EMI Files Suit Against Music Search Engine Seeqpod

EMI and Capitol Records are suing music search engine SeeqPod for copyright infringement in New York. Seeqpod doesn’t host tracks, but provides a search index and player for them, and despite the lawsuit, says that it will continue business as usual.

The record companies argue that Seeqpod includes many pirated and illegally-downloaded sources of music. The company makes no attempt to block out these sources, but if you compare the service with search giants such as Google and Yahoo, the only difference is that the search results are music related (more relevant) and a music player is provided.

The music service was sued in January 2008 by Warner Music Group, and there hasn’t yet been a settlement in that case. Unlike Warner, however, EMI is targeting chief executive, Kasian Franks, and backers Raf Podowski and Shekhar Lodha as defendants, not just the company.

So what the record companies are saying is that basically all search engines are illegal, which is, of course, ridiculous. Is this just another desperate attempt of the major labels to impede you from accessing free music? Will anything come of the lawsuit?

Photo via pocketpicks.co.uk
Source: Venturebeat