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SMH Outs Copyright-Violation Hunters As Porn-Pushing Brothers

Posted by timothy on from the mixed-motives dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Media Rights Group, the company preparing mass U.S. style piracy law suits in Australia, has had its directors outed by the Sydney Morning Herald as Internet pornography kingpins Matthew and Richard Clapham. They also linked the pair to password hacking sites and a site previously being investigated by Australian authorities for its statement [to find drunk women and] 'call your friends, bring out the camera and then take turns to f### that drunk slut to a pulp.'"

9 of 80 comments (clear)

  1. Makes sense by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Not content with having their actors get fucked up the ass, now they want everyone else to be fucked up the ass too.

  2. Hey man.. by Moheeheeko · · Score: 3

    ..what a man an donkey 3 midgets and 5 drunk women do after they push copyright law is on thier time.

  3. Follow the money.... by Constantin · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Even in the deepest, darkest days of the post 2000 internet bubble, one industry kept hiring the brightest and smartest DRM programmers they could find. And if you guessed/knew it was the porn industry, you are right. An acquaintance of mine went out to CA to enjoy the sunshine, the parties, etc.

    The porn industry was years ahead of its allegedly less salacious competition (i.e. Hollywood studios) in terms of streaming content securely, etc. reflecting their profit motives perfectly - the internet remains the killer app for the purveyors of smut since it gives its users the false impression of pursuing their "hobby" in the privacy of their home. As a result, adult 'bookstores' are likely on the decline in all but the most rural areas thanks to high-speed internet becoming more and more ubiquitous.

    But it seems that no DRM scheme has been unbreakable so far, so these sorts of draconian 'copyright' measures endorsed by smut kingpins and other content providers are simply another way to use the powers of the state to protect their economic interests. That the interests of the public may not be served by said legislation has been debated often, and usually in favor of reducing the length of copyrights to invigorate creative uses, discussion, etc. But, follow the money... and as long as content providers are sticking more cash into the popos of politicians than voters opposing such legislation, my guess is that politicians will parrot whatever soundbites they are told to repeat.

    1. Re:Follow the money.... by Fned · · Score: 4, Insightful

      But it seems that no DRM scheme has been unbreakable so far, so these sorts of draconian 'copyright' measures endorsed by smut kingpins and other content providers are simply another way to use the powers of the state to protect their economic interests.

      DRM is inherently breakable. You have to crack it open to use it. There is a legal way to do this, and an illegal way to do this, but one way or another, they're handing the keys to the same party they're attempting to restrict. Social factors, such as the powers of the State, or user apathy/co-operation, are THE ONLY thing that allows DRM to work.

  4. This is sad by Sqr(twg) · · Score: 5, Insightful

    When somebody starts making ad hominem arguments you know they are losing the debate. There are several good arguments to be made against these types of lawsuits, but "the plaintiffs are porn producers" is not one of them.

    1. Re:This is sad by rezac · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's called the Clean Hands Doctrine. And yes it is very relevant that the "plaintiffs" to-be are trading in borderline illegal activities and otherwise unsavory characters.

      --
      -- my sig got /.'d
    2. Re:This is sad by DaveGod · · Score: 4, Informative

      The /. summary can easily be confused for ad hominem arguments, TFA cannot. It's one of those rare quality pieces of journalism.

      The porn background is absolutely core to the notion that the organisation is being set up with the intention to issue legal letters encouraging people to pay a fee to avoid humiliation of being taken to court for pirating porn. Or, as the House of Lords succinctly described it: ''straightforward legal blackmail".

      The secretive, murky background to the individuals and their organisations is also highly relevant to the above.

  5. Re:And they say romance is dead! by bmo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Drugged sex is non-consensual sex, and thus rape.

    Have a nice day.

    --
    BMO

  6. Re:And they say romance is dead! by Coren22 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Of course not, according to the courts it is impossible for a woman to rape a man...

    --
    APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?