French courts fine Virgin France for illegally downloading and selling Madonna single

Online music retailer infringed on an excusive marketing deal

29 June 2006 9:20 GMT / By Amber Maitland

The DRM debate in France may once again be hotting up after Virgin France was fined for music piracy.

According to a report by the BBC, a French court found the music retailer guilty of piracy after it downloaded and sold Maddona's ”Hung Up", despite Warner Music France, France Telecom, and Orange having an exclusive deal to sell the single for its first week release.

Virginmega has to pay €250,000 to each of the telecom firms, and €100,000 to Warner.

The company defends its actions by saying that it acted the way it did in the interest of consumers because such exclusive deals are unfair.

France Telecom's Herve Payan welcomed the decision, telling the International Herald Tribune: "This is an amazing case of simple piracy by a respected company".

"Virgin behaved in a surreal manner by downloading the song, cracking proection measures, and then selling it from their own website."