Legal Issues

Legal Issues

by Mike Masnick




Much Ado About Smut-Free DVDs

from the getting-a-case-thrown-out dept

Three of the technology companies that have been sued by Hollywood for offering consumers the ability to edit out "the bad stuff" from DVDs they're viewing in their own homes have asked a judge to throw out the lawsuit. This issue has come up a few times in the past, and I still can't understand Hollywood's actions on this. These technologies help them sell more movies. People who would never watch their movies will do so now, because they can edit them to their liking. Again, this is for people watching these movies in the privacy of their own homes. I understand the "artistic" complaints that this is changing a "work of art", but the Hollywood claims are going too far. Next thing, they're going to say that you can't pause a DVD in the middle ("the director never would have wanted it that way!") and you have to dim your lights before watching the movie. The companies asking for the case to be thrown out are also separating themselves from other companies in the lawsuit who are accused of selling the edited videos (not just the technology to edit the videos).

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  1. Jun 3rd, 2003 @ 2:13pm

    No Subject Given

    Yeah, next thing they'll tell us we can't watch "Roots" backwards for a happier ending.

    Speaking as an artist, I'll be godammned if I'll allow people to change my creative output to match their myopic worldview. I honestly think the idea would make John Lennon violent.

    Imagine.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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