eBay pulls illegal Live 8 DVDs
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By TheRegister.co.uk
eBay is busy trying to remove illegal copies of last weekend's Live 8 gig from its auction site after the record industry complained pirated material was being flogged less than 24 hours after the event.
The BPI (British Phonographic Industry) urged eBay to get tough on music pirates looking to cash in on the poverty awareness concert. It also called on eBay to step up its anti-piracy efforts after finding thousands of illegal copies of the Live 8 Hyde Park gig on the site.
Said BPI anti-piracy head David Martin: "There are too many people out there who believe music is for stealing, regardless of the wishes of artists and the people who invest in them. Sadly we are not at all surprised by this incident.
In a statement eBay told us: "The unauthorised copies of Live 8 DVDs we have been told about have been taken down because the sale of fake items is not permitted on eBay.co.uk.
"We will continue to work with any relevant rights owners...to end the sale of counterfeit or unauthorised items on eBay.co.uk."
But it's not just music being flogged on eBay. People are also cashing in by selling ticket stubs, programmes and even concert "passes" that were handed out free by AOL, the ISP that broadcast the event online.
A spokesman for AOL told us: "We distributed these lanyards to concert-goers as free souvenirs of an amazing event, so it is highly inappropriate if people choose to sell them."
Last month Live 8 organiser Bob Geldof kicked off an almighty stink after complaining that tickets for the gig - which were dished out for free - were being sold on eBay.
He called eBay an "electronic pimp" and called on punters to boycott the online auction site. ®
