Copyright Crackdown.

SONY Music Entertainment Inc. ; EMI Music (Company)

This article reports that Sony BMG and EMI have begun shipping compact discs using technology that limits the number of copies one can make of any disc to three, in their aim to fight piracy as of September 2005. The move, along with other recent developments in copy-right protection could have a lasting impact on the consumers' entertainment choices. And they may not like the remix. The new effort uses different technology, but with the same end result for consumers: a limited ability to copy. By the end of 2005, Sony BMG says, most of its compact discs sold in the U.S. will incorporate one of these technologies. EMI is employing a similar strategy with its compact discs, using technology from Macrovision that lets one make just three copies. Sony BMG labels discs that use the technology as copy-protected. The company says that its customers find a limit of three copies to be fair. One potential problem for consumers is that the protected compact discs prevent PC users from moving songs to Apple IPods. That is because Apple refuses to license its FairPlay digital rights management technology so that other companies can accommodate it. Whether companies can do so and avoid a consumer backlash remains to be seen. INSETS: COURT SETS FILE-SHARING LIMITS;COPY CONTROLS MAY BE STALLING MOBILE MUSIC.