Kremlin shuts AllOfMp3

THE KREMLIN has shut down a popular online music store under pressure from the US government and the World Trade Organisation.

Russia wants to enter the WTO but is finding that its membership is being blocked by the US whose political masters are sustained by campaign donations from the music and movie business.

AllOfMP3 had six million users who were able to download songs and albums for $0.20 per song, or less. The outfit claimed it was legal and obeyed Russian copyright law. Since that copyright law was being administered by an outfit that was a rival to the RIAA, there was a certain amount of demarcation argie-bargie involved.

Last year, US Trade Representative Susan Schwab blew the whole thing out of perspective by moving to block Russia’s entry into the WTO unless it closed AllOfMP3.

The owners of AllOffMP3 said that Schwab completely and deliberately mischaracterized AllofMP3 and was using it as a negotiating instrument in an attempt to extract concessions from Russia. Most users will probably move to MP3sparks, a similar service with a similar setup, launched by the same company using a different licensing model