WikiSubtitles Taken Down By Spanish Anti-Piracy Outfit
Written by enigmax on May 20, 2008A site specializing in creating video subtitling for the benefit of foreign and deaf Internet users has been closed due to the threat of legal action. WikiSubtitles received a cease and desist from the Anti-Piracy Federation (FAP) and is now offline pending legal advice.
Yesterday the collaborative subtitle creation site WikiSubtitles received a cease and desist letter from a Spanish anti-piracy outfit, as explained by the admin, Smalley:
“Today I received a beautiful copy and paste notification from the Anti-Piracy Federation (FAP), which warns me that if we do not close the site, they will take legal action against me. I will engage a lawyer to advise me, but we may close Wikisubtitles temporarily as we clarify the matter. I hope from my heart that this is not the end of Wikisubtitles.”
Initially it appeared that the site’s host, BlueHost closed the site after the complaint, but that closure seems to have been lifted after some legal issues were addressed. However, the site is now voluntarily closed pending a proper legal evaluation by WikiSubtitles’ lawyer.
Although there are many cases of subtitle files that are ripped from DVD, the communities at sites like WikiSubtitles have their own translators who create custom subtitles for tv programming and movies. The subtitles are created by enthusiasts from scratch using tools provided by the site, for the benefit of those who don’t understand the original language and for the deaf. A user at WikiSubtitles hopes that no data has been lost as a result of the shutdown as along with friends, they were right in the middle of manually subtitling some Dr Who episodes.
WikiSubtitles is not on its own in receiving such threats. Alexe1, the admin of SoloSubtitulos has also been on the end of similar treatment, and he advises Smalley to “simply ignore these emails.” Alexe1 maintains his site is entirely non-commercial, doesn’t distribute copyrighted works, and falls short every month when it comes to raising enough cash to pay the hosting bills.
Like many, Alexe1’s motivation for creating his own subtitles was so that a disabled family member could enjoy what he was enjoying: “I personally write subtitles because my grandmother was born deaf and with those subtitles she is now able to enjoy current TV series and movies.”
“How do you think this fact would look in a trial?”
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76 Responses
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What the heck is wrong with these people??
Wow that sucks. Its all about the money ;\
why cant we all just get along?
mo’ money.
Geez. Now anti pirate translators are getting into the act of suing for more money? Hey anti scum pirates why not sue every single person in the world for breathing the same air as you do.
Alexe1 and WikiSubtitles are just trying to help foreign and deaf internet users. Have some sympathy for those people.
Greed gets them all.. Boycot purshasing CDs n DVDs, best way to show them that we dont like what their doing.. sales will go down as will they if they dont change their ways.. I will one day wet willy them all in the ear and nose and say: We the people, do not like you.. ..hic!
It’s one thing taking a site down for the distribution of Movies and TV Shows, but another altogether when they take down subtitle files that could be used just as easily with legally purchased content as content acquired through other mediums.
Arseholes.
Not only that - how the hell to they hhave the copyright to the subtitles? They didn’t write them, didn’t make them, didn’t copyright them, didn’t have the idea first - the translators, however, had all of these. This is fucking illegal - it’s damn terrorism, and, if I get my hands on some millions I can guarantee to you that teh first thing I’ll do is buy a fucking offshore island, get some satellite connections, and host all of the world’s pirated stuff there - and also, completely legal subittiles like these.
This is fucking terrorism. They’re blocking people’s access to culture. So they can fuck off!
This is ridiculous. I agree with #6. If you haven’t already stopped buying cds and dvds from major labels/studios, you should start now. Every copy of “Transformers The Movie” you buy on dvd is supporting companies like these to bully little sites like wikisubtitles. I can’t wait till the entire music and film industry is destroyed. That will be a great day.
Right or wrong if you receive a legal threat you usually take notice. It is not a case of winning or losing a court case. It is the cost of going to court and the risk of losing. And if you are not commercial them you have to close.
He should host the files on his own decentralise network like http://www.Dargens.com (anyone can make their own anonymous net on this site) then no one could take them down.
He could then use his site for providing tools to make sub titles etc.
For fuck sake, it just subtitles. I didn’t know subtitles are copyrighed until today.
I’m gonna make another Subwiki if this keeps being down.
In one word…. BASTARDS.
Ohhhhhh, stuff like this makes me sooo fucking mad, wish i had the talent and resources to DDOS or hack these scum.
Like another poster mentioned, never knew subtitles could be copyrighted, WTF???? whats next? screen caps copyrighted? fonts used for opening credits copyrighted?
SOMETHING has to be done,and we have to get together to smash these insects, if i think of something will let you know and if YOU think of something… let US know so we can join you.
If only we could get all these fuckers in one place and get all filesharers in the same place… we would out number these punks thousands to one and then could club them to death.
http://www.ezee.se/
Actually i believe torrent websites (and from now on subtitle sites too apparently) should collaborate and take legal actions against organizations like that FAP etc. They are threating people with no basis for a case whatsoever. They must learn they can’t intimidate people without a reason and when they do, they will receive good punishments: not only paying the legal fees,but also for covering the damages they caused. (maybe they make $10000 a day through ads and they receive 1000 new users a week,bad publicity..)
Number 13, your absolutely right, the idiots are outnumbered, we must fight back!
I hope the case goes to court and the court orders FAG…..i mean FAp to pay huge damages for harrasment and false litigation
Dirty swines
next we better watch how we speak, it could be the same line in a movie, but when are you all going to give in and bend over for the US government and there greedy corperate companys, thats what they want, take it like a man :-S but i feel sorry for the rest of there people, your in a country that whats to run the world and strip it for all its wealth, me as like many i know WONT buy anything made in america just to help prolong the day they do end up owning us all
@6:
Would look good if they tried to sue 80%+ of the internet users…
I’m thinking it could create some huge riots, demonstrations etc. to press the politicans to change the copyright policy.
After all, it seems like copyright is a political issue.
Subtitles?
Wtf?
That’s kinda dumb, although you have to consider the fact, that pirated dvds sold in the streets, may just in case have these subtitles on, making the movie industry buy fastfood since they lose so much money because of this.
lol fucking morons, closing title site for legal notice omg
I think “FAP” pretty much sums them up pretty nicely. Bunch of wankers.
Subtitles are illegal ??? ! ! ! ???
am i dreaming ?????????????????????
USA and EU should change their LAW.
FUck damn FUCK, now they are suing for TEXT file which is maximum 50kb created via notepad which takes maximum 3-4 hours..
Grow Up mother fuckers, what’s going on?
It’s better to live in Stone age.
Hope they Sue me, i swear i will FUCK them up tightly. They are just too much. once again FUCK YOUUUUU ! ! !
there’s gold in them thar hills
I was going to buy a movie DVD once. I decided not to, since I could download the subtitles instead.
Seriously. This is pathetic.
Is there any way to get Anonymous involved in this? Can we convince them that the RIAA, MIAA, FAP, and all other lawsuit-based corporate fronts are in cahoots with Scientology? Epic lolz could be had!
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