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(The Hollywood Reporter) Scary The copyright lawyers behind the bittorrent lawsuits have finally got their sticky fingers into the porn industry   (thresq.hollywoodreporter.com) divider line 69
More: Scary, porn industry, bittorrent, P2P, John Doe, judiciaries, indie films, US Copyright, U.S. Copyright Group  
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10828 clicks; posted to Main » on 04 Sep 2010 at 3:21 PM   |  Favorite    |   share:  Share on Twitter share via Email Share on Facebook   more»   |    Get this fabulous T-Shirt and impress the methane out of your friends! shirt it!



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2010-09-04 01:32:22 PM
Adult entertainment companies, in particular, likely see the benefit of potentially exposing people

If I could figure out to copy the "Obvious" gif, this is where I would place it.
 
2010-09-04 01:52:33 PM
A "Debbie does Dallas" pic? I mean, really? Your porn reference is still a flick from 1978?
 
2010-09-04 01:57:23 PM
HappyHarryHardOn: A "Debbie does Dallas" pic? I mean, really? Your porn reference is still a flick from 1978?

What I don't understand is why our laws have become so corrupt that a movie that old is still even copyrighted.
 
2010-09-04 02:50:32 PM
HappyHarryHardOn: A "Debbie does Dallas" pic? I mean, really? Your porn reference is still a flick from 1978?

TFA mentions that is one of the films they have been tracking. They get it wrong, though with the protocol they mention. The 'Debbie Does Dallas' lawsuits were downloaded on the eDonkey2000 network. My guess is the extortion racket lawyers see old guys with a taste for 1970's porn using an old and busted p2p system to be likely targets to buck up the $3000 per film watched.
 
2010-09-04 03:25:13 PM
Tomorrow's headline:

College population plummets by 90%.
 
2010-09-04 03:25:26 PM
I can't tell which is the dirties word here: 'porn', 'sticky', or 'lawyers'.
 
2010-09-04 03:31:33 PM
They can have my porn after they pry it from my cold, dead, and slightly sticky hands!
 
2010-09-04 03:33:39 PM
This is probably a good thing. The porn industry, an innovator in all things distribution, will figure out a reasonable compromise between protecting their income, and allowing their product to be easily consumed. An infrastructure and precedent in place the Beta-Max piracy wars will be resolved.
 
2010-09-04 03:34:02 PM
I don't know how to use torrents and I'm not really sure I understand their function and/or purpose.

I thought torrents were bits and pieces of various media shared among other torrent "users" (?) in which fractions of the whole were shared, enabling "users" to download and assemble a complete work, without any individual "user" being responsible for sharing that media without authorization, thereby bypassing criminal and civil liability. I put "user" in quotations because I don't what else to call people who use torrent programs.

I suppose I could hit up Google and find out more, but I'm kinda sleepy.

Anyway... you pirates gonna get sued.
 
2010-09-04 03:37:37 PM
Evan Stone, spaceship captain, pirate-hunter, and now copyright lawyer? Is there anything he can't do?
 
2010-09-04 03:42:58 PM
Now, I thought that the industry was living on the highly accessible and low-cost streaming sites. Bittorrent for fap material is so passe.
 
2010-09-04 03:43:11 PM
xrayspx: Evan Stone, spaceship captain, pirate-hunter, and now copyright lawyer? Is there anything he can't do?

Pee without the burn.
 
2010-09-04 03:46:53 PM
Are they going after those that use MegaUpload and Rapidshare, or is it just torrenting? In that case, why not stick to the former traditional methods and not the latter?
 
2010-09-04 03:49:25 PM
I wonder why nobody uses a good streaming service in this area of business (akin to Youtube) ...
 
2010-09-04 03:49:30 PM
Mudflap: I don't know how to use torrents and I'm not really sure I understand their function and/or purpose.

I thought torrents were bits and pieces of various media shared among other torrent "users" (?) in which fractions of the whole were shared, enabling "users" to download and assemble a complete work, without any individual "user" being responsible for sharing that media without authorization, thereby bypassing criminal and civil liability. I put "user" in quotations because I don't what else to call people who use torrent programs.

I suppose I could hit up Google and find out more, but I'm kinda sleepy.

Anyway... you pirates gonna get sued.


Users then share any parts that they have downloaded, thus making it easier for others to download. The more people download, the easier it is for others to download. It's not that it bypasses liability, it's that it spreads it out amongst many users.

Even if you don't complete the download (say you only get 50% of Debbie Does Dallas) you're still sharing that 50% that you DID download with others, so you're still liable. "Entertainment" companies hire companies to track the IP addresses of those they see uploading bits of these movies (by going on these networks themselves) and then sue your ISP to identify you.

Certain ISPs have been fighting this, but in some cases the ISPs and entertainment industry are incestuous (ie the case in Time Warner) and will likely identify you in the event that you're screwing with some of their intellectual property.

They're mainly after the low-hanging fruit, using outdated P2P software, people they know they can scare into paying them money, so the big time pirates, the ones using proxies, can usually get away with it.
 
2010-09-04 03:51:46 PM
rebelyell2006: Are they going after those that use MegaUpload and Rapidshare, or is it just torrenting? In that case, why not stick to the former traditional methods and not the latter?

I think it's easier to go after sharers than grabbers, so with Mega and Rapid, there would only be one person to go after per upload wheras with the torrents you could have hundreds seeding.
 
2010-09-04 03:51:59 PM
Mudflap: I don't know how to use torrents and I'm not really sure I understand their function and/or purpose.

I thought torrents were bits and pieces of various media shared among other torrent "users" (?) in which fractions of the whole were shared, enabling "users" to download and assemble a complete work, without any individual "user" being responsible for sharing that media without authorization, thereby bypassing criminal and civil liability. I put "user" in quotations because I don't what else to call people who use torrent programs.

I suppose I could hit up Google and find out more, but I'm kinda sleepy.

Anyway... you pirates gonna get sued.


The parts are copyrighted too.
 
2010-09-04 03:52:54 PM
Dear Mr. Fapper,

You are being sued by CumOnSight LTD for illegally downloading the following films:

1. Tight Ass, More Grass
2. Little Suzie and The Big Midgets
3. Land of The Rising Cum
4. My Wife is an Ex-Hooker
5. My New Wife is my Ex-Wife's Pimp
6. Presidential Point of View: Oval Orifice
 
2010-09-04 03:54:41 PM
uE: I wonder why nobody uses a good streaming service in this area of business (akin to Youtube) ...

Because the streaming vids are likely lower quality, and dammit, they want to see every single herpes sore on the porn starlets. Not that... you know... I've used those "streaming porn" thingies on the intertubes.
 
2010-09-04 03:54:41 PM
Silly downloaders. Unless the porn is really hard to find or illegal you can just stream it from a variety of quality websites.
 
2010-09-04 03:59:46 PM
xrayspx: Evan Stone, spaceship captain, pirate-hunter, and now copyright lawyer? Is there anything he can't do?

There is a "briefs" joke there, I just don't have it.
 
2010-09-04 04:03:40 PM
LincolnLogolas: uE: I wonder why nobody uses a good streaming service in this area of business (akin to Youtube) ...

Because the streaming vids are likely lower quality, and dammit, they want to see every single herpes sore on the porn starlets. Not that... you know... I've used those "streaming porn" thingies on the intertubes.


Rest assured it didn't cross my mind you ever did. ;)
 
2010-09-04 04:11:07 PM
LincolnLogolas: Even if you don't complete the download (say you only get 50% of Debbie Does Dallas) you're still sharing that 50% that you DID download with others, so you're still liable.

Well, that's open to abuse. Any digital file is made of ones and zeros. A digital copy of Debbie Does Dallas is no exception. Therefore, by that logic, if I share any files made of ones or zeros, I am sharing a part of Debbie Does Dallas. Of course, ALL computer files are binary, so....

Even if you exempt the ones and zeros themselves, there are sure to be long strings (bytes or even longer) that match up between DDD and any random file.

Related: What Color are your Bits? (new window)
 
2010-09-04 04:22:29 PM
Porn copyrights should expire when you can no longer fap to it.
 
2010-09-04 04:26:23 PM
AntiNorm

HappyHarryHardOn: A "Debbie does Dallas" pic? I mean, really? Your porn reference is still a flick from 1978?

What I don't understand is why our laws have become so corrupt that a movie that old is still even copyrighted.


Come on, 32 years isn't a long time. In 1709 the copyright term in England was set to (up to) 28 years, and the US's first copyright law was based on that.

The latest copyright laws (largely based on international conventions first adopted in Europe) are ridiculous but 32 years is reasonable.
 
2010-09-04 04:29:24 PM
TheManofPA: xrayspx: Evan Stone, spaceship captain, pirate-hunter, and now copyright lawyer? Is there anything he can't do?

There is a "briefs" joke there, I just don't have it.


All I could think of was that he would look like Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer.
 
2010-09-04 04:39:31 PM
I have a question. Doesn't the US Constitution place a strict and defined time limit on patents, copyrights, trademarks, or something?

/ pretty sure I read that somewhere
 
2010-09-04 04:41:37 PM
AntiNorm:

What I don't understand is why our laws have become so corrupt that a movie that old is still even copyrighted.

Google the word copyright and then tell me what you've learned.
 
2010-09-04 04:46:58 PM
Mudflap: I thought torrents were bits and pieces of various media shared among other torrent "users" (?) in which fractions of the whole were shared, enabling "users" to download and assemble a complete work, without any individual "user" being responsible for sharing that media without authorization,

That's how torrents split stuff up, but it's just like that for sake of distributing things without a server, nothing about the structure is designed toward any legal or illegal end. And while they could probably sue any uploader in our messed up courts, I bet they're only going after 'seeders' who have and share all parts of the complete file.
 
2010-09-04 04:52:46 PM
MBA Whore: I have a question. Doesn't the US Constitution place a strict and defined time limit on patents, copyrights, trademarks, or something?

/ pretty sure I read that somewhere

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.

Article 1 section 8 clause 8.
Though the current laws are arguably in violation of that, since thanks to the Micky Mouse Forever act copyrights are currently not 'limited' and will be extended indefinitely as long as they are as old as Disney's stolen first cartoons.
 
2010-09-04 04:54:44 PM
I read somewhere that Disney corp. largely determine US copyright law. Every time Snow White and the Seven Dwarves comes up to the copyright limit, Disney bribes lobbies the politicians to extend the limit. They always do.
 
2010-09-04 04:57:49 PM
Suede head: I read somewhere that Disney corp. largely determine US copyright law. Every time Snow White and the Seven Dwarves comes up to the copyright limit, Disney bribes lobbies the politicians to extend the limit. They always do.

It's actually Steamboat Willie that riles them up. You will never see a version of Mickey becomes public domain...they'll make sure of it.
 
2010-09-04 04:59:38 PM
AntiNorm: HappyHarryHardOn: A "Debbie does Dallas" pic? I mean, really? Your porn reference is still a flick from 1978?

What I don't understand is why our laws have become so corrupt that a movie that old is still even copyrighted.


Came here to say just this.
 
2010-09-04 05:03:05 PM
1. I've never heard of this torrent shiat. I really don't know much about downloading music and movies.

2. This strikes me as odd, and nearly a death knoll for professional porn. Make it difficult or expensive to watch pro porn when there is a near infinite supply of amateur porn and I think most people would rather fap to amateurs.

Prior to internet, if one wanted porn, one bought discs or tapes at inflated prices. Amateur was a nitch, localized market at best.

Normally, I think the porn industry is pretty much up on cutting edge mentality, but I do not see it here.
 
2010-09-04 05:04:02 PM
Steele isn't the only lawyer seemingly influenced by path-breaking lawsuits filed earlier this year by the U.S. Copyright Group against thousands of alleged pirates of "The Hurt Locker" and other indie films.

See that was the dumbest thing ever.
That movie was BAD. Well, it was a poor script, overproduced and grossly overhyped. It wasn't losing money to downloaders- it was losing money because IT SUCKED. It's hardly Academy Award material.

It was a grossly fictionalized account of war. Not just technically inaccurate on many points, but presented ridiculous situations as "reality"- the child "body bombs", the guy who was an innocent bystander locked into a suicide bomb and forced to walk to the checkpoint, begging for help in getting the bomb off. No, that's not Iraq- lots of shiat happened, but NOT THAT shiat. It would have been ok if it was aliens coming down, but presenting a war movie on a war you didn't even Google is crap.

I found the main character to be a Mary Sue character- who succeeds for no good reason, and you're supposed to be thusly amazed- but he was a uniquely unlikeable character as well. He was a total dick to his squad members and was generally reprehensible. I wanted him to get blown up so many times.
 
2010-09-04 05:06:37 PM
Coconice: Normally, I think the porn industry is pretty much up on cutting edge mentality, but I do not see it here.

They were selling videos by download long before iTunes.
 
2010-09-04 05:15:22 PM
12349876: Coconice: Normally, I think the porn industry is pretty much up on cutting edge mentality, but I do not see it here.

They were selling videos by download long before iTunes.


The downloading thing, I get.

Protecting future movies, I get.

Coming up with an improved distribution system that gets them revenue while protecting the privacy of their clients, I get.\

Pissing off, alienating, and generally inconveniencing their fan base with the current litigation, I do not get.
 
2010-09-04 06:07:30 PM
damageddude: Adult entertainment companies, in particular, likely see the benefit of potentially exposing people

If I could figure out to copy the "Obvious" gif, this is where I would place it.


If they use the same tactics of the RIAA, it is only a matter of time before they 'expose' the wrong person.
 
2010-09-04 06:18:32 PM
I'm confused. So if I click on a link that takes me to Rapidshare (or Megaupload or whatever) that will allow me to download, "Some skank on another skank or whatever," some lawyer's gonna be all up in my ass?
 
2010-09-04 06:22:54 PM
Here's the lawsuit filed on behalf of Hard Drive Prods, owner of the website Amateur Allure.

The guy with the small prick is suing, lol.

tolallorti: Silly downloaders. Unless the porn is really hard to find or illegal you can just stream it from a variety of quality websites.

Link pls.
 
2010-09-04 06:35:06 PM
erupt2001: Google the word copyright and then tell me what you've learned.

Without even Googling anything, I can say that the original intent of copyright law was, in the words of the founding fathers, "to secure for a limited time" the exclusive right to make copies of something you produced. In other words, the idea was that if you want to keep being paid for your creativity, fine, but the tradeoff is that you have to keep creating.

Life plus 75 years is not a limited time. It may as well be life plus 500 years.
 
2010-09-04 06:41:39 PM
Mudflap: I thought torrents were bits and pieces of various media shared among other torrent "users" (?) in which fractions of the whole were shared, enabling "users" to download and assemble a complete work, without any individual "user" being responsible for sharing that media without authorization, thereby bypassing criminal and civil liability.

Your explanation of the technology is correct.

However, it's not correct to conclude that a torrent user therefore "bypasses criminal and civil liability".

If you argue in court that you're innocent because you only distributed little encrypted bits of data that could only theoretically be reassembled into a whole work, the judge's eyes are going to glaze over. Technological trickery does not impress them. All your carefully-constructed technical arguments can be dismissed with a casual wave of the judge's hand. They care much more about your intentions.
 
2010-09-04 07:06:18 PM
MBA Whore: I have a question. Doesn't the US Constitution place a strict and defined time limit on patents, copyrights, trademarks, or something?

Yes and no. The time that a copyright lasts in the US is defined by Congress and applies from the moment of creation of the work.

Congress, however, can retroactively extend the term of a copyright. (see Eldred v. Ashcroft), and the Sonny Bono (aka Mickey Mouse) Copyright Term Extension Act.

Essentially, Eldred admits he argued the wrong angle before the Supreme Court. Extending the term of existing copyrights does not promote the arts and sciences. But you can google that explanation.
 
2010-09-04 07:37:53 PM
Yeah, doggone lawyers just can't resist keeping their desperate, sticky icky fingers out of the honey pot.

i888.photobucket.com

/oh bother
 
2010-09-04 07:45:34 PM
Thanks for the informative replies, folks. I know more about this torrent stuff than I did earlier this afternoon.

(ya'll gonna get sued!)
 
2010-09-04 07:58:44 PM
This is why I download the home made stuff.
 
2010-09-04 08:32:41 PM
srtpointman: This is why I download the home made stuff.

Actually, the latest thing in the porn industry is the so-called "amateur" stuff. Chances are, most of the "home made" porn videos are made in studios.
 
2010-09-04 08:46:32 PM
rebelyell2006: srtpointman: This is why I download the home made stuff.

Actually, the latest thing in the porn industry is the so-called "amateur" stuff. Chances are, most of the "home made" porn videos are made in studios.


If by "latest thing" you mean "since 1970".
 
2010-09-04 08:48:33 PM
tolallorti: Silly downloaders. Unless the porn is really hard to find or illegal you can just stream it from a variety of quality websites.


Yeah xvideos is just about your one stop shop for free porn of almost any category of porn you can think of. Whether you like barely legal, teens, mature, forced, BBW, whatever, pretty much no reason to download virus infected porn anymore.

Also, usenet and IRC are things I'm told you can use for your downloading needs if you're trying to skip all the torrent stuff.
 
2010-09-04 08:52:02 PM
Just hide your ip.
You can do it free or pirate a program that will do it for you.
Problem solved.
 
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