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Supreme Court Rules against Grokster
furry_wookie writes "A few minutes ago, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled unaniumously against Grokster today. This ruling means that developers of software violate federal copyright law when they provide computer users with the means to share music and movie files downloaded from the Internet. More info about the case here." That's not an entirely accurate statement -- what The Supremes said is that "One who distributes a device with the object of promoting its use to infringe copyright ... is liable for the resulting acts of infringement by third parties using the device, regardless of the device's lawful uses." The promotion is the key part of that statement.
Update: 06/27 18:00 GMT by T : Reader SilentBob4 points out this interview with EFF attorney Wendy Seltzer on the decision.
Then if they want to be seen as adults and not complete idiots, they had better re-think cases like the New London, CT property rubbish they just ruled on. That and direct contradictions of rulings that they just made. It's looking more and more like they're being paid off by someone to rule a certain way and frankly i'm not sure i'd be surprised...
"When will this madness cease?"
When people like you stop thinking you have some right to grab anything you want off the internet for free. You want change? Support musicians and directors who distribute their work the way you think they should.
Maybe this is why firearms manufacturers have vague claims about "stopping power" instead of saying "WILL KILL A SCARY BLACK MAN FOR YOU, NO JOKE!".
Just a thought.
--grendel drago
Laws do not persuade just because they threaten. --Seneca
Guns don't kill people. People who make guns kill people.
Would this mean that those who aided and abetted a gun manufacturer to make the gun, via the sale of tools and so on, can be liable as accomplices too?
You will still get sued, and some lawyer or court will creatively interpret to ruling to mean whatever they want it to mean.
The SC said, "Screw P2P." The actual words don't matter.
Don't deceive yourself into thinking the law can deliver justice or fairness or determine right from wrong. That's not what the law is for anymore. Now, the law and the supremely stupid court exists to:
1) enhance the power of the goverment at the expense of the individual, and
2) protect entrenched corporate interests, and ensure adequate profit margins.
Life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness are so outdated.
Software Wars
I mean, a car has legal uses, but, when criminals use a getaway car after robbing a bank, a car is an illegal device used for crime, regardless of the legal uses of the device.
Therefore, GM, Toyota, Ford, et al., need to be held responsible for the crimes committed using vehicles.
If telephones are outlawed, then only outlaws will have telephones.
I don't really know where to begin because you are clearly a fucking moron. First of all, ideas are not copyrightable, only the expression of ideas are. This is a very important distinction lost on so many here on Slashdot. You are more than welcome to direct your own movie about rebels fighting an evil empire but when you use X-Wings and TIE Fighters, and characters named Luke Skywalker or Han Solo then you infringe upon George Lucas' expression of this idea.
Second, I have no idea what "rights of the masses" you are referring to. You can share anything you own, however you seem to be missing the point that you do not own the music, only the media it's on. You can do anything to that disc you want, including sharing it with your friends. Where you run afoul of the law is when you copy, distribute, perform (in the case of theater and music, etc.), display (in the case of paintings and sculpture, etc.), or create derivatives without the copyright owner's permission.
copyright grants those who create intellectual property the right to sell these rights to others. The music industry works under this model. They buy rights from the creators who in return receive access to large distribution channels and in some cases, enough money to earn a decent living as a singer/songwriter. In rare cases, people can earn an obscene amount of money. This is their right. Is it always fair? No, it isn't, but welcome to reality.
If you're such an enemy of the US you should keep your weapon clean. You never know when you might have to use it, as you rightly point out.
HBI's Law: Frequency of calling others Nazis is directly correlated with the likelihood of the accuser being Communist.
I'll thank you to not put words in my mouth.
Your post was so full of BS and baiting that I don't have the time to address each element line by line. Try re-reading my post for what I said, not for what you think I'm thinking or want me to say.
But know this, by propogating fear as truth and a one sided view of your personal experience as the norm, you serve only to deceive yourself.
I only came here to do two things; kick some ass, and drink some beer...looks like we're almost out of beer.