Japanese Internet users who download unauthorized movies, music and games can now face up to two years in prison or a fine as large as 2 million yen ($25,000).
The new penalties are an amendment to a 2010 law for copyright infringement crimes which formerly invoked no penalties.
Critics of the law say efforts should have been concentrated on stopping uploaders of copyrighted material ... [ read the full article ]
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You cant find most of the japenese downloaders and up loaders because they use a hidden proxy or ip so lets see you try i have had japanese exchange students show me some intrresting new ways of downloading
Piracy is and always will be the solution to a society that sees a commodity as being expensive beyond common sense.
And these court cases only show how much the media companies really run/own the governments jailing their own youth for what amounts to listening to sound for a mere enjoyment. They aren't stealing something that would hurt someone else for not having it, the only theft here is liable, i.e. not criminal. I can bet not many people download music with the premeditated thought that this will remove money from some executives wallet.
Originally posted by Qliphah: I can bet not many people download music with the premeditated thought that this will remove money from some executives wallet.
Most if not all theft is with little thought of whether or not the loss is to the victim but rather what the gain is to the perpetrator. Don't take my comment negatively though, I'm (for the most part) in agreeance with you.
'Downloading' being cast as a criminal offense is under the auspices that something of "TRUE" value was actually taken. The problem here is, nothing ever was/has. The rich fat assed exec, never had the money to begin with, so it never left his/her pocket.
The artists that this 'theft' is supposedly harming took place when the execs misrepresented the original contract. The downloaders have little to do with that process or the the resulting end process.
So what basically do the execs continue to do? Formulate a future crimes police force to replace what was never there to begin with & continue to build a "virtual" world of monetary wealth that nobody can touch. I.e., even when you successfully sue them, they'll claim that the money is actually tied up in stocks, properties & other assets not easily liquidated.
But for me that's all fine. The fat bastards can move out of their multi-million dollar homes & leave the $100K+ autos parked right where they are. Hell, don't even bother stocking the fridge... I'll start by taking all that shit just as it is. throw their asses right in the hoosegow.
I'll figure out how to get it all sold on my own & get the money back to the artists. The downloaders didn't make a dime off their endeavor. Matter of fact, they spent money for the ISP & the likes. Seems to me - if it were a TV show or a movie - the advertisers behind the production are 'still' getting free publicity.
