The CCIA, an industry trade group representing the interests of the likes of Google and Microsoft, asked us to let you know they’ve started an online petition at DefendFairUse.org.
mpaa
Meet The "CCIA": Google, Microsoft's Industry Group Attacks Copyright Bullying
Google, Microsoft, and others speaking through the Computer and Communications Industry Association or CCIA, have announced their intention to file a complaint with the FCC accusing copyright holders such as Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the MPAA and the RIAA of “overstating” their rights in various consumer warnings.
University Of Kansas' New File Sharing Rule: One Strike And You're Out
The University of Kansas has a harsh message for its students: illegally download copyrighted material and you’ll spend the rest of your college days checking Facebook in the computer lab. The university previously operated under a ‘three strikes and you’re out’ policy. From Kansas University ResNet:
Digg Goes Ape$#@*!
A wide-scale user revolt is disrupting popular social news networking Digg. It’s a protest over Digg acquiescing to MPAA pressure and deleting a 15,000+ dugg story about a crack for the HD-DVD/Blu-Ray DRM system.
Jack Valenti, Architect of the MPAA Movie Rating System, Dies At 85
Valenti was a special assistant and confidant to President Lyndon Johnson when he was lured to Hollywood in 1966 by movie moguls Lew Wasserman and Arthur Krim. A lifelong film lover, he once cited the 1966 film ”A Man for All Seasons” as his all-time favorite.
The RIAA And MPAA Need To Lie
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.”
MPAA's Most Wanted: MPAA Compiles List Of Top 25 "Pirate" Universities
It wasn’t too long ago that the RIAA compiled their list of the universities most infested by alleged music pirates, and now it seems the MPAA is following suit. The RIAA used their list to target universities, sending threatening letters to the school’s administration, insisting that they forward “settlement letters” to students who matched IP addresses the record companies had harvested from P2P sharing programs. Now the MPAA has a list of its own, compiled at the request of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary. Read the list inside…
Reader Explains the Circuit City DMCA Disconnect
Hey, we’re all for Circuit City flouting the DMCA. It’s a bogus law, as anti-consumer as they come. So we were a bit disappointed when Bill Cimino, director of corporate communications, clarified that the sign wasn’t the opening jab in a legal title fight between Circuit City and the RIAA/MPAA, but was instead a disconnect between the wishes of corporate and that particular Circuit City’s store manager.
MPAA Finally Sues The Wrong Guy
Nine times out of ten, you can just walk up to anyone on the street and punch them right in the face, scot-free. Hey, go try it. The nonconfrontational pansy on the other end will sputter impotently for a few minutes, speechless as he tries to comprehend the unexpected development, then finally squeal, “Hey, man! Like what the fuck!”
The News is Tasty Like a Taser
• School doesn’t like student complaining on Xanga that the school is a bully, proves him wrong with a 10 day suspension. [Sun Times]
See You in the Funnies, MPAA/RIAA
Hi-larious webcomic skewering the DRM Nazis’ ‘business model.’
More On Hollywood’s Crazy Download-To-Own Schemes
A couple weeks ago, we repoted that Universal Pictures was intending on selling its embarrassing remake of King Kong over the Internet to customers for the low, low price of thirty five dollars. “Jeezum Crow!” was the only properly incredulous reaction to the announcement. The price was absolutely ghastly for what was being offered — basically, one huge mpeg with none of the extras, packaging or company-expenses of DVDs that sell for half the price.
Universal Idiots To Offer Download-To-Gouge Movie Service
Universal Pictures is launching a download-to-own service where you can legally download movies like King Kong on to your computer for the low, low price of thirty-five dollars.