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Record Labels Release Software To Combat Piracy

Posted by Zonk on from the who-needs-a-music-collection dept.

mrsalty writes "CNET reports that IFPI representatives are pushing a new piece of software to delete filesharing programs. It will also 'search computers for music and movies and remove any illegal copies'." From the article: "Digital File Check is easy to use and can help people prevent their employees, children and others from illegally downloading and swapping movies ... It could be especially useful for parents who want to encourage their children to enjoy music responsibly on the Internet ... It is free, voluntary and for private use only and does not tip off any antipiracy organizations."

10 of 427 comments (clear)

  1. It must use magic! by Inkieminstrel · · Score: 5, Interesting

    How, pray tell, does it tell the difference between bits that come from my CDs that I own versus those which come from CDs that others own? I believe one of those copies is perfectly legal.

    1. Re:It must use magic! by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It apparantly can't tell a .txt file from a movie.

      On the "Media in other folders" page they list "log.txt" as a legitimate file to delete.
      There are others (zip files inside java folders etc)

      It also lists something called "music.wma" from the all users/my music folder.

      If I remember rightly, thats default and installed legally on windows xp.

      --
      liqbase :: faster than paper
    2. Re:It must use magic! by techstar25 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      It doesn't try to determine which is legal and which isn't. It only compiles a list of ALL the media files on your computer, and then compiles a list of all the media file in your "shared" folder. Any deleting has to be done by the user.

    3. Re:It must use magic! by interiot · · Score: 4, Interesting
      The EULA is short and scary. In summary, his tool is designed to rid yourself of illegal files, but please back the illegal files up first (oh, and we blame the "unpredictable file sharing programs" for any damage).
      1. IFPI's suppliers have developed the Software solely to perform the limited functions described in this license under these terms of use. IFPI, its national groups and its suppliers do not make any other warranties or guaranties about the Software, its operation or results, and the Software is thus provided 'AS IS' and 'WITH ALL FAULTS'.

      2. ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR OTHER TERMS (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE) ARE EXCLUDED.

      3. Given that the Software is provided at no charge, the downloading, installation and use of the Software is done at your own discretion and risk. Given the unpredictable behavior of some file-sharing programs, you should always retain a back up of important programs and files on your computer when installing or using software like this.

      4. In no event shall IFPI, its national groups, its Software or other suppliers, or endorsing parties be liable to you or any third party for any damages, whether direct, indirect, incidental, special, punitive, consequential or other damages of any kind. Consumers' statutory rights are unaffected.

      5. It is your responsibility to comply with the law and the terms of this license. The user will indemnify and hold IFPI, its national groups, suppliers and endorsing parties harmless from any claim or demand, and damages and costs arising thereof, made by any third party due to or arising out of the user's violation of the law or this license.

  2. Remove illegal copies??? by jarich · · Score: 4, Interesting
    And how do they know what an illegal copy looks like? Are they deleting every song on my computer that doesn't have DRM on it?

    So the kid with 20 gigs of music he copied off of his CD collection is going to be ~really~ upset when he finds out his Mom ran this program on his computer and wiped out his ~legal~ music collection.

    --
    Agile Artisans
  3. Yeah right... by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "It is free, voluntary and for private use only and does not tip off any antipiracy organizations."

    When you release the source code, I might believe you.

  4. Everybody download this. by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Then sue the hell out of them when it deletes something it shouldn't.

    --
    liqbase :: faster than paper
  5. Does it send any data back to them? by CyricZ · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Has anyone checked to see if this program sends and data back to remote servers possibly operated by the media cartel? Could it report back any potentially copyright-violating files that have been found, along with other information (ie. perhaps copies of documents, images, spreadsheets, etc.) that may contain identifying information? A trojan of sorts, one might say.

    --
    Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
  6. Re:OH MY GOSH! by chrismcdirty · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'd like to know how it differentiates between a legal file and an illegal file. Would it delete my podcasts of a local radio show that are perfectly legal, but distributed in mp3 format? Would it delete a ripped copy of a DVD that I created from a DVD recorder. Would it delete any movie files (mpeg, wmv, avi, mov) I have stored, regardless of their content? Or will it actually perform hashes on every single file stored on the computer that has an extension that could deem it illegal?

    --
    It's like sex, except I'm having it!
  7. No automatic deletion, apparently by pjcreath · · Score: 3, Interesting

    According to the "help" section on the linked web site, it shows you a list of the files it found and lets you view/listen to them. Here's what it says about compiling the list:

    NOTE: Digital File Check will initially direct you to files in your 'shared folders'. The music, video and image files in these folders are likely to be illegal. When the programme scans for music, video, image and other files in other parts of your computer however, it does not distinguish between legal and illegal copies. It is up to the user to determine whether the files found by the programme were acquired legally, or if the material should be deleted.

    So Mom could still delete Junior's legal music if she's not careful. It depends on the default action.

    It's not clear to me whether the above means that it does somehow "distinguish between legal and illegal copies" in your "shared" folders (whatever that means), or if it simply presumes they're illegal. It's also unclear to me whether it presumes the other files are legal.