James Delahunty
5 Jul 2005 12:27
Online auction giant eBay has been busy removing counterfeit Live 8 DVDs from its website. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) asked eBay to be tough on the pirates that were selling unauthorised copies of the event on the website attempting to make money off a poverty awareness concert. This is not the first time eBay has gotten headaches from Live 8; before the event Bob Geldof got furious when he discovered that tickets for the event were on sale on eBay. He then asked people to boycott the site.
"There are too many people out there who believe music is for stealing, regardless of the wishes of artists and the people who invest in them. Sadly we are not at all surprised by this incident." said BPI anti-piracy head David Martin. eBay was quick to remove the DVD auctions as the site does not allow it's users to sell such content. "The unauthorised copies of Live 8 DVDs we have been told about have been taken down because the sale of fake items is not permitted on eBay.co.uk." the company said.
As well as the DVDs and the ticket sales in the past, there are also auctions for ticket stubs, programmes and concert passes handed out by AOL. "We distributed these lanyards to concert-goers as free souvenirs of an amazing event, so it is highly inappropriate if people choose to sell them." a spokesman for AOL said.
Source:
The Register