MPAA Steals Code, Violates Linkware License
Written by Smaran on February 17, 2007A blogger who wrote his own blogging engine called Forest Blog recently noticed that none other than the MPAA was using his work, and had completely violated his linkware license by removing all links back to the Forest Blog site, and had not credited him in any way.
Patrick Robin, a 29 year old web developer from South England, is the developer of an ASP-based blogging platform called Forest Blog. He distributes it freely under a linkware license, asking that anyone who uses it merely link back to his site where Forest Blog is offered for download. If someone wants to remove the links back to his site, they must purchase a license. A personal license costs 10 Pounds and a commercial one costs 25.
Amazingly, the MPAA seem to think they’re above “formalities” like licenses and such. The MPAA blog, located at www.mpaa.org/blog_default.asp (currently down - pic), was using Patrick’s Forest Blog software, but had been completely stripped of his name, and links back to his site. He only found about it accidentally when he happened to visit the MPAA site.
Clearly, there seems to be a lack of concern by the MPAA of others’ copyrighted works. Therefore, is it unsurprising that their customers seem to have the same attitude towards their movies?
According to Patrick, it isn’t something new to find his blogging software being used like this. What he finds really odd is that an organisation whose goal is to “protect” copyrighted creative works has no qualms in, essentially, stealing other people’s work. The MPAA still haven’t replied to a letter he sent them about the illegal use of his blogging software.
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Great news!
MPAA: You can blog but you can’t hide
Then there was the incident with RIAA/MPAA using a shareware PDF generator past the trial period.
There was a link in the PDF to the company who had created the PDF generator.
The link was white text on white background so the MPAA/RIAA did not notice :-)
LOL. I wonder who else they do this 2…
Sue them in small claims court! Find out what the limit for small claims is in their state, then sue them for just below that. It costs you a few dollars to do that — and then they either have to send a lawyer out OR they get a summary judgement against them for not showing.
And YOU don’t need a lawyer!
Consider it.
I truly hope this Patrick did not send a fluffy ‘please stop using my code without permission/licence’ letter, bu rather a letter from a lawyer regarding a notice to SUE THEIR ASS.
The actions over the past few years (especially) by the MPAA and the RIAA, make me f**king sick!
Re David Gaspar,
Also there was incident where they admitted to pirating movies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Film_Is_Not_Yet_Rated#MPAA_infringements
You would think they would have a budget to buy .pdf software and that linking back to the linkware site would not be such a sacrifice. They are losing a chunk of credibility on this one.
Also, they were caught paying off law enforcement:
http://www.bsalert.com/artsearch.php?fn=2&as=700&dt=1
Send them a letter demanding that $2,700 like they send to everyone who has even one song. Hell, A song costs $1 on iTunes, so that would be 67,500 if you compared it. If you compared it to a cd, it would come up to 5,400.
I think he should contact them and report a copyright issue an fill out all the correct paperwork, and then see where it goes from there, and then later check back with the paperwork, that would be an interesting find. Or if you sue, what can the MPAA do? Honestly if in fact they are in direct violation they can’t really defend themselves because that would go against everything that they stand for. Great Find!
so “dan glickman” learned about america by going to the movies
that explains a lot
MPAA and RIAA bunch of hypocrites, it reminds me of the spanish inquisition, they like to accuse people, harass people and punish people with the full weight of the law but when it comes to them…they think to be above the law.
HYPOCRITES!!
You should sue them completely and make this appear on every major news organization in the world.
SORRY but it really pisses me off.
Send a DMCA Takedown notice to their webservice provider, and get their site pulled… :)
Crazy! Only problem is that if Patrick sued the MPAA, he would only get 25 pounds from them per his commercial license pricing.
@Dan, a DMCA take down would be ironically appropriate. Great comment!
sue em! sue em into the ground!
actually - if you work for the riaa , or mpaa and are reading this “you perform no useful role in society , have you ever considered either a new job or ending it all?”
Reality check.
The MPAA likely had absolutely nothing to do with the selection of technology or implementation of their weblog. More likely than not, they hired some random consultant who did the evil deed.
Sure, the MPAA should have double checked. But I’d bet they would still likely have missed it. Hard to check such things.
Hopefully, the MPAA will apologize and then either fire or sue the crap out of whoever it was that so obviously ripped off said software.
Sue em! The judgment would be a great exhibit for an unclean hands defense when they bring their actions.
Sue them at least 100 million dollars and use there own reasoning with the courts as to why the fine should be so high.
If i had a law degree i would take your case.
Hahah suck it MPAA
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