A person known to me is a musician (in India). He had earlier released some albums that have done fairly well. This time around he decided to release his album online, i.e. he is not sponsered by any music company, and has got all rights for the album he released. Now the problem is that as soon as he released his album online, some websites posted the pirated links of his album. There team is trying best to remove those links by sending those websites notices, but some of them are not responding. So my question is, what legal action can be taken agaist such websites, and what is the procedure for it? Do we have a universal online music piracy policy ? Pls advice, thanks!
My advice, since I have been in the music industry for 30 years is... Don't release your stuff the Internet. You will make more money playing it on a street corner with a collection hat on the ground than you will on the Internet. Fact of life my friend. Not only am I musician, manager, record label exec and I run a radio station, I have been on the Internet since before you knew there was one. So there you go. All the advise you need in one post. Anyone tells you any different they are lying. Period. Copyright? Hahahahahahahahaha..... That's the best joke I have heard in years! Where did you get that one? I'll have to tell that to my artists. They'll love it!
Sure..you can sue the sites that are infringing on your copyright. Do you know who owns them ? Where they are hosted ?.. If they are in Malta or Costa Rica, are you going to sue them from India? Are they even in a country that adherers to International Copyright Law ? Do you have an international copyright lawyer and the money to pay them ? By the time you track them down and get them into court, your friend will have a new album out...probably 2.
It's actually a waste of time as hmansfield pointed out indirectly. The best thing you can do is, ask your friend, never to release an album online. If you have a huge budget then you can go for a lawyer, but most of the time all you can do is get the site shut down by going through a lot of trouble. I suggest your friend learn from the mistakes
It's really hard to keep track of the media shared in the internet, the best you can do is not share it for the first time
thanks for replies, most of you looks expereinced in this field. i was just wondering if DMCA works in this case ? I have heard that if you send DMCA notice to webhost/domain host company, they are obliged to warn that particular site to take neceassary actions, else they discontinue their service to that site. I have heard that its kinda legal bonding, if you send DMCA notice, they are legally required to take action.. any idea abt that ?
You can try and send them C&D letter with cc to their host and hope for the best. More info http://www.chillingeffects.org/
And some kids complain of greedy music execs and artists not getting paid a lot. Sheesh. Unfortunately, smellyfinger, DMCA is a U.S.-based law. It only works on those who operate in the U.S., and those outside don't have to do anything. Just do what you can.
is this albumn even registered in India ??? there is nothing u can do.. wat is the albumn called ?? and are u selling it ??
Along the lines of yes, try sending the webhost a DMCA or check the site that infringes your copyright for a report link lots have a system for reporting illegal copyright.
releasing an album online only do good if you want a very wide publicity without thinking of copyright and your royalty for it. as other mentioned earlier it is almost impossible to control of music copy from the internet.