my run in with the RIAA...sort of

an email I received a few days ago from Blogger:

Blogger has been notified, according to the terms of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), that certain content in your blog infringes upon the copyrights of others. The URL(s) of the allegedly infringing post(s) may be found at the end of this message.

The notice that we received from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and the record companies it represents, with any personally identifying information removed, will be posted online by a service called Chilling Effects at http://www.chillingeffects.org

. We do this in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Please note that it may take Chilling Effects up to several weeks to post the notice online at the link provided.

The IFPI is a trade association that represents over 1,400 major and independent record companies in the US and internationally who create, manufacture and distribute sound recordings (the "IFPI Represented Companies").

The DMCA is a United States copyright law that provides guidelines for online service provider liability in case of copyright infringement. We are in the process of removing from our servers the links that allegedly infringe upon the copyrights of others. If we did not do so, we would be subject to a claim of copyright infringement, regardless of its merits. See http://www.educause.edu/Browse/645?PARENT_ID=254 for more information about the DMCA, and see http://www.google.com/dmca.html for the process that Blogger requires in order to make a DMCA complaint.

Blogger can reinstate these posts upon receipt of a counter notification pursuant to sections 512(g)(2) and 3) of the DMCA. For more information about the requirements of a counter notification and a link to a sample counter notification, see http://www.google.com/dmca.html#counter.

Please note that repeated violations to our Terms of Service may result in further remedial action taken against your Blogger account. If you have any other questions about this notification, please let us know.

Sincerely,

The Blogger Team

____________________________


Basically, I got a warning for posting a mp3 link to a new Lily Allen track, Everyone's At It. Probably not the wisest idea, but I took a chance. Well, needless to say, it looks like I'm going to have to be a bit more careful these days. From here on out, I'm only going to post streaming tracks....as I believe this is still legal (for now.)

If you guys like what you hear, please purchase the music, either from iTunes or Amazon, or even *gasp* a store....but if you chose to do it illegally (which I do not suggest), be careful. While the RIAA has stopped individual lawsuits, it looks like they are going after ISP's now....and threatening to cancel people's internet service if they download music or movies illegally. See: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10126914-93.html

I'll still be keeping up with my music updates, just being a bit more careful. Just remember, the RIAA is watching you.