www.mp3search.ru

[Clarkey]

This site sells mp3's for something like 15 cents each as compared to a buck on itunes etc. Is purchasing and downloading music off this site legal in Canada?

[Rathji]

As I understand it, not really. I don't know the legal terms etc but it is the same thing as you not being able to watch American TV online outside of the US. Not to mention the fact that you have no idea if you are buying something that the record companies even licensed. If they didn't then you might be just as liable for damages for breaking copyright laws as if you had downloaded from torrents etc.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Clarkey

This site sells mp3's for something like 15 cents each as compared to a buck on itunes etc. Is purchasing and downloading music off this site legal in Canada?

Give them your credit card number and let us know how it works out.

Do you really think a site registered in Russia is legally licensed to distribute the works of some 54,000 artists?

[Clarkey]

So it's a no. Thanks.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Clarkey

So it's a no. Thanks.

It's no more legal than torrents, and you have to give out your credit card number - some people use these kinds of sites without problems, but in general its a bad idea. Some credit card companies won't even do transactions with these kinds of sites, so that gives you some indication of their legitimacy.

[Knut]

I used it 4 or 5 years ago without an issue.

I bought about 20 albums off of it.... was charged the right amount, and was able to close down the account with no problem.

That said.... things may have changed since then.

[mykalberta]

It gets around it by using a Russian Copywrite loophole.

Technically it is legal for them to sell it for meerly the cost of bandwidth, the question is that is it legal for them to export the music or for you to import it.

I believe it was shut down and that this is a different URL. I put 2$ in via paypal to buy a few movie theme songs I couldnt find on iTunes - like the scar face jingle etc.

[BlAcKNoVa]

I came across another one a couple months ago (LegalSounds). I think it's russian aswell. This one you have to put in a certain amount of money (the more you put in, the greater deal in the end). I put in $25 and I think I get close to 300 songs worth. If they don't have something you can request it and they'll try to get it. Pretty neat site.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by BlAcKNoVa

I came across another one a couple months ago (LegalSounds). I think it's russian aswell. This one you have to put in a certain amount of money (the more you put in, the greater deal in the end). I put in $25 and I think I get close to 300 songs worth. If they don't have something you can request it and they'll try to get it. Pretty neat site.

But why would you do this? I could provide the same service for much less.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Barnes

But why would you do this? I could provide the same service for much less.

More to the point, why would you pay someone for pirated stuff, when you can pirate it yourself for free, and with less overall risk to your personal and financial identity than handing a Russian website your credit card info?

It's not even the same as buying stolen property because you want someone else to assume the risk of the theft (which is why anyone buys stolen stuff, really) - in this case, the risk is even less to go out and do it yourself.

[corporatejay]

I've heard of this site before from my friend Dwight Schrute. The only problem is all the songs are in russian.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

More to the point, why would you pay someone for pirated stuff, when you can pirate it yourself for free, and with less overall risk to your personal and financial identity than handing a Russian website your credit card info?

It's not even the same as buying stolen property because you want someone else to assume the risk of the theft (which is why anyone buys stolen stuff, really) - in this case, the risk is even less to go out and do it yourself.

Hey! I am trying to make some money here.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Hey! I am trying to make some money here.

Did you know you can have an executive-level paycheque while working from the comfort of your own home?

[Hack&Lube]

The law of downloading has always been murky and grey and ambiguous in Canada regarding the legality of downloading given the royalty tariffs we pay on blank media that supposedly legalizes downloading music, etc.

This is no more legal than torrents/usenet/ed2k/thunder/rapidshare/burning CDs from the Public Library, etc. but it's no worse except that you are probably contributing money to the Russian mafia in some way.

[Russic]

If you're going to go illegal you might as well go full tilt. To the torrents!