MPAA Responds to Harry Potter Leak
Written by Ernesto on July 19, 2007MPAA CEO Dan Glickman was devastated by the leak of the last Harry Potter book. Ironically, the MPAA has been caught pirating others work more than once. So who’s the real pirate here?
In an official MPAA press release Glickman states:
“Reports on the theft of the latest installment of Harry Potter underscores that robbery of intellectual property extends far beyond the movies, to music, publishing, computer software
and other creative outputs that are the foundation of our modern information economy.”
Glickman then goes on summing up the familiar made-up statistics we read in every MPAA press release. Nothing spectacular, just the regular anti-piracy propaganda piece.
They seem to care a lot about copyright, but we’ve shown that the MPAA is not that concerned with others’ copyrighted works at all. In fact, they have been caught “robbing intellectual property” several times.
Earlier this year we reported that the MPAA used “Forest Blog” software without authorization. It had been completely stripped of his name, and links back to his site, thereby violating the linkware license. The MPAA later said that they were only testing the software. Not that it makes any difference, but why should one (willingly) remove all credits to the developer if it’s only a test?
But the MPAA doesn’t only steal software, they also pirate films. For those who haven’t seen the great documentary “This Film Is Not Yet Rated“, the MPAA openly admitted that they made unauthorized copies themselves. Kirby Dick, the producer of the documentary found out that the film that he submitted for screening purposes was copied without his permission. Say what?
I guess there’s an inner pirate in all of us.
Previously: Major Victory Within Reach For European File-Sharers
Next: Critical BitTorrent Vulnerability Found in Opera Browser
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The americans are stupidly funny and the rest of the world just seems to be falling into the loop. Instead of finding a compramize you decide to intagenize and push your limits. Im not saying the Portuguese are any better with such things but for the main part we keep to ourselfs and go on with our lives. Now lets thing about that and reflect for a few moments and see if we can come up with interesting comments.
Please don’t confuse us “stupidly funny americans” with the [anti-piracy] powers-that-be. Just because the loudest anti-piracy voice IS uniquely American, it does not an accurate national representation make. I would argue that the majority of us are one of two options: well informed or not interested/don’t care. Long live the GLOBAL struggle for the truth to see the light!
truth and america does’nt go in the same sentence…
intelligent and johan- another 2 words that shouldn’t be in the same sentence. Oh Yeah- I am not American but these idiots that think America is populated by Bush and mpaa, riaa advocates are beyond belief!! Your nationality is NOT important- your beliefs and morals on the IMPORTANT issues make you who you are.
“theft of the latest installment of Harry Potter underscores that robbery of intellectual property extends far beyond the movies, to music, publishing, computer software”
$17 Book > Billion Dollar Movie Idustry??!?!?!
Half-Blood Prince sold nearly 7 million copies in only 24 hours. $17 × 7 million = $119,000,000.
@ ipswichross
thank you for that breath of fresh air! Enough already with gross generalizations!
The MPAA later said that they were only testing the software.
Ah, it was THAT instance I remembered when MediaDefender said it wasn’t an intentional public “entrapment”. They were just “testing” some inovative distribution methodes there!
Why would the MPAA distribute a film that is critical of them? Nothing today is making sense…
Hmm gross generalizations?? Well lets think about this really well for a moment.. US has shitty health laws, shitty “current” president, citizens that are either too lazy or to “busy” slaving for the government in one way or another to have Bush impeached befor he did so much wrong. 99% of the world “not including the US” refuse to go into the US without filling out the needed insurance papers because of the crappy health system.
Yet… a lot of people all over the world don’t see that the crappy US laws and “other things” are hidden behind “All this money you guys make” when in reality over 70% of the US citizens are in dept till after their dead.
Now I’m not saying that people aren’t trying, but shit that isn’t right in the rest of the world, people unite in their countries just to make it right. I guess you can say that their are too many people that just don’t give a fuck in the US for the things that make their life worse, but are pissed when they get fucked in the end.
Cory Doctorow at BoingBoing pointed to Bruce Schneier’s comment:
“Anyone fan-crazed enough to read digital photographs of the pages a few days before the real copy comes out is also someone who is going to buy a real copy. And anyone who will read the digital photographs instead of the real book would have borrowed a copy from a friend. My guess is that the publishers will lose zero sales, and that the pre-release will simply increase the press frenzy.”
The MPAA (and other big media turds) will lie and distort to their dying days in order to gain, maintain and devour control of EVERYTHING.
And Amercians aren’t stupid just because large corporations based there are trying to rule the world. Americans will only be stupid if they let them get away with it. The French, so reviled by the U.S. right wing, riot in the street sover the price of cheese. Where’s the willingness of Americans to lay their bodies on the line for the freedoms they hold so dear?
The whole world is watching - and waiting.
> So who’s the real pirate here?
Easy. The person who hasn’t bought themselves a Senator is in the wrong.
Here are some who have been bought:
http://www.house.gov/feeney
http://lamarsmith.house.gov/
http://bono.house.gov/
Senator Ernest “Fritz” Hollings
http://torrentfreak.com/riaa-and-mpaa-fund-anti-piracy-politicians/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/09/22/copycontrol_senator_sleeps_while_fairuse/
Great big middle finger…
Funny how the **AA insist on using the word theft when they talk about copyright/IP infringement. Read the actual text of the law - nothing there about theft…
While one could look at the MPAA’s statement as a move to garner public support and join forces with the publishing industry to end ALL types of piracy, I tend to give them a little less credit than the average Joe…
It seems all too clear that the MPAA is just tired of being the media whipping boy of piracy defense sites. My guess is they made this statement to be proactive in taking the spotlight off of themselves and to open up other anti-piracy organizations that defend mediums other than films to criticism.
It really says something about their agenda when they would willingly turn on another piracy-prone industry just to build a “if they do it too, we can’t be that bad!” image…
A cynic, I be.
You’re attempt to expose the hypocrisy of the MPAA does not really show much. The MPAA is just another propaganda elements of the information/entertainment industry. This is given. Whether the MPAA violates a sofware license or someone illegally distributes a book, both are wrong and should be acknowledged as such.
I’m sorry, Viacom is based where?
This is not an issue of Americans or American corporations. This is an issue of greed and hubris pure and simple. It crosses borders and all other imaginary lines.
i read it already from the pictures. im still buying my reserve copy tonight
“[..] Robbery of intellectual property extends far beyond the movies, to music, publishing, computer software”
Ughh..no shit sherlock, property theft even extends into the real world with cars, money, and electronics being stolen as well. Here’s a cookie, now go sit in the corner.
[quote comment="134747"]truth and america does’nt go in the same sentence…[/quote]
]
An apostrophe doesn’t go in between “s” and “n”
Also apostrophe go between Jo and Han as in “Jo’han is on your weenie.” It seems Europe is not appreciative of America saving their ass over and over again. Every day you should kiss our flag and say, “Thank goodness we don’t have to say ‘Heil Hitler’ .” Ingrates.
I think Hitler would be dead by now, and the Russians and Japanese would have given Germany a run for their money
Lies! Hitler runs off the fuel of dead jews - HE COULD LIVE FOREVER!
Or at *least* 500 years.
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