Taiwan's Kuro Pays $9.1m Damages
The operators of Taiwanese peer-peer download service Kuro today (Sept. 14) agreed to pay to the recording industry $9.1 in damages, one of the largest settlements of its kind in Asia. The rogue service has also vowed to shut down its operation.
Under the terms of the agreement, Kuro's Taipei-based parent company Fashion Now Co Ltd will cease distributing its file-sharing software program with immediate effect. The company says it will ensure closure of the copyright-infringing service by Oct. 15. Kuro's operators intend to launch a new legitimate music downloads Web site.
The international music industry claimed a landmark legal victory when Kuro, its directors and president all received criminal convictions for copyright infringement in September 2005. The Kuro service charged its estimated 500,000 subscribers a monthly rate of NT$99 ($3) per month for use of its P2P software and servers.
Taipei prosecutors filed the case in August 2003 on behalf of IFPI Taiwan and major record companies.
The IFPI welcomed today's settlement. "Unauthorized file-sharing services like Kuro profit from large-scale copyright infringement and undermine those legitimate online music services who pay artists and respect copyright," IFPI general counsel & executive VP Geoff Taylor said in a statement. "This settlement confirms that there is a bright future for legal online music services, while services that try to build a business on copyright theft pay a heavy price."
Kuro joins a mounting list of unauthorized international P2P services to settle with the recording industry. Korea's Soribada, Taiwan's Ezpeer, Kazaa in Australia and, most recently, EDonkey.com in the United States have agreed to pay damages.
Under the terms of the agreement, Kuro's Taipei-based parent company Fashion Now Co Ltd will cease distributing its file-sharing software program with immediate effect. The company says it will ensure closure of the copyright-infringing service by Oct. 15. Kuro's operators intend to launch a new legitimate music downloads Web site.
The international music industry claimed a landmark legal victory when Kuro, its directors and president all received criminal convictions for copyright infringement in September 2005. The Kuro service charged its estimated 500,000 subscribers a monthly rate of NT$99 ($3) per month for use of its P2P software and servers.
Taipei prosecutors filed the case in August 2003 on behalf of IFPI Taiwan and major record companies.
The IFPI welcomed today's settlement. "Unauthorized file-sharing services like Kuro profit from large-scale copyright infringement and undermine those legitimate online music services who pay artists and respect copyright," IFPI general counsel & executive VP Geoff Taylor said in a statement. "This settlement confirms that there is a bright future for legal online music services, while services that try to build a business on copyright theft pay a heavy price."
Kuro joins a mounting list of unauthorized international P2P services to settle with the recording industry. Korea's Soribada, Taiwan's Ezpeer, Kazaa in Australia and, most recently, EDonkey.com in the United States have agreed to pay damages.
In addition, make sure to read these articles:
- Canadian Solution To Music Industry Woes
- Digital Entertainment: New Ideas, New Outlets
- Taiwan Levels Charges Against P2p Service
- New Taiwan Laws To Boost Music Biz
- Taiwan Government Starts Campaign Against Piracy
- Taiwan Court Finds P2P Operator Not Guilty
- Taiwan Court Finds P2P Service Not Guilty
- Taiwanese P2P Service Charged In Copyright Case
- Mixed Response For Taiwan's Piracy Legislation
- Taiwan Pushes More Anti-piracy Action
- New Taiwan Laws Tighten Copyright Protection
- Taiwan Gov't Will Support Piracy Fight
- Cash Crunch Hits Taiwan Label
- Taiwan Music Retail Feeling SARS Effects
- Taiwanese Chart Halt No Surprise
In addition, make sure to read these articles:
- Canadian Solution To Music Industry Woes
- Digital Entertainment: New Ideas, New Outlets
- Taiwan Levels Charges Against P2p Service
- New Taiwan Laws To Boost Music Biz
- Taiwan Government Starts Campaign Against Piracy
- Taiwan Court Finds P2P Operator Not Guilty
- Taiwan Court Finds P2P Service Not Guilty
- Taiwanese P2P Service Charged In Copyright Case
- Mixed Response For Taiwan's Piracy Legislation
- Taiwan Pushes More Anti-piracy Action
- New Taiwan Laws Tighten Copyright Protection
- Taiwan Gov't Will Support Piracy Fight
- Cash Crunch Hits Taiwan Label
- Taiwan Music Retail Feeling SARS Effects
- Taiwanese Chart Halt No Surprise
Recently, I urged the recording industry to back a statute that would legalize peer-to-peer music file-sharing and at the same time require Internet service providers ......
Record companies seeking to promote new music or generate new revenue streams today face a daunting diversity of digital outlets: online music services, videogames, ringtones, ......
This story was prepared by Tim Culpan in Taipei, Taiwan, and Tom Ferguson in London.
Taiwan's music industry has welcomed new laws that strengthen the country's fight against online and optical-media piracy.
Taiwan premier Yu Shyi-kyun last week revealed a set of initiatives aimed at stamping out intellectual-property piracy. Yu confirmed an initiative to create a special ......
Taiwan's music industry has lost a landmark ruling against a local peer-to-peer operator.
Taiwan's music industry has lost a landmark ruling against a local peer-to-peer site.
Public prosecutors in Taiwan have filed criminal charges against Kuro, which is understood to be the country's largest peer-to-peer file-trading service. Kuro's managers--chairman Chen Shou-teng, ......
Newly passed amendments to Taiwan's Copyright Law will make it easier to prosecute optical-media pirates here.
The Taiwanese record industry is stepping up its efforts to push the government here into taking more positive action against piracy.
New amendments to the Taiwanese copyright legislation give more muscle to the music industry in its fight against online and optical-media piracy and offer greater ......
Taiwan's music industry has received a boost in its attempts to tackle a burgeoning piracy problem following a pledge from President Chen Shui-bian to give ......
A huge debt has Taiwan record label Rock Records, the leading Mandarin-pop brand in the greater Chinese region, facing an enormous financial crisis.
Music sales in Taiwan fell sharply in April due to the SARS outbreak, which is causing widespread economic problems in the country. Music sales at ......
TOKYO-The decision by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry's (IFPI) Taiwanese group to temporarily halt publication of its controversy-plagued charts (BillboardBulletin, Aug. 30) is ......
Email
Digg It
del.icio.us
Related Resources
Get In-Depth Company Information from Hoover's | Buy a D&B Credit Report | What is in Your Company's D&B Credit Report? | Article Archives
Online Business Database | Online Business Information | Email Marketing Lists | Sales and Marketing Solutions | Business Mailing Lists
Online Business Database | Online Business Information | Email Marketing Lists | Sales and Marketing Solutions | Business Mailing Lists
Information and opinions on AllBusiness.com solely represent the thoughts and opinions of the authors and are not endorsed by, or reflect the beliefs of,
AllBusiness.com, its parent company D&B, and its affiliates.
AllBusiness.com, its parent company D&B, and its affiliates.
