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MPAA Releases Software For Parents

Posted by michael on from the at-your-own-risk dept.

SnowWolf2003 writes "The MPAA have released their Parent File Scan tool, which 'helps consumers check whether their computers have peer-to-peer software and potentially infringing copies of motion pictures and other copyrighted material'. According to the MPAA, the software does not report any data back to the MPAA. However, users have noted that the software is not accurate; 'tagging' virtually every audio or video file it finds based on file extensions."

11 of 414 comments (clear)

  1. Not just "virtually" by slavemowgli · · Score: 5, Informative

    It really tags *any* media file, including soundtracks etc. of games, iTunes songs and just about everything else.

    --
    quidquid latine dictum sit altum videtur.
    1. Re:Not just "virtually" by Phosphor3k · · Score: 5, Informative
      Fromt he website and also displayed the first time you run it:
      "The program does not distinguish between legal and illegal copies, as it is up to the user to determine whether the files found by the program have been acquired legally, or whether the material should be deleted."
  2. Windows Search? by asd-Strom · · Score: 2, Informative

    So basically this software is just as good as the "Find" tool in windows. You can actually even choose "Search for Pictures, Music, or Video" in the windows search util and don't have to type in the *.avi etc wildcards.

  3. Re:Duped Aleady? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    It's just that for some reason, most of the comments on the earlier "second round of mpaa lawsuits" story actually dealt with this.

    One of the reasons MIGHT just be that the article linked to that story talked about this software. I wouldn't think most people on slashdot read the article, but apparently one or two did and kicked off those threads.

  4. Re:This is great! by PartyBoy!911 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Renaming them doesn't work as you can read in the forum linked in the article. The application appears to classify every media file as suspect even the default wav files installed with windows xp.

  5. Re:MPAA/Big Brother by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Informative

    From the User Licence :
    2. The SOFTWARE does not transmit any information about you, your computer or its contents to anyone.

    Remove your tinfoil hat.

  6. Who wrote the song? by tepples · · Score: 2, Informative

    Suppose you record your own music, save it on your machine.

    Who wrote the song? And how can you prove that it was entirely original? Perhaps you did subconsciously copy the work as in Bright Tunes Music v. Harrisongs Music (the "My Sweet Lord" case), and the original songwriter and music publisher deserve their cuts.

    The MPAA claims that it's stolen, which implies that it's not yours go give away.

    Nitpick: Music publishers make up the NMPA/Harry Fox Agency, not the Motion Picture Association of America.

  7. Re:Nothing for you to see here. Please move along. by Southpaw018 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Woah, you're not kidding about the find all media. I ran the damn thing and it even wanted to delete the system audio files in c:\windows\media.
    Copyright detector. Bahahahaha.

    --
    ACs are modded -6. I don't read you, I don't mod you, I don't see you. Don't like it? Don't be a coward.
  8. The program will also find Spyware. by Psionicist · · Score: 2, Informative

    Install the program, open PCBKDP.DAT. There's a list of "file sharing"-applications the program searches for. Among them is LordOfSearch 1.57.

    http://www.spywareguide.com/product_show.php?id=13 44

    Heh.

  9. Re:This is great! by LehiNephi · · Score: 2, Informative

    Remember Waste? It's exactly what you're describing--by invitation only, and encrypted. And if you can find a copy, it's free.

    --
    Help find a cure for cancer. Join the [H]orde
  10. Re:This is great! by PartyBoy!911 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Already done, check http://www.grouper.com/

    The thing they have to implement to make it more usefull is multi-source downloading.
    That way people with lots of online friends have an advantage :-)