Antipiracy PSA to leave Pirate Bay running scared

This ought to leave The Pirate Bay quaking: the Software and Information Industry Association finally released a follow-up to its magnum antipiracy opus, "Don't Copy That Floppy."

I have embedded both the original and the followup for you, so that you can judge for yourselves just how far the industry's persuasive qualities have been refined in the intervening 17 years.

It is not exactly easy to find words to adequately describe the followup. However, I will cede the floor for a moment (while I lie down on it), to Keith Kupferschmid, senior vice president of Intellectual Property Policy & Enforcement for the SIIA.

Kupferschmid declared in a press release: "'Don't Copy That 2' uses humor to bring a serious message to today's youth and remind us all that copyright piracy is a crime."

Yes, for today's youth need more messages to give them that warm sensation they experience every time they are referred to, most seriously, as "today's youth".

In the new and extraordinary video, there seems to be about four minutes of painstakingly dated footage, which may look unintentionally dated, followed by the sobering appearance of Jeremiah Mondello.

Mondello has, sadly, been encouraged to parrot the new film's tag line "It's not just a copy, it's a crime." It's a line that has already lost its attempt at credibility, when uttered by DP, the less than hip hopper who featured in the original.

Surely a true hip-hop artist would have at least insisted on "It ain't just a copy, it's a crime." Anyway, Mondello tells anyone still viewing by then that "pirating software is no joke."

Which will no doubt induce panic attacks in many of the world's youth. However, Mondello's crime, for which he is serving four years in a part of Oregon where even the pirates don't roam, was using stolen bank account information, thereby creating false eBay and PayPal accounts in order to sell pirated software.

This does seem a little more than pirating a game and playing it with your intoxicated buddies. But let's not quibble.

Because there is one scene that will stay with you long after your cafeteria lunch and long after you have deleted all of your stolen files.

It's the one where the feds come after your momma. Momma, quite naturally, is in the kitchen wearing curlers. Three feds burst in, wearing riot gear. Clearly, your momma is well known to the long digits of the law.

She tries to fight the feds with a wooden cooking spoon. It doesn't work. They chase after her. She has no chance. Momma goes down.

Yes, this is contemporary drama at its finest. In 17 years' time, Oprah will still be talking about it.

[Sausagebiscuit]

Since when is a civil offense a crime? Copyright Infringement cases such as the big two we know today are all civil cases. No criminal charges have been filed, and therefor the defendants can not be called criminals.

[8301]

Since when has the music and film industry let silly technicalities like "laws" get in the way of their profits?

[paulej]

Here are references to criminal punishment for copyright infringement: <br />http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/usc_sec_17_00000506----000-.html <br />http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00002319----000-.html <br /> <br />It certainly sounds to me as if copying anything could land one in jail. <br /> <br />Is this not a crime?

[syninthecity]

You do realize this isnt new?<br />were you browsing months old slashdot trying to find something to pass the time or what?<br /><br />I read cnet a lot, and for the most part your stories are solid (minus a few memorable fail whales)<br />Seriously though is it so bad you need to resurrect a necro theme like this?

[Police_States_of_America]

its not kool to copy, k guize?

[Dleon84]

Guys, don't be snooty... the article was hysterical!!!! You're an awesome writer Chris, keep up the good work!

[tektaktyks]

lol,anyways,are they saying that a parent is responsible for a kid downloading illegally?thats plain retarded since a lot of parents have no idea about computers.

[contentcreator--2008]

Hardly a defense. Parents are legally responsible for pretty much everything their kids do --- throw a rock through a window, daddy gets the bill.

[tektaktyks]

what if a kid kills somebody?

[baconstang]

The parents can be sued for wrongful death, and lose everything they have.

[tektaktyks]

that is wrong,if parents can be sued so should be the teachers,kids who weren't nice to him/her,the government,tv,isp,gun manufacturer...god...

[PhaseDMA]

Just because parents can be sued doesn't make it right - Unless the prosecutor can prove blatant fault on the parent, which would go far beyond not teaching their child the difference between right and wrong.

[sandor_f]

they are right, it's not just a copy, it is a crime. <br /><br />that new rip off is horrible.

[tektaktyks]

lol

[rcardona2k]

ne1 have a torrent to a non-drm rip of "it's not just a copy it's a crime?" TiA

[ljj101]

No, but I'm sure if you write a letter to the SIIA they can get approval from the MPAA to send you a time-limited DRM copy on DVD, that you can use an any machine not capable of connecting to the internet. And it won't cost you much more than a cheap imported DVD player.