CNN NORWAY -- 16 year old Jon Johansen cracked the codes that protect DVD discs. Now, media giants, such as Sony, Warner og Disney wish to punish the Norwegian. On Monday he was police-interviewed for seven hours.
- We have reported Jon & Per Johansen to the police on MPA and DVD CCA's behalf, attorney Espen Trøndel confirms to VG.
Motion Picture Association (MPA) is the organisation which collectively watches out for the interests of USA's seven largest movie corporations: Walt Disney, Sony Pictures, MGM, Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Universal Studio and Warner Bros.
DVD CCA controls and protects the copyright of DVD products.
Jon and his father er charged with violating the copyright law as well as the criminal law after the 16 year old participated with an international ring who developed and distributed the program DeCSS. This program makes it possible to copy DVD movies.
- The charge is erroneous. The keys on DVD-discs are not a copy-protection, but a playback- protection. All we have done is make it possible to play back DVD on our computers, Johansen said to VG after being released from questioning Saturday evening.
Økokrim (Division of Norewegian police, investigating financial issues) searched Jon Johansen's home on Monday.
Johansen had to surrender his mobile phone, computers, a number of CD's and all the passwords to his computers.
The District Attorney of Økokrim, Inger Marie Sunde confirms to Aftenposten that the police have been authorised to search Johansen's home. Sunde says that Økokrim treat this sort of violations very seriously.
Johansen became somewhat of a celebrity in the computer community last year, when it became known that he had been a member of the group MoRE. This group cracked the protection key for DVD movies.
Even back then, when Johansen was 15 years old, he was contacted by the company Simonsen Musæus, who requested he removed the information on DeCSS.
Last week, the MPA received support from US courts, so that links to DeCSS must be removed from US sites. At this moment in time, they are the only people who have been charged. However, Johansen has no regrets for coming forward with his full name after the DeCSS news broke.
- 'Someone has to fight this fight', he laughs, and prepares himself for a long night.
Johansen has posted his versjon av on the Internet sight slashdot.org
CNN Norway has written this article with contributions from Verdens Gang.
Slashdot Mirror
Here ! .. .I have translated it for you.
- ---
Jazz.
-----------------------------------------------
MEDIA GIANTS THREATEN 16 YEAR OLD COMPUTER WHIZZ.
CNN NORWAY -- 16 year old Jon Johansen cracked the codes that protect DVD
discs.
Now, media giants, such as Sony, Warner og Disney wish to punish the
Norwegian.
On Monday he was police-interviewed for seven hours.
- We have reported Jon & Per Johansen to the police on MPA and DVD CCA's
behalf,
attorney Espen Trøndel confirms to VG.
Motion Picture Association (MPA) is the organisation which collectively
watches out
for the interests of USA's seven largest movie corporations: Walt Disney,
Sony Pictures,
MGM, Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Universal Studio and Warner Bros.
DVD CCA controls and protects the copyright of DVD products.
Jon and his father er charged with violating the copyright law as well as
the criminal law
after the 16 year old participated with an international ring who developed
and distributed
the program DeCSS. This program makes it possible to copy DVD movies.
- The charge is erroneous. The keys on DVD-discs are not a copy-protection,
but a playback-
protection. All we have done is make it possible to play back DVD on our
computers, Johansen
said to VG after being released from questioning Saturday evening.
Økokrim (Division of Norewegian police, investigating financial issues)
searched Jon Johansen's
home on Monday.
Johansen had to surrender his mobile phone, computers, a number of CD's and
all the passwords
to his computers.
The District Attorney of Økokrim, Inger Marie Sunde confirms to Aftenposten
that the police
have been authorised to search Johansen's home. Sunde says that Økokrim
treat this sort of
violations very seriously.
Johansen became somewhat of a celebrity in the computer community last year,
when it became
known that he had been a member of the group MoRE. This group cracked the
protection key
for DVD movies.
Even back then, when Johansen was 15 years old, he was contacted by the
company Simonsen Musæus,
who requested he removed the information on DeCSS.
Last week, the MPA received support from US courts, so that links to DeCSS
must be removed from US sites. At this moment in time, they are the only people who
have been charged. However, Johansen has no regrets for coming forward with his full
name after the DeCSS news broke.
- 'Someone has to fight this fight', he laughs, and prepares himself for a long night.
Johansen has posted his versjon av on the Internet sight slashdot.org
CNN Norway has written this article with contributions from Verdens Gang.
Translated to English for you by Jazzman.