If you want to dismantle Grooveshark, then you'll probably need to dismantle the DMCA as well. Or, you can try this: in Denmark, anti-piracy group RettighedsAlliancen is now demanding that ISPs block Grooveshark, and pushing that demand through the local court system. That closely follows a similar action against the Pirate Bay in the region, an approach also being adopted in the UK.
This is still a developing situation. Early this morning, Grooveshark SVP Paul Geller told Digital Music News thatnothing has been received by the company. No paperwork, warnings, not even a phone call. “We've received no communication from authorities in Denmark but continue to engage rights holders in the region," Geller relayed.
The question is whether this will stand up in court. For starters, there are certainly differences between the Pirate Bay and Grooveshark. The Pirate Bay is completely rogue, while Grooveshark is ostensibly playing by the rules—whether you hate those rules or not. And, apparently DMCA-style protocols exist in Denmark as well, though the consortium has found those procedures 'impossible' given how quickly content reappears.
With that in mind, RettighedsAlliancen is now taking an entirely different approach, and demanding that content only exist if pre-existing licensing deals allow it. “When you want to offer music on the Danish market, one must have an agreement with rightholders to do so," RettighedsAlliancen head Maria Fredenslund told Politken, as transcribed by Torrentfreak. “Grooveshark does not and has been completely uncooperative."
But there's fresh urgency being applied, as Grooveshark is now being viewed as a serious threat to upstarts like Spotify, which just launched in the country. “We are in a situation where the market will die if Grooveshark continues," Fredenslund continued.
More as it develops.
This is still a developing situation. Early this morning, Grooveshark SVP Paul Geller told Digital Music News thatnothing has been received by the company. No paperwork, warnings, not even a phone call. “We've received no communication from authorities in Denmark but continue to engage rights holders in the region," Geller relayed.
The question is whether this will stand up in court. For starters, there are certainly differences between the Pirate Bay and Grooveshark. The Pirate Bay is completely rogue, while Grooveshark is ostensibly playing by the rules—whether you hate those rules or not. And, apparently DMCA-style protocols exist in Denmark as well, though the consortium has found those procedures 'impossible' given how quickly content reappears.
With that in mind, RettighedsAlliancen is now taking an entirely different approach, and demanding that content only exist if pre-existing licensing deals allow it. “When you want to offer music on the Danish market, one must have an agreement with rightholders to do so," RettighedsAlliancen head Maria Fredenslund told Politken, as transcribed by Torrentfreak. “Grooveshark does not and has been completely uncooperative."
But there's fresh urgency being applied, as Grooveshark is now being viewed as a serious threat to upstarts like Spotify, which just launched in the country. “We are in a situation where the market will die if Grooveshark continues," Fredenslund continued.
More as it develops.
