The Bush administration has substantially stepped up its support of efforts to halt downloads not previously approved by the entertainment and software cartels, with Russia's AllofMP3.com as the most visible current target.
American trade negotiators have, "darkly warned that the Web site could jeopardize Russia's long-sought entry into the World Trade Organization," says the New York Times.
"Rising consumer popularity is turning AllofMP3.com, a music downloading service based in Moscow, into a global Internet success story, but with a catch," it says. "The site may well be illegal."
On the other hand, it may also be perfectly legal, as its owners, MediaServices, claim.
However, over in the US, "So great is the official level of concern about AllofMP3 that United States trade negotiators warned that the Web site could jeopardize Russia's long-sought entry into the World Trade Organization," says the NYT.
"It is totally unprecedented to have a pirate site operating so openly for so long," says the RIAA's (Recording Industry Association of America) Neil Turkewitz.
The RIAA, owned by the Big Four Organized Music members Warner Music, Sony BMG, Vivendi Universal and EMI , has no presence in Russia.
The Big Four are currently being investigated in the US at both state and federal levels and Sony BMG recently 'settled' lawsuits lodged against it for secreting dangerous (to users' computers) DRM spyware on music CDs.
Also See: New York Times - On a Russian Site, Cheap Songs With a Backbeat of Illegality, June 4, 2006 perfectly legal - AllofMP3.com under attack, May 27, 2006 settled - Sony BMG spyware settlement, May 23, 2006
