Canadian Court: ISPs not liable for royalties

[Auburn Annie]

The Associated Press
Updated: 1:58 p.m. ET June 30, 2004


TORONTO - Canada’s Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Internet service providers do not have to pay royalties to composers and artists for music downloaded by Web customers.

Companies providing wide access to the Web are merely “intermediaries” who are not bound by Canadian copyright legislation, the court said in a 9-0 ruling.

At issue was an effort by the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada, or SOCAN, to force Internet service providers to pay a tariff.

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for the rest of the article see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5334349/

[Borderstone]

Interesting article. Boy,the music business certainly is a big mess these days. Well,serves 'em right on the one hand but on the other it's served them well $$$$wise. The little moneygrubbers!

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"A knight of the road,going back to a place where he might get warm." - Borderstone