UK cinema ‘piracy’ bag search
p2pnet news view | Movies:- What do Cineworld in Stockport, Greater Manchester, in England, and Cinemas Guzzo in Montreal, Canada, have in common?
They both think it’s OK to treat their customers like criminals.
Julie Berthiaume and her two young daughters went to see a movie at the Marche Central Guzzo in Montreal when she was asked to undergo a bag search.
She didn’t mch like the prospect, but allowed it and a, “theatre worker rummaged through her bag with both hands in a very rough manner,” said the National Post, going on, “”She says she didn`t have a camera and wasn’t going to pirate the movie.
“Berthiaume is suing Guzzo for $60,000, claiming physical and moral suffering and a loss of enjoyment of life.”
Guzzo defended the search as a measure to fight movie pirates.
That was back in 2007 and we haven’t been able to find out if she got her money.
‘I’m going to have to call the police’
Meanwhile, in the UK in 2009, “Sue, 38, from Stockport, visited the cinema with her sister last week to watch He’s just not that into you,” says the BBC, going on:
“After buying their tickets staff asked to search their bags before they entered the auditorium, citing concerns about piracy or alcohol.”
Sue said she had a had a packet of Revels candies and staff asked her to hand over the sweets and collect them afterwards.
But she refused “out of principle” and was followed into the auditorium by the duty manager and two security guards, says the story, quoting her as saying:
“It was embarrassing and she [the manager] just wouldn’t let it go. I felt really embarrassed.”
Sue was asked to leave but refused and, “She [the manager] said, ‘Well, I’m going to have to call the police – is that what you want me to do?’ I said ‘Yes, please do. That’s a good idea.”
Sue got to watch the movie but, “It wasn’t that good because I was worried the police were going to turn up any minute … I certainly wouldn’t go there again.”
undergo a bag search – Probation only for Canadian camcorder, February 23, 2009
National Post – Quebec`s Cinema Guzzo sued for `rough` search for camcorder; overzealous anti-piracy tactic?, July 31, 2007
BBC – Police threat in cinema sweet row, March 17, 2009
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March 18th, 2009 at 11:48 am
Chocolates? OMG What a hardcore Pirate?
Sue should sue =P
SAY NO TO AUS FILTERING!!!
March 18th, 2009 at 11:52 am
and CAMs, and TSs suck quite bad anyway
March 18th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Once again, we’re given more reasons why only COPS should be “cops”.
To privilege anyone else with these “powers” is just insane.
The MPAA wants cinema staff to be cops.
The RIAA wants ISPs to be cops.
All over “copyright infringment” (a civil matter), and the “threat” of same.
All on someone else’s budget.
Insane.
March 19th, 2009 at 6:39 am
Devil’s Advocate: It all goes hand in hand with creating a police state. First spread powers around and then get the civilians to start ratting eachother out creating an effective environment of fear. The RIAA and MPAA seem to be fascist organizations more and more.