Russian Government Shuts Down AllOfMP3 Site that Sold Music

According to the United States government, the Russian government has shut down AllOfMP3, a website dedicated to selling inexpensive songs while claiming to be legal. The website used loopholes in Russian copyright laws to deliver the inexpensive songs. The Russian government has been struggling with the company for years.

A new website has appeared from the creators of the original site called Mp3sparks. Like the original site, Mp3sparks insists that it is legitimate and legal. According to the director of Mp3sparks, Vadim Mamotin, the website is within all applicable laws. Both websites are owned by the MediaServices Company.

The color scheme for the new website has changed however the interface is virtually identical to the original site. Users of the old website can even use their old accounts with the new website. The company claims that all of the songs sold from their website are licensed and all necessary royalties have been paid on the music. The company claims to be within Russian copyright laws. According to Western music labels, the licensing firm that the company uses does not have permission to collect and distribute royalties on the music sold.

According to the major record labels, the MediaServices Company sells millions of their songs without paying the artists anything for the sales. According to media reports the annual revenue for AllOfMP3 was $30 million.

The major record labels claim that MediaServices has no rights to sell their songs. The site's shutdown comes on the heels of Russia's fight to enter into the World Trade Organization. Russia has been having trouble entering into the organization due to rampant piracy and disregard for intellectual property rights. Russia claims that they have been clamping down its electronic piracy problems.

Russia was recently offered entry into the organization on the condition that Russia modifies its laws by June 1^st of this year to make the actions of AllOfMP3 illegal. The changes went into effect a month later and Russia wasted no time shutting the site down and securing their entry into the World Trade Organization.

Both Visa and MasterCard have stopped allowing payments to the AllOfMP3 website. Several other electronic payment companies including the popular Paypal have also stopped allowing payments to the site.