"Don't Copy That 2" Might Scare You Straight, If You Have Never Heard Music Or Seen A Video
At first we thought this was a new Black Eyed Peas video, but then we watched from the beginning and realized that it's actually an attempt to convince you that you should not copy that. Our favorite bit starts at the 2:24 mark, when the little girl's criminal activity leads to government agents bashing down the door to her house and attacking her poor mama.
And yeah we know this hit Digg almost a week ago, but we were holding on to it for Friday.
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they have all this creative talent to help make these videos and they think this crap is going to convince young kids not to copy???
Anybody think there's anything wrong with the government pointing guns in people's faces for breach of copyright? The enforcement is way more morally reprehensible than the crime. Nevermind, it coincides nicely with the war on drugs.
what? what? don't copy that. It's not just a copy, it's a crime...
Why you wanna shortchange me?
...This is going to be stuck in my head the entire weekend. Thanks so much, Consumerist. I think people think I'm crazy because I'm trying to stifle my laughter during the middle of the workday.
So in response to copyright claims, federal agents are bashing down doors and roughing up any nearby innocents?
At least they're going for honesty.
@YamiNoSenshi: They're also supporting malnutrition, as that poor mother probably never got to finish making her spaghetti.
The kids get a lesson about DP?
Oh, wait... from DP, not about it.
It's funny because the message I get is not to don't copy, it's to not sell the copies.
I know the video is just dumb, but how, exactly do you propose we enforce felony criminal statutes if it's not by guys with guns?
Your captions on that photo remind me of the greatest caption of all time:
""**I move away from the mic to breathe in"
If anyone complains about this video being corny or cheesy, they must not have seen Don't Copy That Floppy, because you should have expected it before clicking play. I enjoyed this video for just how corny and cheese it was to the beginning. It is notable, however, that the first one talked about copying for personal reasons (God forbid you wanted to play a game on two home computers), but this one seemed to focus purely on selling copied works.
I don't know just how effective this little campaign will be, but it's worth a shot, I guess. And I guess using a testimonial from a felon is a stronger statement than testimonials from developers. People are still going to download and/or copy though. Sometimes, I feel like I might be the only one of my peers who doesn't torrent anything.
Wow...my mom looks hot...
@Chris J. Stone: Who is the guy at the end, the one in jail? I couldn't get his entire name because I was playing it on my phone and trying not to be very loud.
Don't Copy That Floppy came out in 1992. Back then, the stuff they were doing in the videos may have been seen as hip. Now, it's just a hilarious and nightmarish reminder of the 90s.
I don't torrent, either.
On Digg and now Consumerist, look how popular it is since it is free. Hmmm.
The misleading part at the end is the guy in prison SOLD pirated software, anyone who knows the scene, groups despise people selling the cracked software. If you like it, buy it.
For bands, they need to give their music for free and rely on a larger fan base and larger shows, it's like cavemen run the industry. Radiohead and NIN have the right idea.
Can someone explain to me what the Klingons were copying?
I gotta send this to my 14-yo. I was getting on him just yesterday for charging his little sister to copy some of his songs onto her iPod.
Makes it more generic. In many places, personal copying for friends (well, actually, it's more like letting them copy your music) is 100% legal, so they can't claim it's a crime. I know that's the case for music in Canada.
Why were there Klingons in the video...?
Wait....is DP Rockwell of "what what in the butt" fame?
/because if he isn't, then this video has no merit at all
//also, shut it off when the autotune started.
@Wit is periodically disensouled:
Oh. Well, I guess I think thieves should go to jail. I'm funny that way.
@pecan 3.14159265: They made it clear in the beginning that it was a reminder of the '90s. lol. My point was just that, without the corniness, it just wouldn't be a Don't Copy That video. They're using the same techniques as before. I guess they think it worked back then...
@shepd: In America, even personal copying for friends is taken seriously. It's not uncommon at all to buy any kind of entertainment and see a huge "FBI ANTI-PIRACY WARNING" on the back cover or something, followed by this warning:
"Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000."
[Source: [www.fbi.gov] ]
@treimel:
Okay, the dreaded quadruple post--re: Britain. Finally got the gist of the comment.
No, their police have guns on occasuion, too:
[news.bbc.co.uk]
@treimel: And I can appreciate the legal difference between copyright violation and theft, namely depriving the owner of the use of the thing, but I'm nuanced that way.
@treimel:
I'd ask...why is it a felony in the first place to make some illegal copies of dvds? That right there is big brother in bed with the lobbyists.
Jeremiah Mondello, an eBay software counterfeiter who used 40+ fake eBay and PayPal accounts to defraud people.
I suppose the software piracy didn't help, but I bet 3 of those 4 years are for the fraud.
@treimel: Perhaps we should not police non-violent crime with violence? I doubt any white collar criminals have their doors bashed in by cops with their guns drawn, but I could be wrong.
@Wit is periodically disensouled: I agree. They should also be revised, in the case of music, perhaps by musicians themselves and not the corporations that steal, oops, I mean produce their music.
@Chris J. Stone: Elvis Costello's CD "The Delivery Man" bears that warning, along with a note from Costello himself about it: "This artist does not endorse the following warning. The FBI doesn't have his home phone number, and he hopes that they don't have yours."
Not unexpected from someone who is on record describing the RIAA's enforcement lawsuits as "one pirate suing another," but fun to see. Good on ya, Declan.
@Wit is periodically disensouled:
Really, what's the "legal difference" between going to jail for a theft offense and this offense? Yes, it's a particular part of the USC, but that's what we attorneys call "a distinction without a difference" if you're the guy going to jail. Yeah, I know the 1L definition of theft, theft by deception, conversion, blah, blah--I meant that it was morally theft, and legally a felony.
Snark aside--as someone who makes a living, in part, from writing, I can assure you that when the creator of the work is deprived of the profit from the sale, it's money right out of the pocket. Also, fuck nuance--you go to jail for it, so what do the semantics matter?
@TheWillow:
You are most definitely wrong--law enforcement *loves* making white collar guys do the full-on perp walk.
Should I pay some money to someone for watching that.
@xamarshahx: Especially when there are other rappers saying you SHOULD copy. Case in point, MC Lars' "Download This Song":
@TheWillow: The problem is that non-violent crimes can be perpetrated by violent people. Selling software may be a non-violent crime, but police don't know whether the person committing the crime has a shotgun pointed to the door.
For the cops I know, an entry's an entry: battering ram and guns first, questions later.
@treimel: I completely understand why police do what they do. They don't know whether you've got a shotgun, or you've got a knife or a moltov cocktail. Does anyone really expect the police to stand on the front steps and knock gently?
Thanks consumerist, this reminded me to go check on my torrent downloads
@treimel: If make an exact copy of the BMW M3 in your driveway and drive away with it, is that stealing? Artists make money from doing shows, they make almost nothing from music sales. It's the production companies that make money from this and then sue on the artists' behalf and keep the money from themselves. I think someone has their definition of criminal wrong...
@AirIntake: Just another war they can't possibly win. So in other words it's perfect. A never ending war with never ending funding.
Oh, I wasn't criticizing, just observing. I've had clients who were shocked at the way the police handled them, and all I can think is, they don't know or care that you're a professor/sunday school teacher/nice guy... if they're arresting you, they aren't going to risk compromizing their safety by being gentle.
@pecan 3.14159265: Actually YES! i do think they should stand at the door and knock gently unless they are doing a raid on some super violent criminal not a damn copyright infringement. Jesus, seriously?
What police state are you wanting to live in?
@treimel: I don't think you should be denigrating a necessary element of a criminal offense as a "1L definition," nor do I think it serves anyone to conflate the two crimes. You are not the only attorney in this conversation.
Even if I were to engage you on your own terms, though, if someone walked out of a store here with 10 cds, it would be petit larceny, a misdemeanor. Assuming he does not plead to a lesser charge, he's looking at 60 days imprisonment, max. Under the No Electronic Theft Act of 1997, if it can be proved he copied 10 cds within 180 days, he faces a year in prison and a fine of $25,000.
So morally, yes, I'd say that's very wrong.
Also, I cannot believe any attorney would ask "what do the semantics matter?"
A few things:
He's in jail and there won't be any bail...hmmm I think even murderers and rapist usually get bail.
Secondly, instead of making money off of big corporations, he should practice his skill, so he can enslave himself to the same corporations making them millions of dollars while he gets a few table scraps while working 60 hours a week.
Love the part where he's rapping and they're showing pictures of N64 controllers, Playstation controllers and other copyrighted and patented works. I hope they're not making any money from this video...