Greek Site That Links To Legal Videos By Rightsholders... Sued For Infringement

from the the-illegality-of-linking dept

Mon, Apr 4th 2011 9:29am — Mike Masnick

TorrentFreak has the details on yet another ridiculous story of "anti-piracy" groups going way too far. In this case, it's the Greek Society for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AEPI), who has sued the site LiveMovies.gr for infringement, claiming the site is making available unauthorized content, and saying that it has "suffered damages worth 10,000 euros for each illegal act." The only problem? LiveMovies.gr does not link to unauthorized content. It only links to content that is being officially streamed by the authorized rights holders. In other words, they've set up a "TV guide" of sorts to legitimate online streaming of content. They've explained this to the AEPI who apparently can't comprehend that the site is only linking to authorized content, and continues to press forward with the lawsuit. In response, LiveMovies.gr is filing a countersuit against AEPI, claiming both fraud and perjury. Should be interesting to see what happens next...

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Filed Under: greece, infringement, legal
Companies: aepi

34 Comments

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Soundy (profile), 4 Apr 2011 @ 10:11am

*facepalm*
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Ron Rezendes (profile), 4 Apr 2011 @ 10:12am

Popcorn in hand!
This will be the epic Evil(AEPI) vs. Itself(Everyone it claims to represent) fight!
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chris (profile), 4 Apr 2011 @ 10:15am

problem?
i mean if it's on the internet it's illegal, amirite?
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Greg G (profile), 4 Apr 2011 @ 10:22am

Ever time we see one of these stories, we all read in disbelief at how far these so-called "anti-piracy" groups will go.

Unfortunately, that disbelief has eroded completely, or is eroding fast with each new story. They now only illicit a head shake or, as Soundy reacted.. a *facepalm*, along with a long, drawn out "what next?" sigh.

I hope the Greek courts see fit to throw this out, and quickly.
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Dark Helmet (profile), 4 Apr 2011 @ 10:26am

Re:
"I hope the Greek courts see fit to throw this out, and quickly."

I'd prefer they not be so hasty. It'd be better if this stayed in the courts just long enough for Justice Stephenopylous to order the public castration of every last executive of AEPI....
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Apr 2011 @ 10:29am

Re:
Let's start a new trend... and stop calling them anti-piracy groups. Suggestions?
- Extortionist groups
- Anti-Free groups
- Pay-us-or-else groups
- Live-in-the-past groups
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Greg G (profile), 4 Apr 2011 @ 10:33am

Re: Re:
the public castration of every last executive of AEPI....

I can get behind that. Someone get me a pair of dull scissors.
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Apr 2011 @ 10:36am

Re: Re:
They're raporists, actually.
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mike allen (profile), 4 Apr 2011 @ 10:45am

Re: Re: Re:
They are idiots actually. But this is Greece how many cases of this nature have they had unlike the UK or USA not many i guess. Better they throw it quick than risk a AFPI win.
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harbingerofdoom (profile), 4 Apr 2011 @ 10:47am

Re: Re: Re:
no... your only implement allowed to serve that function will be a dull plastic spatula.
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Gwiz (profile), 4 Apr 2011 @ 10:55am

Future TechDirt story:

Man sued for giving directions to local movie theater.

In this case, it's the Imaginary Property Endangerment Enforcement (I-PEE), who has sued Hugh G. Leeindebt for infringement, claiming when asked where the theater was, he replied "Down there, on the right."

"Since this a theater that shows authorized content to the public", stated an I-PEE spokesperson, "and anyone with a cellphone can record that content and Mr. Leeindebt directed us to said theater, Mr. Leeindebt is obviously making available unauthorized content and as a result of this action we have suffered damages worth $4,387,175 USD for each illegal act committed by Mr. Leeindebt."
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Atkray (profile), 4 Apr 2011 @ 10:59am

Re: Re:
If the name as semi accurate it would be anti-infringement group.

If you wish to follow their lead and try to use inflammatory and divisive language,

Anti-freedom group

Online censorship group
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HM, 4 Apr 2011 @ 11:01am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
SPORK!!!!
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Not an Electronic Rodent (profile), 4 Apr 2011 @ 11:02am

Re:
Seconded!
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DogBreath, 4 Apr 2011 @ 11:02am

Re: Re: Re:
Or lacking anything sharp, use two bricks (think hammer and anvil). Just as effective and you don't need to sterilize the bricks after each use.
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Silver, 4 Apr 2011 @ 11:09am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
I think i just threw up a little
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DogBreath, 4 Apr 2011 @ 11:09am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Definitely a plastic spork, or even a wooden ice cream sample spoon would do in a pinch.
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DogBreath, 4 Apr 2011 @ 11:23am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
If this became the one of the possible penalties for stupid baseless lawsuits, I think the MPAA / RIAA / Righhaven, etc type orgs of the world would think twice (once for each testicle) before throwing people under the bus with their haphazard suing.
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drew (profile), 4 Apr 2011 @ 12:10pm

Re: problem?
Absolutely, when are you freetards going to wake up to the fact that there is no, and i mean zero, legal content on the internet. Somebody, somewhere should have the right to sue for this. And, by that same argument, someone should be able to sue me for this comment.
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Soundy (profile), 4 Apr 2011 @ 12:16pm

Re: Future TechDirt story
Sadly, this is far too likely to happen in the near future...
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The eejit (profile), 4 Apr 2011 @ 12:32pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
What about the spife?
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DogBreath, 4 Apr 2011 @ 12:35pm

Re: Re: problem?
Actually as the creator of your own above comment, if you repost it without your own authorization, you should be able to sue yourself.

1) Get insurance policy that covers you in cases of copyright infringement.

2) Repost one of your entire posts without your legal consent.

3) Collect settlement (or judgment) from Insurance Company for willfully and maliciously infringing your own content.

4) Profit!

(I know, it sounds dumb, but I bet some lawyer somewhere is trying to find a legal loophole to make such a scheme work. If they could find a client who has a multiple personality disorder, and I bet they would think they have a case.)
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HarryMonmouth, 4 Apr 2011 @ 12:39pm

intellectual property
All these commenters have said exactly what I am thinking. As my thoughts are my own intellectual property I am afraid I am going to have to sue all of you. :)
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drew (profile), 4 Apr 2011 @ 12:44pm

Re: Re: Re: problem?
Ugh. Truth beats fiction.
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wallow-T, 4 Apr 2011 @ 12:57pm

See, if this was an American action, ICE could have just seized the domain name, or done whatever else was necessary to kill the site, without actually suing the operator.

Much more efficient!

Following traditional legal processes is not cost effective and does not scale.
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DogBreath, 4 Apr 2011 @ 1:17pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
That could work too, but you would need to be constantly be flipping the spife around after cutting, to scoop. I think a knoon (knife-edged spoon) would be quicker, requiring no rotation at all.

After all, there is no telling how many "operations of swift, necessary, in the best interest of justice, the public and future humanity", will be required (based entirely on the stupidity of some of the lawsuits brought forward, and the anger level of the judge that day), and if necessity is going to be the mother of invention then expediency should be the father.
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DogBreath, 4 Apr 2011 @ 1:26pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: problem?
It certainly does, but the divide between the two seems to get smaller each day.
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The Devil's Coachman (profile), 4 Apr 2011 @ 1:28pm

It's Greek to them!
This is what happens when organizations like AEPI chugalug ouzo at breakfast, switching to raki for lunch, and finishing off their workday at crack houses. It seems to make rationality a loathsome concept to them. Wonder why?
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greek, 4 Apr 2011 @ 2:49pm

May be noted that AEPI represents the music labels, not the TV networks. Their argument is, to my understanding, based around receiving "reproduction fee" (on top of the fees the networks pay). They demand that every real-life public site pays a fee to them, if they have a radio or a television around (this includes supermarkets playing background music, remote coffee shops up in the mountains that have a single pre-war radio device for the whole village, construction sites with workers listening music from their cellphones and singing in your bathroom while you shower). Apparently, they extend their business online, the site is a "public space".

Needless to say, they are scums and they should go to hell.
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Ron Rezendes (profile), 4 Apr 2011 @ 3:24pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
They should use CD's for the procedure - that way there will actually be a market for them!
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Apr 2011 @ 4:45pm

Re: Re: Re:
I also recommend rubber gloves and rubber-bands.
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VMax, 4 Apr 2011 @ 8:42pm

Can't believe I'm the first on this thread to go "But, but, Piracy!"
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The eejit (profile), 5 Apr 2011 @ 5:25am

Re: intellectual property
But...But...COMEDY!
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Karl (profile), 5 Apr 2011 @ 6:10am

Re:
See, if this was an American action, ICE could have just seized the domain name

Sadly, you're correct. Or at least, they would have, whether they could do it or not.

Following traditional legal processes is not cost effective and does not scale.

Sadly, again, you're correct. In fact, this is probably the entire reason the IP industry wants Espinel/ICE handling these cases.

If they were civil suits, the plaintiffs would have a much harder time getting ex parte seizure orders, or even preliminary injunctions, they'd have to foot the entire legal bill, and they'd open themselves up to counter-suits for legal fees if they were wrong. None of this applies to criminal investigations, apparently.

In fact, language like this was in an early version of the PRO-IP act (the one that created the "IP Czar"). It was taken out after the DOJ objected to becoming, in their own words, "pro bono lawyers for private copyright holders."
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