No dancing on YouTube, says record industry
Watch out, Judson Laipply wannabes: The Recording Industry Association of America seems to be taking its cues from Footloose character Reverend Shaw Moore these days: Users dancing to copyrighted music on YouTube are its latest legal target, according to Techdirt. In the comments, Techdirt reader DittoBox asks, "How is getting free product placement bad?" The answer: Now that Apple is selling music videos on iTunes for $1.99, and big companies like Yahoo and AOL are paying fees to license them for Internet video channels, the labels have a commercial market to defend.
Project Opus reports that Universal Music Group is taking particularly aggressive action against amateur video using copyrighted songs, but notes that it and other music labels are in a tough legal spot: "If the RIAA doesn't pursue it, they set a nasty precedent that will haunt every other case moving forward." What's the answer? One solution: Make your own music and then dance to that. What do you think? Should Internet users be allowed to post videos of themselves dancing to copyrighted music? Leave a comment below. Pretty ridiculous, and another PR blunder by the already universally despised RIAA. The more they enrage consumers with these paranoid, bitter antics, the faster their sales will decline. Apparently someone in marketing decided that 'potential customer antagonism' is a keen idea to make more money.
Congress needs to rewrite the fair use laws so that people can use music samples in their video art. Until then, RIAA has to go after everyone who violates the copyright or they risk setting a "precedent" that prevents them from going after anyone.
Congress should change the "rules" and define what is acceptable by an individual artist. Then RIAA can concentrate on real thieves who are to compete, not compliment. You all know the music to this tune: "And the Greed goes on".
How ridiculous?
Next thing you know Jane Dough's website with her daughter's cheerleading routine from school will be targeted by the RIAA. You won't even be able to play music at school dances without some form of license ($$) from RIAA or a similar entity. Lawyers and the people who pay them need to ask themselves, "Is this an action that harms my company?". If not, then don't even think twice about legal action! Yes and No. What the industry should do is come up with a low cost licensing format for amateurs, say a dollar. This would protect their copyrights as well as allow amateurs to post the their acts.
"make your own music and dance to it"
Well spoken, corporate apologist. We can always count on CNN to give us the Big Guy's perspective first and foremost, and in the meantime crap on the consumer. You express really good ineas about video. Thanx a lot for the very interesting info. Good video should only be done for good music, otherwise nothing to save. Got to know a nice resource to accompany free time:)sheet music
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