘grace period’, would result in prosecution.
The record label or artist would be responsible for providing details of its release date, as well as when the ‘grace period’ ends, preferrably on THEIR site. The ‘uploader’ would also link to or provide on site this information by law, so the ‘downloader’,(thats the ‘customer’) is made aware of its status. This also lets the downloader know whether he is stealing a song or not, and legally responsible for their up/download. The downloader should be made aware of the materials ‘grace period’ status, and because the permission details are released by the artist/record label they(the downloaders) should have a legal (and moral) obligation to verify that the song is compliant with the ‘grace period’. Any person or company that breaks this ‘covenant’ would be liable for damages and court costs, and most importantly, face an immediate shutdown of their site.
If neccesary, the site admin or company could be compelled legally to not use a computer or be forbidden to trade on the internet, and face jail time and/or fines if he/she does. They used to do(still do?) that to hackers, so why not do it to them too? It is them who make the material available to the public online, and it is them who should take most of the blame for providing so much illegal content to the masses..Thats just my opinion, your entitled to yours too.
The offending downloader should take some legal responsibility as well, such as the cost of the material, plus a small fine or community service per offence under this system. However, I would also recommend a ‘blanket’ amnesty up to the date that the law is changed for whats already been downloaded. Otherwise the litigation would just take years and years and probably be expensive for both sides, not to mention difficult to prosecute.
Under the system I am proposing, artists/record companies have time to gain the revenue they rightly deserve for their hard work. This way a compromise is made, and everyone gets what they want. The artists gets paid, the record company gets paid and everyones happy. Granted they may take a loss when the songs are released for free,(read on, theres a happy ending.)but this loss would not be as great as it is for them now under the present system. And giving your music away for free will only serve to make the fans happy as well as further promote the interest in the band. We all love a good bargain.
And ‘downloaders’ would still get music for free. We would just have to wait a bit longer. And considering how we would be getting the material for free, I dont thing that having to wait a little while longer for it is too much to ask.
This system even has the potential to create record and merchandise sales for the shops. Because of the reintroduction of the song at the end of the ‘grace period’, it would reawaken some interest in the music. Record labels could offer more merchandising around that period, offers, tickets, vouchers usable with their next purchase,not to mention promoting the next album along side,making the artist and label more money, raising the bands profile, and thereby turning their lemons into lemonade. Sweet!
And if thats not a good enough suggestion heres one more; Put a blanket ban on all music sites, and that goes for the torrent sites as well!! If it doesnt come directly from the over-priced record shop, you don’t get it, unless you pay their rip off prices,or copy it off onto CD or tape from one of your mates.The masses would do well to remember those days, you know what I’m talking about? But then again,these days we still do the same thing, but we copy it onto computer instead. And we have lots more friends…And the industry would do well to remember THAT.
Personally though, I think compromise is better because everyone wins. Think about it.
Peace
chehmical mike…
Again, thank you for your input and I think everyone would do well to read and then re-read your ideas as it regards a change in the law regarding music downloads on the web.
Although, I do disagree with some of what you’ve said, I do like the main thrust of your argument. COMPROMISE.
It would serve the music industry and the artist well if there were legislation that allowed for the legal downloading of music and the punishing of the sites and the illegal downloader.
That’s been my point in trying to expose these sites that are “enabling” music theft and then saying; “Hey, we told them not to do anything illegal with our technology.”
What’s the point of their technology hacks if not to rip off others?
A disclaimer does not excuse anyone involved in such activity.
If YOU, want to GIVE away your music, that’s your right. The same as it’s my right to fight this illicit theft of my intellectual property, and creation.
Great to have you keep this debate alive.
All the best!
Michael Stone