A quick introduction. Allofmp3.com is Russian website which offers songs/albums at extremely low prices. Before you say this: “Woah dude…Russian?..that’s got to be illegal”, read below and decide for yourself.
Here are some examples of what the site offers (Iron Maiden, The Killers, Pink Floyd..):
Those are whole album prices displayed ! That is incredibly cheap and tempting.
Now back to the question, is it legal?
Well, the debate is still going on and nobody is sure about anything. The website is definitely legal in Russia and most European countries, but it’s legality in the US is not yet clear and there are many apparent loopholes. Here are some links to discussions regarding this matter:
www.musketseeker.com : Is Using Allofmp3.com legal?
I read through all of it and the end result was that I realized that no one really knows anything about it and everyone is just guessing. However, to my knowledge, nobody (in the United States, or outside) has been prosecuted for using this service (I am pretty sure there are thousands of people in the US using the website).
I don’t think people can use their credit cards directly at the site at present. musketseeker.com says ” Direct payments by credit card to Allofmp3 haven been blocked. The music industry have ‘persuaded’ Visa and MasterCard to stop processing payments to Allofmp3″ , but apparently there are other ways around this hurdle to get the music.
What is your take on this? Have you ever used Allofmp3.com for your downloads? Do you think it is legal?
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m not really sure the courts know what illegal and what isn’t anymore. How can it be legal for me to make a mix tape for a friend, but illegal for me to start up a message forum and put songs on there for members? What if those people send me e-mails and we talk? Does the government get to make the distinction between one being “fair use” and the other not?
I agree with you LM&M. And as such I have no I have no qualms about taking advantage of the situation till the courts come to a decision. I am pretty sure RIAA is pushing it’s weight around the courts too.
What I think is total B.S. is how the music industry is able to convince Visa and MasterCard to stop processing payments to Allofmp3! Wouldn’t that make them judge, jury, AND executioner? What authority gives them the right to do such a thing while the debate is ongoing? Would this also apply to a Visa checkcard scenario where the money is mine and not charged to my account. Then that would be dictating as to where and with whom I can spend MY money! The credit card companies have no jurisdiction OR authority to police transactions made to any music web sites for the sake of the RIAA! It’s so INCREDIBLY OUTRAGEOUS it makes me sick!
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