A group of protestors are fightng back against Music and Movie industry plans to ban the sale and use of CD/DVD-RW, VCRs, Ipods, Tivo and even tape recorders. Savebetamax.org is organizing a call-in day to Congress on September 14 to oppose new legislation that would undermine the Betamax decision (INDUCE Act). They are accepting registrations now.
Regular MegaGames readers will be familiar with the, music and movie industry-backed, efforts to overturn a court decision which over 15 years ago made it possible for people to own VCRs. The so-called Betamax decision was a Supreme Court decision that made the Betamax and all other VCRs legal. In Sony vs. Universal (known as the Betamax decision) the Court ruled that because VCRs have legitimate uses, the technology is legal, even if some people use it to copy movies. Of course, the movie industry was lucky it lost the case against VCRs, because home video soon became Hollywood's largest source of revenue. And the freedom to use and develop new technology that was protected by the Betamax decision set the stage for the incredible growth in computer technology we've seen in the last few decades.
The Betamax ruling is the only thing that protects your right to own a VCR, tape recorder, CD-burner, DVD-burner, iPod, or TiVo. It's that important. But new legislation that's being pushed through the Senate by lobbyists for the music and movie industries would override the Betamax decision and create a huge liability for any business that makes products which can copy sound or video. This legislation (formerly known as the INDUCE Act) would essentially give Hollywood veto power over a huge range of new technologies. And if they get this power, they'll definitely use it: just as they tried to stomp out the VCR in the 70's and 80's, the music and movie industries want to force all content to go through their own restricted channels.
Please follow the download tab above for further information and the savebetamax registration page.


Comments
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
RIAA... what a joke. Like I see anyone banning CDRs and DVDRs... even if they could.. umm.. can you say, black market?I'm glad I don't live in that fascist U.S.A.All wankers.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
Hahahahahaha! People with to much time in their hands that cannot afford a VCR or DVD. Get a life! Stop wasting decent our time with non sense like these. Like this will ever come to surface. It will never happen.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
end of the day it will effect everyone if the big companys get there own way thay will charge cd makeing companys massive fines and stuff the black market will be dead because there will be nothing to put anything on also if microsoft and other companys get there way and add the hardware and software stuff there working on i think pc and freedom of speech and inovation will just go downhill (look at starforce if you think everything can by hacked )these companys have got the time and money to fill all the holesbeware fight for your rights and dont get complacent because if you do when its gone you got no chance of getting it back.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
u're such a dumb homo.How much pull does RIAA have in other countries?What do you think all this technology gets made in U.S. alone?
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
If this ever happens, stock market will plummet down the drain. You really think the U.S. government will allow to lose all that revenue. The U.S. controls NASDAQ! If this ever pass, NASDAQ will be useless. Will that ever happen? Maybe, if we are really stupid creatures.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
Digital cameras are illegal, cellphones and tape recorder are illegal because the record video and sound? American's are stupid.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
it's stuff like this that makes me not so proud to be an american =
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
I think it's retarded, Jobs will be lost and everyone who went out and bought a dvd or cd burner will be pretty pissed off... that's just about everyone in america. I think what they need to do is make products worth buying. Honestly, If something is good enough to purchase, I will. It's that easy.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
something like this would destroy the economy, not to mension the thousands of legitimate uses for these things such as using a tape recorder to tape lectures of burning a cd of home pictures, hell they mine as well ban all cameras because they can steal copyrighted images. This is the biggest joke i've heard in a long while there is no way in hell this could even come close to passing legislation.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
all i can say is the canadian economy would benefit by quite a good magnitude =)
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
laws only work as long as everyone respects them and agree to follow them. I'd love to see the US or RIAA stop places like china, north korea, the middle east, russia, the rest of asia, the rest of the world (you gettin my drift here) from stopping to produce these products. ha ha ha they'd probably be stupid enough pass the change of law, and cause a civil war to break out from the outrage of the people. It would destroy the entertainment business because theres no way in hell i'd ever buy from them again if they did this.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
FU CK the Riaa they can not stop downloading they say downloading music movies etc... is stealing when they charge 15-20 bux average for a cd that costs less than $1 to make and give the ppl making the music jack sh it from the sales and they say downloaders steal fu ck them
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
Dam this aint good. Australia better not follow this lead if this does go through (knowing the f**king c**k sucking John "Mother f**ker" Howard it probably will)Grrrr....
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
RIAA= Record It Again & AgainThis will never happen, now only would it be morally wrong but I think the technology companies have more sway on our politition than Hollywood itself, I'm counting on it...
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
Coming back to the US from Canada Customs Office says, "Any firearms, alcohol, tobacco or recordable CDs in the vehicle, Sir?""Uh... no..."
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
"Dam this aint good. Australia better not follow this lead if this does go through (knowing the f**king c**k sucking John "Mother f**ker" Howard it probably will)Grrrr...."We'll vote him out in a few weeks, don't worry... ;)
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
This will not come to pass. This would kill the movie industry. I mean DVDs are the best thing that have happened to movies.Also what the fck do they do with all the devices that already exist? Go around and check if your car has a cd player in it. Then again we probally wouldn't need the steroes because listing to music would probally be illegal...I just hope if this does go through in America that we can vote Johhny Howard out before he follows America.Proud to be Australian.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
The chances of this coming to pass are about 0.00000000000001%But I admit, it is pretty damn stupid. GG RIAA.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
So if i understand this. this would make owning a computer with a harddrive in it illigal cause you can duplicate anything onto it. Tell me if im wrong on this idea.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
There would be a country-wide riot and could lead to world war 3....
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
owning a computer with a harddrive in it wont be illegal, it will probably be illegal to have devcies on it that can rip cds and dvds etci wouldnt stress too much about this because its to stupid a law to pass
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
Good thing i dont live in the U.S.A. talk about insanity clearly the RIAA have no control over pirating and are failing in their jobs. To take such extreme lengths to ban hardware that has a physical presence to ensure no-one can copy well it wont work. Just force it underground and hurting the good minded and decent folks who worked hard to aquire that hardware for legitimate reasons.In other words no f*cking way i'm giving up my VCR! SUCK on IT! RIAA!
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
ROFLMAO! is this for real? are americans actually that stupid? how would something like this even make it this far? and they call us backwards! HA!
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
no matter what, even if they banned CD players, dvd burners, VCrs, etc. I think they'll loose even more money. Because WAY more people will just download the full illegal versions of music movies and software off the internet. I mean think about it, that would be one way too show those, FU*KS
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
If the RIAA were really serious about combating piracy, they should return more money to the artists and lower the costs of cds and dvds instead of imposing stupid lawsdamn them for their greed and stupidity
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
recording industry=shit, i mean think about it, theres hundreds of bands out there that are really good and about 3% of them will ever have a song on the radio or a video, so 97% of the artists get stiffed, but the RIAA doesnt try and help them, and if their worried about movies... MAKE BETTER ONES YOU SHITS.... or at least try to explain the shitfest that was "the village" hollywood and most new "popular" artist have retro themes, well that and recording industries just wont take risks without knowing any money will come from it, f**k em all, when a good CD or movie comes out and i like it, i'll buy it when shit comes out that i dont give a f**k about; download the only thing i like from it. nuff said f**k the RIAA
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
To get my 89.95 perchace of the game they have to bring it out quick any dealys for markating and hype mean I pirate Fu-ck'em burn it so there tatics dont work hehe spread the word Brothers that way we force them to play our way
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
of course those idiots at the riaa would do something as stupid as this, ya know why? cause those people have jobs todo and with hollywood or whateva pumpin these people with millions of dollers + huge salary's these goons are gonna be around for ever and everthe only thing we can hope for is for someone to sue the pants off them or some kinda enron scandial either way there not gonna piss off and gonna keep droping these bombshells on issuse's that have been brought up a million times
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
damn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and stupiditydamn them for their greed and st
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
how much money do these f**kers need i swear i own a dvd/cd burner 2 mini disc a f**king stereo system with dual tape recorders mp3 digital top box dvd w/r with harddrive are they gonna buy all this shit from me or they think i will hand it over in good faith so the can throw it into the bonfire like the friggen nazi's did with books in ww2hollywood is gettin much to greedy the amounts made for some of the shit that comes outta th ere is amazing yet its not enough? they should be so lucky
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
funny thing is the same companys that make all this stuff are funding the same people that are trying to taking it away from us. bastards
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
just gets me all angry and naked
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
I have thousands of mp3 on my hardrive minus my 4.3Gog of porn!!! RIAA i dare you to sue my ASS!!!
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
If i'm not american i can't sing up right?
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
I dont think they need us to tell them the RIAA is stupid.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
I wish some crazy psycho would go around killing random people that work for the RIAA and MPAA.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
ROTFL with Anonymous at 7:4 14/9/2004....your hilarious!
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
DVD's are too expensive. I mean, it's $30 when brand new because they want you to pay for the extras that are on the DVD and me personaly, I don't give a shit about extras, I only want to watch the movie. I bet if they took out the extras and just the movie alone, probley be betwen $15 and $20 and also, most movies f**kin blow now that it's not even worth money to rent.If this passes, you know it's the end of the world.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
This will NEVER pass.Ok, the RIAA, and the MPAA are TWO companies, TWO.Now, All of the people who make recording equipment, and all the people who make recordable media, are more companies then I think any of us can count, Hmmm who do ya think will have the most pull?I am not worried.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
You pirate scum bags have been asking for this for years. As for DVD cost. They would be a lot cheaper if people did not rip so many of them. If you know of anyone who is using peer to peer or ripping anything contact your local police. You can do this anonymously.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
downhillbattle.org is linked on that site, they got some great flyers everyone should slap on music stores
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
Anonymousat 8:50 14/9/2004fool :)
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
You can get my VCR from my cold dead hands..
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
Well look at that, the RIAA has raised the bar for douchebaggery (yes, thats a word :)) and given me one more reason to hate them. No way in hell I'm giving up my PVR or my disc burners. They can take my VCR, though. Analog data storage is SO last millenium.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
saying that lots peeps buying the thing will make stuff cheaper is not true look at gameboys them things should be like 20dollers now.if thay charged lees in the first place more would buy look at disney stuff that is way over priced, dvd's are like 500% profit ,thay make there money back from cine sales(if its any good) then all the dvd and video is pure profit including the soundtrack sales i dont mind profit but what there after is just plane stupid ,just like most buisness models "we did not hit our targets this year we only made xxxamount of profit lets lay off a load of workers" thay forget thay forget to state thay made a profet on the figures the year before but because thay did not make there stupid figures for there greedy arse shareholders workers and customers have to pay one way or another
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
Illegalize CD-R and DVD-R?Even taperecorders. Im happy im not living in the USA ;-P
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
Anonymousat 7:41 14/9/2004That's utter bullshit, most new DVDs here in Washington are 20 dollars.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
Wot a stupid thing to even think of! That would mean new mobile phones with cameras would be illegal, that means that voice recorders would be illegal, Steroes and HiFi systems would be illegal, VCRs...It's stupid! It would take down the whole bloody entertainment market! If people dont have DVD players then they would have VCRs, if theyre illegal and cant afford a DVD player how are companies gunna sell videos?Stupid Americans...I think im gunna sue McDonalds now for making me fat...
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
if the RIAA get their way, dvd players and VCP (video cassette players) will still be legal. There just wont be anything to copy these forms of entertainment. I hope this does not come to pass, but who knows, as of 2 days ago it is legal to buy an AK-47 in stores nows after an 11-year ban. The government didnt reinstate that law....the country is going to shit boys. Time for another revolution.
RIAA-Movie Industry Cry Illegalize It
anyways, how the law works is, (with my extensive knowlodge after taking Business Law), when you file something, you make your claim as outlandish as it can be, and then you see what the court will except.the court my say, "WTF is wrong with you, we are not making VCR's illegal, but you know what... having tc tuner card, and decoder, and ample software you cant make high quaility copies of shows/movies to distribute on the internet... hmmmm.... let's make the software illegal or the hardware to record it."just an example, they can pick and chose. the RIAA will not get all of their requests filled. Apple will not allow thier Ipod to become illegal. they might have to modify it though.
Pages
Add new comment