The Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) supports the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s (IFPI) announcement today of recent complaints lodged with Moscow City Prosecutors against Allofmp3.com. Allofmp3.com is a Russian Web site that offers downloads of musical recordings without authorization from rights holders.

The Computer Crimes Unit of Moscow City Police also passed along the results of their criminal investigation of Allofmp3.com to Moscow prosecutors on 8 February 2005. The prosecutor has thirty days from the date of receiving evidence to decide whether to proceed with a criminal prosecution.

"There exists a great deal of confusion in the public mind about the legality and legitimacy of downloading music," remarks internationally renowned Canadian recording artist Loreena McKennitt. "It is therefore important that the music industry is seen to be targeting large scale abuses of copyright on a global scale. Though these businesses charge people for downloads and make a profit from the sale of that music, they do not share any of their income with rights holders such as myself. It is therefore heartening and laudable to see the industry associations taking action on an international governmental level and doubly important that they are seen to be doing so."

"This is a business that brazenly operates without the permission of rights holders such as Ms. McKennitt," comments Graham Henderson, President of CRIA. "It is a large scale operation that infringes copyrights on a global level. Though Allofmp3.com charges users for downloaded music and makes a profit from the sale of it, they do not appear to properly 'share' their ill-gotten gains with the rights holders. As we attempt to build a legal online marketplace, entities such as Allofmp3.com make the task all the more difficult. They shamelessly take advantage of people's fair-minded desire to legally acquire the music of the artists they love."

IFPI maintains that Allofmp3.com has not been licensed to distribute its members’ repertoire in Russian or internationally.

Legal music downloading services across the globe are on the rise. A 19 January 2005 report from IFPI finds that music fans downloaded more than 200 million tracks from legitimate sites in 2004, up from 20 million in 2003. Moreover, the number of online sites where consumers can buy music legally has hit more than 230 up from 50 a year ago.

Additionally, a 10 February 2005 study from Ipsos-Insight revealed that in December 2004 47 per cent of American downloaders, aged 12 and older, used a fee-based musical downloading service.

Canadians have a variety of online legal music downloading services to choose from, including iTunes, Puretracks and Archambaultzik.

The Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) promotes the interests of Canadian record companies and artists. CRIA represents the producers, manufacturers and distributors of more than 95 per cent of all records produced and sold in Canada.

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) represents the recording industry worldwide with over 1450 members in 75 countries and affiliated industry associations in 48 countries.

For more information about today’s international announcement go to www.ifpi.org.