Vendors Sue Dutch Government Over Media Levies

Posted by Unknown on Wednesday November 21, 2012 @05:10AM from the lawyers-have-to-eat-too dept.

An anonymous reader writes with news that hardware vendors aren't too happy about expanded levies on media. From the article: "Hewlett-Packard, Acer, Dell, and Imation are suing the Dutch government over new levies on hard disks, smartphones, tablets, and MP3 players that are meant to compensate the music and movie industries for losses caused by home copying. The entertainment industry estimates lost income of €40 million, which is much too high, according to the hardware companies. 'That amount is excessive and completely unfounded,' they said. The €40 million also incorporates damages for illegally downloaded music and movies which, according to the companies, legally cannot be recovered by a levy on devices. Furthermore the Dutch government established a levy on all devices including devices for professional use that are not used for private copying, they said."

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40 million too high? by devjoe · 2012-11-21 05:17 · Score: 3, Insightful

In the US the entertainment industry attributes losses of more 40 million to a single file-sharer.
1. Re:40 million too high? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-11-21 05:20 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Wait so if I buy a HDD from a Dutch company can I pirate all I want?
  I mean, I already paid them for the media right?