Billboard: “Phone Recordings of Concerts Are More Than Just Annoying, They’re Potentially Illegal.” Rachel Stilwell & Makenna Cox

Billboard: “Phone Recordings of Concerts Are More Than Just Annoying, They’re Potentially Illegal.” Rachel Stilwell & Makenna Cox

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In the year preceding his untimely death, Prince forbade audience members from videotaping his live performances. Since then, artists such as Childish GambinoGuns 'N RosesAlicia Keys and The Lumineers each have required audience members to temporarily forfeit use of their mobile devices by placing them in locked pouches during their concerts.

Fans may have mixed reactions to an artist banning video camera use during concerts, but most concert goers don’t realize that recording a live musical performance without the consent of the artist is illegal. Although artists usually have no interest in suing their fans, musicians actually have a legal right to expressly forbid audiences from recording their live performances. Musicians and fans have generally been unaware of such laws because they are rarely enforced. The unlawful activity that concert goers engage in when recording footage is called "bootlegging....."

Read More here at Billboard.com.

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