MySpace Accused Of Using Music Without Permission

MySpace launched a refreshed version of its social network not long ago. Along with the launch of a refreshed version of the website also came a new single that was heavily promoted on the social network from minority MySpace partner Justin Timberlake. While MySpace certainly had permission to use the new Justin Timberlake single, one music association is accusing MySpace of using music without permission.

The music group is called Merlin and negotiates deals on behalf of independent record labels around the world. Merlin chief executive officer Charles Caldas said in an interview recently that its music deal with MySpace had expired over a year ago. However, Caldas says that songs from more than 100 of its represented labels are still available on MySpace.

Caldas says that MySpace is using music without permission from three of the biggest independent record labels in the world including Beggars Group, Domino, and Merge. MySpace says that if songs from Merlin represented labels are still on its network, "they were likely uploaded by users." In other words, MySpace is saying it's not our fault.

MySpace says that if the music was uploaded by its members, the music would be removed if requested by the labels. MySpace has dropped in popularity significantly over the last several years. While MySpace was once the leading social network, Facebook has made MySpace an also ran.

[via NYTimes]