Grokster en Morpheus vrijuit?

[Cees Binkhorst]

REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl

Hoe zorgvuldig worden de kranten gegeschreven?
Als je afgaat op het onderstaande bericht, dat in soortgelijke bewoordingen ook in andere kranten staat, niet echt goed.
Want, er wordt alleen gekeken naar de tekst, niet naar de inhoud.

Het tussenvonnis zegt namelijk:
Grokster meanwhile, continues to distribute a branded version of the Kazaa Media Desktop, which operates on the same FastTrack technology as
the Sharman/Kazaa software.
 ... en later:
Since this case was originally filed , the operation of
the Kazaa system has passed from Kazaa BV to Defendant Sharman
Networks. In addition, Kazaa BV has apparently ceased defending this action. Because Kazaa BV has failed to defend this action,
the Court will enter default against Defendant Kazaa BV (an Order
regarding the entry of default will issue separately). The
remainder of this Order relates only to Plaintiffs' claims
against Defendants Grokster and StreamCast.
 ... en ook:
This Order does not reach the question whether either Defendant is liable for damages arising from past versions of their software, or from other
past activities.
Additionally, it is important to reiterate that the instant motions concern only the software operated by Defendants StreamCast (the Morpheus
software) and Grokster (the Grokster software) .
Defendant Sharman Networks, proprietor of the Kazaa. com website and
Kazaa Media Desktop, is not a party to these Motions. Accordingly,
the Court offers no opinion in this order as to Sharman s potential
liability.

Het is dus alleen de technologie van Kazaa, bij gebruik van 'dynamic nodes,' die met dit tussenvonnis toegelaten wordt, het bedrijf Kazaa BV zal
met een later vonnis waarschijnlijk _veroordeeld_ worden, omdat ze zich niet verdedigd hebben.

Sharman Networks heeft niet om een tussenvonnis gevraagd, want verdedigen zich niet omdat ze stellen dat ze buiten de jurisdictie vallen. Daar
zal de rechter zich waarschijnlijk niets aan gelegen laten liggen en later een default vonnis vellen. Volgens de rechter gebruikt de software van
Sharman nog steeds 'ingebakken root supernodes,' dus dit zal wel een veroordeling tot schadevergoeding worden.
De rechter eerder (http://news.com.com/2100-1023-980274.html):
"Given that Sharman's (Kazaa) software has been downloaded more than 143 million times, it would be mere cavil to deny that Sharman engages
in a significant amount of contact with California residents," Wilson wrote. Also, he said, "many, if not most, music and video copyrights are
owned by California-based companies."

Grokster kan nog worden veroordeelt omdat in een vorige versie van de software ook 'root supernodes' waren ingebakken. Zo'n veroordeling kan
ze alsnog financieel de das omdoen.

De rechter zegt verder nog:
The Court is not blind to the possibility that Defendants may
have intentionally structured their businesses to avoid secondary
liability for copyright infringement, while benefitting financially
from the illicit draw of their wares.
 ... en:
To justify a judicial remedy, however , Plaintiffs invite this
Court to expand. existing copyright law beyond its well-drawn
boundaries.
 ... en ook:
Furthermore, it is undisputed that at least some of the
individuals who use Defendants' software are engaged in direct
copyright infringement ...

Het deel van het vonnis over 'dynamic supernodes' kan overigens consequenties hebben voor (diep)linken als de links 'on the spot' worden
gegenereerd (b.v. via PHP).

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/26/technology/26MUSI.html
[knip]
Judge Stephen Wilson of United States District Court ruled that Grokster and StreamCast Networks, which offers the Morpheus peer-to-peer
software, are not guilty of copyright infringement. The judge said those services — unlike Napster, an earlier music-swapping software company
— were essentially no different from the companies that created the videocassette recorder, which also allowed consumers to make their own
copies.

"This is a watershed day," said Wayne Rosso, the president of Grokster, who said his 20-month-old service is used by 10 million people each
month. "What it does is rewrite the rules."

Mr. Rosso, as well as StreamCast executives, argued that their technology was used for many legal uses, like sharing personal files, and
noncopyrighted works, and that they should not be blamed when users illegally exchange copyrighted files.

The ruling does not directly affect KaZaA, a software distributed from outside the United States by Sharman Networks, which has also been a
target of the entertainment industry.

In the media companies' battle to stop such services, this is the first ruling by a federal court that found online-sharing software does not abet
copyright infringement. Two years ago, a different federal judge found, in a case upheld on appeal, that Napster, previously used by tens of
millions of people to share files, was guilty of wholesale copyright infringement. The ruling essentially drove Napster out of business.

But Judge Wilson ruled that Grokster and StreamCast are fundamentally different from Napster in terms of their underlying technology. The
result, the judge ruled, is that the two newer services have less ability to control what files their users download, and to prevent those users from
gaining access to copyrighted material. Therefore, he said, they cannot be held accountable for their users' actions.
[knip]

http://www.volkskrant.nl/media/1051334548409.html
Kazaa niet schuldig aan schending auteursrecht
ANP, AP

LOS ANGELES - Online muziekdiensten als Kazaa en Morpheus zijn niet verantwoordelijk voor de inbreuk op auteursrechten die hun gebruikers
maken. Dat heeft een federale rechtbank in Los Angeles vrijdag bepaald.

Grote Amerikaanse film- en platenmaatschappijen als MGM, Walt Disney, Fox, Paramount en Sony hadden de rechtszaak aangespannen tegen de
uitwisseldiensten Grokster en Morpheus. De uitspraak is een tegenslag voor de industrie die zegt inkomsten mis te lopen door piraterij op
internet.
Rechter Stephen Wilson acht de uitwisseldiensten niet significant anders dan videorecorders of cd-branders. „Uitwisseldiensten zijn niet
verantwoordelijk voor overtreding van auteurswetten door hun gebruikers”, stelde de rechter. De muziek- en filmbedrijven hebben al
aangekondigd in beroep te gaan tegen de uitspraak.

Cees: En daarnaast gaan ze achter de grotere individuele uitwisselaars aan.
Andrew Lack, chief of Sony Music, said the music companies would pursue the biggest online traders in hopes of deterring other users.
"I don't think you have to go after 10 million or 5 million or 10,000 people," Mr. Lack said today. "You choose the users that make the case
credible."

Groet,

Cees Binkhorst - cees at binkhorst.xs4all.nl

Thucides (on Secr. Powel's desk): "Of all the manifestations of power, restraint impresses men the most."

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