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MPAA School Propaganda Program Examined
Anonymous Coward copies-and-pastes: "'As part of its campaign to thwart online music and movie piracy, Hollywood is now reaching into school classrooms with a program that denounces file-sharing and offers prizes for students and teachers who spread the word about Internet theft. The Motion Picture Association of America paid $100,000 to deliver its anti-piracy message to 900,000 students nationwide in grades 5-9 over the next two years, according to Junior Achievement Inc., which is implementing the program using volunteer teachers from the business sector." Only $100,000 to advertise to 900,000 students? What a deal! We mentioned this earlier.
offering money to kids who turn other kids in...
"Rat on your friends, redeem valuable prizes!"
Kierthos
Mr. Hu is not a ninja.
And we all know how much THAT works.
At least taxpayers aren't paying for it.
Anytime you tell a kid that something's bad, their first instinct is to go investigate it. After listening to the **AA's lectures, they'll immediately go home and log on the net to see what this "Kazaa" thing is.
remember when Ronald Reagon first started that war on drugs that even rewarded children for snitching on their parents...
even if you had a little pot in the home it was like you were an axe murderer...
now children, if your mommy and daddy have kazaa on their computer you be sure to tell us so we can sue the hell out of them and\or put them behind bars where they belong...
From the article:
"If you haven't paid for it, you've stolen it."
I honestly hope that this program has a more complex take on IP than this. I can easily think of many, many things on line that can be obtained for free, legally. (the entire contents of sourceforge comes to mind.) IP law is phenomenally complicated and cannot be boiled down to simple slogans and sound bytes.
Let's make a difference
This reminds me of one of my favorite books, 'A Brave New World'. :-)
Program the kids while they are young and by the time they are adolescents they may think copying music (not stealing
is as bad as physically stealing from a store. I wonder if someday some kid will be
like "Copying music is worst than stealing cars"
Help pay for my wedding! Go to my kickass website
I am going to stop my email-marketing business and going to pay a million to the government to let me teach students why a large penis is important in their life.And if they dont want that, ill teach them how to meet naked teens desperate to talk to them. And if they want alternatives, ill teach 'em how to put a wireless camera to good use.
If RIAA plan is legit, so is mine.
.ACMD setaloiv siht gnidaeR
They already know more about Kazaa, filesharing, and the Internet than most adults.
...and that's the way the cookie crumbles.
My name is Goody Walters and I accuse little Billy Smith of file sharing! Burn him!
Children need to learn that Downloading Copyrighted material illegaly is against the law and can cause problems for their families if they are caught.
I would however direct the kids to other sources of music (like magnatunes, etc.)
I am the Alpha and the Omega-3
Why should any business or company be allowed to advertise in school, regardless of what their message is.
Besides what are they teaching the kids, that it doesn't matter if you make a load of worthless crap aslong as you have lawyers to back you up? yea great.
God forbid that they actually teach the students a bit about the law and how the gov't is f'ckin everyone over these days..
The schools teach revisionist history.. the schools teach idiocy..
Students are no longer taught to think for themselves, infact it's discouraged.. how dare you question the couse material layed out infront of you.
If schools taught important things, like how debt works and how to balance a checkbook, and why learning is not only fun, but often rewarding, and how the process of invention works.. this world would be a lot better off..
but no.. we're taught MS clicker training, while the convience of MC D's and tacohell on our student visa and now revisionist corporate law..
Where's my pitchfork.. i smell a revolution comin to North America soon..
Andrew Irgens-Moller, 14, buried his head into a backpack on his desk and rolled his eyes as the guest teacher warned of computer viruses and hackers that could take control of a user's desktop via file-sharing programs. He objected that antivirus software could scan downloaded files and only sophisticated hackers could pull off the remote desktop computer takeover.
Then the teacher cut him off.
These are brainwashing tactics... It is downright scary that these "guest teachers" are even allowed to spread such FUD. If they want to move young kids away from filesharing, try at least to feed them with false information.
"Your computer can be taken over at the minute you install Kazaa"
Send them to re-education camps!! Bribing teachers to teach an agenda of the MPAA should be illegal. In fact I bet it is, but the MPAA is "above the law."
-Seriv
Common misconception.
"If it's illegal in America, host it in Uzbekistan," snapped the 14-year-old.
I could be wrong. I'm always wrong...
He turned me into a pauper!
I got better.
Money for nothing, pix for free
With the average volunteer who might want to help kids in the local school districts learn to read or to operate a computer. Schools would require such a person to navigate a bureaucratic maze for weeks.
But for $100,000, they'll gladly put the taxpayer-funded curriculum on hold for the day and allow a live advertisement for the latest feature film to kids who can't read or construct a complete sentence. Incredible.
Business isn't willing to pay for products, innovation and careers, so we get brands, mortgage commercials and layoffs.
Why dont' the state BOR's or any superindendents step up and say "not in our schools!"?? This has no actual educational merit whatsoever, and should not set foot inside any schools: public, private, or higher learning. It's like Coke coming in and preaching that "drinking Pepsi destroys our employee's way of life, because you're using another product". In the end it's just another corporation trying to save it's own ass. If they just put the money towards education in general (so they can get good jobs), or somehow helping the economy, maybe kids could AFFORD to buy their products instead of stealing them. Ok, I'll stop ranting now.
Sometimes I doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion.
"For only 9 cents a child, you can reach America's youth and tell them the truth about video Piracy and how it hurts the movie industry, the American economy, and leads to severe tooth decay."
"If you haven't paid for it, you've stolen it."
Conversely, that means if I paid for it, I OWN it. Not a license of it, not some right to it, but OWN it. Now I can copy, broadcast, whatever. If the RIAA is going to boil things down, so will I. Time to give all those mp3's I OWN to my friends.
If they passed out pamphlets to the students, at least they won't be able to read them.
"Why Can't Johnny Read ?"
--- Because the teachers spend more time trying to brainwash and subdue the little brats than actually teaching them perhaps ?
Lovely...
Do any lawyers think there might be a case for equal time/access ? Send Linus or RMS around to teach kids for a while...
"Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech."--Benjamin Franklin
"The Motion Picture Association of America paid $100,000 to deliver its anti-piracy message to 900,000 students nationwide in grades 5-9 over the next two years"
And this is going to make an impact... how? Most kids at that age are smart enough to know when they are being jacked, even if they didn't, they would only be under the spell until the "prizes" ran out. If the MPAA went to 1st graders, prizes would probably reel them in without question. The problem with that is 1st graders, assuming they are computer literate, do not go downloading massive quantities of MP3s or DivX encoded movies.
<paranoid_rant>
Now if you ask me, the real goal for the MPAA in doing this is to trick the children into admitting they have downloaded a movie or two before and then threaten to sue their parents for everything they've got... To avoid litigation, the parents can agree to have the child stop using the computer altogether, and give him a calculator to play with instead.
</paranoid_rant>
Business \Busi"ness\, n.;
A scam in which all people involved perceive as beneficial...
I can certainly see the reasoning behind this, after all kazaa has become so prevalent among kids that it is necessary to teach them about copyright law, etc. Remember the 12 year old girl sued by the RIAA? She thought what she was doing was legal because she'd paid $30 to kazaa gold. However, this clumsy, idiotic attempt at "educating" kids is downright wrong. If you're going to explain complicated legal issues to kids you should have people who know what they're talking about do it, not your average teachers and certainly not industry trade groups. And making kids write essays about how filesharing is evil does nothing except extol the virtues of bullshitting your way through life 'cause someone told you to. This system IS downright soviet.
The artists live in multimillion dollar mansions
Very few of them do... as a former professional musician I'd venture a guess that less that 1% of professional (full time, no other work) musicians have enough $$ to retire off of today.
There are songwriters whose sole income is from royalties that are paid off of album sales. One could argue that they should find other work, but then again, one could argue that I as a programmer should find other work if all of the sudden all software becomes easily pirated (wait, it already has). Currently, there is no change on the horizon for publishing companies, who pay a pittance to writers as staff, in paying writers a decent wage. That should probably change too. But these are the people that are writing hits that the general public were buying, and are now sharing.
The bottom line is most artists are getting by like you and I are, without millions of $$ sitting around collecting dust. The ones you see on Cribs are a very small fraction of the professionals out there.
Saying Android is a family of phones is akin to saying Linux is a family of PCs.
This is really bad. Not so much because the MPAA is going to schools to deliver it's particular propaganda. But because ANY group from private industry can buy access to school kids.
What's next? Representatives from the Brokerage industry going to grade schools to preach the virtues of buying stock? Fast food evangelists marching freely through classrooms brainwashing kids to eat only Happy Meals.
The MPAA is evil. But no more evil than any other industry group that will push it's own profits at the expense of all else. We are truely losing our integrity as a society if we let any of them into our schools.
I participated in JA when I was in high school, all those years ago; I was actually about to approach them locally and start participating as a volunteer. Frickin' forget THAT now. What are they thinking, acting as a forum where organizations can pay to disseminate information for their agendas?
For your security, this post has been encrypted with ROT-13, twice.
This doesn't seem to be appropriate. What mass message is next? What if Microsoft pays big $$$ to get into a school and influence kids and their buying power. (Oh wait that happens already..) But seriously, our kids should be learning about the basic subjects, not having teachers running around carring a flag for a certain group.
I have views and belong to certain conservative groups. But there is no way I would support an organized group of teachers running around trying to 'spread the word.'
We have kids that can't even read when they get through school, and teachers are doing this?
-Teachers, Get off your soap box and go back to teaching.
-Music Industry - Ride the wave of change, or get off.
--Still waiting for that awsome sig to just leap out at me..--
If it's illegal in America, host it in Uzbekistan," snapped the 14-year-old.
The kids know its B.S. Just like back when I was in school and the D.A.R.E program was out with the whole "Drugs are Bad m'kay" movement. Yes heavy narcotic use is bad and awareness education serves its purpose, but even then it wasn't terribly effective. Even the "good" kids smoked dope when they got to High School. Come to think of it, especially the good kids.
I trust that junior high kids are by and large savvy enough to recognize B.S., and the "Bad apples" will go download stuff just because they aren't supposed to.
Making a profit is a good thing. This is what
happens when making a profit becomes the ONLY
thing. We even allow corporations to indoctrinate
our children, in school, to the ideas and concepts
that are most useful to the profiteers. Welcome
to the new slavery.......
I saw this article when my sons brought it home
and showed it to me (they like to see me yell
at the air). Fortunately, even at 12, my boys
know corporate propaganda when they see it. It's
a shame the school I pay dearly for (public,
of course) doesn't.
This is where home schooling comes in......
1. Buy laws to make sure public school system is desperate for cash.
2. Dangle a little money in front of said schools in return for implementing "New Education Marketing Campaign"
3. PROFIT!!!
Customers: Shop wisely. You are voting with your dollars. If you accept draconian DRM, you will NEVER get your freedom back. You must protect your individual rights by choosing the best product and not buying based solely on emotionally exciting advertising hype or getting pushed around by impotent corporate shortcuts to profitability.
Corporations: Adapt to the changing environment as you have always done. Listen to the customers and do everything possible to keep these informed consumers on your side. Search for innovative ways to improve your product, streamline your processes, and still make a REASONABLE amount of money. Stay alive to serve the customers tomorrow.
Here's a quick rundown of some of the main gripes consumers have with big media products today:
Things Wrong with Movies: Overpriced movies to match the overpriced snacks, Ben Affleck and J-Lo, crappy plots (which also may fall under the Ben Affleck category), $20+ million dollar salaries for actors which leads to increased ticket prices, irritating and useless copy-protection on DVDs, etc.
Things Wrong with Music: Overpriced CDs, Britney Spears, not enough money given to the artists, Britney Spears, generic one-hit wonder boy bands pushed like a cheap drug, Britney Spears, general refusal to adapt to the internet (thank Apple for what innovation there is there), etc.
Things Wrong with Satellite: Well, nothing.... We're just stealing that because we can.
It seems to me that $100,000 is really a lot of money. Pirates' propaganda is free. As are their high-quality movies, software, and music. Some things don't need advertising, like drugs and piracy, and no matter what their argument is, it's not going to work if it's not based in reality. The "all drugs are the same and they'll all kill you" argument's certainly effective, as will be the "all the record/music companies want to do is foster artists' creativity, and bring you the wonderful colors that brighten up your miserable lives, but you just won't let us. Please, let us love you!" argument that the entertainment industry is trying to sell us. The sarcasm is dripping. Help, I've got a sarcasm drip!
I know exactly what I would wear that day
Outdoor storage sheds and pet kennels
The Starving Artist is a discussion based game where students are divided in group and shall produce a CD but then they are ripped off
Whee! Hey kids, let's play Starving Artist! It's FUN!
Students are divided into groups, in which each group 'produces' a CD. When finished, they submit their CD to local radio stations hoping it will be played, and try to get them sold in record stores, only to find out that the radio only plays material presented by a members of a certain association, and the shelf-space at the store is contractually obligated to hold only that association's material. The best they can get is the one small indie store on the bad side of town will put some copies in a cardboard box up near the register with 'indie bands' written on it in magic marker. How does this make them feel?
Then the students shop their CD to association-affiliated record labels. After repeated rejections, the students finally learn that if they want their CD heard, they have to accept a contract that pays them, at most, 4.5 cents per $18 CD sold. How does this make them feel?
Students then put up a website and let people download MP3s of their CD for free, with an online store selling 'real' packaged CDs, along with T-Shirts, posters, keychains, and other such merchandise, with all profits going directly to the students. Students calculate how many 4.5-cent CDs they'd have to sell to make the same as the $6 profit from a single CD sale on their own site, even selling at half the association's price. How does THIS make them feel?
Then they learn that the association is rigging consumer devices such that their independent CDs can't play unless they pay fifteen grand to the association for a 'key.' And they can only buy the key if they agree to the 4.5-cent contract and let the association have all the merch sales. Students calculate how much an extra $1.60 per-CD royalty tax eats into their bottom lines, the cost of lost T-Shirt sales, and how many 4.5-cent CDs it would take to pay off the $15,000 for a key. How does this make them feel?
End of lesson discussion: Why are artists starving?
OPTIONAL: If time permits, the teacher may role-play a visiting guest teacher who tries to tell them that they're criminals for daring to want to produce or enjoy music without paying the association. Hilarity ensues.
The difference between PWC and Andersen is that Andersen did it in the US. PWC did it in Russia and they got away with it (although they eventually lost their audit arrangement with the RCB. Frankly PWC, should be dismembered like Andersen.
If those thieves ever accuse my kids of stealing from the producers, I will quite happily tell them how much they conived in stealing fom the Russian people and the IMF.