Net rights group stands up for MP3

NEWS Cyber-rights group, Internet Freedom, has launched a campaign to combat the threat to MP3 audio software from established music distributors. The UK-based group claimed Net users should not be stopped from using MP3 technology, which is commonly used to compress audio files so they can be easily downloaded over the Internet. MP3 has become a popular way of distributing music, with a plethora of legal - and not so legal - sites springing up offering downloads of MP3 files. But record companies have claimed it will lead to an increase in music piracy; in recent months, music firms have taken legal action to shut down illegal MP3 Web sites and to try to prevent the sale of MP3 players The Internet Freedom site can be accessed at http://www.netfreedom.org/uk/