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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70 Responses
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!
what a bunch of cunts
What is illegal about translating and posting subtitles?
Internet “piracy”/copyright theft and all that, is a very hot topic right now and every hot-shot, two-bit laywer wants to get their fecking snout in the trough. Picking on little targets like this, is easier than having to take on those who know how to play the game, like Mini and TPB.
This is a new low in the world of special interests. What’s next? Stop blind people from printing out braille copies of books?
Anyone else here as disappointed as me that we’re human?
People, get out and fucking vote. If you dont vote, nothing will ever change and they will piece by piece make anything illegal (including breathing aka “oxygen piracy”) to enforce their “imaginary property”, the oil of the 21st century, as Getty nicely put.
The US is kinda fucked, since there are no third parties you could vote for, but in europe we could get STRONG 2009, when pan european elections are held. So please people, fellow filesharers, networkers, freethinkers, get political and get out and change something. This kind of extremist copyright fascism can and must not hinder out free communication and access to culture any longer.
Muuh-gnu – there is a US Pirate Aprty, although it didn’t get qualified in any states in time to be on this years ballots.
The European Pirate aprties are aiming on a run for the european parliament for the 09 elections.
People can find their loacl party on the website.
Doctor Who, not Dr Who. =P Some nitpicking from a fan of the series.
This is stupid.
Why don’t we get a full list of this anti-piracy corporations emails and just flood/spam the heck out of them?
Something to screw with them.
To everyone suggesting spamming/other unsavory action against these corporations, stop being ridiculous. It would accomplish absolutely nothing, other than show the groups that pirates are indeed criminals.
The problem is that yes subtitles are most likely copywritten as the script will be. As most of the subtitles will follow the script (except parts where improvisation was used) then it will fall under the copywrite of that script. It’s wrong. Copywrite will never work, EVER!
This is similar in content to sites like ultimate-guitar who have user posted Tabs and chords for songs written by the users. I think there was a court case or at least a law that says this sort of thing is legal, I’m wondering if there is anything similar in regards to subtitles?
lol fap
All those anti-P2P are just BULLIES. They have no desire for creativity, therefore just have to “bully” the rest of us. One of these days they are going to “push” the wrong person or group, and really “get it” in the most painful way. It’s only a matter of time, and place. Bullies can only go so far. When that happens, they are going to find out how unsympathetic will the world be towards them. Money cannot heal the pain. They might get some “relief”, but not the healing. Again, it’s only a matter of time, and place.
You can only read what they want you to read…. Sounds fair!
ok this is definitely a load of b.s. but seriously their name is FAP LOL 4chan should sue…
> “Epic lolz could be had!”
lolz? LIEK U MEEN LULZ, RITE?
No, I’m not them :)
polish site “napisy.org” (in polish – “subtitles”) were closed by police few months ago and all administrators and few translators has been closed down in prison awaiting trial. They relased’em and, as i heard, they have no evidence and the site will be back soon.
I think that this case might be similar.
Why so few “fap” jokes?
on the music side, sites providing .CUE files are also getting shut down, its been happening for a few years now…
@34
I agree, but it stands to reason that these greedy corporations must be brought down one way or the other. A general boycott must be the only way this will happen. If anyone already downloads things for free, then there is no need to legally buy it later. Why give ANY money to these greedy corporations who care not a single jot about the greater good of the public?
For fuck sake, it just subtitles. I didn’t know subtitles are copyrighed until today.
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^
Agreed with #11.
Discriminating against deaf people. That is a low act. This spanish anti piracy outfit need the shit beaten out of them.
Someone from the environmental organization should send a cease and desist to the MPAA to stop wasting so much paper on stupid letters.
Bunch of cowards, fuck copyright, fuck patents, fuck the global worst than nazi u$a imperialist totalitarism
rofl, FAP. As 21 said, a bunch of wankers.
Damn I’m getting tired of these private organizations being above the law.
Fuck the (C)
they want the money so that they could buy more material to fap on…
I hate to be the one to say it, but if you’re American, then you should vote for Ralph Nader. Obama and Clinton are corporate puppets.
You’re upset at this, and so should you. The root of the problem though is corporate power getting out of hand.
You sick of this bullshit? You’re American? You CAN do something about it: stop believing the corporate propaganda you see on corporate TV which tell you you have the choice between Corporate candidate 01 and corporate candidate 02.
Ralph Nader is running for President, and if every American file sharer voted for him, he would at best get elected, and at worst send a strong wake up call to corporate owned politicians…
Learn more about Ralph Nader. He’s the reason why you have seat belts and air bags in your car… The whole “2000 spoiler” is another corporate lie. Bush actually lot the elections until the Supreme Court reshaping of history. But no one wants you to remember that.
Fucking shit, when are we going to be done with this stupidity?
I give the MPAA/RIAA nazis 1 thing. They are quite consistent when it comes to screwing their customers over a nickel. I can’t wait till the revolution comes and those clowns, along with our esteemed Idiot-in-chief, are first against the wall for the firing squads.
That is fucking stupid!
Who did that to suing Wikisubtitles!
What the fucking wrong with you!
I hate you, Spanish!
I hope 2012 will be coming to
end of the world.
god damn it, why does this shit always happend
I never heard anything more heartbreaking.
They do it ALL for a very good purpouse and they spend freetime to make things easier for other people…!
Lol, FAP. It does sound like they are good at faping.
They anint nothin’ but gold diggers for real.
…They’re called “FAP?”
My god, this could only happen in Spain.
I think I’ll have to ask before saving smtg in notepad ’cause you never know who’s gonna suit you for saving a link or a phrase of his in your PC..
TPB should start a subtitle service.
The only thing that could possibly be illegal (and im not even totally sure) is the ripped subtitles. Some legal movies i have (danish subs), when the movie is over it sometimes says the name of the translator and then the copyright logo and some firm name. But the homemade subs? Whats next i can buy a cookbook, but am not allowed to cook after recipes? Come on…
Sharers schould unite, and demonstrate in front of the office or whatever rathole these anti-piracy groups are located in.
The teens of Copenhagen did when their hangout got stormed by the police. That ended sympathi demonstrations in a lot of countries, and it seems to pay of for them. If a bunch of EMO-kids can get political influence, why shouldn’t we be able to?
Pff what are they trying to accomplish here, they got more stuff to take care on internet than shuting down one of the best subtiles place with work from everyone serioulsy .. its not like it wont come back or that it will stop people watching stuff with subtiles or doing them ..
So much money wasted for nothing ..
shame on them
Here in Spain we suffer the harassment of FAP, SGAE and other lobbies that protect the “artists” and companies from the “pirates”. Now we have to pay a fee for EVERY CD, DVD, hard drive, memory card, iPod, disc burner…even sheet paper pays (because you might try to copy the lyrics of a song). It doesn´t matter if you use the cds to copy your own pictures. You pay in advance “just in case”.
65,
It happens in many other places. MPAA (and others) sent “cease and desist” letters to The Pirate Bay. If you have a look at TPB webpage is fun to read these letters and the TPB’s answers.
As far as I know, Windows (R) Vista (TM) uses 10% of your computer’s resources just to check that you’re NOT using copyrighted material. Please correct me if I’m wrong. iTunes Store is removing the DRM stuff to improve sales.
I decided not to buy more Sony products because a MP3 player restricted the number of copies to/from the PC, suggesting that I could be making illegal copies.
Here in Spain we fight them back. They lost when they sued a hotel because they were playing music on the lobby´s sound system. The hotel answered that they were using public domain music, and the judge determined that it was SGAE’s task to demonstrate that the hotel was using copyrighted material. Otherwise it would be what the law calls “prueba diabólica” (devil’s evidence, I don’t know the name in English/USA law, sorry), something impossible for the person or entity judged.
I’m afraid it’s more or less the same stuff all the world around.
Two examples:
If you sing (or hum) “Happy Birthday” in the USA you have to pay rights. The same applies to the “Internationale” (YES) in other countries.
If we don’t fight against the 75-yeras-after-death copyright law we’re lost.
I just found this. Translation follows:
“23 de Mayo de 2008
La FAP ha encontrado la mejor manera de hacer propaganda
La Circular de la FiscalÃa General del Estado, que declara que el intercambio vÃa P2P no es delito, no ha gustado a la FAP”.
“23rd of May 2008
FAP has found the best way to make propaganda
The Spanish General Attorney’s document stating that P2P exchange is not a crime was not liked by FAP”
If you want to read in full (in Spanish, blokes):
http://www.filmica.com/david_bravo/archivos/007735.html
Someone posted on the official site that http://wiki.nfhh.org has all the users and subtitles wikisubtitles had before they were shut down. At least, my account worked.
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