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MPAA Sends Linux Australia Dubious Takedown Notice

Posted by timothy on from the takedown-is-two-points dept.

L1TH10N writes "News.com has a story on how the MPAA sent a takedown notice to Linux Australia for the movies 'Twisted' and "Grind.' What was actually hosted with Linux Australia is Twisted (being a Python framework) and Valgrind (being a tool for finding memory management problems in programs). An interesting question that the article raises is whether automatic takedown notices based on blind keyword searches constitutes spam."

20 of 520 comments (clear)

  1. You mean... by elasticwings · · Score: 5, Funny

    The words Twisted and Grind are used by other people than the MPAA? God knows those are such uncommon trademarked words. Anybody using those words must be pirating the movies.

    1. Re:You mean... by packeteer · · Score: 4, Funny

      I don't know much about computers other than the one we got at my house; my mom put a couple games on there and I play

      --
      unzip; strip; touch; finger; mount; fsck; more; yes; unmount; sleep
    2. Re:You mean... by TWX · · Score: 5, Funny

      "I don't know much about computers other than the one we got at my house; my mom put a couple games on there and I play
      unzip;strip;touch;finger;mount;fsck;more;yes;unmou nt;sleep"

      This is why my signature file includes a couple of line breaks...

      --
      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
  2. Wait a minute by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The MPAA makes mistakes? I am shocked. My entire world is shattered.

    1. Re:Wait a minute by Nos. · · Score: 5, Funny

      The worst part is, this isn't a mistake. So, make note all, when naming your next OSS application, be sure to search for the title on IMDB first!

    2. Re:Wait a minute by gujo-odori · · Score: 5, Funny

      And after you find a suitably attractive title in IMDB, be sure to name your OSS project after it. Let them have the fun of sorting the sheep from the goats when there are 500 OSS projects named after movies :-)

    3. Re:Wait a minute by Rallion · · Score: 4, Funny

      You mean like Firefox?

    4. Re:Wait a minute by thempstead · · Score: 5, Funny

      Nah .... someone should make a film called "index.html" .... and then insist that they scan for it :)

      t

    5. Re:Wait a minute by slaad · · Score: 5, Funny

      Here's a start:

      Terminator: Disk Wiper
      Grease: media player
      ET: SETI client
      Titanic: a poor hashing algorithm (can't avoid collisions...)
      Independence Day: full screen firework fun
      Passion of the Christ: file recovery tool
      Blade: anti-virus

      --


      ~Warning!~ The above is encrypted using rot676!
  3. That does it! by metlin · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Organizations that participate in such behavior should be held accountable and forced to put at least some effort into researching the validity of their keyword searches."

    That does it! My next projects are going to be called Lord of the Rings and Matrix Revolutions.

    Wonder if RIAA uses similar techniques. Hmm, maybe I could start a pr0n search tool called Britney. On second thoughts...

    1. Re:That does it! by BigRedFish · · Score: 5, Funny

      Lord of the Rings

      Here's a video of us exchanging vows in the eyes of the LORD, OF THE RINGS being exchanged... what? We're being summoned?

      Matrix Revolutions

      Welcome to the website of MATH 362, Advanced Algebra. Click here to see a video of various operations on a MATRIX: REVOLUTIONS, transformations, normalisation... what? We're being summoned?

  4. Spam Spam Spam!!!! by EEBaum · · Score: 5, Funny

    Motion picture industry SPAMS linux Australia regarding a PYTHON framework.

    Coincidence?

    --
    -- I prefer the term "karma escort."
  5. Re:Duh by elasticwings · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wow, looking at those reviews, I can't see why anybody would want to pirate those movies.

  6. Twist and Grind by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
    I wonder how many lapdancing clubs will be sent a takedown notice?


    Indy Media Watch Sticking my head in filled trashcans and telling the world what I find...

  7. My new GNU spreadsheet will be named... by jkrise · · Score: 4, Funny

    Matrix! Free to download, of course!!

    -

    --
    If you keep throwing chairs, one day you'll break windows....
  8. Re:What it proves by Triumph+The+Insult+C · · Score: 5, Funny

    It sure does raise the issue of whether or not the MPAA is trying to be lazy and controling/monopolistic/greedy at the same time.

    i dunno about that. i think it'd be safe to say that issue was settled a long time ago ..

    --
    vodka, straight up, thank you!
  9. If this had been me... by mark-t · · Score: 4, Funny

    I would silently and patiently let them force the issue all the way to court... and I wouldn't tell them a thing about their mistake until I got there. If they are going to be so grossly incompetent as to do things like this, they deserve to be stuck with pointless legal costs.

    --
    File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
  10. Our main weapons are surprise... by leonbrooks · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...search engines and automated take-down notices.

    --
    Got time? Spend some of it coding or testing
  11. Re:Groundless legal threats by surprise_audit · · Score: 4, Funny
    Whether there is or not, they could certainly have some fun with the MPAA. If it were me, I'd write back telling them, in the most insulting but respectable terms possible, that I had no intention of taking down anything whatsoever, and if they didn't like it they could bite me.

    At the same time, I'd go visit my ISP and make sure that they were completely aware of the situation, that the content was in no way infringing, and ask them to reject any harassment from the MPAA.

    I'm not sure I'd bother telling the MPAA that the content was not theirs to regulate, as the main purpose of the insulting reply would be to goad them into going to court... Shouldn't take more than about 30 seconds in front of any reasonable judge to show that the content wasn't any kind of movie. Then sit back and watch him tear strips off the prosecution...

  12. Hurry Up! by Maljin+Jolt · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's time to register "Twisted Grind" as a cool Slashdot nickname!

    --
    There you are, staring at me again.