MPAA Study Links Piracy to Gangs and Terrorists
Written by Ben Jones on March 04, 2009A new study by the RAND corporation has attempted to put the focus on ‘movie piracy’ squarely on the shoulders of terrorist groups and criminal gangs. The report, which claims to have been ‘peer reviewed’, seems to show that no matter which gang, thug, or terrorist – they all pirate movies.
On reading the report’s summary, there is a strong wave of deja-vu. It hardly seems like 4 years have passed similar claims put out by a UK industry group were debunked. Worse still, the same old tricks are being used again to cloud the issue. The only difference is that instead of just concentrating on the situation in UK and Ireland, they’ve now gone global.
The MPAA funded report report titled ‘Film Piracy, Organized Crime, and Terrorism’ claims that terrorist groups use film piracy to finance their activities, while organized gangs see it as a significant revenue stream. Selling pirated goods is a ‘low-risk, high-profit enterprise’ which attracts criminals of all sorts according to the report. And, as if that is not bad enough, in some areas the influence of these pirating gangs extends into law enforcement and political leaders, who are bought, intimidated, or induced to create “protected spaces” where crime flourishes.
Something that jumped out during the first glance at the report is the blurring of terms. On page 3 of the report, one of the reasons things can, and are, overstated is explained as a footnote.
“The terms “piracy” and “counterfeiting” are used interchangeably in this report, although they can mean different things.”
Unfortunately for the study, they do mean VERY different things. ‘Piracy’ in this context tends to refer mostly to digitally representable items, while counterfeit goods can run the gamut from aircraft parts, to cigarettes. In France, you can’t sell certain brands of handbag on eBay easily, because they might be counterfeit. Fake aircraft parts (which don’t meet specs) are a major problem for the airline industry (also counterfeiting) and fake cigarettes are a commonly seized item at international borders. If you want another example, just look no further than your spam folder – count the number of Viagra, and other medications you are offered – all counterfeit.
It only goes downhill from there. Early in the report, it moves on to talk about definitions of organized crime, including some that are so loose it’s hard to see anything except a lone person’s opportunistic crime as being ‘organized’. In fact, by the definitions given, the RIAA may be an organised crime gang, or the UMP party in France, making 3-strike Sarkozy, the head of a crime syndicate.
Digression aside, the case studies that underpin these findings also fail to pass scrutiny. The very first one mentions a seizure of 9400 discs in a shipment. Using a standard weight of a DVD (60g, with box), it comes to about half a ton, and assuming each disc can be sold for $10 (a high price) that’s only $94,000. A kilo of cocaine has a higher street value (about $160,000 right now, according to Cleveland Police), and is much easier to transport. In addition, drugs don’t tend to suffer from the ‘do it yourself’ aspect that gives sites like the Pirate Bay and Mininova such heavy traffic. No value is ever given for the ‘profit’ made either, only..
The combined proceeds from CD/DVD piracy and drug sales were estimated, for the purpose of assigning asset forfeiture, at $3 million.
Throughout many of the case studies listed, there is little hard evidence to actually link crimes. One cites packages arriving at a location containing copied DVDs, and when the police arrived, several men with false papers attempted to run. This leads the author to the assumption of using immigrants to work a copying operation, despite the only evidence mentioned being a single person trafficked.
If movies are the easy, safe and profitable way, as the report suggests, then someone’s not telling these gangs. A little chart is even produced, which lists gangs worldwide and the work they’re involved in. There are no prizes for guessing that they all apparently participate in DVD copying, but more surprisingly, its the only activity they all share.
The true purpose of the report is of course to force authorities worldwide to do something about piracy, or criminal gangs and terrorist groups will take over. We have no doubt that the MPAA will cite this study in nearly every press release they issue from now on, and bring it onto the political agenda. Here are a few recommendations the report gives.
* Piracy should be made a priority offense within anti-gang strategies.
* Laws should be enacted to grant investigators greater authority to sustain investigations, conduct surveillance, and obtain search warrants.
* Key piracy cases should be fought in the organized-crime or money-laundering divisions of prosecutors’ offices.
* Governments should share intelligence with industry-led anti-piracy efforts.
It is likely that the MPAA will use these findings to get tougher anti-piracy laws. This wouldn’t really be a problem if it would only affect commercial piracy. However, as a side-effect people might have to prove that the music on their iPod is legit when they go through customs, and at home their ISP might be looking into their download behavior.
Unsurprisingly, a large percentage of sources given in footnotes, happen to be the very groups that have funded the story, the MPA(A) and FACT, which should seriously dent the credibility of the report. However, it is to be expected that this report will be given the same credibility as other MPAA-financed studies, despite their dubiousness. As a result, expect more laws to tackle this ‘threat’, which will only ever be used against everyday citizens, and that’s just how the likes of the MPAA like it.
Previously: The Pirate Bay – Innocent or Guilty?
Next: Audio Watermarks Locate Camcording Pirates
172 Responses
I said this crap a long time ago.
Course I am dead now. But how would that matter ? For your information I made it all up.
OOOOOOOOOOOKKKKKKK
they realy like to link piracy with terrorisme and organized-gang!
They are trying to influance non-IT user who knows not much about computer and torrent.
But its will not work because bit torrent is spead in a different way. I know bittorrent because of a friend. I showed bittorent to another friend. So its like that.
Anyway, its always nice how much cash they spend when affrican suffer of foodless.
So if buying coppied dvds is the problem, we can download the illegaly and the terrorists dont get the money, right?
Thats right I said it.
http://www.barelyfitz.com/blog/archives/2004/06/10/62/
get over it, were the mpaa.
This is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen. Somehow, this “report” sounds like it was written by the same people who made Reefer Madness.
Breathing causes terrorism!!
A study recently found that all terrorists breathe – until they blow up that is. They conclude with a warning to the authorities – “Breathing is clearly linked to terrorism, and governments should take measures to imediately terminate any citizen suspected of breathing to support the global war against terrorism”.
Thats right any coppied DVD’s you buy are helping to fund criminal gangs and terrorsists. To solve this we advise evryone to download there own DVD’s and avoid funding any organisations.
Who they think they are to “POLICE” the internet? Internet is a mass info web,telling someone he can’t go on internet is against human right of acces to information right? “since you printed something that was copyrighted,you won’t learn anything else!” haha good joke.They can’t and they won’t control Us,Never,ever,ever.
Look at the report linked up there,it’s heavily copyrighted and well,it’s talking about worse things and just link them with movie piracy.
It’s like saying 50% of the world are murderer with no conscience and that 50% of the world is also pedophile…does this make 25% of the world teen-killers? hell no.
Stop linking crap with worst crap,it ain’t prooving anything.
BadWolf–>Out
and by the way…I AM:
Breathing XD
So if these are all gang and terrorist related activities, then why are they massively suing 4 year old kids and grandmothers (not to mention network printers) instead?
This means all internet pirates are terrorists. New harder laws, they goverments will jail any internet pirates for years.
“the RIAA may be an organised crime gang,”
“MAY BE”??????????
Hey! We are all fighting terrorism! Because…
If commercial piracy is funding terrorism (and other criminal activities) then non-commercial piracy should be logically viewed as fighting terrorism.. because by downloading and sharing with the market we are denying them the market for their goods!
Alright, We studied this ever so long. In order to justify our report we have decided to show our sources.
see http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2004-06-10#film3
I mean that says it all dont you think?
So if we take this information with prior market research we can conclude that….
1 in 3 broadband subscribers is a terrorist and/or gang member.
http://torrentfreak.com/one-in-three-broadband-subscribers-is-a-pirate-090203/
A growing amount of children aged 9 to 14 are terrorists and/or gang members.
http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_080130b.html
Does anybody have any interest making a study linking woman terrorist activity to wearing clothes? Getting funding should not be a problem..
I am sure it’s one of the connecting characteristics between all the terrorist groups involving women.
So to make the terror go away, there should be laws against women wearing any clothing in public places. Who knows what they conceal in those bra’s and pantyes!!!
Who wants to join my terrorist gang of thugs? We sell movies and drugs like WoW.
LOL. So piracy causes terorisim. OH no I guess im a terrorist too lol.
Idk what they’re jiving about…
Here the real way to make money is a) selling drugs [cocaine is big] b) transport illegal immagrants accross the border of mexico and c) making fake money.
Piracy of anything ain’t nothing compared to all these.
try the study again when you aren’t high on drugs
**AA’s just start becoming disgusting, first i thought they’re stupid, second that they’re evil, now they’re just pathetic – still naming kids who exchange stuff “terrorists”….
So sharing media via P2P helps fight terrorism!
Yay!
Of course, if the MAFIA are able to bully ISPs into blocking P2P, this will encourage people to get their movies from organised criminal gangs.
Oh, the irony!
I’m sure the Real IRA were happy to hear that Eircom capitulated to the MAFIA’s demands.
Hard to believe they would go this far.
Stopping a web site will not stop terrorism. They will then use legitimate copies of the DVD to make their copies. Then the MPAA will have to go after the movie business for supplying terrorists.
You go girl.
Yes, because there is always something TERRIBLY wrong, when people get “free stuff” and even worse – get it UNCONTROLLABLY. Think about all the money NOT being “made”!
Did you know people starve not because there is not enough food, but because there is not enough money? People are homeless not because there are not enough homes, but there is not enough money to “loan”..
..which of those things sound more wrong?
its good im not a terrorist! and according to them i am reassured that i can now go and download anything and everything i want to and i wont get into trouble…. thanks for the amnesty MPAA!!!
Yeah, lets tell our children
“Son, DONT do piracy, you can traffic drugs like your 9yo neighboor or jack some cars like your cousing, but never never do piracy, its illegal”
MPAA and RIAA and all the AA’s should receive a huge shoe in theyr face to start doing the correct things and focusing in the people that sell pirated dvd’s and stuff like that.
bunch of morons…
Actually, i agree with the MPAA report “Film Piracy, Organized Crime, and Terrorism” piracy did help crime.
Just look at the northern part of Mexico being destroyed by the “Zetas” group whom have total control of the sales of pirated content. This Zetas group earn their revenue to buy fireweapons through the sales of pirated movies, dvds, games and even pirated mexican flags (mexican flags made in china… WTF). This zetas group (narcs) have kidnapped and killed many innocent people. I’m quite saddened by this situation.
Piracy is big in south america, I dont know how bad it is in the rest of the world but I know for a fact that piracy is helping the spread of corruption.
Anyway, I hope I got all the facts correctly but nevertheless saddened by the many deaths of the innocents.
Incredible, too bad our politicians all seem to be complete morons across the board. They will eat this like hotcakes. Terrorism AND piracy … wooooww … sounds like a security fanatics wet dream.
Next up: Child pornography car bomb movies on the Piratebay.
@26
Yes that is sad. we get it.
Stopping a web site or spying on my web activities will not stop terrorism.
@26: You said it yourself. Los Zetas are drug traffickers. If some parts of their organisation is involved in pirated movies and such that’s a neglectable fraction of what’s going on. You could sell millions of counterfitted DVDs and not even get close to the market value of drugs. No one kills over pirated movies … over cocain yes. But not over pirated movies. You’ve got it all mixed up.
Sure it’s sad this kind of organized crime exists but it doesn’t exist because of media piracy …
someone needs to explain that no one involved in DOWNLOADING is PAYING for ANYTHING, therefore NO ONE IS MAKING MONEY FROM IT
Yes, criminal gangs in places like China, Taiwan and Russia DO make millions with counterfeit goods, some being dvds
This is a far FAR FAR trip from downloading xvid dvdrips
I warned of this, shortly after 9/11 when I started seeing “If you smoke pot you support terrorists” commercials. I KNEW it was coming, and the TPB trial being a giant fiasco, proves my point, they are desperate to attach US to THEM, to use anti terror laws against US
@Concerned, yes, here local organized crime has been well established to be involved with movie piracy for a long time. And one good reason why commercial piracy is lumped with consumer piracy is they are the same thing, according to the court finding A&M versus Napster.
“To save the expense” Illegal file bartering has been held to be a commercial use, cutting off the defense of fair use in the U.S.: “…[C]ommercial use is demonstrated by a showing that repeated and exploitative unauhorized copies of copyrighted works were made to save the expense of purchasing authorized copies.” A&M Records, Inc. et al v. Napster, Inc., 239 F.3d 1004 (9th Cir. 2001), at 1014.
Besides, if you live your life legally both on and offline, why would you fear an iPOD search or ISP surveillance as long as it isn’t profiled and applied equally and randomly across all parties? That’’s how retail bag searches and highway car searches work, and they are completely fair and legal. Make everyone accountable to their choices and the world becomes a fairer place.
Man I am tired of being a proverbial ATM machine for the MPAA! What the hell are they going to sick the FBI and Dept of Homeland Security on me next? Wow! I am very new to the world of torrents, but I vow never to spend a red-cent on media again. Thanx MPAA, what kind of criminal label are you going to come up with next? Hey maybe spousal abuse and piracy have a link? Something to look into eh?
Piracy also causes homosexuality, male pattern baldness, Tourette’s Syndrome, global warming, body odor, global recessions, drug addiction, flat soda, black holes, tsunamis, and overzealous lawyers.
Shoot I could have told you that and saved a lot of money for this “study.”
@24 rm
you guys cant even get your ip numbers/hardware numbers correct.
you sue dead people and 4 yr olds.
You aint searching my ipod or look
at my broadband, what do you think Im crazy.
I am astounded that everyone on the internet is either a pirate, terrorist or a child pornographer.
I am not so sure about you
@31
I would never approve a random search of my car. I have nothing to hide in my car.
How would you feel about random body cavity searches? You don’t have anything to hide in your a_ss do you? Where do you draw the line. should everyone draw the line where you do?
The point is having your freedoms taken away because some can throw the word terrorist around and the point of this article is about websites being blamed for terrorism.
Lets stick to the point.
@flash_ocs
lol nice
“Hey maybe spousal abuse and piracy have a link? Something to look into eh?”
LOL that Osama bin Laden is running a pirate CD & DVD shop right now and selling such products to fund Al Qaeda. Right….
OK… now we have proof.
Jack Valenti and his gang are plain stupid!
Cheers!
MPAA Study Links Piracy to Tomatoes
———————————–
A well placed sock puppet at MPAA headquarters had this to say to our correspondent:
“We have commissioned several studies on the matter and we have found that invariably every pirate out there has eaten tomatoes. Usually within a week of committing heinous acts of piracy. Some pirates even eat tomatoes as they are pirating. We believe that the existence of tomatoes is a dire threat to our members, the integrity of the media industry and our hookers. We are drawing plans to blow some senators and get some strong support in the prosecution and eventual eradication of tomatoes. The deptt. of Homeland InSecurity has also expressed keen interest in helping us investigate the well established terror-tomato link. We are confident that this time we will not end up with rotten fruit on our face. And remember kids, if it’s red then its a threat.”
@15
“So to make the terror go away, there should be laws against women wearing any clothing in public places.”
Could you please make the study to show that only women aged 20-30 and a BMI between 18 and 22 are subject to that connection.
Otherwise it could become VERY ugly …
(So be careful what you wish for!) ;)
Meanwhil I will fight terrorism by making a habbit of downloading for free – and not founding ANY terrorist: not the bombing ones and not the lobbying ones …. (sic!)
@31 “That’’s how retail bag searches and highway car searches work, and they are completely fair and legal.”
Actually, retail bag searches are not. The only time they’re allowed is when you have previously provided written concent (such as via a membership agreement (sams, BJs etc). Otherwise, a number of states have a shopkeepers priviledge, which allows the detention of someone for a reasonable amount of time, to determine if shoplifting has occured, and even THEN they can’t search.
Attempting to stop someone and search their items is the offence of ‘false imprisonment’, and stores have got in trouble for it in the past – Fry’s for one.
@31 via 41
OH SNAAAPPPP
The only terrorists here is all the industry’s.. and that’s a fact.
If we dont stop them, we are going to live in a very very dark world.
“Yo, gangsta, I got some crack, yo, what you sellin?”
“Ey, homie, I got a really nice DVDR of The Dark Knight with Dolby Digital sound, yo!”
“You wouldn’t download a plane into a building”
These days, if there is something you disagree with, all you need to do is “prove” some kind of loose link between your opponent and either:
A) TERRORISM !!!! or
B) PEDOPHILES !!!!
For example
-If the dictator of a country irritates you (and they happen to have oil..)
-If you don’t like your kids’ new teacher…
-If a few people enjoy a downloaded film that they would not otherwise have been able to see…
Just hint that they may have links to terrorism or peadophilia (why not both!!)and you’ve got carte blanche…
Buy em all the books and you still can’t educate them, You can link everything to Gangs and Terrorists…
they had to come up something that week to draw a paycheck.
I guess if can’t finish collage there always openings at the MPAA…lol
Lets just make a fake report, that says some people have funded,
and says that most of the investors of the MPAA and the likes are actually useing the profits made from the music industry to fund terrorism.
and make is sound all legit, then go on the internet, spam all the blogs about this great report, and Completely agree with it and defend its contents at all cost.
lol.
No link to pedophelia?! I guess they felt that was pushing it too hard…
Wow, the whole report discredits itself from the get-go, pure and simple. Do they expect anyone to actually believe this?
I think this is great! The RAND Corp finally proved something we all knew:
To get rid of Terrorism, promote TBP.
After all, no payment, no profit, no problem!
@49 Omni
She wants your router.
see
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/02/11/feinstein_stimulus_amendment/?ref=most
“pushing too hard”, not for these asswipes.
I forgot to mention her campaign contributors.
Disney
Vivendi
Time/Warner plus I think now EMI
UK Government want control.
UK Government copy US of A way of doing things.
UK Government pass Anti-Terrorism laws
These laws take away most of your civil liberties. They can virtually do what they like with you.
The MAFFIA link piracy to terrorism…
See where I’m going here?
Its similar to what an old professor told me a good while ago, and I quote “It has always been hard to get grants for research but not so now. Actually it is pretty easy. We just say we need a grant for such and such and reference Global Warming!”
Look forward to being held by terrorist officers after downloading your next film!
The UK is the new Guantanamo but on a larger scale! Who needs fences when you have water!
Not good!
Sorry for all the UK references but that’s where I live ( SADLY! )
The Real Terrorists and Pirates are the people who wrote these laws! These people are a threat to free society.
Here’s another important statistic:
98% of dangerous criminals eat bread.
seriously???
guess they’re still under the blind assumption people pay for bad copies of films… & at least they’ve started to stop put DRM in everything.
@31
Actually highway car searches are illegal under the 4th amendment. The only time an officer can search a car is if he has probable cause or receives permission from the operator.
So… that mean it isn’t a good idea to start a new torrent tracker named The Terrorist Bay(?)… damn!
How much money have been made with movies about terrorism?
I thought the people who make profit from crimes are called criminals, and the ones keep you in fear are terrorists. In this sad world we should fear more being tortured by people with money, then dieing in an explosion.
“Scientific study at the St Dollar Private University of Hollywood proves that 1 out of 5 Pirate Bay users fantasize about underage sex!!!”
==> Using Pirate Bay leads to PEADOPHILIA!!!
“1 of 1 million visitors to to the Pirate Bay have considered participating in a terrorist attack”
==> Using Pirate Bay = TERRORISM and is a threat to US Homeland security”
ACTION PLAN: Demand that Sweden closes TPB; if they fail to comply – INVADE (and take Norway while you’re at it, they have OIL and used to be a Swedish colony anyway…)
pathetic….
I’VE BEEN TERRORISING THE WESTERN WORLD WITH MY FUNDAMENTALIST PIRACY BELIEFS THAT SHARING SOME MUSIC WITH PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET IS OK.
To get rid of Terrorism burn all poppy fields in Afghanistan. thats where they get all there money, not pirated films!
Someone/group needs to make a counter report fast, to refute these false claims. We need independent third party sources that can establish a solid foundation of studies that will show what the MPAA is attempting to do, and to bring forth the actual reality of what piracy is all about.
Then we can present this as evidence whenever the MPAA brings out their funded study. No study should be found to be credible, when it is being funded by an organization that can use it’s influence to have the study results being skewed. There is no accountability as a result, and therefore gives a misleading representation.
The MPAA failed to have a significantly damning study to back them up when they went to trial with Pirate Bay, maybe they learned from their mistake.
I fail to see the connection between terrorism, organized crime and piracy. How is there any profit being made when one user shares with the world. Are terrorists and the mob spending time buying movies/music/whatever taking the time to rip them, and then posting them all over the world wide web, so they can rake in the big $$$$$’s. There isn’t any margin with piracy, because it’s all free to everyone. The MPAA seems blinded by this concept. That’s why no terrorist/organized crime organization would participate in such low-level criminal activities. They only stick to high-margin activities such as the drug trade.
The MPAA strategy is to link the commercialized mass production of DVD copies that are sold mostly in Asian countries (such as China, Japan) to the activities of willing participants who are only sharing media content that they have purchased legally. Most people I know, have limited knowledge of the internet, at the same time they are easily able to acquire what they need from sites such as Pirate Bay. They aren’t going out and buying a illegal dvd copy. They are getting a shared copy from someone, and then if they like it they go out and purchase it legally. It’s just a new concept of distribution, that seems to work fine with most people.
Hey so instead of blowing the crap out of the world osama is just gonna sell some bootleg DVD’s…..wow…i’m quaking at the thought! What next? Turtles of mass destruction?
Stupid is as stupid does.
The scary part is that some Rush L. wanabee is gonna hookup with this and really make a fool of themselves!
help fight organised crime, share more for free !!
@Unreasoned mind
“@Concerned, yes, here local organized crime has been well established to be involved with movie piracy for a long time. And one good reason why commercial piracy is lumped with consumer piracy is they are the same thing, according to the court finding A&M versus Napster.”
Could you please provide some evidence supporting this? What area do you live in, so we can have a more detailed spec. of what this area of high level piracy is taking place. And no commercial piracy and consumer piracy are actually different. (even if a US court [which by the way isn't the only country in the world] is blinded by the difference) Commercial piracy exists solely for the purpose of generating profit for the criminal mastermind. Consumer piracy exists to have the exchange of ideas and culture take place on a global level, thus allowing a better quality of life. If that individual feels the need to support the original producer then they would purchase a legal copy. The only link that these two share together is that at one point a legal copy would of been purchased.
““To save the expense” Illegal file bartering has been held to be a commercial use, cutting off the defense of fair use in the U.S.: “…[C]ommercial use is demonstrated by a showing that repeated and exploitative unauhorized copies of copyrighted works were made to save the expense of purchasing authorized copies.” A&M Records, Inc. et al v. Napster, Inc., 239 F.3d 1004 (9th Cir. 2001), at 1014.”
Bartering: To trade goods or services without the exchange of money.
To have bartering take place it would take two parties to offer a good or service in exchange. If only one party is involved that is providing the good/service(such as a seeder, or an uploader) then how could you call this bartering. I believe this would actually be called sharing.
“Besides, if you live your life legally both on and offline, why would you fear an iPOD search or ISP surveillance as long as it isn’t profiled and applied equally and randomly across all parties? That’’s how retail bag searches and highway car searches work, and they are completely fair and legal. Make everyone accountable to their choices and the world becomes a fairer place.”
Why should our privacy be violated and our human rights to access to information be void. Maybe the laws should be changed to reflect what the majority of society thinks, instead of what the powerful, rich select few think. If society determines that it is socially acceptable to using a new infrastructure of distribution to obtain media content, then the law should be changed to reflect that. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about IPOD searches, or my ISP violating my privacy would I? When I’m taking something that I legally purchased from your store and then sharing it with my friends so they can check out the latest songs and movies amount to having my bag searched at the store beforehand. That’s like telling the customer, “Are you going to be making copies of that movie you just purchased. Well if you are I can’t let you leave the store.” It’s ridiculous to compare the two. Usually when they do highway car searches it’s to search for illicit drugs, not whether I’m listening to legal/illegal music on my car stereo. So it would be perfectly ok for them to arrest me if say I had copied some music onto a cassette player and was listening to it in the car. Millions of people did just like that back in the 70’s and 80’s and you didn’t see cops pulling them over and seizing their tapes now did you? Why doesn’t the RIAA and MPAA just get off our back, and sulk in the corner because their method of distribution no longer works, and all they are trying to do is some last ditch attempt to save themselves. I’d much rather give my hard earned money directly to the artists/actors or make good music and films, not a bunch of sleazy overprotective rich scum bags who are dinosaurs no willing to adapt or evolve with the times. The only ones who should be held accountable are the rich movie studios and record execs who buy out politicians and judges to make up their silly laws and then try to impose it on the rest of the world, as though this could be the only rational way of thinking about this subject. This is an experiment on society in general, will see who wins out on this one. When we no longer live in a society that is dictated by a few corrupt corporations only seeking to protect their ill-gained profits, then we might just live in a “fairer place”
Once again, the MAFIAA trots out that lame and trite strawman that piracy = terrorism.
Stupid pigopolists. You want to know who the real terrorists are? The MAFIAA themselves, that’s who.
@ repoman
“Maybe the laws should be changed to reflect what the majority of society thinks”
I agree. That’s precisely what is happening. Piracy has always been in distinct minority in every study in every country. The majority knows this is not proper and never was, and so you are correct, the laws will evolve to reflect that. They are, already.
“I’d much rather give my hard earned money directly to the artists/actors or make good music and films”
Yes, that old canard has been around for some years. Except that you don’t. When was the last time you sent off a payment? LMAO. Liar. By any real measure of support to recorded music or motion picture, you don’t. Perhaps five examples exist in almost 10 years, and half of those were made famous first by industry support. Plain and simple liar.
Everyone claims the high moral ground here. But it’s you who are breaking the law. Indeed, we WILL see who “wins out on this one.” And the lawbreaking minority is not going to like the finale.
Just another ploy to gain further support toward their cause.
LOL. I’m not a terrorist or part of a gang :)
*wink*
We solved this issue with drugs, just make them all illegal, it’s about time we realize that the arts is only for the rich and elite and if you can’t afford it you shouldn’t even be able to look, listen, or learn from an artist… and that’s final!
Wow the RIAA… MPAA… etc etc are just crazy, I hope I demonstrated that well.
Nope….You didnt…??
In fact you is a bit of a SPASTIC..Me thinks…!
ROFL yeah… bin laden is a member of TPB and is, at this very moment, seeding torrents.
In fact no-one has solved the issue with Drugs…Ban something.. it goes underground…It becomes a much bigger issue…Silly Spastic….hehehehe…Ignore something it becomes a fringe issue..Not,so,many,people,know….DURR
Dollop has died..1
Sad Day…!!!!!
SO the RIAA and MPAA (in their own words) are directly responsible for faciliatating the sale of products to fund terrorism.
If they cared so about much saving peoples live then they could stop selling their products. F*cking murderers where responsible for 9/11.. let’s take them to court for facilitating murder.
yeah…Double Yeah……..
DORK
Sorry but this is true to a certain extent, Chinese gangs have slave workers selling pirate DVDs to repay their “debt” for the gang bringing them over from China to the UK. I didn’t read the report, so I don’t know if mentioned this – but there is an example.. however, some kid ripping a crap DVD to his computer and uploading it on torrent is far more dangerous! /sarcasm
@by I am the law
You is a twat…
All studies and reports funded by the MPAA. HAHAHA! Where indie reports?
Excuse me for a brief moment while I laugh my ass off.
MAFIAA = organized crime
Next time these old farts will be telling us tha piracy causes global warming and rampant flatulence. The MPAA and RIAA can quietly fuck off and go back to the 1970s where they belong.
MAFIAA = organized crime = yes
MPAA =Legalised Crime = yes
Conform to an INJUST Law = Nah…
There just needs to be a counter group to the MPAA called the MPAA.
Media Piracy Agency of America!
Two mpaa’s is the answer!
Oh the confusion it’d create where the mpaa denies piracy and then endorses it. Then again when the mpaa says that the mpaa is not a real organization following with the counter mpaa saying they are real.
YES Lets…ooooh such fun..
I cant bleedin wait………
These guys are total bullshit.
New World Order comes to save the day from piracy for the MPAA/RIAA… this makes me so pissed off! Next they’ll be taking your home and car away for piracy offenses. Just you watch! This is getting out of hand and we all need to stand up and stop this!
Looks like The Pirate Bay has a new slogan to use; “Helping to fight terrorists and organized crime every day!”
@48 blah
“Lets just make a fake report, that says some people have funded, and says that most of the investors of the MPAA and the likes are actually useing the profits made from the music industry to fund terrorism.”
There is no need to make a fake one. Here is an example.
- since Hollywood studios are responsible for the majority of the movies sold worldwide, when you buy a legal DVD, a huge portion of the profit goes to the US. Part of this profit goes to the US government as taxation.
- the US government gives more monetary help to Israel in a year, then it gives to all other countries in the world (Including Africa).
- the Israeli government use a considerable portion of that money to by weapons and fund settlements on areas were the Palestinians live, demolishing their houses and forcing them to flee to Gaza.
- the Palestinians live under very poor conditions, with no civil rights and with nowhere else to go. They can’t fight the Israeli army, so they build home-made bombs and blow up themselves in shopping malls full of Israelis.
- so they money you spent on a legal DVD helps to support the Israeli policy against the Palestinians and help to increase the number or suicide-bomber terrorists.
So, downloading movies helps to reduce number suicide-bombers in the Palestine, because our money won’t go the Israeli government to buy weapons to kill innocent people.
This world is up-side-down. Stop the bus, I want to get out of here.
Note: I recommend watching the documentary “Occupation 101″. You all know where to get it!
@26 concerned @31 reasoned mind
All same.
I harpoon now.
death to moby dick.
All the more reason for people to be able to download the stuff for free.
Don’t support terrorism and download your content for free!
Downloading Often Is Terrible –> D.O. I.T.
RIAA&MPAA terrorists? – agree, thye terrorise more americans than any other terrorist group.
Nice.
@Reasoned Mind
We realize what the law says, but what is it that you say. What are your views on art and information.
Should art and information be free to use by all or should it be restricted to it’s current commercial system, and why?
Hang on, kids.
The piracy that RAND summary paper references is piracy that *makes money.* Counterfeiting that *makes money.* The broad changes are (ostensibly) legislation that aims at having the power to take down *money making* operations.
Everyone here is blowing up at them saying intellectual theft is going to become super-illegal. I’m sure, in fact, that they do make allusions to it, but the report itself definitely is aiming at [is trying to aim at] people that are, again, hi, *making money*.
They aren’t saying torrentfreak.com is an evil, terrorist filled place. Now, when they realize that torrentfreak is easier to shut down than terrorists, such laws will be used wrong. Suck. Bad.
BUT. That’s not what the report is about, primarily. It’s about money making.
For the record: I’m against the whole thing *this article thinks the report* is about. Now, as for the report: The report is an interesting look at the fact that piracy is really easy to make money on. And, I am also against what suggestions at the *end of the report* are about.
@97
How liberal of you Stop the Bus
Thats a great idea. Im gonna download few movies, sell them to anyone, then buy myself a weapons, hire few thugs and start a gang !
Im gonna fight then with other gangs for a super private access to all pirate sites all the world and then im gonna be a god. great business plan.
people must’ve been stupid to buy pirated things while they can download them for free.
Nice one. Never tough about it.
@106
And you shall call this gang growing into a new being called the Media Piracy Agency of America!
Just for those interested…
“This report addresses only the first row of the second column in Figure 3.1, the burning or otherwise copying of illegal DVDs for subsequent distribution and sales. This is where the money is to be made — for organized crime and for terrorists as well,” implying that the report is not addressing the second row in the second column, Internet Distribution.
p. 38 Chapter 3
http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2009/RAND_MG742.pdf (the link to the article for those who haven’t seen it above)
The article despite, incredible bias, and copious hedging, does have some interesting (and factual) points about the illegal distribution in physical formats. Some of the facts are down right startling. This being said, the article is still excellent propaganda for MPA to abuse (I say MPA and not MPAA because it was the MPA who provided the grant for and facilitated much of the research. This is not to say the MPAA and RIAA will not enjoy these figures). The article is articulated to be intentionally misleading. The “researchers,” who very careful to cover their backs, are intentional vague, using loose definitions and interchanging words with different connotations and meanings. They use words that can easily be misconstrued to mean something they don’t.
In any real scientific community (social science or otherwise), this article would be a joke. It states very little that isn’t already widely understood, a good portion of its research is based on other peoples estimates and opinions, and most of its conclusions are incredibly biased. If anything, we should all be pissed off that money was wasted created this piece of garbage, and that real professional scientists and researchers have had to subject themselves to MPA and their funding.
The Definition.
terrorist – a person, usually a member of a group, who uses or advocates terrorism.
terrorism – the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes.
If anything, the way the MPAA operates with the legal threats to random people, they could be considered terrorists.
Sharing IS Caring.
So, let me get this straight…
The Big Media Companies are crying to the world that they are losing BILLIONS every year because of so called “piracy”, which they want us to believe includes folks who share digital files. Yet, those same whiners also claim that counterfeiters are raking in billions for their “terrorist” overlords…in spite of downloaders?
Okay, I’m not sure if I’m expressing all of this correctly, but it just sounded funny to me.
Are they saying that terrorists are actually better businessmen than the RIAA/MPAA folks are?
lol! Go figure…
The government has more important things to do. Most countries have so far for the most part ignored the AAs and I think they will continue to do so for awhile to come. Those who do get prosecuted are just part of the AAs witch hunt.
You Wouldn’t Download A Car
You Wouldn’t Steal A Movie
You Wouldn’t Traffick Planes
The only Law the government has, is the ‘legal’ use of force.
Remember that pirateers.
This message is for Stop the Bus
You defnetely have no fucken clue what youre talking about.
Let me give you a bit of history.
1948 more than 5 arabs country attack israel when they just got there official independance approved worlwide and by the united nation. They had nothing no army.
By miracle they won the war and continue to live peacefully until 1967 when again more than 5 arabs country launch a war against Israel. Again by miracle, intelligence and strategic military they won the war and won someterretory (which by the way there is no country in the world that evee gave back terretory after a war that they have been attacked).
then again 6 years later the day the most sacred in the jewish religion more than 5 arabs country attack Israel. Again by miracle Israel won.
Meanwhile while the arabs were plannifying how to destroy Israel(this is one of there official goal) obviously not all the arabs its only a minority
Israel was educating themselves investing a lot of money in education culture and obviously the army to defend themselve better not by miracle but by better army, better soldier, better everything.
Today the result is flagrant:
The one who taught of destroying Israel during all those years all nobody and Israel who only taught of becoming smarter and surviving and focusing on life and NOT DEATH
are at the top.
So before you make stupid comment and link hollywood-tax-u.s. government-israel-terrorism
learn your math by doing the right equation
HAMAS=TERRORISM
ISRAEL=FIGHTING THE TERRORISM
but i guess that you must be one of those who rather see focus on the destructio of Israel then educatig yourself
They really try whatever they can to fight piracy.
They are acting like a pirate is worst than a drug lord
This message is for Stop the Bus
You really have no clue what you are talking about.
Let me give you a bit of history.
1948 more than 5 arabs country attack israel when they just got there official independance approved worlwide and by the united nation. They had nothing no army.
By miracle they won the war and continue to live peacefully until 1967 when again more than 5 arabs country launch a war against Israel. Again by miracle, intelligence and strategic military they won the war and won someterretory (which by the way there is no country in the world that evee gave back terretory after a war that they have been attacked).
then again 6 years later the day the most sacred in the jewish religion more than 5 arabs country attack Israel. Again by miracle Israel won.
Meanwhile while the arabs were plannifying how to destroy Israel(this is one of there official goal) obviously not all the arabs its only a minority
Israel was educating themselves investing a lot of money in education culture and obviously the army to defend themselve better not by miracle but by better army, better soldier, better everything.
Today the result is flagrant:
The one who taught of destroying Israel during all those years all nobody and Israel who only taught of becoming smarter and surviving and focusing on life and NOT DEATH
are at the top.
So before you make stupid comment and link hollywood-tax-u.s. government-israel-terrorism
learn your math by doing the right equation
HAMAS=TERRORISM
ISRAEL=FIGHTING THE TERRORISM
but i guess that you must be one of those who rather see focus on the destructio of Israel then educatig yourself
Sounds like somebody is grasping at straws in an effort to change the minds of a few.
Its true, I saw Bin Laden making a cam of Hotel for dogs in my local cinema
This leads me to the conclusion that by BUYING dvd’s i may be funding the gangs and the terrorists!
That decides it then, I shall only ever download movies for free off the internets!
Its the only way to stop the terrorists!
Reasoned Mind, how UNreasonable of you to think the government has the right to snoop into our private affairs – our cars, our iPods what next our sex lives? Our right to privacy is sacred. Doesn’t matter if everything I do is legal. I want the government knowing as little of me as possible.
And Stop the Bus, I’ve heard your kind of drivel many times before. Sad some people actually believe such crap. Personally, I think if you disarm all Arabs you will have peace in the Middle East, but if you disarm Israel, Israel will cease to exist.
@Unreasoned mind
“I agree. That’s precisely what is happening. Piracy has always been in distinct minority in every study in every country. The majority knows this is not proper and never was, and so you are correct, the laws will evolve to reflect that. They are, already.”
Are you referring to the silent majority here? Prehaps it’s the loud mouth minority that’s trying to dictate what policies should be in place. If there was such a large majority of society that lived by your principals, why don’t they come into the trenches here in Torrentfreak, and back you up then. Where’s your army, Mr.Lobbyist??? It seems to me (based on the overwhelming response here) that the silent majority has spoken. We were silent before, when we were happily sharing our files with each other, until someone showed up to spoil the party, but that can change in an instant, given the right circumstances. Let’s take TPB, why don’t you go on there and find out how many users are signed up on there. Then go to ISOhunt, in fact…look around at how many sites, public and private that exist. Why is that the case? Could it be because there is an overwhelming demand for such services/distribution. If that’s the case then maybe you could open your eyes a little and see that is no small minority that we’re talking about here. The obsolete distribution system that the old boys club has got in place has to go. Evolve, or bow out. Simple as that. As I’ve stated in previous topics, why should I have to go into a store, purchase a cd or movie that ends up being shitty and then because I opened it, I can no longer return it (store policy) because the seal has been unwrapped. Is that how you are suppose to treat customers? But hey it’s legal right, so no matter what it is the only acceptable choice here, anything else is WRONG!!!!! What it boils down to if anything, is that the MPAA/RIAA and the rest of your ilk, can’t stand the fact that there are so many people out there willing to share their legally purchased media content with others. So what do you guys do?
1. Buy out politicians and get them to change the laws so that you can dictate what is acceptable/unacceptable behavior which opposes what the internet stands for in the first place. The FREE exchange of ideas and information to the masses.
2. Now we’re going after the individual users. The RIAA sends out 15,000 lawsuits, in an assemble line fashion, thinking that the majority of participants will shudder in fear, and will go to one of their “settlement conferences” What did that amount to – EPIC FAIL.
3. When going after the individual users fails, attack the legal, legitimate infrastructure in place that allows people to search for .torrent files. The .torrent files themselves only contain data, and has no copyrighted material on them. First send legal threats, which amount to nothing since they only apply in the US (and yes, it’s saddening to see that you guys still think that US laws somehow apply to the rest of the world) Then after that have your big day in court, the prosecution failing miserable, not understanding the technology being used, bringing up false claims (ex. in point…one of the organizations there relying solely on the word of the record execs saying about how they lost sales, instead of having independent research indicating this), attempting to destroy a witnesses credibility by using personal attacks on him, etc.
4. Now go after ISP’s threatening to bring legal action upon them if they don’t comply. Why should an ISP have to comply with such outrageous demands. It’s not the responsibility of the ISP’s to go after their customers for what they are downloading. If you want em so bad, go directly to the users who are offending you. The ISP isn’t making the copyright infringement, the user is. But I guess you don’t have enough balls to after the millions of people who are doing this do you?
5. And now this travesty. Doctoring up a biased case study, citing your “facts” directly by the organizations that are funding these studies. Where is the balance and transparency huh? The answer, there isn’t any. It only exists to do what? To have at least something of substance (which is definitely contested here) to backup all your bogus claims. Now you can trot this around and try to convince everybody that you are somehow right about this issue. You didn’t have anything before proving this so called connection between organized crime/terrorists and piracy. It’s a laughable joke. We all know who participates in piracy. Just us average users on the internet that are only looking for a way to be able to obtain whatever it is that we wish to obtain, and not have any restrictions from that. I can’t wait till the moment that there is a counter study refuting all your so called claims, where we can finally put to rest this nonsense that you keep conjuring up. And what is that purpose again? To save your precious gold lined asses, because you don’t know how you’re going to stop this global phenomena from ending. The conclusion, you won’t.
“Yes, that old canard has been around for some years. Except that you don’t. When was the last time you sent off a payment? LMAO. Liar. By any real measure of support to recorded music or motion picture, you don’t. Perhaps five examples exist in almost 10 years, and half of those were made famous first by industry support. Plain and simple liar.”
And how exactly would you know this? If you are going to call someone a liar, then at least have some proof of this. I just made a statement (not just on my behalf, but on the behalf of the rest of this community) of my ideology towards this matter. I’m sure there would be a general consensus from the rest of us who are involved in this new era of distribution. Methinks you haven’t caught up with the times yet, or you might have realized that this indeed is the case. Why wouldn’t I want to support an artist who has produced something of value to me. If I did this, I would be encouraging the artist to make more work like this. If it was a waste of space/time, then I would discourage this kind of material from being produced again. See how the consumer wins on this. We demand to have good quality culture to exist, not to have the decay of society happen because we are forced to buy in to what garbage is left to exist. If you seem to doubt that this concept actually might work, why don’t you personally go out and fund a study, an independent study that will look to see the correlation between us pirates sharing our stuff, and the aftereffect of increased sales that results from that. You might want to take back some of your bold statements there. I’m not going to reveal to you which artists I support, cause quite frankly it’s none of your damn business. All that really matters is that you are out to prove that the majority of us don’t do this, and when you have a reputable study in hand, then maybe we are getting somewhere then. Don’t make all these assumptions, because you don’t know what you are talking about. With your claim of 5 examples in the last 10 years, could you provide us with that information to back up your claim please. Is that another blind eye that the industry wishes to believe to be the case. You are only fooling yourself when you think that is the impact that has taken place. In the end you lose out, and why? Because you push away all your customers because you think you can mold how we get our media from. And that clearly isn’t the case, looking at how the consumers have spoken. :-)
Their logic seems to be as great as Erasmus Montanus’ in Holbergs comedies.
“A rock cannot fly, mother cannot fly. Ergo mother is a rock.”
That sort of logic.
“People who break the law in violent fashions like being in gangs and beating the bejeezus out of people apparently also download. Therefore, people who download are BAD!”
I assume that no one in their right minds will accept the conclusion up there.
Premise: All gangs pirate.
Premise: All gangs are BAD.
Conclusion: Pirates are bad. (Wait, what?)
Wow, TF and commenters have really outdone themselves this time.
Firstly TF does a beat up on a study produced by a reputable organisation linking organised crime to commercial piracy, seemingly because it is against the agenda being pushed here at TF. I have no trouble believing organised crime is involved in commercial piracy, it doesn’t seem at all far fetched. It’s already known that terrorist organisations use organised crime to fund themselves a long time before this report ever surfaced.
A huge deal is made of the fact that the words counterfeit goods and piracy are used interchangeably: despite the fact that the report unequivocally and openly states that these terms are not the same thing… right at the beginning of the report no less. Non-issue unless you wish to cast it as some sort of sinister attempt at propaganda – which it is not.
Another huge deal is made of the funding sources for this report consisting partially of MPAA etc. members – so what? Since they are interested parties this is completely normal and if you’re going to cast this report in a bad light because of this then a large majority of studies done anywhere should be cast in the same light. But no, it suits your agenda to cast aspersions and doubt doesn’t it.
All in all a ridiculous grabbing at straws to discredit the report despite it being conducted by a respected organisation. Even the title is blatently misleading: the MPAA did not carry out this study – or actually even fund it for Gods sake, it was the MPA. And as pointed out above – the report IS NOT EVEN PERTAINING TO INTERNET DISTRIBUTION… did you even read the report beyond the first page?
How factually incorrect can you get in order to push your bias and agenda TF? – one of the most rubbish laden loads of horsesh*t I have read here. To think that you have the cheek to accuse the anti-piracy agencies of misleading, inaccurate and highly biased infomation – amazing. Sure, I’d agree they do spread misinfomation on a large scale but your own coverage here is just as biased and loaded with made up assumptions to push your own version of propaganda. Pot, keetle, black anyone? They have an industry to protect with misinfomations – so what’s your excuse then?
And then the flow of comments – it appears as though people read the title and then commented: “filesharers are terrorists” was one gem that some idiot pulled out of his over-active imagination despite this not being a feature of the article. But then this is comments – not people representing themselves as “journalists”.
Of course, as far as I can see all but two commenters even questioned the load of pap on display here.
Really, a new low for you TF, terrible, poorly researched “journalism”.
I actually like their logic for a change.
To stop supporting terrorists we must abolish copyright as soon as possible!
@115 Mickael
Yeah, right! What about the history before 1948?
I’m not a religious or political person and I must admit that I don’t know much about History, but the documentary “Occupation 101″ really opened my eyes to what is happening over there. They have very compelling evidence against your theory and about what have been reported for years by the mainstream media outlets.
Anyways, I live in a country where there is no terrorism, no Patriot Acts, no weapons of mass destruction and we love torrents. But we do have a corrupted government, greedy corporations with too much power in their hands (including over the mainstream media) and lots of citizens who don’t have a clue they are being brainwashed for decades. I guess you and I still have something in common.
That’s like a committee of foxes doing a study of hen-houses and you trust them not to eat any of the chickens… right…
and now you all know what the “terrorist” laws are for : WE ALL ARE TERRORISTS !!!
… and coffeeshops too!
Recent intelligence reports that terrorists are using coffeeshops as meetingplaces – maybe we should outlaw coffeeshops as well.
I haven’t read all of this, but it appears theres some people that don’t understand how it works.
Of course, if I was to buy a DVD from my friend Fred – this money hasn’t gone to do funding terrorists or gangs.
My brother-in-law was in the army and was was situated in Iraq, there were large markets that sold copied DVDs. The soliders loved it — they were bored. When he came back to the UK, he had about 50 movies that he’d bought over there.
I imagine some of that money did go towards funding of terrorists – Which is ironic, seeing as the American and British soliders were buying them.
It does happen, but it’s a completely different scene and no way related to the average geek downloading a movie or getting a DVD from a friend.
the mpaa and ifpi are the biggest terrorism organizatons in the world.
they terrorize grandmas, 4 year olds and even dead people.
‘That’s why we download from trackers so we don’t help terrorists, drug dealers, etc’
lulz
of course it will, you overpriced under quality moron stupid has been actor musican nit twits.
Solution
make it free for non commercial purposes and woa no more gangs can sell it
wait terrorists use the internet still HAHA your a joke thinking that one, they know far more then you how much true surveillance isps are doing and use STOLEN cell phones and such ONLY
think about it, do you think they have enough time to download crap and store it then brun it and sell , oh wait the us allows this in afgantistan RIIIIIIGHT
You guys realize that the report specifically talks about the purchase of PIRATED DVDs right? and for the most part they are pretty consistently of crappy quality. My father was out in Iraq a few times so far and he mentioned to me that he had never once in his lifetime seen so many places where it was possible to buy bootleg DVDs. that being said, it is very possible that some of the money being made there is going to help fund terrorist activities.
Some of you should actually read the report before making exaggerated comments, because as proud as i am of being an internet pirate, it only takes a few to make us all look bad.
so before posting, read the report and use your own judgment, Uneducated/Fanatical comments will only hurt our cause.
RAND Corporation : Shaping US public opinion with the CIA since 1948 !
I completely agree with this article. You should avoid buying any DVD/CD because it could be counterfeit, and thus you would be supporting terrorism. The only possible solution to this dilemma is to download all material for free.
It’s a disgrace that these MPAA scum are attempting to float their boat with the blood of the thousands killed on 9/11. This has eviscerated RAND’s reputation with me. They’re sellouts.
No offence but organized crime does not mean gangs.
Gangs are by far not as structured, complex and far fetched operating as the organized crime syndicates.
If a kilo of cocaine is “valued” at $160,000, then these cops fail at math because the street price I’ve seen over the years is not even 1/4 of that, which completely changes the comparison here. Yes, counterfeit DVDs could be more profitable than drugs, but there are a few main differences:
1. There’s more effort involved in producing and selling DVDs
2. There’s less risk, as the average border patrol moron probably won’t suspect a shipment of movies, but they will most certainly panic at the sight of white powder.
Is it worthwhile for the big crime gangs to partake in movie piracy ? I don’t know. Seems kind of backward, and it also seems like they would be doing something to protect their market by shutting others out. I’ve yet to see the asian kid on the corner get gunned down by a bunch of leather-clad italians.
@Eclipse
My concern is that the MPAA and similar agencies will use this study to en-act anti-piracy laws which will (in)directly affect non-commercial distribution of media content. If they can prove the link between counterfeited dvd’s and terrorism/organized crime then it wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that they could convince politicians/public that online piracy has the same link.
Generally when they make laws, they seem to have a much broader spectrum of applications. If an anti-piracy law was legislated that had a much narrower band of scope (ie. specifically dealing with commercialized piracy only) then I would be ok with that. I’m certain the MPAA/RIAA would somehow try to sneak in some clause, that would target us. We know why we do what we do, and it’s certainly nothing to do with obtaining a profit.
I’m not sure if you were grouping my responses to Unreasoned Mind with your observations of the comments in this thread. My rant was only being directed at the connections made by Mr.Unreasoned Mind’s between commercial piracy in his area and online piracy in general. Prehaps our discussion was off-topic, but there was merit to what was being discussed. I haven’t bothered taking the time to read the 182 page report, as I am not to interested in counterfeit piracy material as I don’t support it. I just want to ensure that we are distancing ourselves from the link of commercial piracy and online piracy, something that unreasoned mind wanted to establish.
@Eclipse
I’d love to further hear your views on this topic.
the fact is true but it’s on contries that are not rich or has maffia gangs and some sort of warfare type gerilla or anthing else, but ofcurse human rights alredy nows obaut these things how wapons are boght by terrorist org they are selling anything food elektronics, people are people they will work just to survive. put this in to your heads all geegs how dosent now obaut anything obaut human rights!
OK now their just try to blow stupid shit up the uninformed peoples asses
I’m a teacher — correction — a terrorist/teacher.
the mpaa r behind the times, PEOPLE DON’T BUY COPY DVDS! they dowload them for FREE, it’s not 1995!
maybe TPB shoud change their name into The Terrorist Bay hahahahaha
LOL LOL LOL
MPAA is just fnk desperate…..
So I guess we have a solution how to stop terrorism. MPAA members needs to secrafice since they can stop terrorism. No movies = no piracy, no piracy = no terrorism!
That is true, I agree! The way I see it is that movie companies are directly responsible for producing terrorists!
STOP MAKING MOVIES! STOP MAKING MOVIES! STOP MAKING MOVIES!
So basically they are saying:
“Most terrorists and organised grime gangs are internet-pirates”
and concludes:
“Hence most internet-pirates are terrorists or into organised crime”
Nice going!
Try to get this sort of arguments acknowledged in any sort of scientific institution (good luck)
It’s like that old Monty Python joke about the witch and the duck (Quest for the holy grale)
“Burn the witches!”
I am so sick of all this terrorism crap. Dear George Bush, i hope you die very soon. Oh and since when did gangs evolve from drugs to internet piracy? Whats next? Say no to DVD’s? DVD sniffing dogs? Ebonics speaking pirates?This is another shiny example of a few of America’s greedy trying to police millions….again. The bad thing is they have the money and the right people to back them up. Hopefully Obama will back off the rest of the world and focus on our problems in the states.
who is that George Bush?
@152
Look in the dictionary under “World’s most stupid president” and thats him.
bullshit!
NOTE TO SELF-cease assembly of thermo-nuclear terrorist device.Torrents obviously do more harm!!!!LMFAO
Does it say how much money that Pirating costs the MPAA? Cause if it does, then the Pirate Bay lawyers culd have used it as a source of lost revenue to prove that it wasn’t all Pirate Bays fault.
Most gang member I know don’t even know how to run a computer
You can probably trace any politician to terrorists if you try hard enough.
@repoman
Lol well i was just talking about the thread in general not specifically your comments.
For the most part i would love to see the Pirate community become more unified and have a structure ( World Wide Structure), but of course that would also be the straw that broke the camels back if you know what i mean.
I find that when i read these threads there are a lot of people who just rant and exaggerate without much thought as to what they are saying, and then there are the few that do understand, and can carry an intelligent conversation.
I totally agree with you about the broad spectrum of the laws that could be made, and that could pose a big problem. And yes it does disgust me that they would attempt to use that recent world events in order to further their own political agenda.
I for one am for the free exchange of information on the web, no matter what that information may be ( Books, movies, music, etc.), but it does also make me wonder about the fine line we walk.
As for the subject of Pirates and Organized crime, well that’s a touchy subject. the term pirate can be used very broadly, and so it can encompass multiple groups of people ( Gangs who pirate commercially, Internet pirates – me :D, mafias, terrorist groups, etc.) leaving us in a bad position. I for one think that besides the file sharring community ( those of us who simply promote the free INTERNATIONAL exchange of information and culture on the internet and else), all other groups should be put down.
The bad thing is that the *AA’s want to try group us in with them. We should fight them where ever we can, and oppose them how ever we can, but we should always try to be rational people, and not let our emotions take the best of us.
i think that the way we are going to win this in the end is if we can maintain a good relationship with people of the world and gain their favor, and educate them to the truth. The Internet does not have borders.
So my stance on this report?
well it’s hard to say. i agree with it on certain points and disagree with it as well.
Wow, I’m no better than Timothy McVeigh, the London bombers, George Bush (…oops, how did that get in there?).
I need to turn myself in to the authoritah.
pirated from the movie “V for Vendetta” – “People should not be afraid of they governments, governments should be afraid of their people”
I downloaded a copy of Beverly Hills Chihauhau labeled DVDrip that was actually a cam, yo! Now i’m gonna have to pop a cap in someone’s ass. You feel me?
How American, everything we don’t like is terrorist behaviour.
Yeah right
@ 158
Even if you dont try hard you can
Hey, if they start going after terrorists and leaving us alone, that’s fine by me!
LOL at the israeli propagandists copy/pasting the same bullshit “history-lesson” twice.
“in some areas the influence of these industry lobbyists extends into law enforcement and political leaders, who are bought, intimidated, or induced to create “protected spaces” where misinformation flourishes.”
change a few words and it still fits.
@Eclipse and Repoman. 134, 140, 141, 159.
The people that post such ignorant comments are the ones that won’t ever even see yours. Because yours aren’t the first 3 comments at the top of the page. None of them are looking to have a conversation thats the problem. It’s like this in every disagreement that has ever existed. There are the people on either extreme, who refuse to even listen to what the other side has to say and will just blindly repeat the same thing over and over again. Hoping, if they say it enough, people will agree with them.
Eclipse, You are right in saying that we need to teach people the truth. Many people don’t know how to use a computer, not because they are dumb, but because they think they are more complicated then they are. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve tried to explain torrenting to and they just brush it off as too complicated because it isn’t the one click fix that Napster and such were/are.
My biggest dream is for people to realize that their computer is the only media device they need. I want people to realize that a computer isn’t just something that browses the internet or writes papers. They need to know that their video game console or iPod are just computers with tons of protections built into them, to prevent you from using them the way you want.
Spread the truth people, tell your grandma’s, sisters, friends, and parents what you can do with a computer.
One last tip be as networked as possible and keep backups. : )
Sarah had Joe the Plumber MPA has Joe the terrorist.
All of this boils down to the fact that the people in supposedly free countries are just rats in a cage. In the beginning the government needed us and worked toward helping better their country. Now it has become a self serving line of B.S. I am an American and can’t stand what we have become. We police everything while claiming we are so great and so free. Other countries got along way before us and could continue to do so without our influence. My point is that even though millions of people download, there are millions more still paying for it. They can’t stand someone else having the control. It’s just like game consoles or iphones for example. They sell you a product at a ridiculously high price and then limit what you can do with it. It is mine, I bought it and should be able to do what I want with it. I should not have to search the internet for ways to hack and unlock my purchases. The economy in America is snowballing horribly right now. I’m over here laughing because instead of the MPAA and others maybe using some of their vast wealth to help others and gain respect. They want to go on a crusade to punish people for downloading movies, games ,and music. Things that they have already got millions for. They will spend an insane amount to punish the pirate bay. Money out the window. It’s just like George Bush and his idiots signing a bill to bailout WallStreet. Billions of dollars. Everyone in America could have got over a hundred thousand a piece. Money that would have had people out buying cars, houses, etc. That would have gotten the economy flourishing again, but no. Lets give the rich more money when they were already irresponsible with what they had. So I say that if piracy is terrorism then I am in fact a terrorist. My first act as a terrorist will be to ban government ignorance and bring back large angry picket sign, chanting, and when all else fails we can reinstate the messy but effective street riots.
Its Simple
Download = Free
Free = Nothing for Gangs or Terrorism.
I would say that if you don’t want to give money to Gangs or Terrorism or any other Bully boys you must download.
As a up standing menmper of the public your only option to protect the rest of us is to Download.
This report tells you its the only way to be sure you are not supporting crime.
Long live TPB
Terrorists also eat sh!t and sleep.
I recommend immediate seizure of food dispersal entities, issuance of butt-plugs, and mandatory caffeine infusions!
Don’t want any of our populace to succumb to TERRORISM, do we?
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