3 November 2006, 15:27
Spanish court rules: peering is OK for private use... or is it?
A court in Spain ruled this week that downloading music for free from the Internet is legal as long as it is done for private use. This happens for the first time in Europe.
The IFPI commented on the decision that "This is extremely unusual”. Later after a somewhat excited media coverage of the case the IFPI hastened to anoounce that “Swapping copyright-infringing music through peer-to-peer networks remains illegal in Spain as it is throughout Europe and virtually everywhere else”. Even the Spanish Justice Minister got involved with a clear statement “that file-sharing copyrighted music without permission is illegal.'
However, the judge made a point that if downloading music for private use was a criminal offence: "That would imply criminalising socially admitted and widely practised behaviour where the aim is not to gain wealth illegally but to obtain private copies".
This decision will be appealed by the IFPI.
Not so Fast, Spanish P2P, Slyck.com
Music industry responds to Spanish ruling, PC Pro
Spanish court rules free music downloads are legal for own use, Guardian Unlimited
Spanish court dismisses music file-sharing case, The Mercury News
Spanish judge says downloading is legal, The Register
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Comments 6
1. by borat, 5 November 2006, 17:49
I cannot add balance with credit card...when will credit card processing be update?
2. by Andy, 12 November 2006, 01:01
My father - may he rest in peace - was a carpenter. When he had built a house he got paid for his job and that was it. He didn´t get a royalty everytime someone went in or out of the house that he built.
I´d like to quote a former comment: How many freeking castles does Madonna need!
3. by Madonna, 13 November 2006, 02:19
¡Viva España!
4. by Adrian, 15 November 2006, 03:35
If music were made cheaper it would allow people to try out new bands or artists and other kinds of music they would not normally listen to.
5. by mness421, 19 November 2006, 09:58
That judge has the right idea.
6. by zapa, 17 December 2006, 04:57
Very nice to see some official dudes taking a reasonable point of view in this aspect. After all, they can't sue everyone that downloads music, and the RIAA is beginning to get a reputation for sueing 12 year old girls. But this is a strange state of affairs indeed. Can we download music legally or not?
WHO CARES? we would have carried on anyway ;)
This will go great in my project, thanks allofmp3. You get to be in my bibliography now :)