Dec
11
NYTimes writer Saul Hansell evaluates a new service that is interesting – not only for it’s technical aspects but also because of the ethical approach. The start-up is called Cellware.
The issue? Sharing MP3 audio, particularly copyrighted songs that ought not to be shared.
Well, maybe it isn’t sharing? How about multi-purposing something I already own?
On the other hand, the site makes it incredibly easy for people to upload MP3 files of songs and then send 20 second clips of them to their own cellphones to use as ringtones. Mr. Ferber said Cellware does not filter out copyrighted content for this aspect of the service because it deems that this falls within the fair use doctrine — the rights of someone who buys a copyrighted work to use it in certain ways, such as to make backup copies of software.
Pretty common-sense to me. And perfectly legit, if I recall that old court ruling about videotaping network television shows for later viewing. Wasn’t that the “Betamax case?”
Personally, I am excited about his kind of repurposing of content already – legally – in my library. What do you think?
That’s cool! I’m going to have to give it a try.