JASRAC Wins MyUta Decision
Back in November 2005, Tokyo-based Image City announced the beta launch of MYUTA, a new service allowing subscribers to store their digital music files (for their own personal use) on a central server. A key feature of the service was the capability for subscribers to access and play the stored music tracks on their mobile phones. JASRAC immediately stepped in and contacted Image City, claiming the service required its approval in order to launch. Image City disagreed, saying the service was outside of JASRAC’s domain, and the stage was set for a legal battle.
Not wanting to operate under the cloud of legal uncertainty, Image City suspended the MYUTA service in April 2006. The company then filed a motion with the Tokyo Court seeking confirmation that MYUTA fell under the category of ‘private use’ copying for a single individual, and was therefore not subject to JASRAC’s authority. On May 25 of this year, however, the court ruled that because Image City owns the servers from which the stored files are downloaded, the company is responsible for public transmission of copyrighted works, and therefore subject to JASRAC’s authority.
Read the full article via Music Media Watch >>
By Steve Myers, president of Theta Music Technologies