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24 Apr 2009 23:52

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Tech: MPAA: Lock the doors, kick the public out. Judge: OK!

  • The RealDVD trial takes a sketchy turn. The Motion Picture Association of America and another group, concerned that trade secrets about DVD encryption technology would be revealed during a trial against Real, asked the judge to close the courtroom. Judge Marilyn Patel agreed. RealDVD, if you don’t know, allows people to save DVDs onto their computer and legally watch them later. Just days after releasing the software, Real was sued by the MPAA. The closed courtroom does not bode well for Real’s case, by the way. source

08 Mar 2009 21:34

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Tech, World: Is film piracy linked to organized crime and terrorism? Maybe.

  • Given the enormous profit margins, it’s no surprise that organized crime has moved into film piracy. The profits are high, and penalties for being caught are relatively low.
  • Greg Treverton • Lead author of a report on how organized crime and piracy go hand-in-hand. He’s also the director of RAND Corp.’s Center for Global Risk and Security. The study was sponsored by – surprise – the Motion Picture Association, the international arm of the Motion Picture Association of America. The study also linked terrorism and piracy. • source