LOS ANGELES - Universal Music Group has licensed songs from its stable of artists including U2 and Eminem to a company that has developed technology designed to prevent the unauthorized distribution of audio tracks over online file-sharing networks, a source familiar with the venture said.

The record company signed the deal with San Francisco-based Snocap Inc. with an eye toward eventually having its music sold over one or more file-sharing networks, the source told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

So far, the major record companies have opposed licensing their content to file-sharing software firms, refusing to offer their artists' music for sale while unauthorized, CD-quality versions of the songs are being traded for free over the same networks.

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