Anybody uploading music to their web sites might want to read this article about a mother who found herself in a lot of trouble.

There are a variety of ways to post music on your web site, and our recently addition of the MP3 player has made it that much easier. I've addressed this once previously and we already have a statement where mp3s are uploading asking that people ensure they have the legal right to distribute music they're uploading. But I wanted to put another reminder here. Just because you purchased some music through systems like iTunes does NOT give you the right to publish that music on a public web site. For copyrighted music stick with Playlist.com or similar third party services who claim to have the right to distribute the music.

Per our Terms And Conditions you are responsible for all content you publish to your web site. Thus you are responsible if you distribute copyrighted music illegally. The MP3 Playlist feature was added so people could upload music they have the right to distribute to such as choir songs, band songs, vocals or other audio tracks that you're sure you have the right to distribute. Most music is copyrighted, so if you're not sure, you probably don't have distribution rights.

Nobody has had any issues with this that we're aware of, but please be careful folks. Stories like the one I referenced above really do happen sometimes.

The playlist on my site was created on playlist.com and then put on the website..... before I realized that this could be a copyright violation. Should this playlist be removed from our site? How would I go about doing this?

Playlist.com claims to have the right to distribute mainstream music. My post specifically pertains to uploading music from your own computer to your web site, usually mp3s.

Regarding Playlist.com and similar third party music services, obviously we are not them so I can't say for sure why or even if they have the right to distribute music, I can only say that they claim that they do. Whenever adding any third party objects to your site you should investigate the source and determine for yourself if the object is reputable. While 99% of objects are fine and present no problems, there's certainly been cases in the past of people creating third party widgets with less than honorable intent. You'll probably be fine if you stick with mainstream, popular widgets such as Playlist.com, Slide.com, Photobucket.com, etc.

I have used playlist.com for the past year and would like to underscore Brad's concern. From time to time, I have noticed a chosen song will "disappear" inexplicablly from my page. While annoyed the first time around, I have since changed my perspective to one of "reassurance." My understanding is that if the Playlist license runs out or contract terms expire with the respective recording artist/studio/distributor, Playlist removes the tune from it's inventory and "modifies" the code we might have already put in place. That does seem to insulate end users like us from the legal implications associated with selections made through their service.

Agree Bob,

I have seen that several times where a song "disappears" both on Playlist.com, and my latest, Flashwidgetz.com. Flashwidgetz, in case anyone did not know, has capabiity to "copy" playlists from Playlist.com as well as Mixpod.com. Also, Flashwidetz.com has a few more Widget choices than any others, including a Pop-Up stand alone.

VERY SADLY, I removed my Class Creator Playlist Widget, as I just don't look good in stripes no matter what color. Class Creator Playlist has capability to call a URL to an MP3 song, so it would be REALLY nice to be able to find a site that has "LEGALITY" to provide URL links instead of using their Player. I have had no luck so far. I plan to keep searching, as I want my Class Creator Player widget back (IT IS FAR MORE SUPERIOR)!!!

Just for information for all concerned, I sent the below email to Support at www.Flashwidgetz.com. Hopefully, I can get some good news back on this. Then they could provide needed URL to LEGAL music read in to Class Creator Player Widget.

Can Flashwidgetz allow songs by URL, instead of to specific Players? Actually, I have a very favored player that is part of my website. I would really like to get my Flashwidgetz playlist in to that Player.

I love your site, but in this case the Player with my website is designed to take care of some custom needs for the website, that no other player has done for me. It is also capable of playing songs from a designated URL for that specific song.

Obviously, I want to be assured of protetion on 'copyrights' and that is why I use Flashwidgetz. I would think that functionality could still be secure by providing URLs from a controlled environment.

I have noticed songs disappearing from my playlist as well.... this is reassuring to me and I think I will leave things as they are.....

Brad,
Being a newbie to Class Creators, I tend to act first when building our reunion site and then read the Admin Forums when I run into a problem. I was using the MP3 Playlist Generator recently to create a playlist for my homepage. After converting & uploading some songs to MP3 from my iTunes library, I noticed my 200MB storage had been greatly decreased. Should have realized this would happen. I went to the forums and began investigating. Then I saw all the posts about copyright infringement. I do not want to be in copyright violation for the songs I uploaded, so I deleted the entire playlist. First question... How do I free up the space now that I've deleted all the MP3's? I've noticed that the storage is still 167.21MB of 200MB. Is this something you do on your side? Second question... Am I right in assuming that now I can create a playlist from Playlist.com to post on my home page and I will be OK? No violation? After all, it is pretty cool to have music on the home page.

Please advise, thanks!

Hi Mike,

Under ADMIN Functions, go to Edit Site Pages. Pick any site page and click Edit button. Once in to that Site Page, click the little Chain Link, located about 1/3rd the way from the right side. Then click on the resulting button labeled File Vault.

You will see your MP3 files located there, and a Delete button for each one on the far right.

Yes, Playlist gets you around the copyright issue. Just watch some of the music available there. Mainly as many original artists are recorded, but sometimes you get one selected that is obviously some other person in their garage.

Thanks Derrell, that did the trick.

Now I feel better that I won't have the 'man' coming after me AND I've freed up quite a bit of server space.

Should I advise classmates to keep photo file sizes small when uploading to their profile page on the site?

Thanks!

Mike

Actually, PROFILE PHOTOS do not take up any space from the File Vault. Only photos you upload for display on your website (home page photos, announcement photos, etc.). Gallery Photos also take up space in the File Vault, but you cannot delete them without going through the Gallery Creator. The WIDGET / Music Player also adds MP3 files to the File Vault, but you can delete them through the File Vault Delete link.

Hey Mike - Welcome to the CC Help Forums - One admin to another.

I like mixpod.com for players. They use YouTube videos as the source for music. Licensed. I'm doing a month-by-month of the Billboard hits from 1960-1961. So far there hasn't been a song that was NOT available on mixpod. There were songs that playlist.com didn't have.

Your next question is going to be: How do I keep the music playing as members cruise my site away from the home page. I'll send you a private email with that information.

Brad, Kyle, and anyone else.
I have written permission for posting two such songs by the band that has the rights to them.
My question: Is there anything in place to prevent someone from 'downloading' that same song, and using it elsewhere?
[I am a guest on about 5 other CC sites, and the band wants me to have exclusive rights if possible]
Thanks!

If a song can be played on a computer, then by definition it has to be able to be downloaded to that computer. The music industry has not come to the realization that there is no distinction to be made there. We do not operate under their misconceptions, so if you post music files to be played on a page of your site, then you cannot stop or prevent those files from being downloaded by whomever visits that page. If there is an issue with this, you have two options: don't allow the music to be played on a computer, or; post a notice on the page asking users who visit the page to respect the desires of the musicians to limit the distribution of the tracks being played and rely on their voluntary compliance.