NZ arrests in US-led copyright operation

[SMOKEU]

Intellectual property (copyright) is not subject to a nations borders. if i write a song and have that published that is MY property and if someone in another nation wants to steal it you are breaching copyright law.

I still don't understand how it's possible to steal a song by downloading it off the internet.

[yachtie10]

I still don't understand how it's possible to steal a song by downloading it off the internet.

If you genuinely cant see that then I would seek help as it obvious to most people

If you buy a tv from a guy down the pub that he has stolen you have broken the law. Its called recieving stolen goods.
Its pretty much the same thing except you know you are stealing the song (probably).

That been said i have no sympathy for these corporates that charge over $30 for something that costs cents to make and the artisits get fuck all of it. Then if its scratched you have to buy another at full price. Most of the music I have recieved online I already own in another form. Damned if im paying for it again.

The only other time Is if i want to listen to it and see if I like it. If i will play it often I will buy it

[Zamiam]

FFS - google the guys name. Convicted of fraud, embezzlement and insider trading. Haven't met the guy but know people who have been royaly screwed over by him.

My question is how the fuck did he get nz residency.

[Zamiam]

I still don't understand how it's possible to steal a song by downloading it off the internet.

Really really simple - did you pay someone for it? If not you're a bloody thief.

[SMOKEU]

If you genuinely cant see that then I would seek help as it obvious to most people

If you buy a tv from a guy down the pub that he has stolen you have broken the law. Its called recieving stolen goods.
Its pretty much the same thing except you know you are stealing the song (probably).

Really really simple - did you pay someone for it? If not you're a bloody thief.

Digital media is an infinite resource which can be copied an unlimited number of times. If I steal a TV or buy a stolen TV, then that victim no longer has a TV. If I download a song illegally, then does that mean the music artist no longer has that song? No, they still have that song, and they wouldn't even be aware I pirated it.

TV shows cost a lot of money to make. TV stations buy the rights to air a TV show, and advertising companies pay TV stations to show their ads. This is why we can watch TV for free. Now, if I get up out of my chair and make myself a cup of coffee or go to the toilet during an ad break, then I'm not watching those ads. Is that theft as well?

[SPman]

These guys are furrin......how long before we get a case like the Richard Dwyer case in the UK.....

A judge ruled on Friday that a 23-year-old student can be extradited to the United States for running a website posting links to pirated TV shows and films, despite significant doubts over whether such sites break any UK laws.

Richard O'Dwyer, a computing student at Sheffield Hallam University, faces a potential 10-year term in a US jail despite never having been to America or using web servers based in the country. When still a teenager O'Dwyer set up a website, TVShack, which posted links to pirated material. It did not directly host any files, which meant, according to the student's lawyers, that it acted as little more than a Google-type search engine and did not breach copyright.

Go Anonymous!

Really really simple - did you pay someone for it? If not you're a bloody thief.

Bollocks! Did someone give you a CD to burn? Did you record something off the radio, or a video off TV - then, according to your logic (and the RIAA's) you're a thief! Copy something out of a book? Thief!
What a crock of shit!

[BoristheBiter]

Digital media is an infinite resource which can be copied an unlimited number of times. If I steal a TV or buy a stolen TV, then that victim no longer has a TV. If I download a song illegally, then does that mean the music artist no longer has that song? No, they still have that song, and they wouldn't even be aware I pirated it.

TV shows cost a lot of money to make. TV stations buy the rights to air a TV show, and advertising companies pay TV stations to show their ads. This is why we can watch TV for free. Now, if I get up out of my chair and make myself a cup of coffee or go to the toilet during an ad break, then I'm not watching those ads. Is that theft as well?

There is a thing called the copyright act. this protects intellectual property rights. when you buy a CD, DVD, Itune song or the like you pay for the right to listen/watch it in that format.
If you don't pay then you are in breach of the copyright laws and can be fined/ jailed for it.

As for you TV idea its bollocks because the TV station pays for the right to broadcast there shows, they pay for this by charging company's to advertise or they make it pay per view like sky so you do pay.

[Zamiam]

Smokeu and spman you're both showing your ignorance. The same basic rules apply to intellectual property as physical property.

When you STEAL movies and music by downloading it the artist and the company/people who have invested in the artist or movie aren't receiving anything for their effort/investment. This is theft.

Simple question - do you guys expect to be paid for your work? Or do you work for free like you expect the musicians, actors etc to?

[jazfender]

Smokeu and spman you're both showing your ignorance. The same basic rules apply to intellectual property as physical property.

When you STEAL movies and music by downloading it the artist and the company/people who have invested in the artist or movie aren't receiving anything for their effort/investment. This is theft.

Simple question - do you guys expect to be paid for your work? Or do you work for free like you expect the musicians, actors etc to?

There are a group of artists that release their work for free or as a donation. They even wrote a fucking song supporting megaupload for this.

People need to wake up to the fact that the way the industry is moving is actually working out better for consumers and artists alike. Just because the RIAA and MPAA aren't making as much using traditional methods doesn't mean it's the end of the world.

Here's a novel idea; maybe artists don't need to be paid as much as they are for what they're doing? Maybe singer/songwriters need to be taken down a peg from "Rockstar/Popstar" level and come back to the people?

And maybe music executives could fuck off and leech off someone else's art?

[SMOKEU]

Smokeu and spman you're both showing your ignorance. The same basic rules apply to intellectual property as physical property.

When you STEAL movies and music by downloading it the artist and the company/people who have invested in the artist or movie aren't receiving anything for their effort/investment. This is theft.

Simple question - do you guys expect to be paid for your work? Or do you work for free like you expect the musicians, actors etc to?

Like I said before, downloading copyrighted material illegally is NOT theft. I'm not prepared to pay for movies and music, so even if I could afford to pay for it, I still wouldn't. So no one is losing money by me downloading stuff. Famous musicians such as Rihanna, Katy Perry, Jay Z etc all have their work ripped off. Do you think those famous musicians are living in a homeless shelter? No, they are all millionaires who live in their LA mansions and they don't need any more money. They're nothing but money hungry fuckwits. There are starving kids in Africa, go sponsor a kid through World Vision if you have money to spare. Or donate money to cancer research. If I had money to throw around I'd much rather give it to a good cause than see it fund corporate greed.

[Zamiam]

If they donate thy music or are happy to stream it for free then no issue. I agree wholeheartedly that many "stars" are paid obscene amounts of money for what they do and many are also ripped off by unscrupulous agents BUT that doesn't make it right to steal what they own.

[Zamiam]

Like I said before, downloading copyrighted material illegally is NOT theft.

I rest my case your honor. In the same sentence the defendant admits downloading copyrighted material is illegal but then claims it's not theft. I ask your honor how could you find that smokeu is anything but an idiot

[SMOKEU]

I rest my case your honor. In the same sentence the defendant admits downloading copyrighted material is illegal but then claims it's not theft. I ask your honor how could you find that smokeu is anything but an idiot

Let me make this simple to understand. Let's say I sneak into your garage at night, and steal your bike. You go into your garage in the morning, and find out that you no longer have a bike. You have now lost an expensive asset. You can't ride your bike, and you can't sell it and get money from it, because you don't have it in your possession any more. A motorbike is a tangible asset that you don't have any more. That's theft. I can now ride the bike myself, or strip it for parts and sell it.

If someone were to be a famous singer, and I download an album of theirs, then they still have that album. They won't even know I downloaded it. They're not losing any money, and they're not losing a tangible asset. They can still sell albums to other people. They are not directly affected. It's not theft, it's merely making a copy of something and spreading it around.

[Zamiam]

So if I sneak into your house and shag your missus it's not a crime as I didn't take anything tangible? Maybe that shows you how fucked up your thinking is.

End of the discussion.

[lakedaemonian]

So if I sneak into your house and shag your missus it's not a crime as I didn't take anything tangible? Maybe that shows you how fucked up your thinking is.

End of the discussion.

I know it's early days....but I'm thinking this could make shortlist for post of the year.

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I equate digital IP theft to looting during a riot.

The looters justify it by claiming they're attacking "the man" and big corporates....and "that's what insurance is for".

Some people even seem to think of illegal downloads, particularly music, as a "right".

Meanwhile, "integrity" has been missing for some time and is presumed dead.

Comparing music distribution today compared to way back in the day....I'd far rather have today....I'm no longer screwed into purchasing an entire album for one decent song I'm after.

And as far as the music industry goes the economics are much like the private equity and venture capital industries.

For every 10 investments made:

6-7 fail
2-3 break even
1 is a hit that helps pay down all the losses of the rest, AND some profit.

Anyone look at the profit margins of record companies?

Pretty crap.....

Yup.....the industry(like the motorcycle industry) needs to change....those that take a chance and succeed will benefit...those that stagnate in the past will whither and die.

But going after "the man" is a poor excuse and crap justification for theft....no matter how you try to spin it.