Apple Receives C&D Letters For Not Using Technology
05.11.07 - 02:44pm
Hank Risan is the chief executive officer for a company called MRT (Media Rights Technology), and they have filed cease-and-desist letters to Microsoft, Adobe, Real Networks, and Apple, not for infringing on their technology but rather for not using it. If the cease and desist does not commence than Risan has said a 200 billion dollar lawsuit will go forward against the companies.
How does someone sue for not using their technology? Well it goes like this - MRT claims that along with Bluebeat (a radio station they own) they have developed technology that will keep digital audio streams from being “ripped” or copied.
Risan said that the reason for the lawsuit is that Microsoft and the others are deliberately circumventing their technology and creating loopholes that allow for music to be ripped off.
Risan said that he worked with a company, The Museum of Musical Instruments, to protect their content only to have the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) file a $150 million cease and desist letter against MoMi.
MRT said, “In the summer of 2001, The MoMI was hit with a cease-and-desist letter from the RIAA for copyright infringement, alleging damages of $150 million to their members. Upon further investigation it was discovered that Microsoft had circumvented The MoMI’s copy protection, exposing hidden music files in an “upgrade” to the Windows Media Player, turning secure MoMI performances into downloads.”
Risan says that MRT has had enough and according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act signed by President Clinton, companies are required to act and provide copy-technologies like the X1 Control designed by MRT.
“I’m going to put a stop to it,” Risan said. “People are being used. Kids are being sued, when the the real culprits are these device manufacturers.”
Risan said the cease-and-desist letters will be followed by suits in 10 days if no action is taken by the companies involved.
“Together these four companies are responsible for 98 percent of the media players in the marketplace; CNN, NPR, Clear Channel, MySpace Yahoo and YouTube all use these infringing devices to distribute copyrighted works,” states Risan.
“We will hold the responsible parties accountable.”
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