The shrub signs secret bill...

[Duo Maxwell]

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=8318656

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People who secretly videotape movies  when they are shown in theaters could go to prison for up to  three years under a measure signed into law by President Bush  on Wednesday.

The law also toughens penalties for hackers and industry  insiders who distribute music, movies or other copyrighted  works before their official release dates.

Bush signed the bill in a closed-door ceremony and released  no public statement.

Copies of hit movies frequently show up on the Internet  while they're still in theaters, allowing skinflint fans to see  new releases without buying a ticket.

Pirates sneak camcorders into movie theaters to tape films  directly off the screen, while some industry insiders leak  copies to tech-savvy hackers before they're officially  released.

The U.S. Customs Department has estimated that these  distribution groups are responsible for 95 percent of all  pirated movies available online.

Those found guilty could face up to three years in prison,  as well as lawsuits from copyright holders.

The law also shields "family-friendly" services like  ClearPlay that strip violent or sexually explicit scenes from  movies.

That provision is less popular with Hollywood, which says  such services violate their copyrighted works by altering them  without permission.

Nevertheless, a trade group representing large movie  studios hailed the bill's passage.

"Video piracy is not a victimless crime," said Dan  Glickman, president of the Motion Picture Association of  America.

Both houses of Congress approved slightly different  versions of the measure last year, but could not reconcile  their differences before the session ended.                                  

         

[Orethrius]

It'll be interesting to see how many cases will actually be heard before theatres realise it's simpler - and cheaper - to just mount a few PD-6500i's at the entrance and have ushers carry wands and manually scrutinise (read: ten people to an usher at a time, being welcomed and casually observed simultaneously) the patrons.  A little cordiality up-front can help defray both the cost of tickets, and the probability that someone will want to short-change the industry.

Sadly, I don't see this happening anytime soon.  Thank you, litigation. :rolleyes:

[choasforages]

im sick of prisons in america.....its only teaching criminals to be better criminals...put the hackers in with the hardcore criminals....and evolve the art of crime in general...beuatiful idea congress...not to mention waste my tax dollars that i already disagree with paying on keeping people like this locked up and letting voilent offenders off....fuck that

[Calum]

prisons cost tons too, and as you say, they don't reform people, for sure.

i reckon restrictions on their living (like take a percentage of their income for a certain number of months/years, and so on) would be better, and would make money for the state, rather than cost money.

[Kintaro]

Shoot em all and let god sort em out.