MPAA boosts NY jail bill
p2p news / p2pnet: It’s like "using a howitzer to solve a roach problem".
That’s how Pace Law School professor David N. Cassuto sees the latest MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) move to jail people with camcorders who use them in New York cinemas.
"The proposed penalties would also apply to an obnoxious 16-year-old who holds up a camera phone during the coming attractions to snap a photograph of the screen," defense attorney Marvin Schecter says.
Both quotes come in an Associated Press story which says presently, "Under state law, people caught videotaping inside a movie theater face a maximum fine of $250."
But, a bill pushed by the MPAA, "would make operating recording equipment inside a theater a criminal misdemeanor, raising the maximum punishment to a $1,000 fine and a year in jail".
Moreover, "Making the crime a misdemeanor also would empower police to arrest violators on the spot, rather than simply issuing a summons," says the story.
People caught a second time would be charged with a felony.
"Legislators, film industry representatives and lawyers met Wednesday in Manhattan to discuss the new proposal, which would make New York one of several states to adopt tougher rules on movie piracy in recent years," says AP.
Sony, one of the major studios which are reporting record breaking revenues and which own the MPAA, also makes and sells tiny camera recorders of the type used by the alleged videotapers, usually teenagers.
Tired of being treated like a criminal? They depend on you, not the other way around. Don’t buy their ‘product’. Do bug your local political representatives. Use emails, snail-mail, phone calls, faxes, IM, stop them in the street, blog. And if you’re into organizing, organize petitions, organize demonstrations and then turn up on your local political rep’s doorstep, making sure you’ve contacted your local tv/radio station/newspaper in advance.
Also read:-
Associated Press – MPAA Pushes for Tougher Bootlegging Laws, December 8, 2005
December 8th, 2005 at 12:04 pm
Uh, isn’t there a federal law against camming now? Why is it necessary to now have 50 separate state laws on the same issue?
As far as the ‘cam-phone’ issue goes, wouldn’t that be considered an ‘excerpt’ under the doctrine of fair use as it’s only capturing one frame or perhaps 10-15 secs of video. I know of no cam-phone that’s capable of camming a full length feature.
–TG
December 8th, 2005 at 3:44 pm
I recently borrowed a latest model video camera that supposedly is semi-pro, not the of the quality that the rich consumers buy. The USA price of the camera was about $1500. I wanted to video my experiences with the court system in case something happens to me.
The quality of recorded live video is nowhere the quality of a dvd movie. Without excellent lighting, the video quality was terrible, very noisy.
The sound quality was up to par to a $10 microphone, not good at all, at AM radio level with a lot of background noise. Well, what can you expect from a built in cheap microphone?
What I cannot understand is why the motion picture industry and the police is concerned about the use of camcorders in movie theaters, when whatever quality is obtained makes the video worthless. It cannot be to stop the sales of pirate copies. These can be made from ordinary DVDs.
Then there must be a catch somewhere and I can only guess what it is. These are my possible guesses Some are really crazy.
A. To show that legislators are the boss and can do whatever they fancy.
B. To show that piracy will not be tolerated in any manner and form. After all cassettes were tolerated, all the judges used them and look what has happened.
C. The movie industry has been infiltrated by the enemy, for example, the television industry or the DVD pirate industry or the sports industry. By acting crazy the movie industry shoots itself in the foot. A kid in jail may cost the industry the loss of a million moviegoers who will turn to other forms of entertainment.
D. The lawyers want more and easier cases. Because a moviegoer with a camera in hand is easier prey than a p2p sharer or CD copier that works in the privacy of the home.
E. Legislators want to end all copyright laws. One way is to write laws that discredit and ridicules the idea of copyrights. After all copyright laws are eliminated and copyright become a thing of the past, the legislators can no longer be hounded by the lobbies to get changes squeezed in.
F. The jail bond business needs a booster. This is it.
G. The American legal system has gone berserk. While this is not new, the level is higher.
Maybe it is all of the above.
Rafael Venegas
http://www.gvenegas.com
December 9th, 2005 at 6:00 pm
U.S. Prisons tend to be over crowded. No doubt in order to make room for the theater camcorder people they will let out some murderers and rapists. Another crap law bought and paid for by the entertainment industry.