&c1=usa&c2=(none)&c3=MediaGuardian&c4=Digital+media,Media,Music+and+the+internet&c5=&c6=Amy+Vickers&c7=2001_03_08){kind=small}
- MediaGuardian,
- Thursday March 8 2001
Adding insult to injury, Napster has been served two new law suits.
The embattled song-swapping service could face further fines of up to £100,000 per song traded if found guilty of wilful copyright infringement in these latest cases.
Rival online music distributor EMusic and the producer of the Grammy awards have now entered the anti-Napster contingency.
However, cynics claim the latest suits are merely PR exercises and have come too late in the proceedings to have any merit.
Little known outfit EMusic has filed a copyright infringement suit against Napster.
It has accused Napster of unfair competition practices because it deals in illegitimately copyrighted material.
The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which produces Grammies, also issued a writ against Napster.
It claimed millions of copies of songs performed by artists such as U2, Madonna and the Eminem at last month's awards were being traded through the service.
The new lawsuits could further drain Napster's cash resources.
On April 10, a federal court will decide whether all the different lawsuits should be turned into class actions.
If this happens, Napster could be inundated with many more legal claims.
Related stories
Mar 8: Web whizz plans legal version of Napster
Mar 7: Napster fails to satisfy court
Mar 6: Vivendi gives Napster hope
Feb 21: Napster to settle copyright case
