A single, unemployed father of four is being sued by seven record companies for internet music piracy, according to Hong Kong's Sunday Morning Post. 54-year-old Yeung Chun-Choi, however, attests that he doesn't even know how to turn on his computer.
Among the companies suing the widower for copyright infringement are Sony BMG, Universal Music and Warner Music Hong Kong, who claim unspecified damages from him, alleging he used WinMX software to illegally upload and download music. Chun-Choi believes his 15- and 16-year-old daughters may be responsible:
"I hope they will understand that I don't know what my children are doing on the computer".
Chun-Choi lives off state benefits, and explained that the computer was given to the family by social services and used by his children for homework. The case comes as a result of a piracy crackdown last year by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. It's the first legal action of its kind in Hong Kong, and comes on the back of the first criminal conviction in the world for uploading movies, also in Hong Kong.
so he wants his children to go to prison
ignorance is no excuse etc etc etc.
but yeah. Tis la harsh.
Grrr. This type of thing annoys me so much
If "the big four" or whatever actually didn't have rip off prices, promote big-money scrotum artists like Will Young and actually produce records at pries people wanted, this wouldn't be half the issue it is.
Or maybe it would, but their still bastards.
10/10 for the iPod pic. Arrrr.
that picture
is ace!!! currently my msn pic.
Since when do adverts appear in the middle of stories?
>:(
Sorry to repeat what's previously been said..
But I really have to compliment whoever did that genius picture! Fucking A.
Or should I say.. Arrrrrrrrrr!!!
x
this is sickening
a boycot should be made of those 3 companies.
Just those three?
They're not the only ones suing grandparents, children and dead people (oh yes I shit you not). Obviously the Big Four record labels all do it, but they also have their smaller affiliates sueing anyone and everyone as well. And thats just the music industry; the film industry, particularly the MPAA in America, seems to be going for grandparents and P2P clients as well. I'm all in favour of a boycott, but it should affect all involved, not just the three majors that happen to be involved in this case.
Some legal advice
It is NOT a criminal offence to download music from p2p servers. It IS a civil offense which means that the record companies can try to settle. However, the BPI have said that they currently have no plans to pursue any individuals who download music only those who upload. Because it is not a criminal offense the authorities cannot conviscate your computer, they cannot place you under arrest and they cannot prosecute you in a magistrates court. The way to get around this is to move your downloaded files as soon as they have been downloaded so that the appropriate authorities cannot trace the files.
This information comes courtesy of my father who has a masters in law and recently wrote a paper about the music industry and copyright law.
Good luck
trying to boycott those companies AND buy all the records you'd like to.
Well...
You could always illegally download them ;)