I don't suppose anyone is going to come up with an argument saying that they are in the theaters with their camcorders excersizing their right to time shift...:)
While no one will likely bash this law claiming a right to videotape in theatres, I will say that this law is way too draconian. Three years in prison if it's not for profit, and five if it is when nothing tangible has been taken? Fines would be more appropriate. If they are going to be draconian, why not just sentance camcorder "pirates" to death? What are those senators smoking?
In my experience, the majority of the time when someone is fined for an act that they profit from, the fine is nowhere even near the profits they make from the act. Also there's a problem of where the fine would go to the theatre? the movie studio? the actors/directors/others involved in making the movie? (my personal guess would be that it goes 99% #2 and 1% divided between anyone else)
The point i'm trying to make is that instituting a fine will probably fail to stop anybody. (like I said, in my experien
If it's a fine, it would go to the government, who else?
But with proof, whoever owns the copyright can sue for damages - currently the owner can claim actual damages or statutory damages (which currently can reach $150K for willful infringement for a one time infringement).
Sure there is a legal legimate reason for a patron to have a camcorder with them. They had it with them before the movie (perhaps on vacation).
Making tougher laws because the weaker ones aren't being enforced is just plain stupid. Just because you can't think of a reason this law shouldn't be passed, doesn't mean it should be.
A good rule of thumb when making a decision on something like this is to look at the consequences of not doing it. In this case they would have to fall back to existing copyright
As a side note, it will cost taxpayers an additional 5 million dollars per year through 2009 for enforcement.
As opposed to the millions of dollars it costs movie studios when people pirate movies? You know, taxpayers are employed by movie studios, too...
I forgot, it should be legal to pirate absolutely everything under the sun so nobody gets paid for the fruits of their efforts. People who pirate music, movies, and software are freeloaders who get bitter when the free ride is taken away.
In the town were I grew up local man took advantage of one of my best freind's sister. He also got several of her freinds. He served only 3 years in prison. Equating that kind of horror to recording a movie illegally is insulting to her, the family, and everyone harmed in a similar crime. Clearly, the Senate is being presured into passing brutal laws which seek to scare the public into obedience. Know of any good web based movments against ill concieved laws? I've just started looking and could use th
"Be there. Aloha."
-- Steve McGarret, _Hawaii Five-Oh_
That's interesting. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:That's interesting. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:That's interesting. (Score:4, Funny)
Campaign contributions from the MPAA.
Re:That's interesting. (Score:1)
Re:That's interesting. (Score:2)
But with proof, whoever owns the copyright can sue for damages - currently the owner can claim actual damages or statutory damages (which currently can reach $150K for willful infringement for a one time infringement).
Re:That's interesting. (Score:2, Insightful)
Making tougher laws because the weaker ones aren't being enforced is just plain stupid. Just because you can't think of a reason this law shouldn't be passed, doesn't mean it should be.
A good rule of thumb when making a decision on something like this is to look at the consequences of not doing it. In this case they would have to fall back to existing copyright
Re:That's interesting. (Score:1)
Re:That's interesting. (Score:2)
Amusingly enough, something that will get them [washingtoncitypaper.com] a mandatory minimum [usatoday.com] 5 year sentence [hr95.org].
Hmm, yeah, THAT'S not a biased article summary (Score:1)
As opposed to the millions of dollars it costs movie studios when people pirate movies? You know, taxpayers are employed by movie studios, too...
I forgot, it should be legal to pirate absolutely everything under the sun so nobody gets paid for the fruits of their efforts. People who pirate music, movies, and software are freeloaders who get bitter when the free ride is taken away.
Re:That's interesting. (Score:2, Informative)