Claim RK Netmedia and RealityKings have been illegally using copyrighted material for the background music of a number of pornographic videos.
The music industry is leaving no stone unturned in its battle against copyright infringement, reportedly targeting Miami-based RK Netmedia and RealityKings.com in a Los Angeles U.S. District Court for what it calls “infringement of the most blatant and offensive kind.”
Elektra, Atlantic, Warner Brothers and 8 other record labels have banded together to sue the pornographic video distributor and site for illegally using copyrighted music for the background soundtrack of a number of pornographic videos. Songs like Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” and Justin Timberlake’s “SexyBack” have been used while “models or actors are performing their scenes.”
They claim that the “defendants own and operate a network of subscription-based Internet websites that make millions of dollars from performing and distributing to their members an ever-growing library of explicit pornographic videos.”
The record labels note that they would never give permission to use copyrighted music for content of the extreme and sexually explicit kind produced by RK Netmedia and RealityKings.
“Defendants simply stole these sound recordings and music compositions, synchronizing plaintiff’s works more than 500 times onto the soundtrack of their pornographic videos without license of consent from the plaintiffs,” reads the suit.
They also claim that RK Netmedia and RealityKings not only used copyrighted music to lure people to their sites, but also encouraged the people in the films to lip-synch the lyrics while performing sexual acts in front of the camera.
RK Netmedia doesn’t seem to dispute the music industry’s claims, countering with a defense that cites “important fair use and 1st Amendment issues.” RK Netmedia attorney Lawrence Walters says he hopes the two sides can “achieve a resolution to this matter that protects both the plaintiff’s copyright interests and RK’s right to free expression and commentary on popular culture.”
With the record labels seeking an injunction, punitive damages and maximum damages of $150,000 per copyright violation it’s not likely they’ll be receptive to speeches about fair use and the 1st amendment.
Stay tuned.
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please beware that rk netmedia is involved in a much more serious detrimental and criminal practice by decieving regular folks like me and scamming them out of their bank accounts. they find ways to get your personal information and then start withdrawing your bank accoun money without your knowledge and authorization. It happened to me and it’s all over the internet so I hope other rk netmedia or other criminal sympetizers don’t start defending them for this dispecable practice. all citizens need to unite with pitches and forkes and stop them and their backers and sympethizers from continuing this practice since the government is not doiing anything about it
well its just going to suck cause now the quality is going to get shitty. come on who really cares a song is a song. then suits got to come in and make the world complicated.
“targeting Miami-based RK Netmedia and RealityKings.com in a Los Angeles U.S. District Court for what it calls ‘infringement of the most blatant and offensive kind.’”
This comment sucks. Porn is only offensive if you’re a closed-minded fool.
On the other hand… this is commercial, for-profit infringement, something that copyright is actually fair in stopping. I may hate the RIAA (and I do) but they’re staying within their boundaries with this one. And yes, I’m pro-copyright reform.
“RK Netmedia doesn’t seem to dispute the music industry’s claims, countering with a defense that cites ‘important fair use and 1st Amendment issues.’”
Yeah, no. Their content is a commercial product which they sell for profit. I’m rather certain the court will rule in favor of the labels on this one.
They’re going after porn now…IS NOTHING SACRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“They also claim that RK Netmedia and RealityKings not only used copyrighted music to lure people to their sites, but also encouraged the people in the films to lip-synch the lyrics while performing sexual acts in front of the camera.”
If they’re argument is that music is either what lures people to porn, or that music is an integral part of pornography’s business model then they really don’t understand how porn works…