Support NeoGAF

[Ripclawe]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012...RSS&feedName=entertainmentNews&rpc=22&sp=true

Reuters) - Digital storage services like Megaupload, which was accused of criminal copyright violations on Thursday, play a small but growing role in a broader piracy problem that continues to evolve and dog the entertainment industry.

Some 3 million Americans every month used Megaupload, which is among the largest digital lockers, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) said. Other entertainment executives said that number surged when other sites popular with digital pirates, such as LimeWire, were taken down.

"When we look at piracy behavior and uncompensated theft of music, a significant portion of consumer behavior migrates toward these locker sites" after shutdowns, said Victoria Bassetti, a music industry consultant and former anti-piracy chief at record label EMI.

"Anecdotally, when we have pre-release leaks, the first week there is a massive amount of consumer trade that goes directly to Megaupload's door."

Peer-to-peer systems like BitTorrent, which have little central coordination and are harder to stop, still have about three times as much usage among consumers as digital lockers, said NPD market researcher Russ Crupnick.

Only about 3 percent of the U.S. Internet audience relied on digital storage for legitimate purposes or piracy in the third quarter, he said.

Megaupload and its ilk may be a bigger factor in video piracy because movies take much longer to download via peer-to-peer networks, Crupnick said. Digital lockers allow anyone to upload, store and distribute links to most forms of electronic content.

The U.S. Justice Department released an indictment Thursday accusing Megaupload's founders and other officers of criminal conspiracy, arguing that they encouraged copyright violations and in some cases copied protected content themselves. Four people involved with the site were arrested in New Zealand.

The indictment cited internal emails referring to piracy and Megaupload's policy of rewarding users whose content was downloaded most often, which prosecutors said encouraged the distribution of prime Hollywood fare.

An attorney for the company said Friday that the site merely allowed users to upload material and that it would fight the charges.

RIAA spokesman Jonathan Lamy said that lockers were "generally the fastest growing form of Internet piracy."

Like other shutdowns, the interruption of Megaupload will send some pirates to rivals but should encourage others to buy or rent content legally, Lamy said.

"The realistic objective is not to eliminate piracy but to make it as inconvenient as possible," he said. "Some of the users you peel off."

The takedown enraged some Internet activists, who launched denial-of-service attacks that temporarily rendered websites of the Justice Department, FBI and big entertainment companies unreachable.

Some of them argued that the arrests showed that there was no need for laws like those that were withdrawn from consideration in Congress this week that would have made it much easier to block access to sites accused of fostering piracy.

But entertainment executives said that they would try again to pass such bills because they are aimed more at attacking demand rather than supply. In addition, many file-sharing sites do not have Megaupload's ties to the United States or allied countries.

"It is not hard necessarily to do something in New Zealand, but it is hard to get people in Russia and China," Bassetti said.

 

[JetBlackPanda]

Digital lockers?? The shit.. The music and movie industry is going to kill cloud storage isn't it?

 

[GavinGT]

Fuck me, they really won't stop until they've destroyed the internet.

 

[Noirulus]

They're just going to pummel through everything and still find out that not much will change. Is it even possible to kill some of the distribution softwares like torrenting?

 

[hteng]

it's not a locker if everyone can access it publicly.

They're just going to pummel through everything and still find out that not much will change. Is it even possible to kill some of the distribution softwares like torrenting?

it's totally possible, they just need to force ISP to block torrent traffics and deny access to torrent sites.

then again you have VPNs to bypass this.

 

[Zaptruder]

If they ever do manage to kill piracy, and 3/4 of the internet along with it... movie and music industry execs will probably be quite confused at the lack of increased sales.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

If they ever do manage to kill piracy, and 3/4 of the internet along with it... movie and music industry execs will probably be quite confused at the lack of increased sales.

And loss of money too. They just don't seem to get it. They never will. And they will lose this battle, mark my words.

 

[LuchaShaq]

Shit like this is why I don't give a shit when people pirate music/movies. In most cases I don't care if they go down in flames considering how out of touch with reality they are.


At this point I'd be happier to pirate, find out the price of the content, and then light double the amount of money on fire than give these people a fucking cent. If it wasn't for spotify/Zune/Netflix/Redbox I would probably start pirating stuff. If they want to kill all of that? Watch as many like me never give them another cent.

 

[ivysaur12]

Shit like this is why I don't give a shit when people pirate music/movies. In most cases I don't care if they go down in flames considering how out of touch with reality they are.

Weird, because there's actually people in this industry whose livelihoods depend on people legally buying their products. But no, stick it to the man! Fuck the little guys and creatives!

 

[smokeandmirrors]

Weird, because there's actually people in this industry whose livelihoods depend on people legally buying their products. But no, stick it to the man! Fuck the little guys and creatives!

The artists? Not so much. They make pittance on album sales, if at all. As for the movie industry, that one I can see, though they still make bloated pieces of shit.

 

[ivysaur12]

The artists? Not so much. They make pittance on album sales, if at all. As for the movie industry, that one I can see, though they still make bloated pieces of shit.

Pro-tip: When you talk about "the film industry" and creative talent within it, 99.999% are not involved with summer blockbusters or American Idol-shows that drive these profits. So, no, objectively they don't. That's why you have the Writer's Strike. And they still get boned and put food on the table based on what you buy. So yeah.

 

[Ether_Snake]

If they ever do manage to kill piracy, and 3/4 of the internet along with it... movie and music industry execs will probably be quite confused at the lack of increased sales.

And then the government will bail them out, lol.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

Pro-tip: When you talk about "the film industry" and creative talent within it, 99.999% are not involved with summer blockbusters or American Idol-shows that drive these profits. So, no, objectively they don't. That's why you have the Writer's Strike. And they still get boned and put food on the table based on what you buy. So yeah.

Correct. I jumped the gun a bit. Yes you are correct. What I should have specified was the very vocal .001% of those who do make the bile seem to be the loudest about the whole thing.

 

[Monocle]

These companies are going to get steamrolled if they refuse to adapt. The sooner the better, I say. People and organizations who stifle innovation for personal gain deserve to lose all their influence in society.

 

[Foffy]

These companies are going to get steamrolled if they refuse to adapt. The sooner the better, I say. People and organizations who stifle innovation for personal gain deserve to lose all their influence in society.

They'd rather keep their boat than adapt to what the people want. I think people download movies, shows, games, and albums more because they're directly accessible. No going to a movie theater or having a disc where you cannot skip advertisements, no DRM, et cetera. it's very straight to the point.

Many of the people in charge of these industries are out of touch with the generation that is creating the change in how they want their content, and this circus is only to continue when they get with the times.

 

[Joel Was Right]

You know what would be an interesting experiment? Stream movies for free legally and at the end of the movie ask the viewer if they could support the actors/film crew by paying X amount for what you just saw. X amount wouldn't be a set figure however, the viewer chooses how much they'd like to payo (although lets say the minimum is $2); voluntary payments. Although I've felt some films not to be worth their admission price in theatre, others i would have gladly paid double for such was the quality.

 

[Ether_Snake]

The technology to force the dinosaurs into extinction will continue to grow.

The key is content makers will be content distributors.

When that happens, all will be fine.

We're there already with music, soon with books too. TV is starting to follow suit it, and as cameras, SFX, etc., all become cheaper, it will just become even better.

 

[LuchaShaq]

Weird, because there's actually people in this industry whose livelihoods depend on people legally buying their products. But no, stick it to the man! Fuck the little guys and creatives!

Then they should work with not against groups with great online services like steam/netflix/zune, or like Louis C.K. say fuck it and release it drm free for a reasonable price. I've never paid for ANY comedy album/concert movie/special EVER until this one due to how he released it.

It's always the least intelligent and least talented people in entertainment that blame piracy/second hand etc.

They'd rather keep their boat than adapt to what the people want. I think people download movies, shows, games, and albums more because they're directly accessible. No going to a movie theater or having a disc where you cannot skip advertisements, no DRM, et cetera. it's very straight to the point.

Many of the people in charge of these industries are out of touch with the generation that is creating the change in how they want their content, and this circus is only to continue when they get with the times.

Exactly. Steam is the best example here, it's easier to buy games legally than to pirate due to how the process is handled.

Today's movie industry? It's to the point if I actually rent a blu ray I rip it first, watch it and then delete/return the disc. It's like they don't want my money. Never bothered keeping the copies because I almost never rewatch movies so I'd rather have the hard drive space.

 

[evil solrac v3.0]

Hollywood execs just don't get it. they aren't entitled to become millionares by robbing me of choice.

 

[johnsmith]

Like other shutdowns, the interruption of Megaupload will send some pirates to rivals but should encourage others to buy or rent content legally, Lamy said.

They just don't get it. You know what would discourage piracy? Making more movies available through reasonably priced streaming services. Netflix reduces piracy, yet these assholes are trying to kill it. Redbox reduces piracy, but yet these 56 day delays increase it. If HBO had an online subscription service for $7.99 that gave you access to all their TV shows, the piracy rates of their TV shows would fall significantly.

Such a completely moronic industry.

 

[Foffy]

The technology to force the dinosaurs into extinction will continue to grow.

The key is content makers will be content distributors.

When that happens, all will be fine.

We're there already with music, soon with books too. TV is starting to follow suit it, and as cameras, SFX, etc., all become cheaper, it will just become even better.

True, but the issue we have here is the lobbying arm for these industries are essentially the ones fighting for control. RIAA, MPAA, and even the ESA do this. The major companies under those arms don't seem to have any want to disband and move out on their own, but be the ones dictating how things must be.

 

[NumberTwo]

Want to combat piracy effectively?

Making content more easily accessible at fair prices would be start. Netflix & Hulu are pretty much at the mercy of movie studios & networks who ostensibly extort these services by threatening to pull their content if they don't pay their exorbitant licensing fees; hence the recent price hikes of Netflix and the inconsistant availability of shows on Hulu.

I've always seen piracy as more about convenience than malicious intent. I mean, there are people out there who will steal no matter you do to mitigate the temptation for torrenting. Though I can tell you right now, I would much rather be able to sit down infront of my tv, get on my Roku, go to Netflix and start watching a movie immediately rather than having to search for a decent copy of what I want and then wait hours for a download to complete.

Such a simple concept these conglomerates fail to comprehend.

EDIT: beaten almost word for word.

 

[LuchaShaq]

I mean, there are people out there who will steal no matter you do to mitigate the temptation for torrenting.

Yup. These are the people who were never customers, will never be customers, and are basically digital horders with thousands of hours of games/movies that for the most part they will never play or watch anyways.

The people to target are the people who have paid/will paid that pirate for convenience/quality. Know multiple friends who always pirated PC games/movies that now buy them due to how great steam/netflix are.

 

[Foffy]

Exactly. Steam is the best example here, it's easier to buy games legally than to pirate due to how the process is handled.

Quite true. I'd be down paying money to get a download that's the whole game, bells and whistles, than pirating the game, dealing with keygens and all of that horse shit because the former, particularly with Steam, is far more convenient for me. No nooses to deal with to get a game up and running.

An issue with games that would make me pirate them is if/when we hit a point where if I buy a game, I don't own it, and it can be taken away just because some outside source wants to prevent me from playing it anymore. There was an issue with this in regards to Kindles a few years back, I think, where Amazon deleted one book even if people bought it. Why should I put my faith into a service where there may be a chance that stuff is taken away from me without my consent, despite paying for it? That's bullshit, and a potential possibility.

I have a sad feeling that the movie industry may try that. I can only imagine that a Blu-ray super 3D release of Aladdin comes with a catch that after three months, Disney wipes the movie from the platform/service you bought it from, including your download.

 

[Ether_Snake]

True, but the issue we have here is the lobbying arm for these industries are essentially the ones fighting for control. RIAA, MPAA, and even the ESA do this. The major companies under those arms don't seem to have any want to disband and move out on their own, but be the ones dictating how things must be.

Yes but the RIAA, MPAA, etc., can do NOTHING about me making my own music and selling my own music online.

Period.

And that is what happened with music, what is happening with software (software, apps, games), and what will happen with books, and soon with movies and TV shows. Someone will "get it", and there is NOTHING the RIAA and MPAA will be able to do about it.

 

[nomis]

DIGITAL LOCKERS

 

[Noshino]

Correct. I jumped the gun a bit. Yes you are correct. What I should have specified was the very vocal .001% of those who do make the bile seem to be the loudest about the whole thing.

Because they are usually the ones that get asked.

I wouldn't be surprised if most (people behind the scenes) share the same feeling.

These companies are going to get steamrolled if they refuse to adapt. The sooner the better, I say. People and organizations who stifle innovation for personal gain deserve to lose all their influence in society.

I still don't know how the fight against piracy is "stifling innovation"

On the contrary, in my opinion, many games, movies, and series are becoming more and more generic/dumbed down/dull simply to aim a wider audience/be more profitable. Its quite annoying really.

 

[Foffy]

Yes but the RIAA, MPAA, etc., can do NOTHING about me making my own music and selling my own music online.

Period.

And that is what happened with music, what is happening with software (software, apps, games), and what will happen with books, and soon with movies and TV shows. Someone will "get it", and there is NOTHING the RIAA and MPAA will be able to do about it.

They could regulate against the service of distribution for them. Wasn't one of the perks of bittorrent is it opens such a gate for people to do exactly what you're talking about, but those groups would prefer a world with it gone?

The exact same circumstances are now happened to digital locker networks. Sure, people will use these types of things to upload copyrighted material, but there are those who use it as a platform for their own stuff. The problem is these companies don't give a fuck about the legal useage, but want it gone because their stuff is at risk, and will forever be at risk on platforms that offer individual distribution.

It's a stance they truly cannot win on. They want more than DMCA claims for that stuff, they want the power to dictate how sites should be and take down anything that opens a door to their material. This happened with tapes, CDs, and now internet platforms. Old battle, new technology.

 

[RDreamer]

They just don't get it. You know what would discourage piracy? Making more movies available through reasonably priced streaming services. Netflix reduces piracy, yet these assholes are trying to kill it. Redbox reduces piracy, but yet these 56 day delays increase it. If HBO had an online subscription service for $7.99 that gave you access to all their TV shows, the piracy rates of their TV shows would fall significantly.

Such a completely moronic industry.

Seriously. This is so true it's insane. You know why I don't need to pirate music at all anymore? I subscribe to Rhapsody! For 10 bucks a month I get everything I could ever want! The selection on Rhapsody makes me hate the movie and TV industry, since the selection on Netflix absolutely pales in comparison. People will subscribe to this stuff. It's so much quicker and easier than pirating.

 

[johnsmith]

They need to look at what the anime industry did, they didn't kill the piracy, but they really cut down on it by making the legal alternatives so much better.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...me-site-treats-piracy-as-a-market-failure.ars

"Kun claims that piracy drops "60 to 70 percent" for shows carried by Crunchyroll."

 

[ronito]

All I know is if they shutdown dropbox much if my company will grind to a halt. Well maybe not a halt but it would be a severe hit in productivity

 

[Unicorn]

Quite true. I'd be down paying money to get a download that's the whole game, bells and whistles, than pirating the game, dealing with keygens and all of that horse shit because the former, particularly with Steam, is far more convenient for me. No nooses to deal with to get a game up and running.

An issue with games that would make me pirate them is if/when we hit a point where if I buy a game, I don't own it, and it can be taken away just because some outside source wants to prevent me from playing it anymore. There was an issue with this in regards to Kindles a few years back, I think, where Amazon deleted one book even if people bought it. Why should I put my faith into a service where there may be a chance that stuff is taken away from me without my consent, despite paying for it? That's bullshit, and a potential possibility.

I have a sad feeling that the movie industry may try that. I can only imagine that a Blu-ray super 3D release of Aladdin comes with a catch that after three months, Disney wipes the movie from the platform/service you bought it from, including your download.

My biggest (and mostly only) fear of the DD future.

 

[Ether_Snake]

They could regulate against the service of distribution for them. Wasn't one of the perks of bittorrent is it opens such a gate for people to do exactly what you're talking about, but those groups would prefer a world with it gone?

The exact same circumstances are now happened to digital locker networks. Sure, people will use these types of things to upload copyrighted material, but there are those who use it as a platform for their own stuff. The problem is these companies don't give a fuck about the legal useage, but want it gone because their stuff is at risk, and will forever be at risk on platforms that offer individual distribution.

It's a stance they truly cannot win on. They want more than DMCA claims for that stuff, they want the power to dictate how sites should be and take down anything that opens a door to their material.

No. Bit Torrent is not a store, nor are "digital lockers".

If I want to make a game and sell it I can, no one can stop me, there are too many ways to sell content on the net. No one can take down Pay Pal over the fact that Mojang was selling their game through it.

 

[neoemonk]

When I read Cryptonomicon I thought data haven's were just fiction. That Neal Stephenson guy might be on to something.

 

[ivysaur12]

Then they should work with not against groups with great online services like steam/netflix/zune, or like Louis C.K. say fuck it and release it drm free for a reasonable price. I've never paid for ANY comedy album/concert movie/special EVER until this one due to how he released it.

It's always the least intelligent and least talented people in entertainment that blame piracy/second hand etc.

No, it's the people who don't have the following of Louis C.K. who can do one comedy show online that turns a profit. Louis C.K.'s model is a nice exercise, but it can't be extrapolated to a project with even a marginally larger budget or someone who isn't as well known as Louie is.

Also, I like how you make a broad generalization about those creatives that complain about piracy as one of the many factors that could affect their bottom line. Not only does it add to the discussion, but it really makes you seem like you know what you're talking about! Go you!

 

[RDreamer]

They need to look at what the anime industry did, they didn't kill the piracy, but they really cut down on it by making the legal alternatives so much better.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...me-site-treats-piracy-as-a-market-failure.ars

"Kun claims that piracy drops "60 to 70 percent" for shows carried by Crunchyroll."

Whoa, I didn't know this existed. I had been saying for a long time that anime needed to get with Netflix or hulu or make something of their own and do exactly what these guys are doing. If I watched more anime I'd probably know about this, I suppose. Might get more into and subscribe now, since downloading stuff was always a hassle and waiting for it to come out here sucked and was way, way too expensive.