BizJournals Portfolio
Home >   Business Views, Opinions and Blogs >   Business Blogs >   Tech Observer >  

Muxtapes Revenge Opentape Flips Off The Riaa

Tech Observer

by Laura Rich
Main
First Bytes: VCs Here and Abroad   IE8's New Privacy Features

Recent Blog Posts

Links

Aug 27 2008 9:40am EDT

Muxtape's Revenge: OpenTape Flips Off the R.I.A.A.

Sam Gustin says: The R.I.A.A. nailed Muxtape. Are they gonna take this lying down?

Since the martyred music site was forced down by the R.I.A.A. last week, a new digital music offering has risen from its ashes.

Like the proverbial phoenix, OpenTape.com has emerged as a bare bones way for people to share playlists. But instead of hosting songs on its own servers, the new service distributes that task -- and the potential liability -- to its users.

Of course, OpenTape, which streams songs to you for free with no advertising or even a pretense of licensing or permission, is completely illegal.

TechCrunch chose to publicize its OpenTape list. Ars Technica did not, for what it said were "obvious reasons." As in, it's illegal.

Valleywag suggested cryptically that Muxtape partisans could be behind OpenTape, and might just be an open middle finger to the RIAA. Aside from the hosting location, the two services do seem awfully similar.

Laura Rich is a co-founder of Recessionwire, which provides news, advice, perspective and humor about the recession and the recovery.

Comments

If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.


Connect With Portfolio.com
Like Portfolio on Facebook

Come on, like us—you know you want to.

Follow Portfolio on Twitter

Follow us and if you're an innovative entrepreneur, we'll return the favor.

The Mix

Today's top stories, conversation starters, and the back nine business bites.

spotlight on

Slideshows

500 Startups Hits New York

Dave McClure's brainchild makes its way to New York and introduces East Coast money folks to some intriguing new companies. View Slideshow