Here’s the funny thing:
www.AllOfMP3.com is a Russian company. Under Russian copyright law (as I understand it), any person/company can act as an agent for another (just like in US copyright law).
The difference between the two is that in the US an agent must be assigned (or authorized) by the person/company the agent is to represent. In Russia there is no such provision.
So, here’s the argument: Record Labels contest that they are not being properly represented by the Russian agents, which is true in their eyes, but completely legal under Russian law. Some people would call it copyright infringement, because the agents aren’t authorized. But you forget, the agents don’t need to be authorized under Russian law. Okay, so the Record Labels argue that www.AllofMP3.com can only sell to Russians, and that is a US citizen buys from them then they (the US citizen) is infringing on their copyright.
The Irony: Americans can buy from Russians, and vice versa. No crime there. But what of the copyright? Well, America and Russia are both signatories to an international treaty pertaining to laws and copyrights. Basically, it says that we’ll respect their laws and copyrights if they respect ours. And all parties are… under their own laws. So, by suing www.AllofMP3.com the record labels are thumbing their nose at International Treaties.
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