Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and other record labels have sued the nonprofit Internet Archive for copyright infringement over a streaming collection of digitized music from vintage CDs, Reuters reports.

The record companies’ lawsuit, filed Friday in Manhattan federal court, alleges that the Internet Archive’s “The Great 78 Project” operates as an “illegal record store” for songs by musicians such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis and Billie Holiday. . .

They named 2,749 sound recording copyrights allegedly infringed by the archive.

The record companies say their damages in the case could reach $412 million.

Internet Archive representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the complaint.

The Internet Archive in San Francisco digitally archives websites, books, audio recordings, and other materials. He compares himself to a library and says that his mission is to “ensure universal access to all knowledge.”

He has already lost a lawsuit against the book publishers

The Internet Archive already faces another federal lawsuit in Manhattan from major book publishers who say its digital book rental program, launched during the pandemic, infringes their copyrights.

In March, a judge ruled in favor of the publishers, and the Internet Archive plans to appeal the decision.

The Great 78 Project encourages the donation of 78rpm records, the dominant recording format from the early 1900s to the 1950s, to be digitized by the group to “ensure the survival of these cultural materials for the enjoyment of future generations.” learn and enjoy.”

According to the website, the collection includes more than 400,000 records.

The labels’ lawsuit says the project includes thousands of copyrighted recordings, including Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas,” Chuck Berry’s “Roll Over Beethoven” and “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing )” Duke. Ellington.

According to the complaint, all recordings are available on authorized streaming services and “are not at risk of being lost, forgotten or destroyed.” (News.ro)