Universal Music Group is now suing MySpace for “tens of millions of dollars” for copyrights infringements by MySpace users. This is a defining moment for copyright laws in an area covered in a previous post in Degardener.

Prediction? Settlement. Universal can’t stop MySpace and MySpace can’t effectively monitor 130 million users. Since it’s all resulting from not having reached a similar agreement to the one with YouTube, let’s hope it will end quickly. MySpace will introduce another meaningless tool that will not really solve anything. More importantly, they will agree to respond better to Universal and will somehow figure out a way to pay. More lawyers will make a living from interpreting the DMCA and life will go on.

However, UMG is playing with fire.  This can potentially introduce a dangerous halt to the digital media industry. One draconian ruling and the whole websphere will work under a going concern. While this industry is seeking for a sustainable equilibrium, I don’t think the legal tools are the right one. The law can’t chase technology, making judges and lawyers de-facto business negotiators and even legislators. I certainly hope UMG can find it in their heart not to be penny wise and pound foolish.