MPAA: Why Sue and Show Proof when you can Extort!

[starcraft.man]

Well, the MPAA has finally done the natural next step in their righteous crusade against the rampant bazillion pirates out there. They don't want to actually prove people are doing something wrong or even that copyright violation is occurring (nor try and offer a serious competitor to digital p2p distribution for people to pay). Instead it appears extortion is their new game.

Article (http://torrentfreak.com/getamnestycom-mpaa-extortion-at-its-finest/) (you can likely find other sources if you don't like torrent freak, it's pretty good most of the time I find).

Basically the MPAA partnered with Nexicon (who are an IP watchdog service from what I see quickly on their site. I imagine they trawl trackers and seed traps and a bunch of other semi-legit means...) to form GetAmnesty.com (http://www.getamnesty.com/). I think you'd be best served by having a nice look at their site. I will quote the part I find best:


If you receive a notice that means that we have evidence of you infringing a copyright holder that we represent. Please stop and consider what such a paper trail could do to one’s future. We understand that this notice may come as a bit of a surprise to you, but we sincerely believe that signing our agreement is in your best interest. (I added effect)

Add to the quote the glaring FBI logo (at top) with the maximum penalties applicable and you get serious intimidation. This just seems ludicrous to me. They are summarily saying (maybe not outright, but inferring in their legal notices and I'm sure people will read it as such) people are guilty (without proving things in court or showing their proof at all to guilty party/guardians) and attempting to coerce these folk into voiding their rights to trial by settling X dollars (I've no idea how they come to the amounts) to make it go away. Anyone else have a problem with this?

What's worse is I can just imagine that soon the MPAA will hop up and down like a raving kid and go "LOOK! These people are paying us and admitting their guilty, they must have done something wrong and piracy must be rampant all over bit torrent. Let's legislate a bigger more hostile fix!"

Thoughts anyone? I'm in Canada but still this just burns me up that they get to treat people like this... Should the MPAA change their acronym to MOB or MAFIA? Something else? Oh and let's not get into the whole "is p2p violating copyright/illegal" debate, leave that for another thread (we already had one as a matter of fact). Discuss away...

[Beamerboy]

They sued me for $150 million USD, I simply told them to kiss my unmentionable. Needless to say they never got a penny.

Paladine

[Coldkill]

I too am in Canada, but I can already see this sort of thing in early developments here (CRTC).

As I read the thing about paying them, I thought "pay us and we'll give you protection" was exactly like the mafia :lolflag:

I remember a case not too long ago where it was proven the MPAA were wrong but they still persisted because they "didn't want to look like they're backing down" or something like that.

This is the same thing as the RIAA, which I've been trying to spread the word about for a while but there's no stopping them

[Depressed Man]

No need to worry about your future when you can attempt to countersue them for millions in damages. :)

At least that's what I would like to see happen. Not likely though, in America at least.

[Coldkill]

Hmm, that site is poorly coded. Either it was put together in a hurry by a trolling poster :lolflag: j/k

Or this "GetAmnesty" are a bunch of idiots.

I'm making a parody site based on the design as we speak :popcorn:

[Dimitriid]

It seems like an illegal crime organization to me: Ignores legitimate consumer rights, ignores international laws, flagrant violation of human rights with extortion, in short they only need to start executing people and controlling illegal gambling operations to outdo any Mafia out there.

[Andrewie]

F**k the RIAA/MPAA (way too much digg)

I'm also in Canada so I don't have much to worry, but I have started to go out of my way to pirate Music and video, even when obtaining it legally is easier to do. I also take an extra effort to seed.

[Dimitriid]

Canadian ISPs like Shaw cable do try to sabotage bit torrent though, if it keeps that way it wont be long before Canadians are a target too,.

[aktiwers]

http://www.tuxick.net/pics/piracy2.jpg

Just kidding.. Already using Pirate copy ;)

[starcraft.man]

Hmm, that site is poorly coded. Either it was put together in a hurry by a trolling poster :lolflag: j/k

Or this "GetAmnesty" are a bunch of idiots.

I'm making a parody site based on the design as we speak :popcorn:

Hehe, don't forget to post a link to the site. This should be amusing. :)


It seems like an illegal crime organization to me: Ignores legitimate consumer rights, ignores international laws, flagrant violation of human rights with extortion, in short they only need to start executing people and controlling illegal gambling operations to outdo any Mafia out there.

Agreed. Saddest part being they practically have government approval to do these things...


Canadian ISPs like Shaw cable do try to sabotage bit torrent though, if it keeps that way it wont be long before Canadians are a target too,.

I think I have one of the few ISPs left that does 0 throttling. I get full speed on any torrents downloading and seeding.

[Depressed Man]

Well ISPs throttle torrenting partially because their networks can't support the traffic. Really, when they sell you the service they don't expect anyone to actual use what they advertise lol.

[Nekiruhs]

I fail to see how the MPAA/RIAA has lasted so long. They don't have a leg to stand on, the DMCA is just unconstitutional, it was null and void the moment it was signed! How are they getting away with this crap?:confused:

[Beamerboy]

I fail to see how the MPAA/RIAA has lasted so long. They don't have a leg to stand on, the DMCA is just unconstitutional, it was null and void the moment it was signed! How are they getting away with this crap?:confused:

I wrote an article last year which explains how they get away with it. It is called "How much does it cost to buy congress?" and you can read it here:

http://blog.paladine.org.uk/?p=13

Paladine

[runningwithscissors]

Actually, it's pathetic how people are so desperate for films and songs that the MPAA and the RIAA can afford to do this.

How many times do you see people mention that their most valuable data is "music and movies". Would you like some more of that *AA **** sir? Yum yum.