Fair Use Gets a Fair Shake in Second Life - (EFF.org)

Fair Use Gets a Fair Shake in Second Life

Commentary by Eva Galperin of EFF.org
 

Kudos to Linden Lab, which has just release an update to the Terms of Service for their virtual world, Second Life, that includes language that will protect fair use of screenshots and machinima. The new Snapshot and Machinima Content License grants Linden Lab and other users of Second Life a license to use “in snapshots and machinima your Content that is displayed in-World in publicly accessible areas of the Service.”

Machinima, which refers works that use real-time 3-D graphics engines to generate computer animation, could have presented a special problem for Second Life, where every individual object in view is potentially a different person’s intellectual property. Getting permission from so many owners of IP in order to create a machinima is potentially nightmarish. Instead of running from the new kinds of fair use enabled by new technologies, Linden Lab has embraced them. The new license allows Second Life users to reserve the rights to their creations by placing them in areas that are not publicly accessible. Second Life makes tools available to users that allow them to restrict access to their Virtual Land and its contents. The rules are simple and intuitive: if you don’t want people taking pictures of your floating city/dancing bear/epic space opera, don’t leave your floating city/dancing bear/epic space opera in a public place.

Linden Lab’s behavior should be an object lesson to movie studios and major record labels, who have alienated their own fans by trying to thwart new fair uses as they come along, whether through DRM or DMCA takedowns. Linden Lab has shown that there are innovative new ways to give the green-light to fair uses while still giving users the freedom to protect their creations. We hope that movie studios and major record labels are taking notes, because Linden Lab is showing them how it’s done.

RIAA - For INTERNAL Use Only

RIAA

The RIAA is a delusional cartel consisting of four major music labels. They were created in 1952 with the sole purpose of sucking all the music and happiness out of the world.

Official Corporate Philosophy: "Look! Teenagers smiling!... Kill them"

Just The Facts

1. RIAA's methods of identifying individual users has, in some cases, led to the issuing of subpoenas to a dead grandmother, an elderly computer novice, and even those without any computers at all.

How they work

So the new Miley Cyrus album is out (yea, that wig and trench coat isn't fooling anyone, we know it was you at the Hannah Montana concert). You can barely sit still as you joyfully count the seconds away to torrent download completion and pure unadulterated teen pop magic. A few days later, you get an innocuous email along the lines of:

" Busted!!!!.... Sucker! Give us $3,000 now or we'll screw you for all you're worth!"
No, this is not spam. As of February, 2007 the RIAA began sending letters accusing internet users of sharing files. The letters go on to say that anyone not settling will have lawsuits brought against them. Typical settlements are between $3,000 and $12,000.

HOLY CRAP!... 'The Man' exists... and he has an army of lawyers!

Of course, there have been instances where these cases have been brought to court. Most of the time they're dismissed due to lack of evidence, but in the few cases they win... well it ain't pretty. In the case RIAA vs Joel Tenenbaum, the jury awarded $22,500 per song resulting in a judgment of $675,000 for the shared 30 tracks and in the case RIAA vs Jammie Thomas-Rasset, the jury awarded $80,000 per song, or $1.92 million for 24 tracks.

Stuff the RIAA considers illegal

Even if you've never discovered the internet and never shared your music files, the RIAA will find a way to screw you over. In 2008, they filed a federal lawsuit against Jeffrey Howell in Arizona,for creating "unauthorized copies" of CD tracks by ripping them to his computer - even though he may never have shared them with anyone else!

The 'logic' behind this is by ripping the songs in YOUR CD into a computer - you are transferring it into an unauthorized medium not of the artist's choosing. Everyone agrees this makes perfect sense.
The RIAA also claims that you're committing a felony just by making these files available. This is the logical equivalent of saying that by selling tickets to the Louvre, you are stealing the Mona Lisa.

If you're getting confused at all the myriad implications of these claims, Cracked has compiled a little list on all the things the RIAA considers illegal:

1. File Sharing

see above

2. MP3 Players

They are an unauthorized medium

3. Playing a CD within ear-shot

You're making music available to people who haven't payed for it

4. Whistling/Humming

Sound vibrations through air is an unauthorized medium

5. Leaving your CDs lying around

Again, making files available to unauthorized users

6. Being a teenager

The RIAA specifically targets University student and Teenagers in their law suits. Why? Because they know they don't have the financial resources to fight the case in court! Say goodbye to your college funds kids!

7. Laughing and/or Smiling

"Look at those smiling faces... you sure we got nothing on that?"

[via Cracked.com ]
DIGG this original article: http://digg.com/music/RIAA_For_INTERNAL_Use_Only

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Also, check out:

The RIAA Are Huge Dicks. This Title Has No Joke In It.   Submitted by: Shezah

RIAA, MPAA Copyright Warnings: Facts and Fiction

RIAA, MPAA Copyright Warnings: Facts and Fiction

Written by Ernesto on March 28, 2009

This week several scary stories surfaced about how the MPAA and RIAA are negotiating with ISPs on how to deal with copyright infringers. Even though it was often presented as news, those who look deeper will realize that this is nothing new at all, just the same old threats dressed up in a new jacket.

It’s has been a good week for the entertainment industry lobbyists. Hundreds of news outlets wrote in detail about how the RIAA and MPAA are negotiating with Internet service providers to warn alleged copyright infringers. No one seemed to notice that this isn’t really news as they’ve been working together for years, with ISPs passing on warnings to their customers on behalf of the studios.
It all started with rumors about two US ISPs, Comcast and AT&T, who were said to be doing a three-strikes deal with the RIAA. It soon became known that this rumor was completely fabricated, but not before hundreds of other news oulets reproduced the story. At the end of the week it turned out that there was no news at all.
Yes, the RIAA, MPAA and other outfits do plan to send copyright infringement warnings to ISPs, but they’ve been doing so for at least half a decade. Every other month these Hollywood lobbyists pitch their anti-piracy efforts to the public, and that’s exactly what they are paid for. This doesn’t mean, however, that something is about to change.
The anti-piracy outfits are happy with all the free publicity of course, that is exactly what they are after. Their purpose is to scare people. In this post we hope to clear up some of the misunderstandings, as we show that the scary stories published this week have no substance at all.

Copyright infringement warnings?

For years, content owners such as record labels or movie studios have been sending copyright infringement notices to ISPs, who are legally obliged to forward these to their customers. Some ISPs simply ignore them, while others faithfully forward the emails to the customer account associated with the infringing IP-address. Many ISPs don’t keep records of these events.

So, is my ISP spying on me?

No. This is a common misunderstanding. ISPs don’t look into your specific downloading behavior, they never have and there is no indication that this will change anytime in the near future. All the ‘evidence’ comes from organizations that work for the copyright holders.

What do they know about me?

If you receive a warning, all copyright holders know about you at this stage is your IP-address and what files were (partially) shared via your account, or more accurately - the bill payer’s account. The MPAA, RIAA and others don’t know your name and they never will unless they get a court order forcing your ISP to hand over the information. In the bigger picture, this is very rare.

How did they track me down?

The copyright holders hire companies such as BayTSP and DtecNet to track down people who share certain titles on BitTorrent and other file-sharing networks. They join the swarm and request files from others. When someone shares a piece of the file with them they log the IP-address, look up the ISP and send out a copyright infringement notice automatically. Unlike the file-sharers, these companies are authorized to download these files, so they are not infringing copyright themselves.

Will I get sued if I receive a warning through my ISP?

No. These copyright infringement warnings are not related to any legal action. Copyright holders do go after people who share their work on file-sharing networks, but this has nothing to do with the warnings they send out via ISPs.

Will they take my Internet away?

No. Although there is a lot of talk about “three strikes” policies, no ISP has agreed (or was forced) to disconnect users after they receive their third warning. In New Zealand they came close to implementing a law that would require ISPs to do this, but this proposal was pulled.
In France they are also considering three strikes legislation, but this has not passed into action yet. In Ireland the largest ISP Eircom said it would disconnect repeated infringers only if they receive a court order.
It is worth mentioning though that ISPs may cut off people whenever they think it’s necessary. Cox does this in the US for example, without an agreement with the MPAA or RIAA. ISPs have terms and conditions and most forbid copyright infringement, but really this is just to cover their own backs under the law.

Do I have to be worried?

Receiving a regular infringement notice is nothing to be worried about. However, if you download copyrighted files without authorization from the copyright holder you are breaking the law in some countries. If you receive a warning without having shared anything yourself (which happens quite often) then there’s nothing to worry about.

Can I protect (hide) myself?

If you don’t want to be spied on when using BitTorrent the best option is to hide your IP-address. You can do so by subscribing to a VPN service or by using software such as TorrentPrivacy. Blocklist software such as PeerGuardian is often recommended, but it is also highly ineffective as the lists are never fully up-to date or accurate.

What’s the point in all this?

The MPAA and RIAA don’t want their products on file-sharing networks and they use these warning emails to deter people from sharing these files with others. Since it’s much cheaper (and effective) than suing people, this is now their strategy of choice. Using news outlets to spread their doom and gloom scenarios is just part of their operation.
In the future the amount of warnings they send out to alleged infringers will increase and the studios and ISPs will work together to keep the associated operating costs down, if that’s not what they’ve already been doing in their recent meetings. It’s just the old model, scaled up with a rumor or two on top.
Let’s move on already.
read more | digg story

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Doubledown's Note: To me, this all rings true in relation to the gray area involving live music streaming into Second Life and the licenses we may or may not need.

BMI in SL - "Pay the Piper or Face the Music?" by Justine Babii of SLNN

Via Second Life News Network

Pay the piper or face the music?
by Justine Babii
November 07, 2007

SUNSET BEACH - If you own a venue or club in real life that hosts DJs or bands, then you are probably familiar with Broadcast Music, Inc. or BMI. BMI is an organization that has arranged to handle licensing fees for over 350,000 creators of music, the songwriters, composers and publishers of more than 6.5 million musical works.

If you own a club or similar venue in real life then, you pay fees to BMI. Those fees gives your DJs the right to play the copyrighted music and bands to play cover songs for those compositions that BMI represents.

If you own a club or other venue in Second Life, you might not be familiar with BMI yet, but there’s an excellent chance you will be in the near future.

Currently, DJs in Second Life are not required to pay performance rights organizations such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC, but that may change in the near future. The current legal climate for Second Life DJs is that they are providing a service and are being paid for that service; thus, are exempt from having to pay for licensing.

Similarly, no one has pursued Second Life club owners for licensing fees to date. The idea that there is no actual venue, or alcohol sales, or significant revenue from advertising probably makes the individual club owners not worth the effort to pursue. There is, however, much going on in the world of digital music licensing that creates a considerable gray area.

And it is this gray area that will make for an interesting year in the Second Life music business. Currently, internet radio stations are embroiled in a contentious dispute with various entities over the costs of broadcasting copyrighted music over the internet. The outcome of this battle could well determine the next steps that BMI and similar organizations take with regard to music performed in Second Life.

In May of this year, the United States Royalty Copyright Board approved an increase in rates internet radio stations would have to pay in order to broadcast songs. Viewing the new rate structure as crippling and potentially in conflict with other pieces of legislation, such as 1998’s Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the internet radio industry immediately challenged the decision in court and a protracted battle has ensued.

In addition to the challenge, a bill called the Internet Radio Equality Bill was proposed in the House of Representatives seeking to ameliorate the rate increases suggested by the Royalty Copyright Board. How this battle plays out may have some effect in Second Life.

In what is purportedly an unrelated development, music licensing giant BMI arrived in Second Life during the summer of 2007 as part of an arrangement with Funky House Club owners Charming Babii and Danni Dollinger.

Dollinger said in a published interview with DJ Doubledown Tandino, “We are sponsored by BMI London. Our plans are to promote new talent and Artists in Dance Music.”

“BMI wants to promote artists from the dance scene ...and they want to do it with [Funky House Club]. They want to sign [and] discover artists (artists including writers, DJ´s, & producers) in SL and RL and promote them in SL and of course in RL. We are making our island into a dance scene,” he also said.

Dollinger then added that “We are planning to hold monthly events where Dance Music Artists can play their tunes to a live audience. At the moment BMI and Gibson Guitars co-sponsor the Wavelength event at The Blarney Stone here in SL which is a live simulcast from Hammersmith London (the Regal Rooms). The Hammersmith monthly event is for Piano acoustic artists.”

The plan didn't work, as the Funky House Club was closed not long after the interview was published on Tandino's blog. Charming Babii, according to his profile, is now associated with a new club, the Sands House and Jazz Club.

SLNN contacted Ham Rambler to speak to him about his working relationship with BMI, but he was travelling. BMI still sponsors the Wavelength events. His business associate Sitearm Madonna had this to say:

"Ham Rambler totally supports live music and musicians and audiences and venues in SL. He is passionate about music in RL and great music ANYwhere.. he is the perfect matchmaker :)"

Futhermore, the clubs on Dublin, The Blarney Stone and Fibber Magees, host DJs every day

There is no evidence of an association between BMI and the Sands House and Jazz Club, and neither Babii nor Dollinger are among the fifteen or so members of the Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) group in Second Life. Neither would respond to requests for interviews for this article.

The Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) group was founded by Raj Roviana, who in his profile explains that he works for BMI in London. His profile encourages the music community to join the group, as it says ” If you are a songwriter, composer. or music publisher then please join our group: Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI)." Mr. Roviana did not respond to requests for an interview.

Though there is clearly the potential for exciting opportunities with this relationship, this synergy between an established force in the music industry and Second Life clubs creates some fear and anxiety for many club owners and DJs alike.

The primary fear is that bringing the groups that license music into some clubs and not others will create a network of “licensed” clubs and freeze out clubs that are not licensed by threatening them with performance fees.

Occasional RL musician and Second Life businessman Hammer Flanagan said, “Many of us believe [BMI is] in world to evaluate, to scope it out if you will. As there are no laws to my knowledge regarding streaming music in Second Life, some of us believe they are in here to simply find out what’s going on so perhaps in the future they can try to build a formal streaming music law, to their advantage."

"I feel that Funky House had no idea what they were doing. Their club might benefit in the short term from publicity and whatever perks BMI is offering, but in the long term, unless someone points out to BMI that club ownership here is often a hand-to-mouth operation that couldn’t afford licensing, they may have started the end of all this wonderful variety of streaming music we hear here and see it replaced with the bland corporate suit rock that predominates in American terrestrial radio.”

ASCAP and BMI Announce Launch of Online Music Cue Sheet Technology RapidCue

As mentioned before, BMI is in SL. Still after the interview, many are really bothered that BMI was welcomed in by Funky House Club. The general feeling is just to steer clear of BMI. The club owners and DJs I wanted to interview did not want to go on record for the concern that BMI is the enemy, and they all need to be avoided.... that is unless your music gets on their licensing service.

From the ASCAP website:
ASCAP and BMI Announce Launch of Online
Music Cue Sheet Technology RapidCue

Online standard set for electronic submission of music cue sheet data for
Television, Cable and Film music usage

August 14, 2007 - NEW YORK - ASCAP and BMI, the leading U.S. performing rights organizations (PROs), have announced RapidCue, a state-of-the-art cue sheet technology for the use of music in the film, TV and cable industries. RapidCue is a secured website that allows users to enter, manage and electronically submit music cue sheet data for television, cable and film productions to BMI and ASCAP. A cue sheet is a document that lists data on all the music performed in a particular film or television program and constitutes the basis of payment of royalties for performances of music in audio-visual programming.

Jointly developed by BMI and ASCAP over the past four years and setting an industry standard, RapidCue allows users to electronically and securely submit cue sheets to the PROs and provide electronic notification and acknowledgement of receipt. Developed with the participation of the film, television production and television network communities, the program offers electronic or hard-copy versions of cue sheets, as well as the ability to revise data.

"This standard-setting system will cut down the submission and processing time for the film, TV and cable communities when submitting music data for their productions," said Alison Smith, Senior Vice President, Performing Rights, BMI. "This secure, automated system will help ensure timely receipt to BMI and ASCAP so our composers, songwriter and publisher affiliates can be fairly compensated."

"RapidCue provides a cost-effective, streamlined cue sheet process for film, television production companies and television networks," said Al Wallace, Executive Vice President/COO, ASCAP. "At the same time, ASCAP members and BMI affiliates will benefit from the accuracy, timeliness and broader tracking of their music. We're happy to be able to begin rolling this out to the community."

Contact info@rapidcue.com for more information.

About ASCAP
Established in 1914, ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) is the first and largest U.S. Performing Rights Organization representing a repertory totaling over 8.5 million copyrighted musical works of every style and genre from more than 300,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members. ASCAP also represents the repertories created by the international affiliates of 90 foreign performing rights organizations. ASCAP protects the rights of its members and foreign affiliates by licensing and distributing royalties for the public performances of their copyrighted works. ASCAP is the only American Performing Rights Organization owned and governed by its writer and publisher members.

About BMI
Now marking over 65 years in business, Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), is an American performing right organization that represents a repertoire of more than 6.5 million musical works including the music of thousands of the world's most successful international composers. Representing more than 300,000 songwriters, composers and publishers in all genres of music, the non-profit-making corporation collects license fees from businesses that use music, which it then distributes as royalties to the musical creators and copyright owners it represents.

###

MEDIA CONTACTS:

For ASCAP

CooperKatz & Company, Inc.
Meredith Topalanchik
Tel: 212-455-8018
mtopalanchik@cooperkatz.com

ASCAP
Pauline Stack
Tel: 212-621-6278
pstack@ascap.com

For BMI

Hanna Pantle, BMI
Tel: 310-289-6328
hpantle@bmi.com

Jerry Bailey, BMI
Tel: 615-401-2825
jbailey@bmi.com

An Interview with Charming Babii & Danni Dollinger, Owners of Funky House Club, & Now Sponsored by BMI

As I reported a day earlier HERE there was upset when the Funky House Club announced it would be taking on BMI as a sponsor. I promosed an interview for both Funky House Club owners as well as for all of the DJs, artists, club owners, and partygoers that may have been concerned about BMI's long-term SL plans.

I was joined by Charming Babii & Danni Dollinger, the owners of the Funky House Club (FHC) in Second Life. Recently they had advised the DJ/Music/Club scene that BMI has joined their endeavors as a sponsor.

Generally, most musicians and DJs have varying conceptions & misconceptions about BMI (more about BMI here). When the Funky House Club sent their news, it was met with congratulations, but also confusion, suspicion, and anger. Charming, Danni, and I were anxious to sit down and discuss more specifically FHC’s new projects, what BMI as a sponsor means,& what will BMIs presence in SL mean to other club owners and artists, performers, and djs.

--This text transcript has been edited for spelling, grammar, and extraneous content---
("You" = Doubledown Tandino)

[14:29] You: firstly I’d like to thank you for doing this. I think it's the best method for people to understand what you're all about to do... instead of them leaving them assuming the worst. Tell me about yourselves regarding real life. Before you found SL, what kinds of things musically were you each doing?

[14:31] Charming Babii: I have been a DJ for 12 years in clubs in Denmark. I’m not playing live in RL at the moment..only SL. Im also working on my own production :) House and dance music that is :)

[14:34] Danni Dollinger: I’m a music lover. I have met may famous people in RL. muso's. Mostly Australian artists.

[14:35] You: Was there any RL music or event related work you have done? What is your skills background?

[14:38] Danni Dollinger: i have a bachelors Degree in Economics and work as a management consultant in RL

[14:38] You: When did you both enter SL?

[14:38] Charming Babii: 2/22/2007

[14:39] Danni Dollinger: haha i cant remember the exact date the 25th of Feb I think.

[14:40] You: Charming, when you entered SL, were your first thoughts along the lines of getting involved with the music DJ scene? What was your first big project?

[14:41] Charming Babii: No..not all..I didn´t know anything about DJing in SL...I was happy when I found out. Went to (Club) Fallout.. and realized the DJing was possible in SL.

[14:41] You: how about you Danni; Your first big SL undertaking?

[14:42] Danni Dollinger: Learning how Sl worked and what it all meant.

[14:43] You: I mean, right after that, what was sort of the first project you got involved with?

[14:44] Danni Dollinger: I guess that would be getting involved with Hed Kandi

[14:45] You: The RL label.... not just some dude in SL that happened to be named "Hed Kandi"?

[14:45] Danni Dollinger: haha very funny. No, the RL label.

[14:45] You: What paths did you each take to arrive to the creation of the Funky House Club? When was the club's opening date?

[14:46] Danni Dollinger: Charm and I met at Fallout where he was spinning.

[14:46] Danni Dollinger: I loved the tunes he played and we became friends instantly.

[14:46] Charming Babii: we opened the club the July 20th, 2007

[14:46] You: Yeah I was at the opening, place was hopping! And since then you've grown to the beach and the yacht. What were the original ideals and goals when the concept of FHC formed?

[14:48] Danni Dollinger: Charm and I both loved House Music and the format of Fallout was changing towards another direction musically.

[14:49] You: so pretty much, you had the means and saw that FHC could give more freedom towards what you wanted to do with a SL club?

[14:49] Charming Babii: We could choose the music and play what we like :)

[14:50] You: Was gaining sponsorship an idea that you toyed with?

[14:51] Charming Babii: No not at all, the opportunity presented itself.

[14:52] You: Tell me a little about that, who approached who, and what were some of the basic ideas talked about?

[14:54] Danni Dollinger: We were approached by a BMI representative and we discussed the idea we had for the club.

[14:54] You: At this point, BMI is officially a sponsor, correct? Now, what does that mean exactly? What are some of the plans that BMI has for FHC, or vice versa? What does the sponsorship actually entail?

[14:55] Danni Dollinger: We are sponsored by BMI London. Our plans are to promote new talent and Artists in Dance Music. As well as have a hot of a time doing it :D

[14:56] You: Is it an exchange of money for signs and promo? Or is it about future BMI headliner events? What kind of options are the possibilities BMI wants to do? Will Funky House Club will have more to pay performers? Will BMI reps also be hanging at FHC looking for potential prospects?

[14:57] Danni Dollinger: Double let us resond to one question at a time. BMI already promotes events here in SL.

[15:00] Charming Babii: BMI wants to promote artists from the dance scene ...and they want to do it with FHC. They want to sign / discover artists (artists including writers, DJ´s, & producers) in SL and RL and promote them in SL and of course in RL. We are making our island into a dance scene.

[15:02] Danni Dollinger: We are planning to hold monthly events where Dance Music Artists can play their tunes to a live audience. At the moment BMI co-sponsors the Wavelength event at The Blarney Stone here in Sl which is a live simulcast from Hammersmith London (the Regal Rooms). The Hammersmith monthly event is for Piano acoustic artists.

[15:04] Charming Babii: So if there are DJs, producers, & artists in the dance scene in SL...they really have the opportunity at FHC.

[15:05] You: What key points about FHC was it that made BMI select FHC? Can you think of anything specific that got BMI to notice FHC? Why FHC, what were some things that made it more exceptional than other clubs?

[15:06] Danni Dollinger: The collaboration with FHC is to promote Dance music from SL into RL. Part of the reason i think they chose FHC is because of our vision to the future. That being.... Funky DJ Agency and Funky Music Productions

[15:10] You: Moving on to more BMI related. You two are not BMI reps, so i wouldn’t expect you should know all these answers. BMI, what are they about.. in essence?

[15:11] Danni Dollinger: Performing Rights Representation for Creators of all Music.

[15:12] You: in simple terms: They make sure artists receive the money owed from their music being played live, correct? or does live not have anything to do with it? .... (example, a commercial wants to use a song, they'd go to BMI for that license?)

[15:13] Danni Dollinger: No they would need to get permission for the Music Publisher

[15:14] You: ok, so BMI mainly relates to music played at a public event, correct?

[15:14] Danni Dollinger: Partially but also radio, tv, cable, and the net.

[15:15] You: Net streaming (what performers do into clubs in SL) .. Would that fall under BMI's jurisdiction, or RIAA?

[15:15] Danni Dollinger: Not at this time (it does not fall under BMI’s jurisdiction.

[15:16] You: But perhaps, someday? BMI could be in SL to create new laws and licenses?

[15:17] Danni Dollinger: BMi doesn’t create laws. It is governed by a consent decree which is legislative.

[15:18] You: Does funky house club now have a BMI licence?

[15:18] Danni Dollinger: No. It is a promotional activity to promote dance music in SL.

[15:18] You: Is BMI supplying FHC's DJs with free music to promote?

[15:19] Charming Babii: No not at all... i wish lol

[15:19] Danni Dollinger: lol

[15:20] You: so specifically, how does BMI "help promote a performer or artists" ?

[15:21] Charming Babii: Showcases, co writing sessions, meet n greats, and general promoting activities.

[15:22] Danni Dollinger: And introductions to people in the Music Business.

[15:22] You: And we should expect to see some BMI reps hanging at the club sometimes?

[15:22] Charming Babii: yes :)) that’s the point :))

[15:22] Danni Dollinger: Yes of Course

[15:23] You: Do you feel it's hypocritical to join with BMI, knowing that you are playing music unlicensed for FHC?

[15:24] Charming Babii: No not at all

[15:24] Danni Dollinger: BMI is here in a promotional capacity only.

[15:24] Charming Babii: …on the dance scene

[15:25] You: Many are saying "Yeah, they say they're here in a promotional capacity, but there's no way they're not going to start snooping around." If BMIs company IS keeping licenses and selling them in RL, why would they overlook the countless live performers and clubs in SL that are potentially doing something unlicensed that BMI could collect money from?

[15:28] Danni Dollinger: That’s between Linden Lab and all of the agencies that are trying to get their piece of SL.

[15:28] You: Here's a worst case scenario: BMI is invited in by FHC..... BMI then comes up with some "virtual world performance" license and demands SL clubs or performers now need licenses.... then BMI goes to all the popular clubs and logs who is breeching licenses.... and then they contact Linden Lab to request RL personal info.....

[15:28] Danni Dollinger: BMI is here to promote new talent.

[15:28] Charming Babii: BMI is here now for the Dance scene.

[15:29] Danni Dollinger: That type of thing is legislative and not BMIs domain.

[15:30] You: before you both connected with BMI, what were your opinions about BMI?

[15:30] Charming Babii: I thought BMI was a record company lol.

[15:32] You: It's a huge step and FHC will gain much success.. What are your thoughts about the feelings of the SL DJ/Club community? Do you feel this will only help or hurt?

[15:33] Danni Dollinger: FHC feels that this is a really good thing for Artists and Djs in SL. They will be given more opportunities to be promoted in RL which may not have come along if they weren’t in SL

[15:34] Charming Babii: Yes..You never know..maybe I’ll get my tunes out ;)

[15:34] You: If other club owners or club goers still think negatively about BMI doing this, and FHC doing this, do you have anything to say to them to convince them that BMI is honestly here to promote artists and djs only?

[15:36] Danni Dollinger: I would say come along to our first live event and be heard!

[15:36] You: It seems people may be naive about what BMI is all about, where can they go to get more BMI info?

[15:37] Charming Babii: http://www.bmi.com/

[15:37] You: thank you for doing this

[15:37] Charming Babii: yw Double :))

[15:37] Danni Dollinger: thanks :)