Got a ringtone? That’s public performance, pay up!
(crossposted from CreativeFreedom.org.nz)
The Electronic Frontier Foundation reports that ASCAP 
(equivalent to APRA) have filed a briefing in a court battle asserting that legally purchased ringtones could be up for “public performance” costs if your phone rings in a public place. “This will doubtless come as a shock to the millions of Americans who have legitimately purchased musical ringtones, contributing millions to the music industry’s bottom line. Are we each liable for statutory damages (say, $80,000) if we forget to silence our phones in a restaurant?”
