Kazaa file sharing infringes with copyright, ruling
Date: September 06, 2005Source: ABC Newc
The music industry has vowed to pursue any company engaged in illegal file sharing after the Federal Court ruled that Sharman Networks was guilty of infringing artists' copyright through its Kazaa software.
Millions of people worldwide use Kazaa to swap music files free of charge.
In the Federal Court yesterday, Justice Murray Wilcox ruled that Sharman had infringed record companies' copyright.
Justice Wilcox ordered the company to modify Kazaa so that users can access only licensed music files.
Sharman Networks also has to pay most of the other side's legal costs.
It says it will appeal against the decision.
The music industry has fought a long-running legal battle with file-sharing companies, arguing that they are breaking copyright laws by letting users swap songs over their peer-to-peer networks.
The general manager of Music Industry Piracy Investigations, Michael Speck, says he is "very happy" with the court's orders.
"This judgment is one of the most important achievements in the fight against music piracy anywhere," Mr Speck said in a statement.
"The court's decision confirms that people cannot build a business on stealing the creative work of others and profiting from it."
Mr Speck says the ruling is a warning to other file-sharing companies that they must be legitimate or get out of the industry.
"If you're out there ripping off music without permission and without payment you should sit up and take notice," he said.
"This judgment explodes the myth that illegal file sharing is simply part of the 'Internet revolution'.
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