Ask HN: How do I find out if I'm infringing copyrights?

4 pointsedb17y ago9 comments

I'm setting up a webapp that will play and organize clips of old musical recordings for playback and analysis, and maybe some newer ones.

How do I find out if this is legal before investing time and money into this?

9 comments

8 comments · 4 top-level

answerly17y ago· 4 in thread

Here is the RIAA's position:

"Online piracy is the unauthorized uploading of a copyrighted sound recording and making it available to the public, or downloading a sound recording from an Internet site, even if the recording isn't resold. Online piracy can now also include certain uses of "streaming" technologies from the Internet. Because of the nature of the theft, the damage is not always easy to calculate but not hard to envision."

Source: http://www.riaa.com/physicalpiracy.php?content_selector=pira...

pedalpete17y ago

Just to clarify the above, the RIAA's position is not a legal definition, just what the RIAA wants. Therefore the "Online piracy is..." section is inaccurate, replace that with "The RIAA considers Online piracy as..."

and no, I'm not a lawyer.

edbOP17y ago

Is it wise to contact the RIAA and ask them if what I'm doing is legitimate?

pedalpete17y ago

I wouldn't contact the RIAA, they have a notoriously bad reputation (assuming you could actually get to anybody reasonable).

I'd go the route of the current mp3 search engines. Do some research on Fair Use Copyright and DMCA. Also check out the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation).

1 more reply

ConradHex17y ago

I suspect if you have to ask them, the answer is a big-time "no".

anamax17y ago

Talk with a lawyer. Some things are under copyright, some aren't, and in some cases it isn't clear, for various definitions of "not clear".

Gather your content appropriately.

Also, find out what your obligations are if someone brings a complaint.

Design your processes appropriately.

quoderat17y ago

The way the system works now, is if some large business interest says you're infringing, you won't have the power or money to fight them.

Great system we got going here.

cschneid17y ago

Lawyer?

Also, if the music clips are newer than "ancient" you're probably infringing.

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