Sony settles copyright lawsuit with Internet Archive over music preservation
Well, it seems like the legal battle between Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and the Internet Archive has finally come to an end. You might remember that these music giants sued the Internet Archive over their Great 78 Project. This project was all about preserving and digitizing those old 78 rpm records.
Good news, everyone: both sides have now agreed to a settlement, and they're planning to dismiss the lawsuit. It's very unlikely that we'll ever know the specifics of the agreement. It looks like they want to keep it all under wraps.
The original lawsuit was focused on thousands of recordings from legendary artists like Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. The music labels argued that these tracks weren't in danger of disappearing because they were already available on various streaming platforms. If the Internet Archive had lost, they could have been facing some pretty hefty fines.
This isn't the first time the Internet Archive has faced legal troubles. They also lost a lawsuit over their National Emergency Library project, which made a ton of ebooks available during the pandemic.
What Does This Mean?
Honestly, it's hard to say exactly what this settlement means without knowing the details. It looks like both sides are ready to move on. It's a shame we won't get to see the full legal showdown, but sometimes a settlement is the best outcome for everyone involved. It's like when you're arguing with a friend, and you both decide it's better to just agree to disagree and grab a pizza.
Source: Engadget