Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

MediaSentry Hired By People's Republic of China

Posted by timothy on from the well-if-it-worked-for-those-guys dept.

NewYorkCountryLawyer writes "MediaSentry, now called 'SafeNet,' the RIAA's illegal, unlicensed investigator of choice, has been hired by the People's Republic of China to provide DRM for the Olympics coverage. The PRC says it 'owns exclusive rights to the broadcast of all audio and video content via online and mobile distribution channels across Mainland China' and wants to protect it from 'piracy.' I wonder if the Chinese government is aware of MediaSentry's track record — i.e. all the good things it has accomplished so far for the Big 4 record companies."

13 of 267 comments (clear)

  1. a match made in heaven . . . by cashman73 · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I wonder if the Chinese government is aware of MediaSentry's track record

    I wonder if MediaSentry is aware of the Chinese government's track record?

    1. Re:a match made in heaven . . . by spyder-implee · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I wonder why anyone would care? Why would anyone want to Pirate the Olympic broadcasts? Do you have to pay to watch the Olympics in China? Is this more a matter of making sure there is nothing broadcast which might undermine the Chinese government? Say for example an athlete making a speech about human rights after winning a gold medal.

      --
      Take what ye can. Give nothing back!
    2. Re:a match made in heaven . . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      If they are paid enough, I'm sure they'll causally ignore it.

      A fine example of standard corrupt business finest.

      Just think, now you can use Bittorrent to bypass two evil organizations at the same time!

    3. Re:a match made in heaven . . . by oldspewey · · Score: 5, Funny

      Why would anyone want to Pirate the Olympic broadcasts?

      Spite? Simply to piss off MediaSentry?

      --
      If libertarians are so opposed to effective government, why don't they all move to Somalia?
    4. Re:a match made in heaven . . . by Random+BedHead+Ed · · Score: 5, Funny

      I wonder if the Chinese government is aware of MediaSentry's track record

      I wonder if MediaSentry is aware of the Chinese government's track record?

      Meh. They're perfect bed fellows and we all know it. They both excel at exploiting an ignorant public.

      No kidding - I've no need of organizations that exploit an ignorant public like China and MediaSentry. I'm perfectly content with the US government and Apple.

    5. Re:a match made in heaven . . . by spyder-implee · · Score: 5, Informative

      Interesting, I assume your in America? Here (Australia) we pay nothing to watch the Olympics & there would be civil outrage if that ever happened.

      --
      Take what ye can. Give nothing back!
    6. Re:a match made in heaven . . . by SL+Baur · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Funny that you should bring up Adolph Hitler. This is a replay of the 1936 Olympics and I was in Beijing the week before the Olympic commmittee traveled there to choose it - there was an army of people out picking up garbage and what not. I guess they did not have vacuum cleaners large enough to clear out all the dirty[1], polluted air though.

      Indeed, Media Sentry + PRC is a match made in ... well somewhere I'd rather not go.

      [1] On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is the least polluted air and 10 is max polluted, Los Angeles CA USA, where I lived for almost 2 decades ranked about a 5 when I moved away. Tokyo Japan ranked about a 7 when I lived there 2000-2003, and Beijing in 2001 ranked 10. I hope someone does not die in the marathon, but I won't be watching to find out.

  2. Re:Why still 'MediaSentry' by kcbanner · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Because changing your name shouldn't rid you of all the shit you threw at various fans. Changing your name after you know you fucked up is kinda a dick move, so they deserve this sort of treatment.

    --
    Obligatory blog plug: http://www.caseybanner.ca/
  3. If we're lucky ... by aeschenkarnos · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... the Chinese Government will blame these idiots for the (inevitable, unstoppable) YouTubing of the Olympics, and have them all beheaded.

  4. This is rich by Enderandrew · · Score: 5, Insightful

    China is arguable the largest pirate nation on the planet, who has next to zero respect for intellectual property of other nations.

    Now that their money is at stake here, they want to protect their content.

    Funny, that.

    --
    http://blindscribblings.com - Tasty pop-culture in conceptual fashion.
  5. Re:Tell me again by aeschenkarnos · · Score: 5, Funny

    Indeed! We'd never have let Nazi Germany host the Olympics!

  6. Re:Why still 'MediaSentry' by Rhapsody+Scarlet · · Score: 5, Informative

    Everytime I see this company mentioned on Slashdot, they're still referred to as 'MediaSentry (now SafeNet)'. Why? Is it because the MediaSentry name is still so evocative?

    It's because the name change is just a cynical attempt to try and get rid of a name that has 'negative connotations' attached to it, like Palladium becoming the Next-Generation Secure Computing Base, or the Security Systems and Standards Certification Act becoming the Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act. The new name is just designed to confuse people, so we list it alongside the old name to emphasize to everyone that nothing has changed, SafeNet is MediaSentry.

  7. Events for Hacker Olympics by Nymz · · Score: 5, Funny
    • Crack official websites, and alter front page.
    • Sneak cameras into events, and post cam torrents.
    • Crack DRM on region-limited video of events.
    • Moderate this post as funny, as quick as you can.