IFPI Advises Kids to Use LimeWire and Kazaa

Written by Ernesto on May 11, 2008 

Together with the charity Childnet, IFPI recently launched a campaign to educate kids, teachers and parents about the dangers of filesharing. Ironically, the legal alternatives they suggest direct the kids to LimeWire, Kazaa and sites that sell hardcore adult movies.

music kidsThe campaign’s leaflet (pdf) is distributed through schools and colleges, libraries, record stores, teaching portals and websites in 21 countries. It advises kids and parents about the dangers of filesharing, and advises them to use the legal music online stores, which are listed on pro-music.org, with the aim of keeping kids safe online.

IFPI proudly announced their new campaign a few weeks ago, writing: “The campaign comes as millions of people take advantage of the explosion of new ways of accessing music digitally, but still lack clarity on safety and legal issues, on finding legitimate sites, on the basics of copyright and on how to unpick the jargon of digital music.”

IFPI has always been concerned with the safety of children, and on pro-music.org they maintain a list of download stores that are ’safe’ to use. I was of course curious about these legal stores, and since i’m from the Netherlands, I decided to give the Dutch legal stores a try. This turned out to be an interesting experiment.

To my surprise, the first 4 sites on the list were all gone, some had quit, and others redirected to websites that didn’t sell any music. Even worse, commodore.nl -the first site on the list- served ads for a scam site that sells filesharing software.

I finally got something that looked like a music store when I got to the fifth link, dance-tunes. However, when I searched for the latest Radiohead album, nothing came up. The site only has a few mp3s, and nothing of my choice.

The journey continued, and with sixth site, download.nl, I finally found some good music. Interestingly however, the songs I found were not for sale. Instead, I was advised to download LimeWire, Shareaza and Kazaa Lite. This may indeed sound a little confusing, but the IFPI apparently wants kids to use filesharing software after all.

So, to sum up my legal music experiment. I tried the first 6 sites advised by IFPI, 4 didn’t sell any music, the fifth only listed a few songs, and the sixth website I tried advised me to install LimeWire or Kazaa. It gets even worse further down the list where the kids end up at sites that sell hardcore adult movies.

Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media said about the new campaign: “The new guide is a very good example of an initiative that offers simple, practical advice to parents and teachers to keep young people safe and legal while enjoying music on the Internet.

I guess she didn’t try it herself.

Screenshot of a music “store” promoted by IFPI

ifpi

Previously: Shareaza Stands Up To Scammers: “We’re fighting back!”

Next: Best-Selling Author Turns Piracy into Profit

75 Responses

1 May 11, 2008 at 18:32 by Method

Thats the IFPI for ya.

2 May 11, 2008 at 18:40 by Anonymous

when you think about it, the best thing they could hope for is for you to have a horrible online experience, maybe get a virus or two, then give up and go back to buying overpriced plastic discs.

3 May 11, 2008 at 18:44 by kPod

Doesn’t that theoretically mean that so long as you have that pamphlet, you can download anything from Limewire etc, and if you get accused of copyright infringement, you can flip the tables and say either that they approve of it, or it was entrapment?

4 May 11, 2008 at 18:45 by DDD

Can they really be this stupid? It’s almost too stupid which makes me wonder if there’s some psychology behind this (ex making legal downloads appear to be complicated to push kids to the brick and mortar stores to purchase cd’s). I think I’m giving them too much credit. They’re just stupid.

5 May 11, 2008 at 18:47 by kar

this is a massive des-information camping

6 May 11, 2008 at 18:48 by Anonymous

Ha, educating kids on the lack of legal music, and that the only alternatives is P2P.

7 May 11, 2008 at 18:55 by very

thx IFPI. u rock!! :)

8 May 11, 2008 at 18:56 by Binsy

Just another example of industry ignorance and stupidity in the online world. Idiots!

At least they’re helping to educate young kids where to get their music in a digital marketplace that stinks of DRM and extravagant prices :P

9 May 11, 2008 at 19:02 by very

the reason Music Records cost so much is because the record company executives “steal” most of the money, for incentives and other such stuff.

I’ve also read the children of these guys(executives of music and movie companies) also use torrents and P2P for music and movies!!! So shouldn’t they practice first at home, before preaching.

In my country, music stores are shutting down because youngsters hate to buy music in the form of CDs and music companies keep on preaching about “piracy” and call us as “thieves”. So naturally, even those who could have bought CDs don’t do so anymore. Why should “thieves” buy??

These bast***** should concentrate on creating better music, rather than on irritating us.

10 May 11, 2008 at 19:03 by Anonymous

[quote comment="381821"]Ha, educating kids on the lack of legal music, and that the only alternatives is P2P.[/quote]
yup, it’s like accepting defeat. they should learn to change, if they what to survive.

11 May 11, 2008 at 19:07 by Al Koholic

Quote: “IFPI has always been concerned with the safety of children”. When the IFPI (Idiots For Policing the Internet) mentions children what they really mean is money.

Directing kids and everyone else to sites that doesn’t work or that have nothing no one wants is such a waste of time. You stink IFPI, but I have a solution that will work.

Hey IFPI go to Universal Studios in Los Angeles, California and drive all your cars at 88 mph straight into a solid rock hard building. That way you can go back to the past and prevent all the file sharing from ever happening. Don’t mind all the blood splattering and bone crushing that you might notice. If 88 mph doesn’t work go even faster. Trust me.

12 May 11, 2008 at 19:10 by nurgle

The IFPI launches a new campaign today in 21 European countries called, “Porn for kids, Let your kids grow up big and hard!” The IFPI also said in the press release that the best way to begin the “Porn for Kids Campaign” is to go download LimeWire, or Kazza so the kids are to be able to pick up new viruses to test your their ability to avoid getting your computer infected. Lets all here it for the IFPI’s “Porn for Kids Campaign”!

13 May 11, 2008 at 19:12 by Mr.Ice

LMAO

“It gets even worse further down the list where the kids end up at sites that sell hardcore adult movies.”

Great Job IFPI ! (Idiots For Policing the Internet) <<< that is so true

14 May 11, 2008 at 19:14 by Anonymous

[quote comment="381834"]The IFPI launches a new campaign today in 21 European countries called, “Porn for kids, Let your kids grow up big and hard!” The IFPI also said in the press release that the best way to begin the “Porn for Kids Campaign” is to go download LimeWire, or Kazza so the kids are to be able to pick up new viruses to test your their ability to avoid getting your computer infected. Lets all here it for the IFPI’s “Porn for Kids Campaign”![/quote]

Hip hip!

15 May 11, 2008 at 19:15 by Why me?

[quote comment="381837"][quote comment="381834"]The IFPI launches a new campaign today in 21 European countries called, “Porn for kids, Let your kids grow up big and hard!” The IFPI also said in the press release that the best way to begin the “Porn for Kids Campaign” is to go download LimeWire, or Kazza so the kids are to be able to pick up new viruses to test your their ability to avoid getting your computer infected. Lets all here it for the IFPI’s “Porn for Kids Campaign”![/quote]

Hip hip![/quote]

Horay!!

16 May 11, 2008 at 19:17 by 1 day old pizza

[quote comment="381839"][quote comment="381837"][quote comment="381834"]The IFPI launches a new campaign today in 21 European countries called, “Porn for kids, Let your kids grow up big and hard!” The IFPI also said in the press release that the best way to begin the “Porn for Kids Campaign” is to go download LimeWire, or Kazza so the kids are to be able to pick up new viruses to test your their ability to avoid getting your computer infected. Lets all here it for the IFPI’s “Porn for Kids Campaign”![/quote]

Hip hip![/quote]

Horay!![/quote]

Hip hip!

17 May 11, 2008 at 19:21 by Feeble minded

[quote comment="381841"][quote comment="381839"][quote comment="381837"][quote comment="381834"]The IFPI launches a new campaign today in 21 European countries called, “Porn for kids, Let your kids grow up big and hard!” The IFPI also said in the press release that the best way to begin the “Porn for Kids Campaign” is to go download LimeWire, or Kazza so the kids are to be able to pick up new viruses to test your their ability to avoid getting your computer infected. Lets all here it for the IFPI’s “Porn for Kids Campaign”![/quote]

Hip hip![/quote]

Horay!![/quote]

Hip hip![/quote]

Jorge!! I mean Horay! Sorry bout the Jorge Posada chant.

18 May 11, 2008 at 19:23 by Konstantin

Hooray!

19 May 11, 2008 at 19:24 by Crandom

I hope this holds up in court when they find I’ve been d/l’ing songs and they sue me where my defence is that they told me to do it!

20 May 11, 2008 at 19:31 by Scotland Yard and a half

Let me see: download crappy music or download some porn. I think I want to learn what sex is now. I like to try the nasty with my pee shooter. I’m just a 9 year old kid who wants to have real fun and not listen to crappy music I don’t like. Hey ladies!! I’m cuming for ya’ll!

21 May 11, 2008 at 19:34 by Yatti

They want to discourage us through the use of malware\spyware..

22 May 11, 2008 at 19:36 by Hyrrokkin

Heh. Reading the leaflet is actually quite fun…
Page 5:
“One of the risks with P2P is that children may come across unwelcome content such as viruses, pornographic or violent images.” — And you’re referring them to?
“P2P software opens “doors” in your computer which may compromise
privacy and security.” – Not if you have a brain
“Some P2P programmes come with extra software, called “spyware”.” – Some websites do too. And who uses “programme” nowadays -.-
(By now I’m just skimming through this… Too stupid)
Page 6: “Download free software on http://www.ifpi.org/dfc/downloads/dfc.html
that will help you identify music files and uninstall P2P software.” – Correction: Download free viruses [...]
Page 7: Okay, this whole page is a joke. If a teacher would start talking about this in class where I live he’d become the laughing stock of the whole damn country. We had a leaflet somewhat like that one distributed a few years ago. I think one of them made it to a home, MAXIMUM.

I pity the people that have to work for this…

23 May 11, 2008 at 19:36 by Fuddy duddy

I think it’s time to sue the ifpi for promoting porn to kids. I can finally make my retirement. Whoo hoo!

24 May 11, 2008 at 19:42 by Spanky da monkey

Hey ifpi have a toast for yourselves for this garbage. And I will make sure your glasses are filled with the finest wine. Oh yeah let me add some white spice (anthrax) to enhance the taste. Cheers!

25 May 11, 2008 at 20:24 by Lol

Why search Radiohead on a dance music site..?

More to the point.. this is just more rubbish that will make kids/people worse with computers by telling them to use the worst forms of getting music -_-

26 May 11, 2008 at 20:58 by Mikle

I can tell the Danish section is just as bad as Netherland. Bad links, links to sites that dont sell music…. You get my point ;)

27 May 11, 2008 at 21:20 by Putin 08

To my surprise, the first 4 sites on the list were all gone, some had quit, and others redirected to websites that didn’t sell any music. Even worse, commodore.nl -the first site on the list- served ads for a scam site that sells filesharing software.

Gee, how can anybody accuse the IFPI of being behind the times?

…Snicker…

Remember how it was a popular trend in the mid to late 90’s for people to put their bookmark files online? I think some of those websites, which haven’t been updated in over 10 years, probably have a better dead-url-to-live-url ratio than the IFPI’s little list there.

Good work, John Kennedy. I’m just counting the days until the first “you directed my child to porn!” lawsuit.

28 May 11, 2008 at 21:26 by turkish-hacker

great job ifpi..

29 May 11, 2008 at 21:32 by killer

they want you to use limewire because it is easier to get you whey you are using that then when you are using bit torrent

30 May 11, 2008 at 21:48 by Anonymous

There’s a lot of freely distributable material on Gnutella (the thing you call LimeWire) not just MPAA material. It is after all just a file distribution system technically very close to the world-wide web except without the common HTML front-end. Everyone who argues file-sharing – no matter with what software or technology – is bad, immoral must just as well condemn the world-wide web and the internet itself. Maybe even Philips for inventing the digital audio CD or maybe the guys who made music recordable. You know what? Sue them all, let god sort’em out.

31 May 11, 2008 at 22:10 by Ezzy Elliott

The IFPI should be for file sharing every marketer knows that viral marketing like word of mouth is the most effective.

Share your music and video discoveries with your friends but use BT alternative, anonymous friend to friend p2p http://www.Dargens.com .

32 May 11, 2008 at 22:36 by EbilPhish

I’m guessing this is what happens when you only accept businesses that are willing to pay you for a mention.

If they had been trying to find real legal free music sites they would have Jamendo or Magnatune both of which have Creative Commons music and probably some of the ones listed in the top 10 here:
http://www.musicouch.com/Musicouching/Music-Rules-Top-10-Music-Websites-That-Delivers-Greatest-Free-Music.122475 (although some of those have commercial music on them so might not be in IFPI interests.

33 May 11, 2008 at 22:44 by Rikard

The Swedish stores seems to be OK. The one called NajzPrajz (some kind of phonetics for nice price), the number one album listed is:

Alela Diane
The Pirate’s Gospel

Which I found kind of on topic.

34 May 11, 2008 at 23:30 by nomber

They have ebay on the North American list. EBAY?!!!

35 May 11, 2008 at 23:41 by NKA

hilarious!

36 May 11, 2008 at 23:45 by Mr Roboto

They want kids to use easily traceable file sharing programs like Limewire and Kazaa to they can record you downloading,log your IP and sue their ass’s. Hopefully by steering kids towards “Folder Sharing” clients you’ll be easier to catch,instead of the needle in a haystack that is BitTorrent. Rather clever of them if I don’t say so myself.

37 May 11, 2008 at 23:50 by Jag

A follow up article is written here if you are interested, it gives TF original credit for the article and goes a bit more indept.

some of it might be a little old news to regular TF readers though… :)

http://ezee.se/articles-blog/2008/05/11/music-industry-to-kids-dont-download-music-__-__-download-porn_-_viruses-and-malware-instead/

Cheers!

38 May 12, 2008 at 00:13 by Me

I love how the bastards reference Creative Commons as a secondary “don’t-take-our-money” thing.

This is the biggest piece of copynazi propaganda I’ve seen in a while. I hope it comes to my school and they round us up for an assembly.

“Any questions?”
Umm, yes. Why should we listen to a company working with people who are ripping off artists and consumers daily? A company that has fascist roots in Mussolini’s Italy? If it’s our right, which it is, to enjoy media, whose right is it to take it away?
“Umm…I just got the pamphlet thingie…”
Figured so.

How do they think they can stop it? In a grade of about 80 people, only 7 think it’s wrong to get media w/o paying the people making it. And they’ll soon learn. The people who are growing up to make the laws don’t think it’s wrong…guess what will happen in about 20 years when your neighbor who got an RIAA C&D letter becomes a Congressman?

Bye-bye, copyright.

39 May 12, 2008 at 01:57 by Kossuphos

I think it’s entrapment, they want people to download the massive viruses that have been spreading around p2p nets. Don’t do it.

40 May 12, 2008 at 03:13 by bben

My nephew loaded Limewire on his new laptop. In 2 days he collected 27 viruses 7 different. 67 spywares, 39 different and several other forms of malware Includibg 2 rootkits! I am currently reformatting his hard drive as none of the popular AV or anti spyware progs were able to remove all of them. The IFPI exec that made that proposal should take his own advice.

41 May 12, 2008 at 03:24 by were all clones

They are cloning these kids.
So they can help spread the viruses.
That they themselfs put on p2p.
Look at the latest rash. Download
a “codec” to play your mp3 with.

These noobs dont know about vlc player. If your mp3 file wont play.
Delete it and run a scan.

Good advice from Uncle stemcell

42 May 12, 2008 at 03:47 by GrX

just shows how much these idiots know about the internet i mean anyone with half a brain would at least check the links out if they are working if they are what they say they are before going ahead to print and start mass printing flyers and then preaching to the school kids/parents about it.

really shows me just how much these clowns understand how the interwebs work!!!

Probably as much as Senator Ted Stevens … the internet is just like dumping everything on a big truck lol that speech just killed me

43 May 12, 2008 at 03:55 by Ysha

well as the article said, apparently, they didn’t try it themselves. That’s usually the case. They give guidelines, new laws, new rules but they haven’t really ever tried it. Their decision to put up a program like that probably came from some lazy employee who tunes in to imeem while working.

Not that I have anything against imeem don’t get me wrong. Just the laziness.

44 May 12, 2008 at 05:19 by TD123

Way to be hypocrites…

45 May 12, 2008 at 07:09 by Jack Thompson

Why aren’t they encouraging them to use bittorrent since they bought it? I don’t think they care if kids try downloading top 10 “songs” with Limewire as there’s more trojans, viruses, spam, scam, & fakes than it’s worth; the big4 being the main culprits (probably the only). But they’d like to frustrate them even further by first misdirecting them to scumware sites.

46 May 12, 2008 at 07:15 by Jack Thompson

Plus they have a deal with Limewire that redirects all searches to their pay sites, and there’s no way to filter them out. Obviously they feel this will make them lots of cash as well as frustrate file sharers no end

47 May 12, 2008 at 07:23 by Jack0

Anything with an mp3 extension can’t cause an infection. If an mp3 won’t play just delete it. No harm done. I think VLC player is for movies. I use WinAmp 2.95 for music

48 May 12, 2008 at 07:50 by stormsea7

HAHA! :D

this relly realy! make my day ^^

49 May 12, 2008 at 08:19 by X

@1
You said it!

50 May 12, 2008 at 09:47 by mysogynistic bumsplat

what a terrible article. this is the kind of crap i expect from he Metro or the Sun.

seriously stop with all the tabloid style bollocks.

51 May 12, 2008 at 10:50 by Christopher

“Doesn’t that theoretically mean that so long as you have that pamphlet, you can download anything from Limewire etc, and if you get accused of copyright infringement, you can flip the tables and say either that they approve of it, or it was entrapment?”

Actually, that’s a good question. I think, by the letter of law, it would be entrapment. You could also point out “Hey, I went to these sites you said gave legal music downloads…. and it told me to install the VERY THINGS THAT YOU SAID I SHOULDN’T USE! What’s up with that!?”

52 May 12, 2008 at 10:55 by Christopher

” 53 May 12, 2008 at 09:47 by mysogynistic bumsplat

what a terrible article. this is the kind of crap i expect from he Metro or the Sun.

seriously stop with all the tabloid style bollocks.”

Tabloid style bollocks…. Hey, WE GOT A SHILL HERE! Please, do you think you are fooling ANYONE with you rants, IFPI paid poster?

You are not fooling me, you are not fooling my parents, and you are not fooling anyone else!

53 May 12, 2008 at 11:26 by Anonymous

suck my dick a virus site

54 May 12, 2008 at 12:33 by Rikard

They obviously follow this blog, for they have cleaned up their list of sites!

55 May 12, 2008 at 12:58 by CMG

This is propaganda, nothing more.

56 May 12, 2008 at 13:01 by R2

May Porn and hardcore rule the internet!!!!
LOL
Kazaa = spyware !
Torrent = freeware !
galeradofundao

57 May 12, 2008 at 14:15 by Rycon

Thanks IFPI! I know its OK now.

58 May 12, 2008 at 14:44 by notsojollyroger

i hope a mod sees this…….

does TF have an IRC channel?

59 May 12, 2008 at 15:04 by Ben Jones

notsojollyroger – yes, kinda. #torrentfreak on EFnet

60 May 12, 2008 at 15:27 by What is missing?

list for Sweden

Ahlens
Bengans
Blip/TV4
CDON.com Sweden
Dotshop
Eclassical
Ginza
Göteborgs-Posten
Homeenter
iTunes Sweden
Klicktrack
Lunarstorm-Rookie
Media Milkshake Sweden
Megastore
MSN Music Club Sweden
MusicBrigade
MTV
MusicStation
NajzPrajz
Petsounds
Poplife
PLG Media
Skivhugget
Sound Pollution
Telia
Tre

“T e” then “T r”?!
Is ifpi even unable to spell the alphabet? p comes clearly before r!
TPB

61 May 12, 2008 at 16:01 by none

I always thought adult adversitments should be addressed by the P2P community. That way, sites like ISO Hunt, Demonoid ect will be more kid friendly. Less ammo for the MPAA against Bit Torrent sites. I know they provide financing but getting Bit Torrent even more popular and mainstream should maybe trump adult advertisments.

62 May 12, 2008 at 16:39 by Jag

@ #54
They didnt clean it up fast enough, knew they were going to edit it so i saved a copy or the original at ezee.se :))
And since it was a leaflet that was freely distributed they cant come after me with copyright or whatever… i just choose to keep the old copy… and offer it to everyone & anyone who wants it :p

cheers!
http://www.ezee.se/

63 May 12, 2008 at 18:10 by ace hall

kid: mom,…look,i’m playing with myself !!!

64 May 12, 2008 at 18:20 by fuzzypig

Yep, shite sites with no music, perhaps then kids will realise that the latest Brittney is utter crap, get into BT and get into some decent music that people actually will be willing to pay money for!

65 May 12, 2008 at 19:46 by MayTheForce

The third on the german list links to BILD.de — OMFG! Thats not a music portal, that’s gutter press!

66 May 12, 2008 at 22:30 by Quartz

We all know where the IFPI stand on equating linking to facillitating an activity, lets see the same rules applied to them and ask the authorities sue them for attempting to facillitate the transfer of pornography to minors.

Worthless sacks of …

67 May 12, 2008 at 23:11 by anonymous

A few considerations (I read the pamphlet):

1)”They can also be at risk of leaks of personal
details possibly resulting in identity theft.”

hmm… i would think you are much more likely to have your credit card info stolen if you buy music than if you download it for free.

2)”Get them to
think about why respecting copyright is like respecting rules on
plagiarism.”

this is interesting to me. how in FUCKING HELL is downloading free music in any way like plagiarism? (unless, of course you seed that music claiming to be its creator, which i doubt)

3)just a plug for a torrent i created after reading this:

x13584-6523sjt-credit_card-money(legit).sd1365.txt.torrent.exe

for those of you interested just search it on TPB*

*lolz i fuled u its a troejin

68 May 12, 2008 at 23:43 by Chris

Has anyone actually looked at the leaflet? White text on a white background, not exactly readable. They also misuse capitals. And the actual info is complete shat anyway.

69 May 13, 2008 at 03:10 by Anonymous

this is typical fail on the part of the anti-piracy people. its laughable.

70 May 13, 2008 at 03:38 by â„‘uck Israel

I am sure this campaign will be every bit as effective as D.A.R.E. was.

71 May 13, 2008 at 10:50 by lol

Don’t blame me, officer.. the nice people at IFPI told me to do it!

72 May 13, 2008 at 18:53 by JerryGoldsmith

Considering how many people get CAUGHT illegally downloading using Limewire and Kazaa….. and the amount of crap-ware that gets pulled in from Limewire….. I’d say the anti-pirates are just trying to sabotage possible future filesharers with the assumption that they will be guilty.

73 May 14, 2008 at 16:43 by Norm

I read torrent freak, but I have to say: Your headline is misleading. The IFPI doesnt advise using limewire. They advise using the sites on pro-music, and some of those links are old and redirect to limewire and kazza. That is distinc from advising. You need to make sure headlines are clear, because some people might only read the headline, then get a false impression. It’s important that as pirates, we remain committed to journalistic standards, to improve our image in the media.

On the other hand, I enjoyed the article. The IFPI is a pile of shit. Leave it to them to get kids mixed up in hardcore porn, if it means they can make a profit on it somehow.

74 May 16, 2008 at 08:27 by BlackMetalDood

if any kids are actually reading this, if you already asked your parents to use limewire, kazaa, etc. and they say no. just steal their money and go to the mall. lol

75 Jun 17, 2008 at 17:15 by adult

http://www.sinacc.com/public/viewset/44

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