Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: MPAA goes to the dogs

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Posted by Bruce Hansen (Member # 281) on 09-29-2006, 06:28 PM:

The MPAA now has DVD sniffing dogs! Why don't they just spend their time and money making better movies. They would make a lot more money in the long run.

What's next? Opening everyones mail to see is anyone is even talking about copying?

Story from TV Technology.com click here

MPAA Lets the Dogs Out
The film industry lobby has employed DVD-sniffing dogs in its fight against content piracy.

The Motion Picture Association of America brought the two black Labradors, Lucky and Flo, to its headquarters on Tuesday to show their talents to customs officials and others who want to use them to sniff out optical discs being shipped illegally. After D.C., the MPAA is taking Lucky and Flo on to Los Angeles, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai.

The tour is an effort to raise interest and demand for these specially trained canines in assisting those who guard U.S. airports, ports and borders.

Lucky and Flo have been trained to detect the smell of DVDs, but are unable to distinguish between CDs and DVDs and pirated discs. The plan is to have the dogs detect the DVDs and to have customs check the discs against the items people have legitimately declared.

The dogs are part of MPAA's multipronged approach to fighting piracy, which it says cost the industry $18.2 billion last year. Of that number, MPAA said more than $11 million is attributable to hard goods. Other approaches the MPAA is taking against piracy includes educating people about the consequences of piracy and taking action against Internet thieves.

The K-9 project began in 2004 when the MPAA took on a limited feasibility study to determine whether dogs could be trained to detect polycarbonate and other chemicals used in optical discs. Lucky and Flo were trained in Northern Ireland and put to the test in June 2006 after eight months of training. Their first test at Stansted Airport in Essex County, England, was a success.

"Lucky and Flo have helped us prove that if we think outside of the box, we can find new and interesting ways to assist law enforcement and customs officials around the world to stop illegal shipments of counterfeit DVDs from making their way across borders," said Dan Glickman, chairman and CEO of the MPAA. "These two animals are armed with an amazing scent that can help us in our fight against optical disc piracy."

Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 09-29-2006, 06:42 PM:

Oh that's sad.

quote: Bruce Hansen
The K-9 project began in 2004 when the MPAA took on a limited feasibility study to determine whether dogs could be trained to detect polycarbonate and other chemicals used in optical discs.

So they'd sniff out my glasses, which are polycarbonate. Shiments of plastic beer pitchers (the ones we had at the bowling alley were polycarbonate). And they'd sniff out innumerable other items made of or containing polycarbonates.

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 09-29-2006, 07:07 PM:

So, what if I make a copy of a movie that I purchased and take it with me instead of risking my original copy being damaged or lost?

Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 09-29-2006, 07:18 PM:

You'll be arrested and put in a mexican prison. Don't leave your house, the MPAA enforcment team will be at your house in a few minutes, put on some clothes.

Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 09-29-2006, 08:05 PM:

This pisses me off. Terrorists are trying to bring nuclear weapons into this country. Some from Al Quaida claim that they already have - through the Mexican border, surprise surprise - and are planning to use them soon... and we're wasting time searching for DVDs? Are you freakin kidding me? I think the country's customs officials and border security personnel have more important things to worry about.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 09-29-2006, 08:52 PM:

Last I heard, the MPAA was not the agency trying to weed out the terrorists. They're after the PIRATES. (Sorry, movie thieves.)

Besides, customs people are not all that concerned with bombs. They're more concerned with non-declared stuff (IOW: No duty paid) in bags and/or on people.

Posted by Aaron Mehocic (Member # 15) on 09-29-2006, 08:57 PM:

EDIT: Well Mike just beat me to the punch by a minute or two.

Yes, but the MPAA still has some measure of validity if a nuke goes off in Dallas or Denver or even Los Angeles. They, however, loose big credibility if suddenly they can't stop pirated films in those cities.

Point is this: As assinine as it is (and it IS), everybody is basicly just doing there job. [sleep]

Posted by Robert John Jeromson (Member # 2559) on 09-29-2006, 09:24 PM:

Interesting approach I suppose...

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 09-29-2006, 11:51 PM:

You know, anti-freeze is pretty cheap and dogs loooove the taste of it.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-30-2006, 12:23 AM:

UnFUCKINGbelieveable! The MPAA is flat out pathetic these days.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 09-30-2006, 11:17 PM:

It is not reasonable to believe that dogs can differentiate between DVDs or anything else made of polycarbonate plastic.

But it IS reasonable to believe that law abiding citizens may carry around several different things made from polycarbonate, on their person or in their luggage.

It is also reasonable to assume that the great majority of people walking around in an airport ARE law abiding citizens.

Thus, logic says that polycarbonate-sniffing dogs will target many, many more law abiding citizens than bootleggers. In fact, it is reasonable to assume that bootleggers will just avoid airports or any other place where they have these dogs.

Therefore, the MPAA knows or SHOULD KNOW that they are violating the rights of law abiding citizens who have NOTHING to do with piracy or bootlegging every time they use one of these dogs to sniff for supposed contraband.

The MPAA is opening themselves up to a HUGE lawsuit if they continue this policy!

Andbody want to make some money? Just load up a suitcase with blank CDs and walk around an airport with them and wait for the dogs to come and sniff your bags! [evil]

I really can't believe they are THAT stupid! This MUST be a bluff!... Or else somebody is pulling our chains. [Roll Eyes]

Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 10-01-2006, 02:22 AM:

Or any other polycarbonate items Randy. That way when they do open your bags up, they can't claim that the blank discs were intended for illegal purposes. Make it someting silly, like a "top theatre" polycarbonate award, or something.

Posted by Andrew Peter Chobaniuk (Member # 3886) on 10-01-2006, 06:27 AM:

whenever i see their "I - Inappropriate for all ages" ads I laugh

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 10-02-2006, 04:24 AM:

Both the RIAA and the MPAA are completely lying about the effect that any supposed piracy has had on their income.

They claim they lose billions to this piracy each year. What they never make clear is that if they stopped all pirated versions of their music and films, they would not take in any extra money. In fact, they actually spend more on trying to stop piracy then they would ever get in additional income if they stopped ALL the piracy.

The majority of people who download music, movies, or buy pirated copies and the like, either will never or just cannot afford to buy the originals from the studios in the first place.

Take this analogy...

A town has but one place to eat steak, and it is great. Everyone loves the steak. One day someone figures out how to make a steak that is just as great, and starts selling it for less somewhere else. they cook it the same and people swear it is the same, but is only a fourth of the price. The original place now wants to sue the shit out of the new place for copying their idea of selling steak.

First of all, the other place can only serve so many at once, so the cheap bastards go there, leaving the rich snob jackasses to eat at the original place. The original place isn't losing any money at all, they just want to be the only steak place period. They don't want just anyone having steak, just people who can afford it.

The original steak place is a total bastard. They don't want poor people and theives to ever have steak. They are selfish and should be shot. They should be strung up and skinned alive, and their skins used as toboggans during the colder months in the norther part of the United States, becaused they live in marble houses with swimming pools filled with dolphins. They hope that poor people all just die so they can use their bones as ground up pebbles for their concrete sidewalks. What kind of a person lives with dolphins and uses ground up people for sidewalks? Sick people these are, very very sick.

So there's my point.

Ciao

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-02-2006, 12:21 PM:

People CAN afford to buy legitimate DVDs. Hell, they afford to buy everything else they want. People who have no money at all can still always afford the five basic essentials of life: Satellite TV, cigarettes, booze, tattoos and a cell phone.

Posted by Matt Fields (Member # 3211) on 10-02-2006, 01:13 PM:

Don't forget lottery tickets!

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 10-02-2006, 01:43 PM:

Just because people can afford to buy legitimate DVDs and the such doesn't mean that they WILL if piracy was stamped out 100%. Anyone who thinks that for every pirated (re: free) movie that one legitimate sale is lost is simply a goddamn motherfucking retard. Simple as that! People will be more tempted to watch stuff when they don't have to pay vs. when they do.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 10-02-2006, 04:14 PM:

Agreed completely. In 99.99% of the cases in which the MPAA's labradors might potentially intervene, the choice being made by a potential viewer is not between watching a legitimate copy and a gippo one, but between watching a gippo copy and not watching the film at all.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-02-2006, 06:54 PM:

quote: Joe Redifer
People will be more tempted to watch stuff when they don't have to pay vs. when they do.

Yeah but if they aren't willing to pay the asking price, WHAT THE HELL GIVES THEM THE RIGHT TO WATCH ANYTHING???

Hence the battle. They know in their hearts they can't win, but the HAVE to fight it on principle.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 10-03-2006, 12:09 AM:

I never said they had a right or no right to watch it. The studios are saying that for everyone who watches a pirated copy, a legitimate sale is lost. And I am saying anyone who actually believes that is a fucking asshole retard who deserves to be set on fire. I don't know how many times I have to repeat myself on this issue. But it makes me want to pirate movies on principle.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-03-2006, 01:36 AM:

quote: Joe Redifer
The studios are saying that for everyone who watches a pirated copy, a legitimate sale is lost. And I am saying anyone who actually believes that is a fucking asshole retard who deserves to be set on fire.

Well, I agree with that. But these dickheads who say "If I didn't get to watch it for free, I wouldn't have bought it anyway, so it isn't really stealing" just irritate me with their rationalizing stupidity.

Posted by Josh Jones (Member # 447) on 10-03-2006, 03:11 AM:

*yawn*

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 10-03-2006, 04:15 AM:

Just to be clear, I'm not endorsing that moral attitude, just agreeing with Joe that it exists among the vast majority of those who make, buy and watch pirate DVDs; and that therefore increased action against low level, domestic piracy is unlikely to significantly boost sales of legitimate media, as the MPAA seem to think.

If they want to do that, then IMHO the solution is to (i) cut off large-scale organised piracy at source - for example, tell the Chinese that unless they close down the factories which are pumping out these things by the million, a 100% import duty will be imposed on all their manufactured goods - and (ii) make the legitimate product more attractive. For example, this weekend I bought the BFI DVD of Seven Samurai reduced to £6.99 in the HMV sale, but would never have done so at the original price of £20. Make the legit versions a more attractive option than the dodgy ones and consumers will buy them.

Posted by Edwin Sheldon (Member # 4001) on 10-03-2006, 04:25 AM:

quote: Chris Hipp
So, what if I make a copy of a movie that I purchased and take it with me instead of risking my original copy being damaged or lost?

Chris makes a very good point. The MPAA and the RIAA both have a long history of ignoring fair use copyright law. They usually assume anyone with a burned copy of a DVD or CD, or anyone with a Divx or MP3 file is pirating the content rather than making a legal backup. The first thing I do with any electronic intellectual property I purchase is make a backup. I wouldn't dream of going on a flight and bringing my original DVDs with me for fear that the incompetent clowns running the airlines would lose my luggage, and with it hundreds of dollars worth of DVDs.

Of course, I lost all respect I had for the MPAA long ago. [fu]

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 10-03-2006, 09:46 AM:

I want to go on record that I do not endorse piracy. I have never thought it was right to put on eye patches and ride around in boats while stabbing people with swords and letting my teeth rot.

I do however endorse allowing birds on shoulders, but you have to clean up the bird shit if it falls on your friends couch while you visit during the piracy off season.

In my original post I clearly state that it is people that either will not or cannot afford the originals. Focusing on the cannot part and trying to implicate those that cannot and then pirate are some kind of lazy slobs making excuses is just silly.

How many of us have paid our dues to watch or listen and then been so wholy dissatisfied but we do not get a refund for it. The artist is under no pressure to perform to expectation anymore. I pay for my toys, and the software to run them. Those that pirate are never going to anyway. No money is really lost.

These giants are fighting piracy to make a good show, they are in fact quite greedy people, and could care less if those of us who do pay are hardly satisfied with the artistic result. They should put their efforts into good product, and quit making so many bones about stopping people from getting a free peek.

Artists and distributors should receive just and fair compensation for their work, even if it is a billion dollars. That is not the issue. What is the real issue for most is that we have to pay first, then if it sucks... too bad so sad for us.

I am off topic here.... back to the topic...

No, I do not endorse piracy, and I do not endorse many of the methods that the big wigs use to stop it. They need to concentrate on the big fish, not us little fishes who can easily tell them to take a hike and start reading books instead.

Ciao

Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 10-04-2006, 12:38 PM:

I like Joe's opinions, and his uninhibited expressions make the posts interesting. Though I take them sriously, it dies good to get a good chuckle out of me.

quote: Joe Redifer
Anyone who thinks that for every pirated (re: free) movie that one legitimate sale is lost is simply a goddamn motherfucking retard.

quote: Joe Redifer
And I am saying anyone who actually believes that is a fucking asshole retard who deserves to be set on fire.

Oh, I've thought about setting plenty of people on fire, but there's just to much hassle, and pingerpointing, and paperwork afterwards. That and I don't think I'd look good in an orange jumsuit.

Posted by Chad Smith (Member # 2130) on 10-04-2006, 12:51 PM:

soon enough flash memory will be so cheap and fast that they'll just hand it out on that instead