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Found a music store that sells high quality MP3's.. for $.05 per track! LEGAL!!
- Thread starter IOWA
- Start date
OfTheDamned
The Friendly Undead
Excellent! Now I can complete my Yanni collection! 
IOWA
Mr. Logic Pants
Not entirely sure, but the RIAA's apparently gone after them and the RIAA got shut down.. because it's legal in Russia somehow.. lol. Russian copyrite law is different than the US.
EDIT: Just want to throw out, the Artists don't really get paid for Album/Single sales beyond an advance and some pithy residuals. This is how the MP3/Digital market SHOULD be.
If iTunes/Amazon/Google sold music at these prices, there'd be no such thing as music piracy, and i bet everyone would make more money.
OfTheDamned
The Friendly Undead
I read, at one point, that there is supposedly a loophole in Russian copyright law that allows them to pay the same royalties for music download as they would for a song being played on the radio, which is around $0.01 per song. I of course have no idea if this is actually the case or not, just what I read one time.
Yes it is...I download most of my MP3s from Google.cn or Baidu. A few years ago I was a member of AllOfMP3, until it closed down. AllOfMP3 offered legal cheap MP3 downloads and was in Russia, just like Iwave.
Internet radio is only any good if one has a broadband internet connection. Pandora, Vevo, etc. are USA only. Normal FM radio might be OK, as long as one is content with Chinese music and Justin Bieber songs.
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
I seriously doubt the site is legal.
IANAL but I think they're legal in Russia. If these services are legal to use in one's own country, that's another matter. The RIAA only has jurisdiction in the USA. Ivave isn't the only one, I think there's quite a few legal Russian MP3 music stores, e.g. LegalSounds, MP3fiesta, MP3sale.ru, etc. What I like is that they don't have any USA only nonsense, such as Pandora, Amazon or Google USA music.
I see no problem with using them where I am though, although there is no need to thanks to the Baidu and Google China free/ad-supported MP3 download and streaming services.
IOWA
Mr. Logic Pants
Yeah there's many of these Russian sites, and each one of them is legal. Since there are no export/import laws on MP3's (can there ever be any?? Lol) the legality can't be argued in court. They've tried and failed on multiple occasions (from what I've heard anyway).
Either way, plausible deniability. Especially with the recent takedowns, if this site was dedicated to "piracy" it would have been one of the first to go since they are charging for tracks.
I guess the copyrite cops set a dangerous precedent for themselves, because anything left standing could be called "legal" because it's still there.
I mentioned LegalSounds, they've been around for a long time. Used to use that one before I moved to China. Thing is, the RIAA and MPAA only have meaning in America...although they sometimes seem to think otherwise.
I think MegaUpload was only taken down because its servers where in the USA, and was thus subject to the laws there. Many other non-US cloud storage and sharing sites seem to have blocked US access now. The US will be able censor access to these sites using SOPA, or whatever becomes law eventually. I think they've already censored access to online casinos and poker rooms, many internet casinos block US IP addresses, because AFAIK online gambling is illegal there. Online gambling is illegal in China as well, but in many countries, such as the UK it's perfectly legal.
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
You must prove it to me. Neither one of us is an expert in foreign copyright laws. I'll certainly admit that I have not studied the laws. and trust me, the laws are complex. So how about a link or three.
I forgot to add . . . so what if it is legal in Russia? Not legal here and it is still wrong. All you do when you send cash to Russia is support a bad thing, piracy. Stop looking for loopholes and try purchasing the music.
IOWA
Mr. Logic Pants
I'm not proving or disproving anything. Whether or not the site is legal is up for the government to decide. If it's an illegal store, they should shut it down. I'm sure they are aware of it's existence already, so if it stays it, logic says it must be legal.
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
Got it, thanks. Sure is easier than providing a few facts. You saved us both some time. Rather silly to use the argument that if it is on the web it is legal.
kool kat2
Android Expert
http://www.edri.org/edrigram/number4.17/russia
What i got from this is that there was a loophole and new changes closed it. I may have read it wrong and this may not have much meaning now since this is from 2006. Also, i didn't do much more research than this, i just thought the part about the closed loophole seemed interesting.
If this does have some meaning then that would mean there's a legitimate way for them to get the licenses needed, since the loophole was closed, am I right?
What i got from this is that there was a loophole and new changes closed it. I may have read it wrong and this may not have much meaning now since this is from 2006. Also, i didn't do much more research than this, i just thought the part about the closed loophole seemed interesting.
If this does have some meaning then that would mean there's a legitimate way for them to get the licenses needed, since the loophole was closed, am I right?
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
Yes. You cannot always count on the Internet connection.
Our laws, their laws, various conventions . . . very complex. Perhaps the site cut a deal with a few artists of their management or not. Perhaps something in Russian law allows for this. I do not know; I simply prefer to say it is likely an illegal site until proven otherwise.
For now, I'd stay away. I do not need to DL something bad from a Russian web site along with potentially stolen IP. And I am certainly not about to give any Russian site my CC numbers.
Perhaps this is accurate:
Are Russian music sites legal? alex.moskalyuk
Russian Download Site Is Popular and Possibly Illegal - New York Times
Apparently, if you are in Russia, it is legal and illegal if you reside in the United States.
NightHawk877
Android Enthusiast
Cool find. I think I'm going to stay with Amazon for my downloads.
IOWA
Mr. Logic Pants
Until they ban the purchase of music from another country, it's perfectly legal. Corporations outsource things all the time to other countries, why can't I outsource my purchase?? If I bought a computer from overseas at a lower price, would that be illegal?
Besides, taking the opinion piece of a major media publisher who insists on a broken paywall system is foolish at best.
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
Good choice. It is best to stay legal given the raids and web site shutdowns. You might one day find yourself on the wrong site of a search warrant or law suit.
I think the gubberment needs to start arresting people that DL illegal IP every day for a month. We need ten the first week, fifteen the second week, 215 the third week and 1,560 the fourth week.
All we need is one month of increasing arrests, fines, and law suits, then people will be too scared to DL anything. IPods will empty and Android SD Cards will be shredded en-mass.
Can you imagine the reaction? Can you imagine how many people will reformat their HDD to (they assume) stem the tide and inevitable arrests? Children will cry for their mothers and fathers hauled off to IP Jail because they illegally downloaded the "Happy Birthday Song" without paying a royalty to Summy-Birchard and The Hill Foundation?
Every time a black SUV circles the block and every ring of the doorbell will send shivers up your spine as you wait for "Them" to come after you. You will be forever scared that one day, they come and get you.
Lars Ulrich will show up on your door step demanding payment.
Smiley!
IOWA
Mr. Logic Pants
LOL!
Imagine what would happen if Amazon adopted this pricing.. they'd instantly corner the market.
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
WOW . . . You are really stretching things thin in a valiant effort to try to make a point. You seem to love twisting things around to support an idea using silly comparisons that simply do not apply. There is nothing illegal about outsourcing or purchasing things from other countries.
Since you do not like my links, lets try this: post links to sites where the legal issues are clearly spelled out. Otherwise, just accept that the site being discussed is likely breaking the laws in this country; not to mention, acting irresponsibly.
Until then . . .
IOWA
Mr. Logic Pants
No. Because in this country, doing things is not illegal if there is no law about it. So please, post the law prohibiting legal media purchases from other countries. There is no law stating I have to purchase my digital media from the United States, nor is there a law stating I can't purchase it outside the country.
The burden of proof remains on you Sir Maxey, the accuser.
EDIT: But here's a carrot anyway.
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/basic_trade/internet_purchases.xml
According to this, the site is perfectly legal in the United States because they are directly affiliated with the rights holders and pay them there owed dividend in Russia. This makes it an authorized work. The real irony here, is the reason why it's legal. It's the RIAA/MPAA's own reciprocity agreements that were shoved down other countries throats that make this work. Until that agreement is null/void, AND there is a law specifically prohibiting outside of the country purchases, it remains legal.
Bob Maxey
Android Expert
You keep on trying to prove your assertions, young buck. I suggest Wikipedia or perhaps The Anonymous Web Site. I feel confident you will eventually find someone on your side to quote. So find that link. I am open Monday-Sunday, 4:30-9:00 MST.
I never said it was illegal to purchase media from a foreign web site. Your "carrot" also says something about copyright protected materials.
argedion
The TechnoFrog
This sentence is very sketcy about the could but if you purchase something rather for 0.01 cent or for 100 dollars I do not believe that is unauthorized. As long as you have a bill of sale and the "Content" is not illegal content to have in the united states then you will not have to worry about any Criminal actions being taken against you.
However the Goal of Congress and the House and the President is to strip us of any and all rights by destroying the constitution. They have been taking if from us ever since they gave it to us. We are to be mindless drones who are to have nothing that is not approved material from the US GOVERNMENT. Having such material that is not approved will warrant us to be arrested, Tried, and Then Shot all at the same time. Welcome to the Future. You may now have the right to OBEY.
Have a Nice Day.
IOWA
Mr. Logic Pants
And as far as I'm concerned, it's a completely authorized purchase. If the sites not legit, I expect it to go away soon. Simple as that.