Unimpressed by Napster's efforts to strip copyrighted songs out of its file-trading network, the record industry says it will go to court next week to complain that the company is flouting the terms of a court order.
At this point it is clear that Napster hasn't complied with the court's order," said Jano Cabrera, a spokesman for the Recording Industry Association of America. "We are going to spell out our concerns in detail" in the court filing, he said. The filing will be made as part of a previously set alternating schedule of legal updates made by both parties. Napster's next response is due April 3. |
The filing is likely to spur a few new rounds of fireworks in the case, but such a move has been expected by most of the participants since the injunction was ordered. U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel, who issued the order March 6, also asked the parties to agree on a technically savvy mediator who could serve as arbiter in disputes such as this.
Napster had no immediate comment on the RIAA's plans, but it has filed several documents with the court indicating that it believes it is acting in compliance with the injunction.
The music-swapping company is struggling to keep up with both the lists of songs coming in from the record companies and the activities of music traders who are doing their best to develop tools to evade Napster's filters.
The filters are meant to be a temporary gesture while the case goes to a full trial, a process that could take months or years. But Napster has said it plans to take down its free service in July and set up a subscription service along with entertainment giant Bertelsmann.
Source: ZDnet.com
