14 DAY TRIAL // The international music authorities finally managed to close a Russian-based website that distributed pirated music on the Internet. Actually, the owners of the website sustained the page was legal as they were paying royalties to ROMS, a Russian organization that works closely to copyright owners. According to MSNBC, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) didn't recognize ROMS as a legal organization saying that it functioned without music companies' approval. It seems like Allofmp3 was one of the most popular websites in UK, being placed on the second position after the famous iTunes.
The same source reported that the US authorities warned Russia about the existence of the website and said it might cause trouble for the country in their World Trade Organization joining attempts. The owners of the websites refused to comment the closure of the website but confirmed that it has been officially shut down.
"Allofmp3 violated copyright law in Russia and internationally by ripping off artists and creators, taking music that it had no right to reproduce and selling it worldwide," said John Kennedy, chairman of IFPI, according to MSNBC. "We would now like to see decisive action taken against similar copyright-infringing sites to show that the Russian authorities are indeed seriously committed to enforcing intellectual property rights."
The problem with the pirated music in Russia is far from being resolved. There are numerous other websites that are offering pirated music for no less than 20 cents so the authorities have to increase their efforts in order to stop this illegal phenomenon.
Russia has always been a country that hosted a considerable amount of pirated content because the nation was often placed among the top locations for hosting illegal activities. However, it seems like the authorities want to reduce the percentage of pirated material and Allofmp3 is just the beginning of a powerful campaign.