Written by: Ashley King
Brazil has just cracked down on 400+ infringing music apps in the fourth wave of ‘Operation 404,’ an initiative tackling infringing services online.
Brazilian law enforcement reports substantial effort made in the operation, which is one of the largest of its kind. Operation 404 involves a laundry list of actions related to unlicensed music services, including over 400 infringing music apps. These apps combined have generated more than 10 million downloads.
Operation 404 takes action in cooperation with the Brazilian Ministry of Justice and Public Security, Homeland Security Investigations in the US, the Police IP Crime Unit of the City of London Police, and cybercrime units from 11 Brazilian states. IFPI and Pro-Música Brasil also support the initiative.
Melissa Morgia, Director of Global Content Protection and Enforcement at IFPI, says, “As a result of the coordinated work of the Brazilian authorities, together with agencies in the US and the UK, these actions have seen the highest number of unlicensed music services disrupted as part of the Operation 404 campaign.”
She continues, “We thank and commend all the authorities and agencies involved in carrying out these actions for their ongoing collaboration and support in protecting music creators’ content.”
Pro-Música Brasil Director, Paulo Rosa, adds, “This operation has had a particular impact on the growing problem of unlicensed music apps — sending a clear message to all operators of such services that they must cease their activities.”
Rosa concludes, “These services are profiting from music whilst putting in jeopardy the growth of Brazil’s vibrant and diverse music ecosystem. We continue to support action against this, whenever necessary.”
Operation 404’s successful campaign in Brazil follows the announcement that the National Music Publishers’ Association recently cracked down on almost 100 apps in the US — including Vinkle, a “video maker for video editing beginners” — that utilize unlicensed music.
NMPA President and CEO David Israelite says, “NMPA has sent cease-and-desist letters to nearly 100 apps that use music without proper licenses.” He concludes that “the responsibility of licensing music is not just limited to the app companies themselves. The app stores which empower these apps also have responsibilities to make sure that the apps that they make available to their customers are legal and not infringing.”
Source: Digital Music News
