Downloading Ringtones Is Copyright Infringement

from the another-Napster-in-the-making? dept

Okay, if you ever needed evidence of some people taking themselves and their industry too seriously, here it is. Some company in the UK is acting very upset that people who download ringtones of popular songs for their mobile phones aren't paying any royalties to the artists for those ringtones. They describe this as (and I only wish I could make up stuff this funny) "another Napster in the making". Somehow, I don't think cheesey ringtones of a Britney Spears song is the equivalent to trading her MP3 files on Napster (which I still don't think is a problem, anyway). The guy also says that they know the "music industry has been hit very hard by this". Huh? The music industry is still making a ton of money from all the studies people have come out with - and I don't think they've been sweating over some kids downloading ringtones.