EFF stands up for pearLyrics

Filed under: Audio, Utilities, News, Freeware

EFF stands up for pearLyrics

by Marc Perton Dec 14th 2005

It may be too late to rescue pearLyrics from cease-and-desist doom, but the Electronic Frontier Foundation has taken up the cause of the embattled freeware program, and has sent a letter of its own to Warner/Chappell Music. In the letter, EFF attorney Fred von Lohmann warns Warner/Chappell — which accused pearLyrics of copyright theft, despite the fact that the program just acted as a front-end to search publicly accessible lyric web sites —that the company "making any legal threats similar to those leveled against [pearLyrics developer Walter] Ritter against any U.S. software developers who may develop products similar to pearLyrics." Von Lohmann says in his letter that "personal, noncommercial annotation of legitimately acquired digital music files constitutes a noninfringing fair use, there is nothing unlawful about inducing or encouraging music fans to engage in that activity," and warns Warner/Chappell that the company could be in violation of US laws if it goes after other developers of similar software.

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