Did ICE Pirate An Anti-Piracy Video From NYC?

from the what's-wrong,-can't-make-your-own? dept

You may recall a few months back we wrote about an NBC Universal backed campaign paid for with NYC taxpayer dollars to put up anti-piracy propaganda around NYC, based on the blatantly false claim that “there’s no such thing as a free movie.” Ironically, the makers of the propaganda videos had no trouble using the “free” YouTube to host the videos telling people there’s no such thing as a free movie. SD points us to the news that Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) group has now posted the same video… stripped of references to New York City to its YouTube channel, and put a thing at the end asking people to send infringement notifications to ICE. While I’m sure that ICE got permission from NYC to use these videos (and yes, the headline above is joking), it does seem a bit weird that it would just copy someone else’s anti-piracy videos. Considering the pro-copyright defenders around here are always arguing that copying like this is bad when you could “just create your own,” will they now say that ICE should have created its own propaganda videos as well? In the meantime, is anyone else disturbed that taxpayer money is being used to fund clearly misleading (or downright dishonest) propaganda videos designed to protect a particular industry?

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Comments on “Did ICE Pirate An Anti-Piracy Video From NYC?”

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60 Comments
RD says:

Re: Re: Re:

“I’m REALLY tempted to send a DMCA takedown notice here. Sure, I don’t own the rights, but it’s not like anything happens to anyone who does this crap.”

Ever notice how the big shilltard/copytards dont have any problem with this too? No one ever addresses this inequity in the law that hands so much power to so few with zero reprecussions against the good of the public.

SD says:

Re: Re:

They should make a new video that’s clear and concise instead of spreading this union patronizing straw man FUD. They’re hiding the fact that movie studios have the final say in who they employ, not the pirates. Sadly, when the MPAA’s talking points are parroted by the government more people are likely to believe it’s true.

SD says:

Re: Re:

It’s funnier when censoring happens in real time in an “open” thread. Right before YouTube broadcasted President Obama’s first live speech about the Libya intervention, they linked to his weekly address from a few days back on the top of every YouTube page. The speech was scheduled way too close to 4:20 on the west coast. People in the comments thread were complaining about a lot of different subjects, but the comments with the most upvotes were always about legalizing marijuana. Each were deleted as fast as they came up, while other people started dissing the censors in the comments. I might be wrong, but I think ICE decided to disable comments on all of their videos when they read someone’s comment that said “this pig even looks like a pig”, which was left up for a few months. You can’t expect everyone to be classy on there…

Anonymous Coward says:

Considering the pro-copyright defenders around here are always arguing that copying like this is bad when you could “just create your own,” will they now say that ICE should have created its own propaganda videos as well?

Perhaps you would be so kind as to point to posts where “pro-copyright defenders” have argured that copying (or any of the other rights accorded pursuant to Title 17) with the assent of a copyright holder is bad.

Anonymous Coward says:

Considering the pro-copyright defenders around here are always arguing that copying like this is bad when you could “just create your own,” will they now say that ICE should have created its own propaganda videos as well?

Perhaps you would be so kind as to point to posts where “pro-copyright defenders” have argured that copying (or any of the other rights accorded pursuant to Title 17) with the assent of a copyright holder is bad.

RD says:

Re: Re: Re: Re:

“Hmm, maybe I should go online and get into your bank account. I’ve decided I don’t need to ask permission for you to share your money with me.”

Yeah, because money is exactly like file sharing and infringement.

Is it any wonder no progress can be made on this topic with complete idiots arguing their side like this? They actually believe the shit they are shoveling. It would be amazing if it wasnt so pathetically sad.

Nicedoggy says:

Re: Re: Re:3 Re:

What facts?

That copyright is absurd?

Did you paid your house creator for sharing your house with your family and friends already?

Did you paid your car creator for the use of that car in different cities?

Did you paid your furniture manufacture for every instance that furniture was used?

Nope, so why should anybody pay you for equally absurd claims by idiots like you?

vivaelamor (profile) says:

Re: Re:

‘Perhaps you would be so kind as to point to posts where “pro-copyright defenders” have argured that copying (or any of the other rights accorded pursuant to Title 17) with the assent of a copyright holder is bad.’

Perhaps if you all would be kind enough to give names then we’d be able to find them easier.

vivaelamor (profile) says:

Re: Re: Re: Re:

“To my knowledge no one has ever made such a claim, so it seems only appropriate that he back it up with at least some modicum of data.”

Re-reading what he said, I can see your point. Still, plenty of pro-copyright people have said way crazier stuff so I wouldn’t be surprised if he was referring to an actual opinion. You can pretty much pick any Darryl post and interpret it to mean anything.

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