IFPI welcomes latest progress against unauthorised P2P in US and Asia

November 8, 2005

IFPI, representing the recording industry worldwide, today welcomed the landmark settlement in the US between the music industry and Grokster. The settlement includes a permanent injunction prohibiting infringement - directly or indirectly - of any copyrighted works and comes four months after the Supreme Court ruled that Grokster could be held liable for encouraging copyright infringement on its network.

The decision comes the same day as confirmation that Soribada, a leading Korean unauthorised p2p service, has been shut down. A court ruling in Korea in August required Soribada to stop illegal file-swapping on its network.

IFPI Chairman and CEO John Kennedy said: "The Grokster settlement is the latest evidence that a very significant redrawing of the lines has taken place in the fight against internet piracy in the last four months. Courts in three continents - in the US, Australia, Korea and Taiwan - have handed down successive judgements against peer-to-peer services that have built businesses on copyright infringement. The landscape of the music industry is changing, and, as the Grokster settlement shows, it is moving in favour of those who want to use technology the legitimate way, to create a thriving legal digital music market."

For further information please contact Julie Harari, IFPI Communications, Tel: +44 (0)20 7878 7935, email: press-office@ifpi.org