'I Was a Hacker for the MPAA'

Wired has up an article with a man named Robert Anderson, who was recruited by the MPAA in 2005 to inform on people in the BitTorrent community. In a tell-all interview with the site, Anderson explains how the powerful media organization encouraged him to obtain the information they were looking for: "According to Anderson, the MPAA told him: 'We would need somebody like you. We would give you a nice paying job, a house, a car, anything you needed.... if you save Hollywood for us you can become rich and powerful.' In 2005, the MPAA paid Anderson $15,000 for inside information about TorrentSpy -- information at the heart of a copyright-infringement lawsuit brought by the MPAA against TorrentSpy of Los Angeles. The material is also the subject of a wiretapping countersuit against the MPAA brought by TorrentSpy's founder, Justin Bunnell, who alleges the information was obtained illegally."

Comments

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[Anonymous Coward]

Mister Anderson...

Wow. Dark Side ahoy!

[meringuoid]

...if you save Hollywood for us you can become rich and powerful.

"...and we will rule the Galaxy together!"

"Noooooooooooo!"

Mr. Anderson

[Anonymous Coward]

Tell me, Mr. Anderson, what good is a 100mbps connection when you are unable to share?

Re:I'm glad that I no longer consume mass media.

[DanielJosphXhan]

Wow. But do you use your x-ray vision and power of flight for the good of humanity?

The article misspoke . . .

[Nebuul]

It's pretty clearly obvious that they did not give him $15,000. What they ACTUALLY did was give him a free song download *valued at $15,000*

Jesus, please read the article before writing summaries!

Re:I'm glad that I no longer consume mass media.

[Choad Namath]

I also play recreational badminton.

So was it this line, or your overwhelming smugness that caused you to comment anonymously?

Re:More like a cracker with no brains

[PopeRatzo]

I think you guys are on to something. They offer him riches and power and 15k is what he settles for.

Selling your soul is one thing, but selling it cheap is unconscionable.

Remember, though, when it comes to the buying and selling of souls: You get what you pay for.

Re:More like a cracker with no brains

[Hijacked Public]

I read that as they promised him anything.

He probably asked for $10 million and they probably agreed. After deduxcting various ancilliary expenses, office rental, studio time, roadies, electrical power factor multiplier, candy bars, in office Jolt delivery, the deposit on his office key, and various other miscellaneous Usual & Customary Fees, and taxes, his check was about $15k.