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Filmmakers Take Dutch State To Court Over Lost Piracy Revenue (torrentfreak.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the financial-loss dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from TorrentFreak: A coalition of Dutch film and TV producers is following through on their threat to file a lawsuit against the local Government. The filmmakers hold the authorities responsible for the country's high piracy rates. They claim the government tolerated and even encouraged unauthorized downloading for years and want to see compensation as a result. Last year the Dutch Government denied these allegations, noting that the filmmakers could go after downloaders directly if they want to recoup their losses. However, they are not backing down. On Tuesday a group of film and TV show companies issued a summons announcing their legal action, NRC reports. Through the court they hope to hold the Government liable, and if that's the case, a separate damages procedure will likely follow.

6 of 97 comments (clear)

  1. Unrealized profit is not a loss by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This should be laughed out of court.

  2. Simple Solution by physicsphairy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    To avoid such expensive lawsuits, the government should revoke the copyright monopolies they have granted these organizations. Then they won't have to worry about anyone infringing on them.

    --
    When things get complex, multiply by the complex conjugate.
  3. My heart bleeds for them by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Somehow I don't think 'piracy' is impacting their bottom line so much as outdated advertising models, and the general publics' rejection of it are affecting it.

    1. Re:My heart bleeds for them by thegarbz · · Score: 5, Insightful

      These are Dutch TV producers. From the country which brought you:
      "Big Brother" - A show where people with no lives can watch people with slightly more exciting lives, sometimes live.
      "The Voice" - A bunch of singers trying to put up with people who can't sing wanting to be stars.
      "Downistie" - A soap opera staring only people with down syndrome
      "Adam Zkt Eva" - A dating show where contestants are naked.
      "Who is the Worst Driver in the Netherlands?" - One of the drivers ended up running over the producer of the show. You can't make this shit up.

  4. Be careful what you ask for by Solandri · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Anti-piracy copyright holders need to take a lesson from Canada. The music industry there convinced the government that piracy was pervasive and destroying their industry, and that a tax should be levied on all blank CDs to compensate them for their losses under the theory that people were burning pirated music onto blank CDs. The government agreed, and instituted the tax.

    Later when the music companies tried to sue individuals for copyright violation, the courts decided that since The People had already compensated the music industry for their losses via the CD tax, there was no need for any more lawsuits.

    Double-dipping may be normal for the music and movie industry (when's the last time one of them offered you a discount for upgrading your DVD collection to Blu-Ray, or CD to streamed, even though you ostensibly already bought a license when you bought the first one?). But it's not normal for the rest of the world, and the courts will slap them down if they try to impose their perverted view of how things should work onto the real world.

  5. Incorrect. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What is in the EU directive are a minimum set of requirements for copyright laws, but NO ACTUAL LAW, the governments have to supply it, worked to whatever they desire within the guidelines given.

    And rescinding copyrights for abuse is 100% within those guidelines.