It’s too bad that we live in such a litigious society that snoops are traveling around the country trying to catch musicians who don’t have a license to perform.

But that’s where we are, and Lewiston is doing the right thing by trying to follow the exact letter of copyright laws.

Lawyers from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers contacted the city earlier this year, warning that it was running afoul of laws that protect the intellectual property of artists and was at risk of facing liability.

To fend off potential lawsuits, the city agreed last week to purchase licenses from the two largest music copyright organizations for about $600 a year. The licenses allow the city to legally play copyrighted music at city-sponsored functions. Auburn is considering a similar move, which we would encourage it to make. By buying the permits, the city protects taxpayers from potential liability and costly lawsuits.

It’s important to protect the copyright on original material. The creators deserve compensation when their intellectual property is used, just as the holders of a patent deserve compensation when their inventions are put into commercial use.

Musicians, songwriters and other artists make their living by creating works that others seek. To take it without their permission is stealing, just like downloading music off the Internet is stealing.

Nonetheless, it’s a little creepy that ASCAP investigators are combing parks and playgrounds looking for entertainers who haven’t paid to play.