MPAA Being Sued For Allegedly Hacking Torrentspy

goldaryn writes "Valence Media, the parent company of Torrentspy.com, one of the web's largest torrent search engines, has filed a lawsuit against the MPAA for allegedly hiring a hacker to steal e-mail correspondence and trade secrets. From the suit: 'The Motion Picture Association of America willfully and intentionally obtained without authority, conspired to obtain without authority, purchased, procured, used and disclosed private information that it knew was unlawfully obtained through unauthorized access to Plaintiffs' computer servers and private email accounts, in violation of United States and California privacy and computer security laws.'"

Comments

But

[Alex P Keaton in da]

But wait- How can it be wrong if the MPAA does it? laws only apply to us mortals...

Re:But

[ericdano]

Seriously. The End justifies the means. We have to keep all those great artists employed so we can get great things like a remake of Miami Vice, the Dukes of Hazzard, and other such crap....

Re:But

[stlhawkeye]

$string = qq|But wait- How can it be wrong if the MPAA does it? laws only apply to us mortals...|;
$string =~ s/MPAA/United States congress/;
print $string;

Re:But

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

so we can get great things like a remake of Miami Vice, the Dukes of Hazzard

I completely agree.

Re:But

[Don Johnson]

I concur.

Re:But

[Digital Vomit]

Why scoff? Not to justify the existance of the MPAA but if people think this stuff is crap why are people being caught downloading it?

People like to take the time to look at car accidents, but that doesn't mean car accidents are a good thing.

...unless, I suppose, the vehicles involved where ones containing chaufferred MPAA executives. But, I digress...

Re:But

[joeljkp]

I just want to say that I find it humorous that torrentspy.com has this at the bottom of their site:

"Copyright 2005. All rights reserved."

Re:But

[frank_adrian314159]

MPAA: What? you want to send us to jail? *Pulls out checkbook* Here's $30 mill.
JD: Oh wait, YOU didn't do the hacking, that guy you hired did, we should be going after him. Sorry for wasting your time.

I'm afraid what you have described here is bribery and the JD has a rather dim view on that. What really happens is this:

MPAA (to JD): What? you want to send us to jail?
[Motions to passing Senator and pulls out checkbook]
MPAA (to Senator): Here's $30M for your campaigns! BTW, we're having a bit of a problem with the JD.
Senator (to MPAA): Oh my! That's terrible! Let me look into it.
Senator (to JD):My, my, my! You've been busy boys, fighting crime and all, but I've heard you've been going after innocent business organizations. Now, I can't tell you what to do, but that's some lovely funding you have sitting over there I'd hate to see you lose.
JD (to MPAA): Oh wait, YOU didn't do the hacking, that guy you hired did, we should be going after him. Sorry for wasting your time.

You see! This way there'a no bribery involved! Just your normal, upfront, legal political process in action!

Hoisted By Their Own Petard!

[eldavojohn]

I would have preferred the headline "DMCA Bites MPAA in A$$" but I suppose the current one will do.

Now, it's only a matter of time before we see the "MPAA Sues MPAA" headline. I'm certain there's money floating all over the place inside the MPAA and those law-talking guys are going to get to thinking that they better sue first for the rights to that money. You don't know the phrase "every man for himself" until you've visited an association of lawyers.

Anyone else praying for the MPAA to implode in on itself like flan left in a cupboard?

if the MPAA is sued and loses

[yagu]

If this happens, and MPAA loses, who will be the stewards of our movies? Who will be there to serve the movie-viewing public? Who will ensure we go en masse to the theater over an opening-weekend to recoup movie-making costs before word spreads of what a turkey that movie is (more on that in sec)?

This looks serious. Please, please, please... leave the MPAA alone! They are our shepherds.

(I saw an interview a long time ago about one of the MPAA techniques to ensure ROI on their turkeys. Multi-screen theaters were extorted into showing and advertising known turkeys to maximize viewers before word spread about how bad the movie really was. They also had to commit to a minimum number of showings. In return, they were "allowed", given the privelege, of showing true blockblosters. So, if it's a movie's first weekend, and it's getting HUGE publicity (Steve Martin's

• RV

), consider it a red flag, and wait for word of mouth about the movie's worth.)

Phwew!

[iNTERcEPTOR-SdB]

Glad I only download less prosecuted television shows from there. Where do I contribute to money to help sue them?

No way.

[Anonymous Coward]

MPAA being sued? Pigs have flown.

d00d

[packetmon]

Torrentspy's complaint includes claims that the man whom the MPAA allegedly paid $15,000 to steal e-mail correspondence and trade secrets has admitted his role in the plot and is cooperating with the company.

MPAA: How much to get us information on this evil company
h4x0r: d00d 3y3 c4n pwn3rfy th3m f0r ch3ep w1f my 0d4y j3etsp34k to0lbar!

Re:d00d

[forkazoo]

MPAA: How much to get us information on this evil company
h4x0r: d00d 3y3 c4n pwn3rfy th3m f0r ch3ep w1f my 0d4y j3etsp34k to0lbar!

You missed a hyphen between the 0 and the d4y. Heck, can't you even spell and use proper punctuation in your 'leet?

Re:Isn't this legal yet?

[voice_of_all_reason]

You are demonstrating a surprisingly keen knowledge of the Law, citizen. Only terrorists need to know information like that!

Spy

[tgpo]

So in this case it's Spy vs. torrentSpy

Keeeeeeeeeelllllllll Dem!!

[Anonymous Coward]

The world doesn't need Hollywood movies anyway...just lots of uploaded amateur porn torrents.

Re:What did Gandhi say about an eye for an eye?

[mcmonkey]

I say we go with Ghandi II.

"Give me a steak. Medium rare."

Re:this is funny.

[Toba82]

I'm with you. I don't like paying for ANYTHING.

Re:Isn't this legal yet?

[Anonymous Coward]

You are demonstrating a surprisingly keen knowledge of the Law, citizen. Only terrorists need to know information like that!

Exactly! Now:
- go to your nearest phone
- clearly and loudly state your name
- wait

We'll send someone to pick you up in a minute.

Re:celebrity jailtime

[Not_Wiggins]

Its like trying to put a celebrity in jail, won't happen. There needs to be a big swing taken first by someone who packs a lot of punch to open a wound big enough for this type of lawsuit to have more teeth. Torrentspy does not have that kind of clout to land one.

All hail... King of the Mixed Metaphor! Hail! Hail! :)

Re:It's sad really

[ruud]

In rights, it assumes a corporation has the same constitutional rights as a person.

So after a corporation has been in business for 18 years, it can vote and join the army?

Re:Sued ... why no FBI raid?

[joe 155]

Sued ... why no FBI raid?

because they'd use the Chewbacca Defense and force the FBI to pay them a million dollars

Maybe they were looking for...

[NeuroManson]

Anyone who pirated Gighli? Anything they can use as an excuse for it tanking?