WP: U.S. Asked to Probe Music-Download Sites

[DeepModem Mom]

U.S. Asked to Probe Music-Download Sites

By Ted Bridis
The Associated Press
Monday, March 7, 2005; 6:15 PM


The Federal Trade Commission is being asked to investigate Web sites that claim to offer legal music downloads for a low price but actually sell popular software that is available free elsewhere on the Internet and is commonly used to steal songs.

Such Web sites typically charge $30 to $40 and prominently advertise services as "100 percent legal." Some sites include smaller print warning that downloading songs without permission violates copyrights and encouraging customers to learn more about copyright law at the Library of Congress.

A Washington-based civil liberties group, the Center for Democracy and Technology, said it planned to file a formal complaint early Tuesday with the trade commission charging such Web sites with deceptive trade practices. The FTC has acted on previous complaints from the group, including one recent case over Internet spyware.

"They're fooling people into spending money to buy products that are competing with legitimate products," said Alan Davidson, an associate director for the group. "These are the people who are really polluting the marketplace."...


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14889-2005Mar7.html

[Zynx]

1. Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas

"Hey, I bought this from some guy on the Internet."