The RIAA and MPAA are telling California legislators that lies and deceit are an integral part of their anti-piracy strategy. The importance of lying, masterfully demonstrated by Jim Carrey in his 1997 hit “Liar Liar,” is at issue as California legislators mull a measure that would ban pretexting. Otherwise known as lying, pretexting involves the use of “false statements and other misleading practices to get personal information.”

The trade groups have proposed an alternative measure that would allow the use of pretexting “or other investigative techniques” when pursuing their copyright claims.

[The trade groups] said investigators sometimes pose as someone else to obtain bootlegged CDs or movies and to break into online piracy rings. “Basically, we want criminals to feel comfortable that who they’re dealing with is probably some other criminal and let us in on what’s going on,” said Brad Buckles, the RIAA’s executive vice president for anti-piracy.

There, there, Recording Industry and Motion Picture Associations of America. We will always think of you as criminals. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER

Recording, movie industries lobby for permission to deceive [L.A. Times]
(Photo: 03|23|07)

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