The Econcomic Crime Departement apprehended and charged computer genius.
16-year old beeing interrogated until midnight.
After a charge from american filmcompanies, ECD yesterday took action against the computer-celebrity Jon Johansen (16) from Steinsholt in Vestfold.
The youths home was ransacked, and the police confiscated two computers, and both the 16-year old and his father was interrogated until midnight.
Both he and his father is charged with breaking the "punish-law" (law of crimes, I guess) and the law of artworks, with two and three years imprisonment, respectively, as possible punishments. The reason for this charge is Jon Johansen's contribution in the development of DeCSS, a program allowing copying of DVD-films.
Father and Son charged.
- We have charged Jon and Per Johansen on behalf of MPA and DVD CCA, affirms lawyer Espen Tøndel at the lawyer firm Simonsen Musæus. MPA (Motion Picture Assosiation) consists of the gigants Walt Disney, Sony Pictures, MGM, Paramount Pictures, 20th Centry Fox, Universal Studio and Warner Bros. That is, the seven biggest movie companies in the USA. DVD CCA (Copyright Control Assosiation) controls and protects the copyright of DVD-products.
In other words, there are powerful forces now attacking the norwegian 16-year old. But Tøndel denies that Jon is made scapegoat to make an example.
- No, it is important to make the point that it is illegal to intrude into these systems and films, says Tøndel.
In almost 8 hours has Jon Johansen been in interrogation. He had to leave his mobile phone, all passwords on his computer, and a number of CD-reckords. But he isn't frightened by the serious charges.
_Not Copyprotected_
- The charge is wrong. The codes on DVD-discs are not copy-protected, but a protection against playing them. We have made it possible to play DVD-films on our computers, he claimed to VG tonight.
- The film companies will try to control who can play what movies on DVD-players they have approved, with their codes and zones. That wish, we do not respect. This is about freedom of speech, says young Johansen.
So far, they are the only ones charged, after MPA last week won a demand in american court, that all links on the Internet refering to DeCSS had to be removed. But he does not regret standing forth with full name after the news about DeCSS got out.
- Somebody has got to fight this battle, he laughs, and prepares for a long night. A full rapport of ECD's actions will be written and put out on the net site www.slashdot.com. From there it will be spread around the world during the night and early morning hours.
_Raised Eyebrows_
Jon Johansen became a computer celebrity in november last year when it became known that he together with two friends in the group MoRE cracked the codes that were to protect the new DVD-movies against copying. The news made big waves in the international computer community - and in the american film industry.
Jon, then 15 years old, was contacted by the lawyer-firm Simonsen Musæus, who told him that Internett-links to DeCSS had to be removed. Simultaneously, the MPA mobilized in the american court system. Their demands of removal of links was first denied. But last week their demands were met in both California and New York.
The 16-year-old has in addition published a computer program on the internet, that allows others to break the copy protection, and make copies of movies and other works of art, that are made and sold digitally.
The program is published on the homepage of his fathers company. Therefore he also is included in the part of the charge concerning assistance to illegal publishing. This is a deed that is covered by the law of artworks, with a possible punishment of up to three years of prison, according to Sunde. And she continues:
"We take seriously to this kind of lawbreaks. It's a big problem for those who produce works of art to protect their economic intrests when the works are distributed electronically. Therefore it is important to keep the demands of punishment made for works of art of the types movies and tv-programs."
On the same time it is important to strike at the hero-worshipping the persons who are behind such deeds are treated to by the hacker-community. And even if the center person in this case is only 16 years, it seems he is fully aware about what he's done, says Sunde.
The 16-year old have earlier gone out in the media, after he, together with two other hackers, cracked the protection code and put it on the internet in the shape of a link to the program DeCSS. This program contains the receipe for breaking the code.
The representative of the american film producers in Norway, lawyer Espen Tøndel, confirms to Aftenposten that he on behalf of his client has laid forth the charges of the 16-year old and his father.
"We will establish that even in a digital world it is punishable to break into another mans establishment. The most serious consequense in this is that the persons who did it is responsible for withdrawing large income. In Europe only, the audiovisual industry yearly lose 8 billion kroner. With the internet evolving into the biggest distribution system in the world, this is an even more serious problem," says Tøndel.
"We had not expected this to happen so long after the case was known and the program made available. But there are powerful forces behind," said the father of the charged to Aftenposten late last night. The man was then beeing interrogated by the norwegian department of economic crime.
"The police has taken my son away for interrogation at the local police station. They have taken two of his computers, but I don't know if they'll get anything out of them."
Economic Criminal Departement (ECD) has razzia at hacker's home.
ECD has charged and confiscated (stuff) in the home of a 16 year old computer-hacker in Larvik, after he cracked and published the protection code of the american film industry.
On the background of a charge from the american film industry's branch organization MPA, ECD yesterday ransacked the home of the 16-year old in Larvik. The Attorney of State Inger Marie Sunde in Økokrim, confirms to Aftenposten that they yesterday got the court of interregation's court-order for doing this, in order to secure evidence in the case.
The background is a charge the ECD now has taken against the 16-year old. The charge is based on two possible deeds punishable by law. They have to do with that he autumn last year helped crack the protection the american film industry uses to stop piracy of films on so-called DVD-reckords. This is according to Sunde covered in the law of crimes, and can be punished by fines or inprisonment in up to two years.
I have heard it twice this morning on the primary radio-station (p1) of "Norwegian National Broadcast" (NRK). They said he has been accused of breaking both the criminal law and copyright laws (I think that's how it translates.) So I guess it's correct.
I'm proud to say that I've mailed SoundBlaster at least twice to tell them politely that I think they should OpenSource their drivers, pointing at other companies doing so, at the ALSA team's (admirable and steadfast) refusal to use the emu10k1 code as long as it isn't opened to the public, and at what they've got to loose (nothing, or close to it).
What they achieve by doing this is, at least, that I won't throw my SB Live out the window and buy a card from a company that's opensourced their drivers. And, as many others have pointed out, it's a public stunt, and probably gives them a feather in the hat on Wall Street as well. I don't care that they didn't OpenSource the Windows drivers, and I think it's appropriate too, as Windows itself isn't particulary OpenSource. Let them have their model, and we will have ours.
What I really wrote in to say is that if you have a piece of hardware, whose spesifications isn't released, you shold go to the website of the companiy that made it, search out the appropriate email address, and write them (politely!) about it, explaining the need, the motivation and the reward. Customer feedback is important fuel for decision making.
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The Econcomic Crime Departement apprehended and charged computer genius.
16-year old beeing interrogated until midnight.
After a charge from american filmcompanies, ECD yesterday took action against the computer-celebrity Jon Johansen (16) from Steinsholt in Vestfold.
The youths home was ransacked, and the police confiscated two computers, and both the 16-year old and his father was interrogated until midnight.
Both he and his father is charged with breaking the "punish-law" (law of crimes, I guess) and the law of artworks, with two and three years imprisonment, respectively, as possible punishments. The reason for this charge is Jon Johansen's contribution in the development of DeCSS, a program allowing copying of DVD-films.
Father and Son charged.
- We have charged Jon and Per Johansen on behalf of MPA and DVD CCA, affirms lawyer Espen Tøndel at the lawyer firm Simonsen Musæus. MPA (Motion Picture Assosiation) consists of the gigants Walt Disney, Sony Pictures, MGM, Paramount Pictures, 20th Centry Fox, Universal Studio and Warner Bros. That is, the seven biggest movie companies in the USA. DVD CCA (Copyright Control Assosiation) controls and protects the copyright of DVD-products.
In other words, there are powerful forces now attacking the norwegian 16-year old. But Tøndel denies that Jon is made scapegoat to make an example.
- No, it is important to make the point that it is illegal to intrude into these systems and films, says Tøndel.
In almost 8 hours has Jon Johansen been in interrogation. He had to leave his mobile phone, all passwords on his computer, and a number of CD-reckords. But he isn't frightened by the serious charges.
_Not Copyprotected_
- The charge is wrong. The codes on DVD-discs are not copy-protected, but a protection against playing them. We have made it possible to play DVD-films on our computers, he claimed to VG tonight.
- The film companies will try to control who can play what movies on DVD-players they have approved, with their codes and zones. That wish, we do not respect. This is about freedom of speech, says young Johansen.
So far, they are the only ones charged, after MPA last week won a demand in american court, that all links on the Internet refering to DeCSS had to be removed. But he does not regret standing forth with full name after the news about DeCSS got out.
- Somebody has got to fight this battle, he laughs, and prepares for a long night. A full rapport of ECD's actions will be written and put out on the net site www.slashdot.com. From there it will be spread around the world during the night and early morning hours.
_Raised Eyebrows_
Jon Johansen became a computer celebrity in november last year when it became known that he together with two friends in the group MoRE cracked the codes that were to protect the new DVD-movies against copying. The news made big waves in the international computer community - and in the american film industry.
Jon, then 15 years old, was contacted by the lawyer-firm Simonsen Musæus, who told him that Internett-links to DeCSS had to be removed. Simultaneously, the MPA mobilized in the american court system. Their demands of removal of links was first denied. But last week their demands were met in both California and New York.
(C) Copyright VG
http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=5 712180
Translation of this article is also coming up.
Father also charged:
The 16-year-old has in addition published a computer program on the internet, that allows others to break the copy protection, and make copies of movies and other works of art, that are made and sold digitally.
The program is published on the homepage of his fathers company. Therefore he also is included in the part of the charge concerning assistance to illegal publishing. This is a deed that is covered by the law of artworks, with a possible punishment of up to three years of prison, according to Sunde. And she continues:
"We take seriously to this kind of lawbreaks. It's a big problem for those who produce works of art to protect their economic intrests when the works are distributed electronically. Therefore it is important to keep the demands of punishment made for works of art of the types movies and tv-programs."
On the same time it is important to strike at the hero-worshipping the persons who are behind such deeds are treated to by the hacker-community. And even if the center person in this case is only 16 years, it seems he is fully aware about what he's done, says Sunde.
The 16-year old have earlier gone out in the media, after he, together with two other hackers, cracked the protection code and put it on the internet in the shape of a link to the program DeCSS. This program contains the receipe for breaking the code.
The representative of the american film producers in Norway, lawyer Espen Tøndel, confirms to Aftenposten that he on behalf of his client has laid forth the charges of the 16-year old and his father.
"We will establish that even in a digital world it is punishable to break into another mans establishment. The most serious consequense in this is that the persons who did it is responsible for withdrawing large income. In Europe only, the audiovisual industry yearly lose 8 billion kroner. With the internet evolving into the biggest distribution system in the world, this is an even more serious problem," says Tøndel.
"We had not expected this to happen so long after the case was known and the program made available. But there are powerful forces behind," said the father of the charged to Aftenposten late last night. The man was then beeing interrogated by the norwegian department of economic crime.
"The police has taken my son away for interrogation at the local police station. They have taken two of his computers, but I don't know if they'll get anything out of them."
Translation:
Economic Criminal Departement (ECD) has razzia at hacker's home.
ECD has charged and confiscated (stuff) in the home of a 16 year old computer-hacker in Larvik, after he cracked and published the protection code of the american film industry.
On the background of a charge from the american film industry's branch organization MPA, ECD yesterday ransacked the home of the 16-year old in Larvik. The Attorney of State Inger Marie Sunde in Økokrim, confirms to Aftenposten that they yesterday got the court of interregation's court-order for doing this, in order to secure evidence in the case.
The background is a charge the ECD now has taken against the 16-year old. The charge is based on two possible deeds punishable by law. They have to do with that he autumn last year helped crack the protection the american film industry uses to stop piracy of films on so-called DVD-reckords. This is according to Sunde covered in the law of crimes, and can be punished by fines or inprisonment in up to two years.
(more coming up)
I have heard it twice this morning on the primary radio-station (p1) of "Norwegian National Broadcast" (NRK). They said he has been accused of breaking both the criminal law and copyright laws (I think that's how it translates.) So I guess it's correct.
At last!
I'm proud to say that I've mailed SoundBlaster at least twice to tell them politely that I think they should OpenSource their drivers, pointing at other companies doing so, at the ALSA team's (admirable and steadfast) refusal to use the emu10k1 code as long as it isn't opened to the public, and at what they've got to loose (nothing, or close to it).
What they achieve by doing this is, at least, that I won't throw my SB Live out the window and buy a card from a company that's opensourced their drivers. And, as many others have pointed out, it's a public stunt, and probably gives them a feather in the hat on Wall Street as well. I don't care that they didn't OpenSource the Windows drivers, and I think it's appropriate too, as Windows itself isn't particulary OpenSource. Let them have their model, and we will have ours.
What I really wrote in to say is that if you have a piece of hardware, whose spesifications isn't released, you shold go to the website of the companiy that made it, search out the appropriate email address, and write them (politely!) about it, explaining the need, the motivation and the reward. Customer feedback is important fuel for decision making.
After all, without customers....