After years of trying to get it shut down outright, the music industry seems to have scored a minor victory with Visa’s decision to suspend service to Russian music site AllofMP3.com. VISA International spokesman Simon Barker told CNET,
It’s [AllofMP3.Com] no longer permitted to accept Visa cards. The action we’ve taken is in line with legislation passed in Russia and international copyright law.
AllofMP3 countered that Visa International’s decision was “arbitrary, capricious and discriminatory.” Moreover, AllofMP3 continues to maintain that its business practices are completely legal in Russia, where it sells MP3s without the permission of copyright holders and pays a pittance in royalties to a Russian rights agency.
Since there are dozens of ways to download the exact same content, even if the Visa change is permanent, its at best a pyrrhic victory for the RIAA. Wow, I can’t buy music at AllofMP3 anymore — I guess I’ll have to go back to downloading it for free.
Sources:
Blacklisted AllofMP3 slams ‘capricious’ Visa and Mastercard. Drew Cullen, The Register, October 19, 2006.
Visa halts its service for allofmp3.com. Greg Sandovel, CNET News.Com, October 18, 2006.