Er.....Denmark fines Kazaa users......

[Swoop]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/28286.html

Anti-pirates hit Danish P2P users with huge bills.

The Danish Anti Pirat Gruppen (Anti Piracy Group) has issued invoices of up to $14,000 apiece to approximately 150 users of KaZaA and eDonkey for illegally downloading copyright material.

APG monitored the file sharing networks for available files with Danish IP addresses - and went to court to get the users' personal details from their ISPs, armed with screen shots of, for example, the KaZaA window showing the files on the user's hard-drive. The courts obliged and ordered the ISPs to deliver the personal details of the incriminated users. Then the bills were in the post ... landing on the mats of the unfortunate downloaders over the last few days.

The users are charged about $16 per CD and about $60 per full length movie. If they pay now - and delete the illegal content from their hard drives - then the amount is cut in half and they avoid going to court. Those who don't pay up are to be sued.

Question is: if the APG has only the file names from KaZaA or eDonkey - how can it make sure that they really are illegal files and not only "similar named files" or hoax files? Can APG prove that is the work of a certain user in a household - or will it go for the entire family?


And how long will it take all Govs to try the same thing........

[gofaster]

Good for them.  Napster was a bunch of crooks out stealing other people's intellectual property.  If I had a talent worth protecting, I'd certainly want it protected by copyright and have that copyright protected by laws enforced by the government.

I wonder how many of those users were 13 year-olds who just stuck their parents with a very big bill...

[Gh0stFT]

Originally posted by gofaster
Good for them.  Napster was a bunch of crooks out stealing other people's intellectual property.  If I had a talent worth protecting, I'd certainly want it protected by copyright and have that copyright protected by laws enforced by the government.

I'm with your here 100%

Gh0stFT

[SLO]

sad very sad:(

[Eagler]

wow

talk about ur invasion of privacy, and some worry about the US gov turning into big brother

seems we have a ways to go to catch up with da Danes


ya, those "artists" are hurtin for dough aren't they ...

software should be treated differently than movies and music as it is "intellectual theft". Can't say the same for the majority of music and movies - which I think actually helps them sell more CD's/movie seats in the long haul

[Wlfgng]

They're cracking down on it here in the states too Swoop.
Just heard on the radio that they are targeting schools and fining individual students...

more to follow I'm sure...

[gofaster]

I can see why they would target schools. Government property, used by minors, no restrictions on privacy there.  Its a start.

[Pongo]

As long as anyone with a guitar that plays a song that is copright or even sings it is fined as well..

[babek-]

Originally posted by Swoop
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/28286.html


And how long will it take all Govs to try the same thing........

Thats the problem with different justice systems.

The Netherlands have declared Kazaa as not illegal.

In Germany a special law allows (§54UrhG) to make download copies as long as they are for personal use and not used to make financial profit.

Obviously in Denmark there is not such a law

But to think that downloads could be stopped is quite naive, because of the structure of the internet itself.

[texace]

I've always thought that if I D/L a music file, compile several different songs from several artist on one CD, and burn that CD so I can listen to music in my car...I haven't done anything really "wrong".

I'm not selling the CD's to make money...I simply like music. I've bought more CD's than I've burned, so I'm not relying on the burns to provide my music.

Oh well...back to D/L...