Torrent users beware

Then expect to see hardware level DRM fail due to low take up, ineffectiveness and standards conflicts.

No matter what kind of DRM they introduce someone will crack in within weeks and post it on the internet. DRM doesn't work and probably never will.

dahamsta wrote:

They've been trying to do that for a decade.

They've been trying to do that for a decade.

And to some measure they've succeeded. The movie companies have managed to block digital video links from most consumer video equipment, for instance.

I dont know if this will make people feel better.
But i was told that they are stopping "uploaders".
Basically there is a company checking ISPs to see if there is anyone that has been uploading more than the average person. They then need a type of search warrent to get more details from the ISP and yet again another search warrent to confiscate your harddrive. I got the impression from what i was told that this company is working in conjunction with the Gardai.

I think someone mentioned this already but if you have your OS on one harddrive and downloads on the other, then all u need to do is too take out your second harddrive and hide it down your pants

Also if your worried about them asking wat do u use sharaza etc, just say downloading freeware or say nothing.

This is basically what a relative told me. hope it makes you feel better

Rew wrote:

Yeah it would be a good idea to get rid of the physical evidence. Then install a wireless access point with no encryption and let them prove it wasn't sombody else logging in wirelessly...

that with a windows 98 machine, no updates, no AV, no firewall, a few trojans, a sprinkle of spyware and the entire contents of C:\ shared with full RW access should do the trick

of course, the machine in question would have a 98 COA! Anything else would be STEALING!

heres a hypothetical situation:

your ISP is in your personal name, so they come after you. But "you" dont have any files.

The server on which your files (linux ISO's etc) are stored on is property of a company in the same building. You may be the owner of that company.

Would they have to get a separate warrant for the companies equipment?

12th April 2005 - Irish Recording Industry Takes Legal Action Against Major Music Filesharers

The Irish Recorded Music Association, IRMA, today announced the start of legal action against "serial filesharers" in Ireland who illegally make copyrighted music available on the Internet. IRMA is seeking damages and injunctions against 17 individuals who have illegally uploaded hundreds or thousands of music tracks onto peer-to-peer filesharing networks.

As a first step, IRMA is asking Internet Service Providers to release the names of the individuals they have found to be abusing copyright on the Internet. The major filesharers subject to legal action include users of the filesharing network FastTrack - on which KaZaA runs - and the Gnutella network.

IRMA Director General, Dick Doyle, said: "This action is being taken against serial file sharers. The top six offenders have uploaded in excess of 2,000 illegal files which is equivalent to 200 albums. This is wholesale mass distribution and is effectively stealing the livelihood of the creators of music. When you consider that each of these individuals could be connected to up to 2 million others at any one time, you begin to appreciate the scale of the damage. We have been issuing warnings for 15 months now. It is time to take action - we are not accepting this situation anymore."

Massive illegal file-sharing is undermining the livelihoods of everyone in the creative chain involved in making music, from composers and music publishers to performers, musicians and record companies. Abuse of copyright on the Internet has contributed to a €28 million drop in music sales in Ireland between 2001 and 2004, a decline of 19%.

The current legal action comes after 15 months of educational initiatives to raise awareness of the cultural and economic damage done by illegal file-sharing. These initiatives have included educational brochures sent to colleges and businesses, an extensive radio campaign on national and local radio, countless media interviews and an informative website www.pro-music.org. Instant messages have also been sent to the computers of illegal filesharers worldwide warning them of the consequences if they continue breaking the law.

On behalf of the composers and publishers of music, Victor Finn, Managing Director of MCPS (Ireland) said: "We fully endorse the actions taken by IRMA today. All parties have been fully aware of their responsibilities for some time in this area. Unfortunately, not all have heeded the warnings given and they have made this action inevitable."

IRMA's announcement comes after a breakthrough year for legitimate online music services that are offering legal downloads to consumers. The current legal action is aimed at giving crucial breathing space to legal services and allowing them room to develop. There are five major legitimate services in Ireland: iTunes, Eircom Music Club, mycoke.com, vitaminic.com music club and wippit.co.uk.

The launch of legal actions in Ireland forms part of an announcement from the international recording industry that it is stepping up litigation against illegal filesharers internationally. IFPI, the organisation representing the recording industry worldwide, has today announced a total of 963 new actions launched in 11 countries in Europe and Asia. This brings the total number of cases against illegal filesharers to 11,552 worldwide. In Europe, 248 individuals, mostly men aged 25-35, have already paid average fines of €3,000.

The latest research suggests that the international legal campaign is already having an impact. Overall, the number of infringing music files on the internet dropped from its peak of 1.1 billion in April 2003 to 870 million in January 2005, a drop of 21% despite a sharp rise in broadband penetration worldwide. KaZaa, which used to be the largest and most popular filesharing services, has seen its number of users drop by around 45% since the start of the warning and litigation campaign.

Éanna Casey, Chief Executive of Recorded Artists and Performers (R.A.A.P), said: "R.A.A.P fully endorses the actions outlined this morning by IRMA. Online music piracy is selfish, illegal and has a direct impact on the economic welfare of Recording Artists and Performers. No industry can be expected to allow illegal activities to continue unchallenged, the unauthorised uploading of copyrighted music is now being confronted and R.A.A.P. is committed to protecting its members' moral and economic rights."

Source: IRMA

would those figures quoted, for the decline in the Irish music industry, factor in people buying of the internet from companies outside Ireland.

Cdwow, play, amazon, etc?

The_Bullman wrote:

would those figures quoted, for the decline in the Irish music industry, factor in people buying of the internet from companies outside Ireland.

Cdwow, play, amazon, etc?

More than likely. People have started to realise that cds can be bought for less than €22 a pop. Maybe they wouldn't be reporting such substantial losses if they didn't allow HMV et al to charge so much for a cd.

Also, didn't IRMA sue CDWow last year too?

mm, yeah, in the end internet users will win.
I just hope these companies dont cause too much hardship before they realise they are stupid and cant win.

actually, just thinking, wouldnt it be fun, to... check this out.

make it seem like you were uploading ****loads of copyright stuff. but in actual fact you are just uplaoding files with names the same as copyright stuff ( to various friends), someting about the right size, but just blank data, and try your best to get caught.
then when they try to get you, you counter sue.

nadir wrote:

mm, yeah, in the end internet users will win.
I just hope these companies dont cause too much hardship before they realise they are stupid and cant win.

actually, just thinking, wouldnt it be fun, to... check this out.

make it seem like you were uploading ****loads of copyright stuff. but in actual fact you are just uplaoding files with names the same as copyright stuff ( to various friends), someting about the right size, but just blank data, and try your best to get caught.
then when they try to get you, you counter sue.

Haha, play the greedy bastards at their own game, I like!

TORONTO - Ireland's tradition of granting full-time professional artists tax-free status on their income may be in for some changes.

The country's Labour Party is suggesting that writers, artists and musicians earning more than 100,000 euros (about $156,000) a year should lose their tax-free status.

The call for changes was prompted by Monday's release of new figures detailing about 1,500 people who benefited from the scheme between 1998 (when the country's Freedom of Information Act came into law) and 2001. Since 2002, all artists applying for the exemption have been informed that their names could be made public at some point.

Labour Party finance spokesperson Joan Burton told the Irish Times that although she didn't want to make "a blanket judgment" about the scheme, she didn't "see an argument as to why [these artists] should not be making tax contributions to the state.

"And maybe that money should be redirected towards struggling artists," she added.

In his budget announcement in December, Irish Finance Minister Brian Cowen said that the artistic tax break is one of several schemes up for review by independent consultants this year. The review has yet to begin.

The Irish Arts Council is arguing in favour of the artistic exemption, saying that it is needed to support struggling artists who make less than minimum wage and have an income that can vary drastically from year to year. According to the council, more than half of the tax-exempt artists in 2001 earned less than $15,600 a year.

Introduced in 1969, the tax scheme has attracted a number of high profile artists to Ireland over the years, including novelist Frederick Forsyth, rocker Elvis Costello, and members of the band Def Leppard.

The government estimates that the tax scheme costs approximately $54.7 million in lost taxation revenue each year.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/story/arts/national/2005/03/29/Arts/irishtax050329.html

and also considering that digiweb cut you off if you are downloading movie torrents I wouldn't hold much faith in the isp's

basquille wrote:

...
And even if it was true.. i still think Eircom would sell us down the river in a minute! (not literally, of course!)

And spread fear & uncertainty among their broadband users as to whether or not they would be next to be sued?

Never mind your serial leechers, the bad publicity would affect the average household user who wouldn't have the time or inclination to police their teenager's p2p activity.

I don't think they would be too quick to respond to something that would have a big negative hit on demand, that's not even mentioning the erosion of trust that would come about from providing details to an arbitrary industry organisation.