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Comment by joesmo | Hacker News Reader

I'll just add this to the list of 10,000 other felonies I unknowingly commit every day.

But seriously, most of the claims here are ridiculous and false. Not surprising considering the source. What's that anecdote about taking legal advice off the internet though? That applies to their site as well as my comment equally.

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Criminal copyright infringement requires that the infringer acted for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain. There is a higher threshold for criminal infringement. Singing happy birthday in public would be a civil offence, not a criminal one.

I think the relevant bit, amid the satire, is that restaurants, regardless of size, whose employees are caught singing "Happy Birthday" are hit fiercely by this. Ever wonder why the employees at chains sing something else?

To be a little more specific, there is no risk when a group of friends sing happy birthday to someone they know in a restaurant. However, if a restaurant's staff routinely sings the song to customers, then people will come to that restaurant specifically to receive this service - which is profiting off the song.

So when your local diner's staff sing your kid happy birthday they are breaking the law?... whoops just saw the next comment haha

This is satire with a side goal of overwhelming Time Warner with complaints.

I presume there's no statute of limitations so we can send emails itemising each past violation? People have been singing this to me for years...

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