Legal Question in Technology Law in Connecticut

Re: Selling Computer Hardware Containing Mp3s

You pose an interesting question.

Copyright infringement occurs when you interfere with the author's exclusive right to the enjoyment of the profits of his intellectual activity. So even though you zip the file, and even if you zipped the zip, you'd still be violating copyright law.

As a practical matter, even though there are criminal sanctions for copyright violations, prosecution is rare. Far more likely is civil lawsuits brought by the RIAA or similar entities. Those civil lawsuits could be brought against you regardless of where the purchaser of your hardware resided.

When you have an MP3 or AAV or WAV file, all you really have is a license to listen to the contents of that file. You cannot play it over the speakers in your business, for example, because then you are interfering with the author's performance rights.

The long and short of it is that selling the MP3s or any other form of copyrighted material over the internet or on E-bay is a serious and consequence-laden activity that you should not undertake unless you don't mind getting sued.