Got.net and its narcing out of its customers

[Duncan Frissell]

On Mon, 8 Dec 2003, Tim May wrote:

> It happened in one of the "movies" groups (rec.arts.current-movies),
> when the thread was on DVD copy protection and the (claimed) illegality
> of making DVDs of movies.
>
> I explained how I was cheerfully making an average of a DVD a day of my
> favorite current movies.
>
> A couple of "nyms" went ballistic and foamed that they had forwarded my
> "admissions" to the RIAA and how I would face civil penalties and jail
> time, oh my!
>
> Then one of them claimed he had arranged to have my account yanked, for
> "violation of the DMCA." He claimed he had sent copies of my "criminal"
> admissions to Got.net, to the RIAA, to "law enforcement" (shudder!),
> and so on.

I gather that the denizens of alt.video.dvd have yet to read the Betamax
case.  Perhaps they should expand their reading before they opine on the
state of IP law.

This is one of several times that the readers of Tim's posts have reported
him to the authorities.  I recall the Santa Cruz sherrif's office call of
the early '90s occaisioned by a simple admission that Tim legally posessed
weapons at home.

I'm constantly amazed by the things that people think are illegal that
aren't.

Reporting people to the authorities is such an impolite thing to do.  In a
less enlightened era it would have led to an unfortunate breach of the
peace.  If you have a problem with someone's behavior speak to him nicely,
first.  And make damned sure that he's doing something wrong before you
complain.

Remember -- "Since Sodomy is a Virtue, can anything be a Vice?"

DCF