[TankGirl]

CNet News: Another file-swapping site to fall silent

As with Napster's final loss Tuesday, the immediate result of the Madster-Aimster case will have little impact on the file-swapping world. The owner of the service, an entrepreneur named John Deep, and the several companies associated with him that were connected with Aimster, all declared bankruptcy in March. The vast majority of file-traders have migrated to other platforms such as Kazaa, StreamCast Networks' Morpheus, or iMesh.

"This unequivocal ruling today underscores that companies and individuals will not be permitted to build a business on music they do not own and will be held responsible for their actions," said RIAA Chief Executive Officer Hilary Rosen, in a statement. "This decision helps to support the continued development of the legitimate online music market for fans, which is, of course, our goal in all of our online enforcement activities."

Q: What you folks are doing is pushing the conventional interpretations of copyright law in some interesting ways. Do you see yourselves as spokespeople for the way copyright law ought to be interpreted?

Johnny Deep [Aimster CEO]: It's an interesting perspective that we have on it. Myself, I started out as an author and a classical pianist. I've always wanted to be an artist in a number of genres. As a software developer, too, you have to have the greatest respect for copyright. It is what guards what you do as an artist, whether you're a developer or writer or musician.

At the same time, other rights, the broader rights of the public, are being infringed on by the large companies that guard copyright. That is, the right of privacy, rights in your own home, for your home not to be searched, evidence not to be seized without a warrant, freedom of expression. There are all sorts of rights that are more basic and more fundamental than my own selfish rights as an artist. So I guess I have to put myself below the other rights and try to guard the rights of citizens everywhere.

- tg