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Napster sets security for new membership service

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CIOL Bureau
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SAN FRANCISCO: Embattled song-swap service Napster Inc. said Monday it was

using new digital encoding technology to power a subscription-based service it

hopes to launch this summer.

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Napster said the technology, licensed from PlayMedia Systems, would enable

Napster's software to encode, recognize and play copyright-protected music files

on the membership service. "Napster is at the forefront of using some

extremely advanced rights management and security technologies in a file-sharing

environment," Napster's interim CEO Hank Barry said in a statement.

Napster, fighting for its life in a legal battle with the recording industry,

went offline this month as engineers sought to fix problems with new

song-filtering systems it hopes will bring the service into compliance with

court orders directing it to protect copyrighted material.

Last week, as Napster was ready to resume operations, a federal judge ordered

it to remain offline until it can show it has done everything in its power to

ensure that the new filters are a success. Napster has appealed that ruling.

(C) Reuters Limited 2001.

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