Following MySpace’s lead, Facebook’s caved in to RIAA pressure to remove the Project Playlist app. Project Playlist is already facing legal action from record companies, having only managed to come to an official agreement with Sony so far.

The RIAA seems to now be focusing on bigger entities, like ISPs and social networking sites to wage its war on music ‘theft’. PCMag reported Facebook’s capitulation, saying that Project Playlist’s CEO, Jeremy Riney had blogged thus: “We are working hard to get our widgets back up on user profiles across these social networking sites as quickly as possible so our users can continue to share music with their friends.”

Why the RIAA’s zealous policing of Project Playlist? Copyright. That’s also the motivation behind targeting many other music startups, which show the slightest hint that they don’t have the proper permissions from recording companies.

Facebook said in a statement, “Our hope and expectation is that the parties can resolve their disagreements in a manner that satisfies the developer and copyright holder, that continues to offer a great experience to music fans, and that doesn’t discourage other developers from using Platform to share their creativity and test new ideas.”

Project Playlist might still endure if the other recording companies come to a similar licensing agreement as has Sony BMG. Though you understand the copyright concerns, when can you say that RIAA has overstepped its bounds? How much squeezing can recording companies do, now that CD sales are down? Is it fair to penalize users for embracing new modes of sharing digital music when the record industry itself refuses to move past its antiquated ways?

Perhaps a standard pricing plan that doesn’t bankrupt online music startups could be reached, perhaps even with RIAA mediation. But the trick here is to prevent the recording companies from making ridiculous demands or placing unreasonable rates. Better to go for bulk and get music circulating than desperately overcharging to make a buck. But then the latter will more than likely be the case.

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Entry was posted on Wednesday, December 24th, 2008 at 10:11 pm under Social Media.

Read more entries by Erna Mahyuni.
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