Comments on: Theater piracy law snags first victim

A 19-year-old Missouri man pleads guilty to recording "Bewitched" in a movie theater and distributing the file on the Internet.

[digitallysick]

i feel sorry for them

why would you record those movies any way?? no one wants to even download those for free!!! i wouldnt! haha

[zaznet]

They were unique...

That's why he recorded them. Because of the simple fact that they were not already available online. This made them worth his time to record. Otherwise the video was already there and so no point to record it.

[digitallysick]

i feel sorry for them

why would you record those movies any way?? no one wants to even download those for free!!! i wouldnt! haha

[zaznet]

They were unique...

That's why he recorded them. Because of the simple fact that they were not already available online. This made them worth his time to record. Otherwise the video was already there and so no point to record it.

[raitchison]

Not a victim but a criminal

I definitely wouldn't call this guy a "victim", he pretty clearly violated copyright as well as was behaving unethically.

When people try to defend the actions of criminals like this, it dramatically hurts the cause of those fighting the MPAA/RIAA/etc for justified reasons (fair use rights).

Saying this guy should be able to get away with making a crappy camcorder recording of a crappy movie hurts MY case for being able to make a backup of a DVD I paid for.

Please stop making the MPAA/RIAA seem reasonable and fair by comparison.

[ballssalty]

No, not a victime, but

I think the problem people have is that if this kid gets 3 years in jail while child rapists get probation, it's going to cause a huge swell in illegal activities specifically targeting the MPAA. How fair is it that he would suffer such a huge penalty and violent offenders typically would get a lesser sentence?

[raitchison]

Not a victim but a criminal

I definitely wouldn't call this guy a "victim", he pretty clearly violated copyright as well as was behaving unethically.

When people try to defend the actions of criminals like this, it dramatically hurts the cause of those fighting the MPAA/RIAA/etc for justified reasons (fair use rights).

Saying this guy should be able to get away with making a crappy camcorder recording of a crappy movie hurts MY case for being able to make a backup of a DVD I paid for.

Please stop making the MPAA/RIAA seem reasonable and fair by comparison.

[ballssalty]

No, not a victime, but

I think the problem people have is that if this kid gets 3 years in jail while child rapists get probation, it's going to cause a huge swell in illegal activities specifically targeting the MPAA. How fair is it that he would suffer such a huge penalty and violent offenders typically would get a lesser sentence?

[Stating]

But Sandy Berger Only Fined $50K

Let's see now. Sandy Berger stole secret documents from the National Archives, took them home, then destroyed them. The documets dealt with Clinton's handling (or mishanldling) of Osama bin Laden. For the theft, Sandy pleaded guilty, was fined $50K, and sentenced to 200 hours of community service. Now we have a teenager who taped Bewitched in a movie theater. If guilty, he faces a a 250K fine and 3 years in jail. Yup, sounds like we have our priorities straight.

[sanenazok]

Max penalty comparison

The maximum penalty in Berger's case was life in prison. So please compare apples to apples and not actual sentences to maximum sentences. What will he get? Let's see probably no background, no other crimes. Probably a fine and some probation.

Also, this guy's no "teenager" other than the fact that he's nine-TEEN. He's an adult with all privileges and responsibilities of his age.

[Stating]

But Sandy Berger Only Fined $50K

Let's see now. Sandy Berger stole secret documents from the National Archives, took them home, then destroyed them. The documets dealt with Clinton's handling (or mishanldling) of Osama bin Laden. For the theft, Sandy pleaded guilty, was fined $50K, and sentenced to 200 hours of community service. Now we have a teenager who taped Bewitched in a movie theater. If guilty, he faces a a 250K fine and 3 years in jail. Yup, sounds like we have our priorities straight.

[sanenazok]

Max penalty comparison

The maximum penalty in Berger's case was life in prison. So please compare apples to apples and not actual sentences to maximum sentences. What will he get? Let's see probably no background, no other crimes. Probably a fine and some probation.

Also, this guy's no "teenager" other than the fact that he's nine-TEEN. He's an adult with all privileges and responsibilities of his age.

[zaznet]

Large Fines...

These large fines make me think that Congress is trying to impose a fine against all offenders through each one caught.

It would be like having a $25 fine for speeding, but since you were the only one caught out of 1000 speeders that day you have to pay $25,000 to cover everyone's offense.

[zaznet]

Large Fines...

These large fines make me think that Congress is trying to impose a fine against all offenders through each one caught.

It would be like having a $25 fine for speeding, but since you were the only one caught out of 1000 speeders that day you have to pay $25,000 to cover everyone's offense.

Sad...

Oh, of all the movies to take the bullet for recording, why'd it have to be bewitched. Terrible movie...

[Scottitude]

On the other Hand...

If teh MPAA let Salisbury get away with distributing his camcorder copies maybe mmore than eight people would have actually seen "Bewitched".

Sad...

Oh, of all the movies to take the bullet for recording, why'd it have to be bewitched. Terrible movie...

[Scottitude]

On the other Hand...

If teh MPAA let Salisbury get away with distributing his camcorder copies maybe mmore than eight people would have actually seen "Bewitched".

[thedreaming]

It's about the money

In a society, you will always have crime. Crime goes hand in hand with society. That's the way it is. that's the way it's always been. The key is to minimize it to an acceptable level. 0% is a pipe dream, but 5% or less is a workable dream.

Bootlegging isn't a new concept, but distributing them through the internet is. People before would record music concerts and share them with friends. Everyone did it and although it was illegal, it was allowed to happen because it wasn't hurting anyone'se bottom line. Now, with the help of the internet, it hurts the bottom line of every major music company and movie studio because one person, thanks to the internet, can distribute a cd or dvd to about a million or more of his close friends!

In conclusion, piracy will always exist. The goal should be to lower its popularity down to an acceptable level so that the big companies can make their profit but users can still share things with close friends.

Now, how do we do that?

[lingsun]

You still shouldn't be illegally sharing with anyone.

If you own the movie you can lend it to a friend. But you still don't have the right to give copies to each other.

[thedreaming]

It's about the money

In a society, you will always have crime. Crime goes hand in hand with society. That's the way it is. that's the way it's always been. The key is to minimize it to an acceptable level. 0% is a pipe dream, but 5% or less is a workable dream.

Bootlegging isn't a new concept, but distributing them through the internet is. People before would record music concerts and share them with friends. Everyone did it and although it was illegal, it was allowed to happen because it wasn't hurting anyone'se bottom line. Now, with the help of the internet, it hurts the bottom line of every major music company and movie studio because one person, thanks to the internet, can distribute a cd or dvd to about a million or more of his close friends!

In conclusion, piracy will always exist. The goal should be to lower its popularity down to an acceptable level so that the big companies can make their profit but users can still share things with close friends.

Now, how do we do that?

[lingsun]

You still shouldn't be illegally sharing with anyone.

If you own the movie you can lend it to a friend. But you still don't have the right to give copies to each other.

[Lolo Gecko]

off with his head

:)

[lingsun]

Cut his arm off like they do in Muslim countries.

Cut his arm off like they do in Muslim countries.

[Lolo Gecko]

off with his head

:)

[lingsun]

Cut his arm off like they do in Muslim countries.

Cut his arm off like they do in Muslim countries.

[lingsun]

The idiot could be sued for millions too

Hope the criminal gets what he deserves.

[lingsun]

The idiot could be sued for millions too

Hope the criminal gets what he deserves.

I don't support piracy, but...

I think that if the MPAA is going to be able to go after these people,
then the door should also be open for class action suits to get
reimbursements for people who waste $10 or more, are forced to
watch 30-45 minutes of commercials (commercials, not just
trailers!), and then are stuck with crappy movies like Bewitched.

I don't support piracy, but...

I think that if the MPAA is going to be able to go after these people,
then the door should also be open for class action suits to get
reimbursements for people who waste $10 or more, are forced to
watch 30-45 minutes of commercials (commercials, not just
trailers!), and then are stuck with crappy movies like Bewitched.

[lorcro2000]

It's sickening

A 19 year old young man with his whole life ahead of him records a movie on a camera, making no money off it whatsoever, creating an abysmally poor recording of it usable only as a preview and the entertainment industry grinds his life into dust.

He's now a felon, he will probably see jail time where he will be victimized by career criminals and thugs and after he gets out he's an ex con with all the problems that creates when it comes to trying to build a decent life for himself.

All that because the entertainment industry bought and paid enough politicians to pass gut-wrenchingly disproportionate and awful laws like the one used to commit this judicial assassination.

Copyright as it was first created over a century ago was plenty good enough as it was. These current laws that make a vast portion of the citizenry "unprosecuted criminals" are not geared towards the greater good of the citizens, it is geared towards making large corporations already vast profits greater. I find that revolting, and am very pleased not to be a citizen of the now laughably called "land of the free"...

[Sboston]

Perhaps...

"He's now a felon, he will probably see jail time where he will be victimized by career criminals and thugs and after he gets out he's an ex con with all the problems that creates when it comes to trying to build a decent life for himself."

Perhaps he should have thought of that before.

Perhaps his buddys will.

[lorcro2000]

It's sickening

A 19 year old young man with his whole life ahead of him records a movie on a camera, making no money off it whatsoever, creating an abysmally poor recording of it usable only as a preview and the entertainment industry grinds his life into dust.

He's now a felon, he will probably see jail time where he will be victimized by career criminals and thugs and after he gets out he's an ex con with all the problems that creates when it comes to trying to build a decent life for himself.

All that because the entertainment industry bought and paid enough politicians to pass gut-wrenchingly disproportionate and awful laws like the one used to commit this judicial assassination.

Copyright as it was first created over a century ago was plenty good enough as it was. These current laws that make a vast portion of the citizenry "unprosecuted criminals" are not geared towards the greater good of the citizens, it is geared towards making large corporations already vast profits greater. I find that revolting, and am very pleased not to be a citizen of the now laughably called "land of the free"...

[Sboston]

Perhaps...

"He's now a felon, he will probably see jail time where he will be victimized by career criminals and thugs and after he gets out he's an ex con with all the problems that creates when it comes to trying to build a decent life for himself."

Perhaps he should have thought of that before.

Perhaps his buddys will.