DRM News

As reported by CNet, the British Phonographic Industry (a UK music trade group) has asked Google to remove links to file sharing sites like Megaupload, 4shared, Zippyshare and MediaFire from searches.

"We have identified the following links that are available via Google’s search engine," the BPI wrote to Google in a June 11 letter, a copy of which was obtained by the Chilling Effects Clearinghouse. "[BPI leaders] request the following links be removed as soon as possible, as they directly link to sound recordings owned by our members."

The BPI has asked Google to remove individual links in the past, and Google will comply at times. Typically they do not edit their search engine results, though.

What’s interesting to note is that many of the biggest UK music labels don’t agree with the BPI’s latest move. With Google heading towards starting up its own online music store, the labels hope that it will become a legitimate business rival to iTunes and Apple’s dominance over digital music. They don’t want any interference with Google and music to come in to play in the lead up to the Google Music launch.

This also marks one of the first times that any media company has actually gone after a search engine in any way when it comes to links to pirated material. Normally, they focus on file sharing and torrent sites, ignoring the fact that using a search engine to seek out those downloads is the way many people find them in the first place.