U.S. raises penalties for movie pirates

[sabra]

<<SNIP>>
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/04/28/business/pirate.php

U.S. raises penalties for movie pirates

Reuters

FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2005


WASHINGTON People who secretly videotape movies when they are shown in theaters could go to prison for up to three years under a measure signed into law by President George W. Bush.

The law also toughens penalties for hackers and industry insiders who distribute music, movies or other copyrighted works before their official release dates.

Bush signed the bill Wednesday in a closed-door ceremony and released no public statement.

Copies of hit movies frequently show up on the Internet while they are still in theaters, allowing fans to see new releases without buying a ticket.

<</SNIP>>

[ixion]

1. but ClearPlay is okay

whatever. :eyes:

[erichzann]

2. I have no problem with clear play, as I understand it

What's yours?

When I buy a book, if I want to underline in that book, draw in the margines, rip pages out or set it on fire - that's my right. When I buy a painting, if I decide I want to paint little bunny rabbits in the corner of it, that might be in poor taste, but I'm well within my rights to do so.

If I buy a movie, and I choose to use technology that filters content - I'm not sure why I am not well within my right to do so? Perhaps I don't understand the full issue...

[Zynx]

3. Different issue

People using ClearPlay still buy the DVD's.

I have no use for pirates.

[ixion]

5. it's not a different issue at all

ClearPlay does not buy the copyrights to alter and resell the movie from the studio.

That is precisely the issue with piracy.

[Zynx]

7. No.

The offenses are completely different from a legal point of view.

The reason the studio's haven't been able to do anything with ClearPlay yet is because ClearPlay *is* buying the DVD's. That's an ENORMOUS legal difference.

Believe me, ClearPlay would be long dead if they were engaging in something that could be readily proved to be piracy.

Essentially, ClearPlay's activities are still arguable under the law. Piracy has been adjudicated to death.

[w4rma]

4. Oh yeah. Real good idea. Jail your biggest fans. (nt)

[Occulus]

6. At LEAST half the problem with this is due to the studios.

How do we think these are getting on the filesharing networks in the first place? What happens is, the studios release copies of the films on DVD to critics and whatnot before the film is officially released. The fact that high-quality "DVD rip" copies of prerelease films are all over these networks is only proof of this.

Maybe if the studio ended the practice of distributing the actual "screener" DVDs, these films wouldn't end up on the networks before their release date to begin with.

[underpants]

8. Damn for a minute there I thought they were going after Johnny Depp

:bounce: