Patri's Peripatetic Peregrinations - The long arm of the man

The long arm of the man

Aug. 13th, 2004 at 2:00 PM

First the IRS knocks on my door and now the fucking MPAA is on my case about file sharing. Ah for the halcyon days of youth when the backlash from flouting authority was detentions and suspensions. Now its federal agents and threatened lawsuits. This anti-authority streak[1] of mine is causing more problems as I get older.

Guess its time to switch to a fourth-generation p2p client like MUTE. These clients use encryption and route traffic through many nodes, so its very difficult to identify who is sharing what. I guess the upside of the MPAA's dying twitches is that they inspire the technology which adds more nails to the coffin.

[1] While streak is the normal metaphor, in my case perhaps "foundation" or "core" would be more accurate.

MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, INC.
15503 VENTURA BOULEVARD
ENCINO, CALIFORNIA 91436
UNITED STATES

Anti-Piracy Operations
PHONE: (818) 728 - 8127
Email: MPAA@copyright.org <mailto:mpaa@copyright.org>

Friday, August 13, 2004

Name: Andreas Stollar
ISP: Speakeasy Network DSL

Via Fax/Email

RE: Unauthorized Use of Copyrighted Motion Pictures
Reference#: 6629917 (M)
IP Address: 64.81.54.5
Date of Infringement: 11 Aug 2004 02:43:31 EDT (GMT -0400)

Dear Andreas Stollar:

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) represents the following motion picture production and distribution companies:

Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.
Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
Paramount Pictures Corporation
TriStar Pictures, Inc.
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
United Artists Pictures, Inc.
United Artists Corporation
Universal City Studios, LLLP
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

We have received information that, at the above noted date and time, the IP address 64.81.54.5 was used to offer or to materially contribute to the offering of downloadable or streaming copies of copyrighted motion pictures. The title(s) offered included:

SIMPSONS, THE SEASON 5 (+)

Specifically, we have identified the following material as infringing:

------------------------------
Infringement Detail:
Infringing Work: SIMPSONS, THE SEASON 5 (+)
Filepath: Simpsons Season 10 Complete.torrent/
Filename: Simpsons 10x14 - Im With Cupid [rl].avi
First Found: 11 Aug 2004 02:43:31 EDT (GMT -0400)
Last Found: 11 Aug 2004 02:43:31 EDT (GMT -0400)
Filesize: 87,704k
IP Address: 64.81.54.5
IP Port: 6882
Network: BTPeers
Protocol: BitTorrent

Infringing Work: SIMPSONS, THE SEASON 5 (+)
Filepath: Simpsons Season 10 Complete.torrent/
Filename: Simpsons 10x15 - Marge Simpson in Screaming Yellow Honkers [rl].avi
First Found: 11 Aug 2004 02:43:31 EDT (GMT -0400)
Last Found: 11 Aug 2004 02:43:31 EDT (GMT -0400)
Filesize: 87,694k
IP Address: 64.81.54.5
IP Port: 6882
Network: BTPeers
Protocol: BitTorrent

Infringing Work: SIMPSONS, THE SEASON 5 (+)
Filepath: Simpsons Season 10 Complete.torrent/
Filename: Simpsons 10x01 - Lard of the Dance [rl].avi
First Found: 11 Aug 2004 02:43:26 EDT (GMT -0400)
Last Found: 11 Aug 2004 02:43:26 EDT (GMT -0400)
Filesize: 87,508k
IP Address: 64.81.54.5
IP Port: 6882
Network: BTPeers
Protocol: BitTorrent

Infringing Work: SIMPSONS, THE SEASON 5 (+)
Filepath: Simpsons Season 10 Complete.torrent/
Filename: Simpsons 10x02 - The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace [rl].avi
First Found: 11 Aug 2004 02:43:27 EDT (GMT -0400)
Last Found: 11 Aug 2004 02:43:27 EDT (GMT -0400)
Filesize: 87,452k
IP Address: 64.81.54.5
IP Port: 6882
Network: BTPeers
Protocol: BitTorrent

Infringing Work: SIMPSONS, THE SEASON 5 (+)
Filepath: Simpsons Season 10 Complete.torrent/
Filename: Simpsons 10x05 - When You Dish Upon a Star [rl].avi
First Found: 11 Aug 2004 02:43:28 EDT (GMT -0400)
Last Found: 11 Aug 2004 02:43:28 EDT (GMT -0400)
Filesize: 87,686k
IP Address: 64.81.54.5
IP Port: 6882
Network: BTPeers
Protocol: BitTorrent

Infringing Work: SIMPSONS, THE SEASON 5 (+)
Filepath: Simpsons Season 10 Complete.torrent/
Filename: Simpsons 10x08 - Homer in 'Kidney Trouble' [rl].avi
First Found: 11 Aug 2004 02:43:29 EDT (GMT -0400)
Last Found: 11 Aug 2004 02:43:41 EDT (GMT -0400)
Filesize: 87,686k
IP Address: 64.81.54.5
IP Port: 6882
Network: BTPeers
Protocol: BitTorrent

Infringing Work: SIMPSONS, THE SEASON 5 (+)
Filepath: Simpsons Season 10 Complete.torrent/
Filename: Simpsons 10x11 - Wild Barts Cant Be Broken [rl].avi
First Found: 11 Aug 2004 02:43:30 EDT (GMT -0400)
Last Found: 11 Aug 2004 02:43:35 EDT (GMT -0400)
Filesize: 87,690k
IP Address: 64.81.54.5
IP Port: 6882
Network: BTPeers
Protocol: BitTorrent

Infringing Work: SIMPSONS, THE SEASON 5 (+)
Filepath: Simpsons Season 10 Complete.torrent/
Filename: Simpsons 10x12 - Sunday Cruddy Sunday [rl].avi
First Found: 11 Aug 2004 02:43:30 EDT (GMT -0400)
Last Found: 11 Aug 2004 02:43:35 EDT (GMT -0400)
Filesize: 87,504k
IP Address: 64.81.54.5
IP Port: 6882
Network: BTPeers
Protocol: BitTorrent

We believe this information should prove sufficient for you to locate the material complained about herein; however, please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions or clarification requests you may have.

The unauthorized distribution or public performance of copyrighted motion pictures constitutes copyright infringement under the Copyright Act, Title 17 United States Code Section 106(3)-(4). This conduct may also violate the laws of other countries, international law, and/or treaty obligations.

As the owner of this IP address, we request that you immediately do the following:

1. Notify the end user of the infringement(s).
2. Remove or disable access to the material identified above.
3. Take appropriate action against the account holder under your Abuse Policy/Terms of Service Agreement.

On behalf of the respective owners of the exclusive rights to the copyrighted material at issue in this notice, we hereby state, pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Title 17 United States Code Section 512, that the information in this notification is accurate and that we have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owners, their respective agents, or the law.

Also pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, we hereby state, under penalty of perjury, that we are authorized to act on behalf of the owners of the exclusive rights being infringed as set forth in this notification.

Please contact us at the above listed address or by replying to this email should you have any questions. Kindly include the above noted Reference # in the subject line of all email correspondence.

We thank you for your cooperation in this matter. Your prompt response is requested.

Respectfully,

Motion Picture Association of America

Mood: annoyed

Comments

( Leave a comment )

crasch wrote:

Aug. 13th, 2004 02:23 pm (UTC)

Yes, we should really thank the RIAA/MPAA. They're providing the necessary incentive to spur the development and widespread deployment of secure, encrypted communication and filesharing. I expect that this will be quite valuable, should it ever be necessary to share files more sensitive than the latest season of the Simpsons.

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skyfaller wrote:

Aug. 13th, 2004 08:33 pm (UTC)

Well, I don't think even MUTE is safe enough to evade the authorities if you're trying to distribute the government is trying to keep secret. Something like FreeNet or GNUnet is probably better.

Another thing I think we may see is large "web-of-trust" networks, which will combine social networking with WASTE-like setups so that files spread between people who you know are not evil. Of course, you can always pay or threaten someone to rat on their friends, so if the files are sufficiently sensitive this may not be sufficient either...

But seriously, is it possible to build a completely anonymous filesharing system? It's just about setting up roadblocks so that the entity trying to control distribution and/or break anonymity has to be really, really desperate to succeed.

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