Warner Music sues social-networking site imeem for piracy

Staff Writer, Jun 17, 2008

Warner Music Corp. is filing a lawsuit against the webmasters of the music download site imeem, claiming the social network allows users to duplicate its  music single and video clips without copyright permission.

The case was processed last week in L.A. Federal District Court for New York-based Warner Music, also Atlantic Recording Corp., Elektra Entertainment Group Inc., and or Warner Bros. Records Inc.

The group of record companies wants a court order to halt imeem network from using Warner Music content on its platform, and also any damages, and up to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars for each unlawful video or music downloaded on the Web site.

In its case, Warner Music says that imeem tells users to access to its platform to copy, share, and copyright protected sound recordings and  video clips.

Warner Music strongly believe imeem's webmasters have intentionally refrained from using software to stop web surfers from sharing content.

Imeem itself allows much of the illegal conduct by copying, sharing and performing artist's songs through imeem's own network.

Various communications were sent to a public relations for the California based corporation were not immediately returned until early last week.

Imeem Inc., which proclaims itself on its site as a "New social media network,' launched in early 2006. It claims to have sixteen million profiles. The company is financially backed by investment firms Sequoia Capital and Morgenthaler Ventures, stated to the lawsuit.