Raleigh, Wayne Co. Men Sued Over Film Downloads

[dkelly701]

Raleigh, Wayne Co. Men Sued Over Film Downloads

POSTED: 2:27 pm EST January 20, 2006
UPDATED: 2:30 pm EST January 20, 2006

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Motion Picture Association of America Inc. has filed suit against a Raleigh man and a Wayne County man, alleging they are illegally swapping movies online.

The suits, along with a similar action against a Charlotte man, are part of the film industry's international campaign against film piracy.

"We won't stand by while people steal valuable copyrighted material with no regard whatsoever for the law or for the rights of creative people to be paid for their efforts," Dan Glickman, chairman and chief executive of the MPAA, said in a statement. "With these lawsuits, our message to Internet thieves becomes loud and clear: You are not anonymous, we will find you, and you will be held responsible. You can click, but you can’t hide."

The lawsuits seek damages and court orders against James LaRocco of Raleigh and Rondell Bizzell of Dudley. Under the Copyright Act, damages can be as much as $30,000 for each motion picture illegally copied or distributed over the Internet and as much as $150,000 if the MPAA and studios can prove the copyright infringement is willful.

A 2004 federal report estimated that counterfeit and pirated goods cost the American economy $250 billion a year. A study by investment bank Smith Barney said the motion picture industry lost up to $5.4 billion in 2005 from piracy.
Copyright 2006 by NBC17.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[mecg]

A 2004 federal report estimated that counterfeit and pirated goods cost the American economy $250 billion a year. A study by investment bank Smith Barney said the motion picture industry lost up to $5.4 billion in 2005 from piracy.

It's funny - the report "ASS-U-MEs" people would actually pay for all of those crummy movies if they couldn't download/share them.

[smearbrick1]

All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

In a posting about containing an article related to piracy. Irony can be so ironic sometimes.

[ROF]

A 2004 federal report estimated that counterfeit and pirated goods cost the American economy $250 billion a year. A study by investment bank Smith Barney said the motion picture industry lost up to $5.4 billion in 2005 from piracy.

It's funny - the report "ASS-U-MEs" people would actually pay for all of those crummy movies if they couldn't download/share them.

No it assumes that if people actually spend time and money downloading these movies they must surely want to see it. These people should otherwise have to pay money like the rest of us to see the movie, if not they should be fined and labeled as a criminal. Stealing the movie means you want to see it. Not stealing the movie means if you want to see it you pay for admission. Not paying for admissions means you're a thief who would otherwise pay to see it. It is therefore a lost sale. Even if the thief had no intent on seeing it it's still a lost sale.

You do realize car thieves have no intent to drive the car they steal? is it still theft?

[Wile_E]

I don't condone piracy. I've always been much against it, but why do people insist on using file-sharing programs? You can be tracked. Instead why not use Newsgroups and ask someone to post what you are looking for? I have not heard of one single person being arrested, because they downloaded (not uploaded) music or a movie from Newsgroups.

[jagabo]

I wonder when the MPAA will start suing themselves?

MPAA accused of motion picture piracy

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=29225

Now we know where all those pre-release movies are coming from -- the MPAA members' trashcans!

[RDS1955]

It all started when the "Independants" (forbearers of todays Film & Movie Industry) stole Thomas Edison's ideas and usage of his patents.....

http://libreria.sourceforge.net/library/Free_Culture/CHAPTER04.html

[adam]

Oy not theinquierer again. Click the links at the bottom to read the report on some other sites. If that copying doesn't fall within Fair Use I don't know what does. The only reason the guy even knew the copies had been made was because he got a call from the authorities. That's not copyright infringement, that's preservation of evidence.

[mbellot]

You do realize car thieves have no intent to drive the car they steal? is it still theft?

They must intend to drive it for at least a little while, carrying them suckers is not easy.

Even if the thief had no intent on seeing it it's still a lost sale.

So if someone downloads a movie, it resides on their hard drive (not for P2P use) for some time frame and then it is deleted without ever having been watched - is this person still a thief?

[lordsmurf]

So if someone downloads a movie, it resides on their hard drive (not for P2P use) for some time frame and then it is deleted without ever having been watched - is this person still a thief?

This is really common. People do it because they can. They just stockpile libraries that never get watched, and someday the drive either dies, or they delete the files (accidentally or willfully, either way). As far as I'm concerned they were punished the day they were born. They are stupid. That's punishment enough. The only person they hurt in this scenario was themselves. They wasted their time. Morons.

[RDS1955]

Holding back a little there, ehh Smurf?!?!?!? Come on man, tell us how you really feel..

btw Smurf, glad to se the DigitalFaq.com site back up and running....

[Paul_G]

Downloading copyrighted material is stealing, i doubt anyone would argue that. However i think it rather pathetic to go after the odd file downloader than the hardcore pirates, who clearly do it for a living.

[Colindale]

A 2004 federal report estimated that counterfeit and pirated goods cost the American economy $250 billion a year. A study by investment bank Smith Barney said the motion picture industry lost up to $5.4 billion in 2005 from piracy.

It's funny - the report "ASS-U-MEs" people would actually pay for all of those crummy movies if they couldn't download/share them.

No it assumes that if people actually spend time and money downloading these movies they must surely want to see it. These people should otherwise have to pay money like the rest of us to see the movie, if not they should be fined and labeled as a criminal. Stealing the movie means you want to see it. Not stealing the movie means if you want to see it you pay for admission. Not paying for admissions means you're a thief who would otherwise pay to see it. It is therefore a lost sale. Even if the thief had no intent on seeing it it's still a lost sale.

You do realize car thieves have no intent to drive the car they steal? is it still theft?

How many movies have YOU rented, and decided after watching them
they were not worth the rental fee!

You must work for them, or maybe think your a Saint.

[dvdguy4]

A 2004 federal report estimated that counterfeit and pirated goods cost the American economy $250 billion a year. A study by investment bank Smith Barney said the motion picture industry lost up to $5.4 billion in 2005 from piracy.

I would love to see how they really get these statistics.

[Jester700]

A 2004 federal report estimated that counterfeit and pirated goods cost the American economy $250 billion a year. A study by investment bank Smith Barney said the motion picture industry lost up to $5.4 billion in 2005 from piracy.

I would love to see how they really get these statistics.

Smith bends over, and Barney pulls out the stats.

[dvdguy4]

A 2004 federal report estimated that counterfeit and pirated goods cost the American economy $250 billion a year. A study by investment bank Smith Barney said the motion picture industry lost up to $5.4 billion in 2005 from piracy.

I would love to see how they really get these statistics.

Smith bends over, and Barney pulls out the stats.

LOL

[adam]

I think that is seriosly the funniest thing I have ever read on this forum. Classic.

[mecg]

OK - I can't resist - this has got to be the most rediculous analogy I've seen from you yet:

You do realize car thieves have no intent to drive the car they steal? is it still theft?

I guess for it to work - the thief would have to COPY the car they didn't intend to drive.
You'd still have your car.... Hmmmm.... would you then report it stolen and try to get the insurance?

[whitejremiah]

not that it makes it any more acceptable, but im sure there's people that IF they couldnt get the latest and greatest movie for free, they WOULDNT actually pay for seeing it in the theater....on the flip side of the coin though, im sure there are also people who watch a downloaded copy of a movie, and like it enough to actually go out and buy it when it comes out on dvd...i wouldnt personally count that as being a lost sale, particularly if it was a smaller title that either wouldnt have hit the theaters in that person's area or dropped out of the theaters before they could catch it....and yes, im SURE there are people that stockpile movies/music/whatever else....thats part of the reason some bigger places that sell dvdr sell them in packs of like 600...i dont know ANYONE who could LEGITIMATELY use 600 dvdr in a reasonable timeframe.........(well, i take that back, i know very FEW people, and that would be the people backing up their ENTIRE dvd collections.....myself being one of the people who actually could.....)

[BJ_M]

How much do you have -- calculator


http://qntm.org.nyud.net:8090/owe

[offline]

not news.. moving this /offline