We don't have DMCA-style safe harbor provisions in Russia.
But we do have landmark ruling, explaining when service provider are liable for users infringement. In this case Vkontakte wasn't found liable for infringement af a matter of fact. But they were sanctioned (for around $6500. Not much huh.) because social network wasn't fast enough after reported infringement. Actually they simply blocked search for artist and songs names (laughably easy to bypass) and haven't removed content.
People asked questions about technology on one russian tech forum. Founder dodged most of it when pointed that it won't work. I seriously doubt that they actually have technology. Whole thing looks like scam for stupid rightholders
When Google was celebrating 10 идт downloads they dropped prices on certain apps more than ten times (sometimes 20-30 times) - to mere 0.03 cents. The reports from app makers were astonishingly positive - they made more profit. When you have a product with pretty much zero marginal cost - you have a huuge window for price experiments.
It's very popular in Russia for officials to say that activists and various NGO are funded by "foreign elements", Department of State is most popular, although Foreign Office also has it's part in this kind of rhetoric.
Kinda funny that officials from supposedly democratic country uses same arguments. Except it's not.
I'm from Russia and we hardly have any legal services available here (well there is some russian, but they suck frankly).
Remember allofmp3.com and all the ruckus? "Oh my, Russia supports music piracy!". It took president Bush to complain to shut down site. But you know what? I had no idea that it was illegal and I used it. Because it was convenient, because I felt good when I bought music (although I listen mostly jazz and blues).
Then, few years later, someone showed me Spotify and it was wonderful! Yes, to register you'd need to tinker with proxy, but still. I even bought most expensive plan, because you could used service abroad then and forget about proxy. Few months later Spotify blocked my account in suspicion that I wasn't really from UK.
You know what? FUCK IT. I would really love to pay for convenient way to listen to music that I love, but apparently, recording industry don't need my money.
So, torrents, here we go! Oh, and Grooveshark. I know that their legality are murky, but at least service works in Russia.
I work for russian non-profit, Russian Association for electronic communications and we are currently trying to change russian copyright laws to be more internet-friendly.
Resistance is fierce. Usually, when there is some kind of conference or roundtable, people from big content do not hesitate to call internet companies thieves. Same with CC licenses: "you want to make everything free!! How content producers will make money??". We have RAO - licensing organization that is famous for such acts as: suing artists for singing their own songs at concerts without permision; suing barber shops, car washs etc. There was a case, where they threatened to sue WW2 veterans for singing was songs in public. And artists have no clue where this licensing money actually goes. RIAA accounting at it's best. We also have "cd tax" which actually applied for any device that can play music! No safe harbors or anything like that. And both big content and FSB often tries to sneak new Internet regulating laws which would harm companies and users greatly.
On the post: Russian Appeals Court Says Popular Social Network vKontakte Is Liable For File Sharing By Users
Re:
And key functionality of VK is messaging and, well, social networking. By far.
On the post: Russian Appeals Court Says Popular Social Network vKontakte Is Liable For File Sharing By Users
Re:
On the post: Russian Appeals Court Says Popular Social Network vKontakte Is Liable For File Sharing By Users
But we do have landmark ruling, explaining when service provider are liable for users infringement. In this case Vkontakte wasn't found liable for infringement af a matter of fact. But they were sanctioned (for around $6500. Not much huh.) because social network wasn't fast enough after reported infringement. Actually they simply blocked search for artist and songs names (laughably easy to bypass) and haven't removed content.
On the post: Wil Wheaton Reminds Us That Torrents Are Awesome, And Not Just For Pirated Movies
On the post: Microsoft-Funded BitTorrent Disruptor Won't Make Pirates Pay, But Might Break The Law
On the post: Apple Rejecting Apps That Use Dropbox Because *Gasp!* Users Might Sign Up For Dropbox Accounts
On the post: ACTA On Hold, But The Protests Continue In Serbia
On the post: A Terrifying Look Into The NSA's Ability To Capture And Analyze Pretty Much Every Communication
On the post: Harper's Publisher Presents The Platonic Ideal Specimen Of The 'I'm An Old Fogey Elitist Anti-Internet Luddite' Columns
Re: Re: Re: Referred:
http://www.douglasadams.com/dna/19990901-00-a.html
On the post: Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. Using Trademark Law To Prevent The Use Of Public Domain Stories
On the post: Would You Rather Be 'Right' Or Realistic?
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
On the post: Would You Rather Be 'Right' Or Realistic?
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
On the post: Apparently Veoh Isn't Dead Enough For Universal Music; Asks For Rehearing Of Its Bogus Copyright Lawsuit
Re:
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/04/08/veoh-lives-on-behind-the-acquisition-of-the-video-site/
On the post: EU Politicians Send Letter To US Congress Warning Of 'Extraterritorial Effects' Of SOPA And PIPA
http://www.vedomosti.ru/opinion/news/1480343/kodeks_povedeniya_v_seti
On the post: Lessig On The Daily Show: The Corruption And Extortion Of Congress
On the post: Propaganda Campaign Against Vigilante Hacking Groups: Gov't Officials Warn That The KGB Could Infiltrate Lulzsec
Kinda funny that officials from supposedly democratic country uses same arguments. Except it's not.
On the post: That Didn't Take Long: Turntable.fm Blocked To All Non-US Users
Remember allofmp3.com and all the ruckus? "Oh my, Russia supports music piracy!". It took president Bush to complain to shut down site. But you know what? I had no idea that it was illegal and I used it. Because it was convenient, because I felt good when I bought music (although I listen mostly jazz and blues).
Then, few years later, someone showed me Spotify and it was wonderful! Yes, to register you'd need to tinker with proxy, but still. I even bought most expensive plan, because you could used service abroad then and forget about proxy. Few months later Spotify blocked my account in suspicion that I wasn't really from UK.
You know what? FUCK IT. I would really love to pay for convenient way to listen to music that I love, but apparently, recording industry don't need my money.
So, torrents, here we go! Oh, and Grooveshark. I know that their legality are murky, but at least service works in Russia.
On the post: Russian President Proposes Creative Commons-Style Rules Baked Directly Into Copyright
Some insights for Russia
Resistance is fierce. Usually, when there is some kind of conference or roundtable, people from big content do not hesitate to call internet companies thieves. Same with CC licenses: "you want to make everything free!! How content producers will make money??". We have RAO - licensing organization that is famous for such acts as: suing artists for singing their own songs at concerts without permision; suing barber shops, car washs etc. There was a case, where they threatened to sue WW2 veterans for singing was songs in public. And artists have no clue where this licensing money actually goes. RIAA accounting at it's best. We also have "cd tax" which actually applied for any device that can play music! No safe harbors or anything like that. And both big content and FSB often tries to sneak new Internet regulating laws which would harm companies and users greatly.