Facebook Bans Project Playlist Widget

Social network Facebook banned Project Playlist on Tuesday, just days after MySpace also removed the fast-growing music-sharing startup over a copyright infringement scare.

Facebook has removed the Project Playlist app from Facebook and all embedded playlists from user profiles. The company said in a statement that it hopes Project Playlist can come to an agreement with the labels so the app can return to the website.

On Friday, MySpace blocked the playlist-sharing service from their entire social network, at the request of the major labels Sony BMG, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and EMI Music.

“MySpace has received notices of infringement about Project Playlist at different times from several of the major music companies currently suing Project Playlist,” reads a MySpace statement. “Per our policy of taking very seriously the requests of rights holders to block access to third party sites that are believed to be infringing, we have evaluated the requests of the major music companies and determined that it is in our best interest not to allow Project Playlist widgets on MySpace, and effective immediately, we will no longer be allowing these widgets within the MySpace platform.”

Although a licensing deal has already been struck with Sony BMG, Project Playlist is still being sued by the other three – as well as the RIAA for copyright infringement.

“Collaborating with SONY BMG is a significant milestone in our effort to improve the access and quality of content on Project Playlist, and enhance the overall user experience,” founder Jeremy Riney said in a statement.

If the music industry wants digital distribution to make up for falling CD sales, it needs to stop treating CD’s as its primary money-maker, and cut reasonable deals with distributors like Project Playlist. Yet another example of the old-fashioned industry refusing to keep up with the times.

Source: Billboard, Physorg