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You can click, you can hide, but can you sanitize your DNS records? (Source: MPAA)
Anti-piracy company's decoy betrayed by WHOIS records

Several days ago, anti-piracy watchdog MediaDefender launched MiiVi.com, a decoy piracy site claiming to offer "fast and easy video downloading."  It displayed copyright by "MiiVi, Inc," and mentioned no affiliation with MediaDefender, the movie industry, or Hollywood in general. The site's spartan layout enticed users to download a special MiiVi client, which would supposedly unlock access to the site's cache of full-length movies.

ZeroPaid.com, acting on a tip from The Pirate Bay, called MiiVi out late last Tuesday. The proof behind their accusations lies in archived WHOIS records, showing that MediaDefender registered MiiVi.net and MiiVi.com in February and March of this year.

Soon after the callout, MediaDefender took MiiVi down and updated their domain registration records. Currently, MiiVi.com is a parked page at GoDaddy, and the site's WHOIS records are now cloaked by a privacy service. However, MiiVi.net's WHOIS records point to MiiVi, Inc. and include an address that is the same as the address listed on MediaDefender's contact page.

According to "soulxtc" of ZeroPaid.com, in addition to baiting users to download illegal movies, the client also scans users' hard drives for downloaded content; a sharp contrast to MediaDefender's own stated policies and tactics, which in bold print claim the company only uses "non-invasive technological countermeasures."

MediaDefender's clients include the Motion Picture Association of America, record labels, and others in Hollywood. They are no stranger to these tactics and, together with other companies, have been responsible for providing bogus content to peer-to-peer networks in the past.

Update 07/10/2007: MediaDefender CEO Randy Saaf claims the accusations made by ZeroPaid and other outlets are completely false.  His response to DailyTech can be read here.

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Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By sxr7171 on 7/6/2007 2:39:44 AM , Rating: 5
Wow, deceptive. That is illegal for sure and the fact that they scan users' hard drives, they should be sued out of business.




RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By Proteusza on 7/6/2007 4:18:57 AM , Rating: 5
This is the kind of thing that makes me avoid the record and movie industry.

the games industry hasnt quite reached this level of idiocy, but its getting close.

one thing that I always think is stupid is how much money they spend on anti piracy measures, vs how much they stand to gain. Lets face it, the bulk of people who pirate cant afford the media anyway. You dont gain a customer by stopping them, you gain nothing. millions of people in asia, russia, and africa just cant afford these things, so that isnt lost revenue.

whats more, they turn off potential customers like me, who can afford these things. I will not buy anything with a rootkit or any other program that tries to verify its authenticity by compromising my computer (excluding Windows, I have no choice there). If the price I paid in currency terms isnt enough to get it to work without compromising my pc, then I wont buy it.

Everybody says that these big businesses have internal statistics that prove to them such extreme anti piracy measures are worth it to the bottom line, but really, I wonder if the decision maker has accurate information or uses appropriately.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By kalak on 7/6/2007 7:46:36 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
I will not buy anything with a rootkit or any other program that tries to verify its authenticity by compromising my computer ( excluding Windows, I have no choice there )


GREAT comment !!! :-)))


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By TomZ on 7/6/2007 8:52:50 AM , Rating: 2
Will you guys please give it a rest with the "I have to buy Windows" rhetoric? Do we have to again review the list of readily available alternatives?


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By PrinceGaz on 7/6/2007 9:30:33 AM , Rating: 3
You have to use Windows to play most PC games.


By omnicronx on 7/6/2007 10:24:10 AM , Rating: 5
and p0rn just isnt the same on linux (that damn penguin is always watching)


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By Nightskyre on 7/6/07, Rating: -1
By omnicronx on 7/6/2007 11:43:01 AM , Rating: 5
And you should have taken the choice to not write a reply.
You don't 'need' to do anything on a computer, as far as i know once upon a time there were no computers. A computer in itself is a luxury, you dont have to watch videos, you dont have to listen to music, you dont have to search the net, hell you dont need to type up your report.
quote:
if you're sacrificing your money to the game, you may have to "compromise your PC" to install Windows to play that game.

I would say most people should be much more worried about compromising their PC's surfing the net as installing a game would be much less 'comprimising' then surfing will ever be.
So in then end, any one of those things can be considered 'moot' depending what you use your computer for, if you only plays games its obviously not, then everything else is moot.. if you never play games then you are right, it all depends on how you use your computer.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By TomZ on 7/6/07, Rating: -1
By Arramol on 7/6/2007 1:31:18 PM , Rating: 3
I choose my operating system based on what does what I want it to do. Having the ability to play PC games is worth the drawbacks of Windows in my mind, so I'm willing to put up with it. That doesn't mean I'm willing to put up with anything and everything, however.


By crazydrummer4562 on 7/12/2007 3:41:03 PM , Rating: 2
You don't have to do anything in life besides eat, breathe, piss and defecate. So basically pulling that argument on anything aside from what is listed above is invalid.


By Xerstead on 7/8/2007 5:07:56 AM , Rating: 4
quote:
You have to use Windows to play most PC games.

Did everyone else read this differently to me?
In order to play games on a PC Windows would be required.
Most games do not run on Linux or the alternatives and list MS Windows in the system requirements.
Not 'I MUST play games on my PC' as all the comments seem to imply.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By mindless1 on 7/6/2007 10:08:33 PM , Rating: 3
Oh boo hoo, we're not supposed to have an opinion if it doesn't align with yours? You already knew you were wrong even before you posted.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By TomZ on 7/6/07, Rating: 0
RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By harshbarj on 7/7/2007 5:07:06 AM , Rating: 3
Normally your posts are highly intelligent tom, But this one is downright dumb. The fact is if you want to play games you must run windows. It's not a choice. Other than windows you really only have one other choice, Linux (as mac is not truly a choice as you need new hardware / software). As most current game will not run on Linux it's not a choice. So that leaves us with one choice, Windows. So yes if you want to play real games, windows IS forced on you.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By TomZ on 7/7/2007 10:45:35 AM , Rating: 1
OK, fine - I'll admit it - if you want to play Windows games, they you have to buy Windows. I guess I thought playing Windows games was something a person decided to do, but maybe I'm wrong about that.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By harshbarj on 7/7/2007 5:36:11 PM , Rating: 2
Are there really any other type of games? With most games being windows only it's hard to suggest any other platform. Sure macs have their games but they lag behind widows by years if they ever get the game (and they are forced to pay full price for a game that is 2-3 years old). A quick search on newegg shows bf1942 is 19.99 for the pc and 36.99 for the mac, ut2k4 is 12.99 for pc and 24.99 for the mac. You also have to buy a new computer to run the mac os so that alone makes the move to the mac os unrealistic for many people.

As for Linux it's even worse. Practically no good games exist that will run on Linux natively (wine really dose not count as it buggy and not simple to setup). only game I know of is ut2004 and I have yet to get that working (as epic will not support that version and will not answer my support questions).

Your trying to make it sound like both mac and linux are swarming with high quality games, I know thats not true as I have tried to switch many times. As most games are "windows" games that is the platform you have to use to get the most choice. Sure you can game on the mac or linux, I have never said you can't, but by doing so you cutting yourself out of most of the market and choosing to pay more for older games.

so in that sense , yes it's a choice.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By TomZ on 7/7/2007 11:17:08 PM , Rating: 3
quote:
Are there really any other type of games?

Sure, how about the tons of games available for PS, XBOX, and Wii?


By harshbarj on 7/8/2007 3:41:55 PM , Rating: 2
I though we were sticking to computers as the op was referring to his pc and not his xbox/ps. If you want to be that way why involve electronics at all and stick to board games (ya know like scrabble, sorry, and the like?). The simple fact is most of the best games are on windows first (and then later on the mac if your lucky).

Now if your not picky about that games you play then sure any os or game system will do you fine.


By TomZ on 7/8/2007 10:03:04 PM , Rating: 1
Hey you "have to buy Windows" types - you forgot to downrate the above comment!


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By GotDiesel on 7/7/2007 2:25:54 PM , Rating: 2
drag yourself into the 21st century dude.. one does NOT have to have windoze to play games...

and the subject of the post.. in American law it's called "entrapment".. jeez these ppl are in for a big surprise..


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By harshbarj on 7/7/2007 5:48:00 PM , Rating: 3
Sure if you want to play tux racer on Linux or whatever comes with the mac today (os 8 came with a puzzle). but if you want to play todays games then windows is a requirement (last I checked eve-online was windows only, the game I mainly play and one of the last things keeping me on windows).

Sure on the mac you can run bootcamp but then your just running windows( and affirming my point). Your also paying twice to run one game. even if you decide to run parallels it's not 100% compatible and will cause some problems with some games.

On linux you can try to use wine but in the years I have been trying the best I got was to run the installer for bf1942. The game itself crashed and never ran.

To take a line from apple, gaming on windows "simply works"

And btw.
it's windows. spelling it 'windoze' make you sound anti Microsoft and discredits your whole argument.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By Screwballl on 7/8/2007 1:49:36 AM , Rating: 2
as long as you have a nvidia or supported ATi video card, then you can run VMware server within linux itself at a very small performance hit (yes you install winblows in the server but it is not running 24/7)...
otherwise the entire OS is 100% free and also many games are natively supported in linux (or at least play well through an emulator) such as:

Counter-Strike 1.6 <- bestest
CS: Source
DoD: Source
Warcraft 3
Enemy Territory
Quake 4 CTF
UT2004

The rest can also be played through Cedega at a minor performance hit...


By harshbarj on 7/8/2007 4:10:40 PM , Rating: 5
Again like the last post your just proving my point. If you have to install windows on a vm to play games then your using windows. The host os plays no part (other than hurting performance).

As for emulators and such, I don't want to deal with setting them up. If I install windows I'm done. I can play most game without hassle. If I however use an emulator / vm. I have to have a much beefier system than with windows alone (in fact I'd need about twice the ram and a lot more hard drive space and a faster processor just to match a windows only system).

I simply don't see why you'd accept a performance hit at all. I spend days tweaking my system getting it running at peek performance. I'm not going to do that only to negate that by choosing to run an os that is not friendly towards games (and before you start crying, performance hit = unfriendly).

Now if you like to emulate windows and play game through Linux thats fine, but don't pretend that make Linux the perfect gaming platform. Linux is good for a lot of things(I know because I use it often) but it's no gaming platform.


By iNGEN on 7/8/2007 12:12:10 PM , Rating: 2
Entrapment only applies to public agents in most states. It would be interesting to see how a court would act on this one.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By wallijonn on 7/6/2007 12:52:47 PM , Rating: 1
quote:
I will not buy anything with a rootkit or any other program that tries to verify its authenticity by compromising my computer (excluding Windows, I have no choice there).


But you DO have a choice - NOT to install Vista which has more than 2 score hooks in it.


By darkpaw on 7/6/2007 11:34:13 PM , Rating: 2
Uh huh, and I'm sure you have that documented too.

Vista definately hasn't been bug free, but its actually been pretty good for a new OS by the number issues.


By shortylickens on 7/10/2007 4:03:00 PM , Rating: 2
Not to mention the fact that these long-researched and expensive measures usually get cracked about a week after the game is out.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By AlexWade on 7/6/2007 7:35:00 AM , Rating: 5
In any other business, the RIAA and MPAA would have been out of business a long time ago. You don't treat your customers like dirt and make money. People will take their money somewhere else. But the RIAA and MPAA rule big media, they have no similar competition. So they get away with immoral actions like the one through their lapdog MediaSource.

I hope someone sues. Deception like this must not be tolerated. I won't sue because I won't use the service and therefore won't have a valid lawsuit. If I was tricked, I would be calling my lawyer right now.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By Gatt on 7/6/07, Rating: -1
By zsdersw on 7/6/2007 11:46:01 AM , Rating: 2
The RIAA is more than just "a little" over the top, and with this the MPAA isn't demonstrating itself to be much better.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By rdeegvainl on 7/6/2007 12:01:37 PM , Rating: 2
So it is legal to lie and collect data on people because they have enabled themselves to be able to commit a crime?
Also, theft would be depriving someone of what they have.
In any other business if a person sees your product and makes a version just like it, and uses or "GIVES" it away, they wouldn't be charged with theft, because guess what, the business still has their product.
This is breaking copyrights.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By PurdueRy on 7/6/2007 12:10:42 PM , Rating: 5
quote:
So it is legal to lie and collect data on people because they have enabled themselves to be able to commit a crime?


Um, Yes? Since when are people allowed to go on their own investigation spree into someone elses personal property? I do believe in this country a warrant is required and we let the police do this job. Not the MPAA.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By rdeegvainl on 7/6/2007 1:08:51 PM , Rating: 2
sorry if i was unclear, but that was my point.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By PurdueRy on 7/6/2007 1:25:01 PM , Rating: 2
I think I read "legal" as "illegal" ;)

But our point is still a good one


By caius on 7/9/2007 5:06:08 AM , Rating: 2
No, your point is flawed to the extent of being senseless.

quote:
In any other business if a person sees your product and makes a version just like it, and uses or "GIVES" it away, they wouldn't be charged with theft


That's a crock. Since when did you get a video camera, 10 of your mates that sorta happen to look like the main characters from Lost, a spare jungle and remake the series? You didnt. You stole someone elses intellectual property, and offered it up for download by others. When they downloaded, they stole too. It doesnt matter that Buena Vista still have the original HD tape that they filmed the series with; if you downloaded your version without paying for it, you stole your version. If you bought it, but then offered it up for download, then youre an accessory to premeditated theft.

Theft isnt depriving someone of what they have, it is depriving someone of what they are entitled to. You turn your music up loud late at night and deprive your neighbours of their sleep, youre stealing something from them (and in that case, you cannot give it back).
In this case youre depriving the film studios, the artists and everyone on the supply chain in between, of what they are entitled to; money for putting in hard work being creative, so you can sit on your ass and enjoy the results of their labour. Did you steal your couch and TV too?


By AlexWade on 7/7/2007 12:38:34 PM , Rating: 5
Don't confuse the two subjects. I am not advocating piracy the least bit. Just because you are anti-crooked Big Media does not mean you are pro-piracy. Two different subjects. By your logic, just because I'm for requiring the RIAA to follow the law that means I'm a pirate.

Stealing music and movies is wrong. However, what gives the RIAA and MPAA the right to spit on me, so to speak, and just expect me to take it? They treat me like a thief, even though I'm not one, and assume I'm guilty until proven innocent. And you are for this group to deny constitutional rights? That is the true thief, the one who tries to steal our rights.

I've had it. I've taken my business elsewhere. Namely, record labels that care about the consumer. I've bought the DRM-free music on iTunes. That is treating me right (although it is still part of the RIAA, I hope the RIAA will see that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar). I've bought indie music on EMusic, all DRM-free and all quality music. Why don't you throw off the shackles of the RIAA and open your eyes to their corrupt greedy practices? But don't steal music or movies. It is time we stood up to the entities that treat us worse then their pet dog. But don't steal, take your business somewhere else.

In any other business, the MPAA and RIAA would be out of business a long time ago. Not because of piracy, but because they view their customers as thieves just waiting for a chance to still. I am not a thief, and I don't like being treated as such.


By ZeeStorm on 7/6/2007 8:08:07 AM , Rating: 2
Well, I think what'll happen is, they'll find a couple people to go after. With a little bit of knowledge, they could get some very good (and inexpensive, a case through a website like this would be easy to drop) lawyer to get you out of, or drop the penalty by 10 fold.

I do agree with the comment above about how much money these companies are wasting on anti-piracy measures. What makes me wonder is how the MPAA/RIAA keep such a large income when they basically don't do anything besides be that, in place, to "regulate" what is sent to the public, right? Or do they do actually have a business?


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By walk2k on 7/6/07, Rating: -1
By TomCorelis (blog) on 7/6/2007 2:17:21 PM , Rating: 2
I disagree. MediaDefender is one of their countermeasures. It's an information gatherer that most likely will/would have advanced Hollywood's agenda of litigation. It's not bogus files, but that doesn't mean it escapes classification.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By Cygni on 7/6/2007 2:34:47 PM , Rating: 1
Actually, it IS illegal, as theyve broken their user agreement, a contract with the user.

And you are wrong, its really REALLY cool to steal media. Your bad.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By walk2k on 7/6/07, Rating: -1
By BladeVenom on 7/6/2007 3:32:23 PM , Rating: 5
If they are running a piracy site they are assisting in the violation of copyright law, a crime.

If they are scanning peoples computers they are violating anti-spyware law, again they are criminals.

This is going to cost them more bribe money this upcoming election.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By abhaxus on 7/6/2007 5:58:03 PM , Rating: 2
He was using "your" correctly. "You're" an idiot.


By caius on 7/9/2007 5:16:30 AM , Rating: 2
"Your bad" as in "my bad" could hardly be referred to as "correct" in a whole-English sense.. Bad is an adjective, not a noun. While it may have a colloquial use as a noun, it makes anyone using it as such look sufficiently stupid as to also be prone to your/you're confusion..


By crazydrummer4562 on 7/12/2007 3:48:47 PM , Rating: 2
I love grammatical hypocrites.


RE: Sounds like a nice lawsuit is brewing...
By mindless1 on 7/6/2007 10:12:34 PM , Rating: 2
Installing a piece of software does not give the author carte blanche to do whatever they please with your system.

If you think it does, I urge you not to write any software for your own good.


By TomZ on 7/6/2007 10:49:07 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Installing a piece of software does not give the author carte blanche to do whatever they please with your system.

Interesting view. I would think that, if the user was proactively informed (e.g., via having to accept the terms of a EULA) and the software didn't do anything that broke any laws, then the software would be free to do anything. What restrictions do you believe would exist, legally?


Title picture
By Desslok on 7/6/2007 2:55:45 AM , Rating: 6
You guys should have used Admiral Ackbar. "It's a trap!"




RE: Title picture
By TomCorelis (blog) on 7/6/2007 3:02:46 AM , Rating: 1
I so should have thought of that! Oh well.


RE: Title picture
By Justin Case on 7/6/2007 10:29:33 AM , Rating: 5
Then you'd get sued by LucasFilm and the MPAA.


RE: Title picture
By KristopherKubicki (blog) on 7/6/2007 3:05:21 AM , Rating: 3
You get a gold star for today.


RE: Title picture
By spluurfg on 7/6/2007 3:39:47 AM , Rating: 2
Quality!!


RE: Title picture
By gigahertz20 on 7/6/2007 4:13:46 AM , Rating: 2
I'm confused, was there a different picture up there before? Because now I see Admiral Ackbar, did the editor of this story change it?

Or was Desslok just being sarcastic because Admiral Ackbar was already in the picture?


RE: Title picture
By James Holden on 7/6/2007 4:16:18 AM , Rating: 2
Last time I saw it, it was Jack Sparrow.


RE: Title picture
By TomCorelis (blog) on 7/6/2007 4:32:25 AM , Rating: 4
It was Jack Sparrow. But Kristopher and I had an emergency meeting and decided that it absolutely must be changed.


RE: Title picture
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 7/6/2007 1:01:13 PM , Rating: 1
Shame be to you for not thinking about it in the first place. A true geek, you are not.


RE: Title picture
By Fenixgoon on 7/6/2007 11:14:49 AM , Rating: 2
first thing i thought of when i saw "it's a trap!" =D


RE: Title picture
By Omega215D on 7/6/2007 12:03:09 PM , Rating: 2
You know you're a true geek when you read that headline and think of Star Wars. =D

I blame slashdot for giving me that reflex.


RE: Title picture
By Ronson on 7/9/2007 10:47:11 AM , Rating: 2
Star Wars Nut! Wish I was like you but then SOE would be taking all my money. :D


RE: Title picture
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 7/9/2007 1:30:49 PM , Rating: 2
We don't play SWG anymore. SOE killed it years ago.


RE: Title picture
By BladeVenom on 7/6/2007 10:27:13 PM , Rating: 2
That's offensive.
By pheffern on 7/6/2007 7:32:55 AM , Rating: 2
I hope they aren't planning on turning the information gained through this service over to the police... acting as a police agent in this way, luring in targets for prosecution is one of the clearest cases of entrapment I've seen by the industry.

Disgusting behaviour.




RE: That's offensive.
By marvdmartian on 7/6/2007 9:31:46 AM , Rating: 2
Too true, but I believe that it's much more likely that, if you're caught, you're more likely to see the inside of a courthouse for a civil matter, than a criminal matter. Let's face it, if they can use your own stupidity (for getting caught) to blackmail you into paying an out of court settlement, like they do with so many people, why would they bother wasting time with a criminal matter?

On the same token, once you've settled with them, while it's not an admission of guilt, if you were to get caught again, it's highly likely that the prosecutor in a criminal court case would bring up the fact that it wasn't the first time you'd been caught doing that sort of thing, thus adding another nail to your coffin lid.

Be smart. Only share porn!! ;)


RE: That's offensive.
By killerroach on 7/6/2007 9:48:00 AM , Rating: 2
Except that civil cases (which includes out of court settlements) are almost always off-limits from being discussed in terms of prior record on criminal proceedings... only exceptions would be in highly publicized cases where discussion is inescapable. That being said, settlements are not either admissions of guilt, acceptance of the facts, or binding precedent.


RE: That's offensive.
By bhieb on 7/6/2007 2:21:19 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Be smart. Only share porn!! ;)


I know you were joking, but really there is an industry that understands, NO embraces the internet. There are thousands of Free porn sites, hell the internet was basically created by them. Yet they remain a multi million dollar a year industry. You can make money in the media business, and not be so uptight. Same example as earlier the movies and music being stolen is not a loss, MOST these people won't buy a legal copy. Just like porn, a guy that searches free stuff will probably not buy the DVD, however eventually he will probably subscrbe to your service if there is an exceptional value to him to do so. Offer me a DRM Free way to download movies and music and I will pay a handsome fee, just to save the hassel of buying and ripping the DVD/CD. The key here is DRM free, once I download it, it is mine! I know what happens when I download everything? Well charge me enought that you are OK with that, and thank me for my business while it lasted. Or better yet keep producing things that entice me to keep my membership (see porn industry for examples).


Audio industry
By camylarde on 7/6/2007 4:40:39 AM , Rating: 3
They want you money so badly that they start to invade your homes while searching for it. What else than this is such approach?




RE: Audio industry
By SavagePotato on 7/6/2007 10:32:14 PM , Rating: 4
Eventualy when they get desparate Tom Cruise will just kick down your door and rifle through the drawers for jewlery and cash. Then convert your family to scientology. They they can fly off in John Travoltas 747 penis compensator and have the money to pay the maid for another week.

Seriously maybe people would be a little more sympathetic to the industries plight if it weren't loaded with multimillionaires.

Then they will play the "but the rest of the movie crew only makes normal wages" card. Well, I say dock a couple million of these celebzillas comfort money and give it to the people that work for a living. Bottom line theres no cause to complain when you have people getting payed 20mil to be in a movie.


Jeez
By Polynikes on 7/6/2007 9:30:45 AM , Rating: 2
This is why I don't buy music from bands whose record companies are a part of the RIAA. I'll go to their shows, but they're not making any album sales from me.




RE: Jeez
By omnicronx on 7/6/2007 10:29:06 AM , Rating: 2
have fun listening to 70's folk music then!


RE: Jeez
By BladeVenom on 7/6/2007 11:31:58 PM , Rating: 2
If all you listen to is the top 40 lip syncing "artists" you may be out of luck, but many good groups aren't with an RIAA label. Even many popular groups start out with an independent label. Bands that start with an RIAA studio will many times end up with a non-RIAA label later on.

http://www.riaaradar.com/ check it out.


Hypocrites
By Macungah on 7/6/2007 1:10:33 PM , Rating: 2
Wait... If they were basically setting up a giant entrapment scheme, does that not mean that MediaDefender is also guilty of illegally distributing copyrighted content?




RE: Hypocrites
By Arctucas on 7/6/2007 6:05:05 PM , Rating: 2
I'm curious; how do they present the material they offer for download?

Do they explicitly make it known that they are offering copyrighted material?
Do they say that it is illegal to download the material?
Do they say it is not illegal to download the material?
Does the EULA of the software they want you to install explain that it will 'phone home'?
I don't think 'entrapment' is as accurate as 'false advertising'.
'Entrapment' is more or less when you are coerced to do something you wouldn't normally do for the express purpose of catching you doing it. If people download illegally, just because they are offered the opportunity, that doesn't mean they are acting out of character.

Now, the MPAA and RIAA really need to have a good slap upside their collective heads. But, like a drowning man, they are clutching at any little thing to try to stay afloat. Their greed is what has been their undoing, good riddance to bad rubbish.

Are there any MPAA/RIAA stooges lurking about that would care to comment? Cowards!


I don't realy get it
By SavagePotato on 7/6/2007 10:21:17 PM , Rating: 2
You know they spend so much effort and money going after Joe torrent user so they can sue them and settle out of court for 5 grand or something. They are trying to milk whatever they can out of the only person they are able to go after easily.

A while ago someone I know went on vacation to Thailand. Came back with 20 pirate DVD's some of which like 300 weren't even OUT on dvd yet. These things looked flawless right down to the little warnings on the disc. Cost $1 each, yep 20 movies for 20 bucks some not even out yet. Now THAT is a movie pirate, not some kid that torrented a camcorder divx crapfest of spiderman3.




RE: I don't realy get it
By Arctucas on 7/8/2007 4:29:09 PM , Rating: 2
You do realize, of course, you just implicated yourself as an accessory after the fact. Unless you turned your acquaintance into the authorities.


Kids,
By mindless1 on 7/6/2007 10:14:47 PM , Rating: 3
Kids, if you go to a questionable website and it requires you to install some special software, JUST SAY NO. You don't have to be informed about each 'site in turn that is up to no good, JUST SAY NO.




Easy solution
By porkpie on 7/9/2007 10:05:50 AM , Rating: 3
If you don't want your hard drive scanned, don't try to illegally download free movies from web sites. Sounds pretty simple to me.




By UnFaZeD on 7/6/2007 4:37:37 AM , Rating: 2
are they 50 too?




how dumb are they?
By The Boston Dangler on 7/6/2007 10:22:44 PM , Rating: 2
"enticed users to download a special MiiVi client, which would supposedly"...

A. unlock access to the site's cache of full-length movies

B. make your computer spit out real $100 bills

C. completely fuxxxor you and your computer




RIAA Lawyers?
By youdosuck on 7/7/2007 4:24:22 PM , Rating: 2
Do the RIAA or MPAA have Lawyers or even use them?




oh joy
By crazydrummer4562 on 7/12/2007 3:36:12 PM , Rating: 1
It really would make my day to see these assholes get legally blasted for pulling that.




"The whole principle [of censorship] is wrong. It's like demanding that grown men live on skim milk because the baby can't have steak." -- Robert Heinlein











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