Major Label-Owned Vevo Caught Publicly Streaming NFL Game Off Of 'Rogue Site'

from the where's-ice-when-you-need-them? dept

Thu, Feb 9th 2012 12:55pm — Mike Masnick

Where's ICE when you need them? For a while now, ICE has been making the case that sites that merely link to streaming content -- especially sports content -- are the most evil kinds of criminals around. It's why they're trying to extradite Richard O'Dwyer from the UK to have him face criminal charges. It's why they recently arrested Yonjo Quiroa, who will soon be tried on criminal charges as well. Both ran sites that linked to streams of TV content, including sports content. So clearly, this is serious, criminal business. In fact, if you believe the propaganda from the RIAA, these sites contribute to gangland violence and terrorism.

But, of course, when those major label guys want to set up an illegal public performance of an NFL game, where do they turn? You guessed it! One of those rogue sites.

Jason Kincaid over at TechCrunch has the rather insane story of how Vevo, the music video streaming company created by Universal Music and owned by Universal Music and Sony Music, had a booth set up at Sundance a few weeks back, where they, quite clearly, live-streamed an NFL playoff game. Yeah. In their "lounge," they had computers showing the game, apparently sourced from ESPN America -- which isn't available in the US. And the stream came from TuTele.tv, which appears to be quite similar to many of the sites that have been seized and shut down. In fact, it sounds pretty similar to Rojadirecta, which is currently fighting the US Justice Department in court.

And the folks from these major record labels used this source to live stream the football game throughout their lounge area at Sundance. It gets even more ridiculous when you remember that Congress has been trying to pass bills that would make such streaming a felony in and of itself. Senator Amy Klobuchar's streaming felony bill, S.978 -- the one that would potentially put Justin Bieber at risk -- as well as SOPA, both had provisions that made public performance of infringing content a potential felony. Those were mainly supposed to be directed at sites that allow streaming, but I think people would find it hard to argue that what happened in that bar was not a "public performance."

Of course, what this shows is that these issues are never as black and white as the RIAA would have you believe. And, just like many others, when the industry doesn't give them a convenient way to do what they want, even the RIAA's strongest supporters stoop to making use of rogue sites to potentially do "criminal acts."

I eagerly await ICE moving in to arrest Vevo execs for this blatant criminal activity.

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Filed Under: copyright, hypocrisy, rogue sites, seized sites, sopa, streaming
Companies: emi, riaa, sony music, universal music, vevo

48 Comments

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:Lobo Santo (profile), 9 Feb 2012 @ 1:00pm

Yay!
So, the ICE or perhaps DHS is going to, like, deport Vevo, UMG, and Sony America... or something, right? Right??

I hope so...
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 1:03pm

Do as we say, not as we do. Sort of sounds like the theme of the US when dealing with foreign policy.
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Anonymous Poster, 9 Feb 2012 @ 1:04pm

Nobody likes a hypocrite.

Except the United States government.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 1:05pm

Do As I Say, Not As I Do
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 1:07pm

Re:
Except the United States government and copyright trolls.
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RD, 9 Feb 2012 @ 1:21pm

High Court/Low Court "Justice"
Never happen. There will be NO fallout or anything from this, it will just be quietly swept under the rug and forgotten. Those laws only apply to the non-elite, non-corporate "little people" and never to the big boys. The big boys make the laws, they dont follow them.
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Vic, 9 Feb 2012 @ 1:30pm

I eagerly await ICE moving in to arrest Vevo execs for this blatant criminal activity.

Based on secondary (tertiary & so on) liability concept, I am eagerly expecting ICE to go after UMG and Sony upper management! Any minute now... 8^)
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MarksAngel (profile), 9 Feb 2012 @ 1:34pm

Please tell me somebody has sent this info the attorneys for Richard O'Dwyer & Yonjo Quiroa if not, somebody seriously should.
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Planespotter (profile), 9 Feb 2012 @ 1:38pm

Re:
Just tweeted her about it... heres hoping she reads and understands the significants of it.
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Planespotter (profile), 9 Feb 2012 @ 1:39pm

When I say "her" I mean Richard's Mum who is quite active on Twitter. SHe is @jrodwyer.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 1:47pm

more likely
Someone who works for Vevo is going to simply lose their job, and this will be passed off as an "unauthorized action by an employee"
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 1:51pm

Re: more likely
When the more appropriate action is to take their names outta the phone book and cut up their credit cards.
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Planespotter (profile), 9 Feb 2012 @ 1:54pm

Re:
Richard's mum got my tweet... lets hopw it may help his legal team in some way.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 1:55pm

Why would they arrest Vevo execs. They would arrest that criminals who were responsible - the jackholes who were in charge of Vevos booth. Most likely their "events" personnel who will almost surely lose their jobs now that word of this has leaked. The only thing that leaking this is going to do is send a few people to the unemployment line and most likely introduce a new training video to newly hired employees - "Infringing is Baaaad Mmmm Kay!"
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Planespotter (profile), 9 Feb 2012 @ 1:55pm

Re: more likely
I wonder who from VEVO and the labels was at that event watching the stream?
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Another AC, 9 Feb 2012 @ 1:55pm

Perhaps...
... They had "Implied, Oral Consent" from the NFL to stream it, rather than "Explicit, Written Consent"... ok fine I stole this joke from The Simpsons about Major League Baseball :(
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 1:58pm

Re: Perhaps...
"Oral consent" sounds naughty.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 2:01pm

Re:
Fair enough, but you agree that they should take down the Vevo site and forcefully take the domain to put up the standard ICE warning about piracy right?

What's good for the goose is good for the gander...
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Another AC, 9 Feb 2012 @ 2:02pm

Re: Re:
Gah, forgot to claim ownership of my brilliant comment there...
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 2:10pm

You bitching about Vevo is ridiculous. This is a venture by the music labels to do EXACTLY what you have been telling them to do - put their content on the web and make it ad sponsored and ubiquitously available. Honestly, I am not sure if there is ANY video service that is offered on more platforms that YouTube.

Nothing they do will EVER make you happy - there is no way they will ever listen to you. You haven't just burned the bridge you have widened the chasm between the two sides with explosive hyperbole. I would like to suggest you read Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. At first I was going to suggest specific chapters, but I think you would be better served reading the thing cover to cover several times. It will probably take a long time to sink it.
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Planespotter (profile), 9 Feb 2012 @ 2:19pm

Re:
errr... this is about VEVO and their label masters infringing by watching an illegal stream of an NFL game, the same sort of stream that similar content companies are trying to have a 23 year old British citizen extradicted for LINKING to, something that is LEGAL in the UK.
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hegemon13, 9 Feb 2012 @ 2:21pm

Re:
The irony of your second paragraph is stunning.
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Kenneth Michaels, 9 Feb 2012 @ 2:21pm

Re:
Inadmissible evidence. I'm afraid that evidence of Vevo's crime cannot be used to exculpate O'Dwyer. And generally, "but everybody does it" is not an excuse either. Good luck getting that considered by a judge much less into evidence.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 2:23pm

Re:
So VEVO will be offering live sporting events to the public now? Sweet!
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 2:30pm

Re:
Except that the employees were acting in an official capacity for the company which means that the company is also responsible for their actions.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 2:45pm

Re: High Court/Low Court "Justice"
check check and checkhatycheckcheck.
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harbingerofdoom (profile), 9 Feb 2012 @ 2:46pm

Re:
no, you responding to something without even knowing what it is you are responding to is whats ridiculous.

if you wish to see explosive hyperbole, re-read your post... its full of it.

as for suggested reading material, kettle is on line 2 & wants to talk to you..
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 2:51pm

Re: Re:
It's not about getting him off. It's to LOUDLY proclaim "DO AS WE SAY, NOT AS WE DO."
Sadly, it will make no difference because the general public
1. Alreadly suffers from information overload.
2. Has an extremely short attention span(by design).
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Mike Masnick (profile), 9 Feb 2012 @ 3:18pm

Re:
You bitching about Vevo is ridiculous. This is a venture by the music labels to do EXACTLY what you have been telling them to do - put their content on the web and make it ad sponsored and ubiquitously available. Honestly, I am not sure if there is ANY video service that is offered on more platforms that YouTube.

Where did I complain about what Vevo does as a service?

I'm not bitching about what Vevo does as a service. I'm pointing out that they violated copyright law in a pretty blatant way at this particular event. And the point is that I think what they did is totally normal.

I just have issues with them being owned by organizations that claim that what they did is a *crime*.
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MAFIAA Public Relations, 9 Feb 2012 @ 3:22pm

The nerve of you freetards! We just invited ICE's Operation In Our Sites Team to Sundance and wanted to show them a few other rogue sites that needed to be seized. How do you expect them to collect evidence without visiting the rogue sites first? Come on, they're not making up those charges completely out of thin air!

Also this video will be removed soon as per our agreement with YouTube that allows us to delete anything & the fact it's violating the NFL's copyrights. The reporter will be the one arrested since he's clearly telling people how to go to a rogue site. In summary, YOU FUCKERS HAVE NEITHER THE EVIDENCE OR THE CONNECTIONS TO ARREST US SO STOP STEALING AND KISS OUR COLLECTIVE ASSES.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 3:30pm

Re:
This sounds legit, guys.
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Marcus Carab (profile), 9 Feb 2012 @ 3:31pm

Re:
Wait, what? Oh wait I get it - you didn't actually read the post, did you?
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 3:50pm

Re:
How can you recommend reading a book when you clearly cannot read anything?
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 4:11pm

I eagerly await ICE moving in to arrest Vevo execs for this blatant criminal activity.

While I would find it hilarious, it's easily debatable that a one time offense is not comparable to creating a site "for the sole purpose of". However it shows the hypocrisy involved and proves that ICE is really sold to the highest bidder.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 4:27pm

both had provisions that made public performance of infringing content a potential felony. Those were mainly supposed to be directed at sites that allow streaming, but I think people would find it hard to argue that what happened in that bar was not a "public performance."

Actually, it would be easy to argue -- not that this wouldn't necessarily be a "public performance" -- but that the bills didn't include the type of performance here.

Both bills only applied to "public performance by means of digital transmission." That excludes public performance by other means, such as by audiovisual devices like TVs or laptops.
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DOlz (profile), 9 Feb 2012 @ 4:41pm

To paraphrase Leona Helmsley
Rules are for the little people.
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Al Bert (profile), 9 Feb 2012 @ 5:29pm

Re: High Court/Low Court "Justice"
Agree, but i'd like to add that it likely doesn't need to even be swept under the rug at all. In general, these forces have enough influence in the the government and enough control over what people see and hear, I imagine they're quite confident they can operate in open violation. The only force universal may have to reckon with would be the NFL.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 6:37pm

Re:
You bitching about Vevo is ridiculous. This is a venture by the music labels to do EXACTLY what you have been telling them to do

You might want to inform UMG about that, they've been suing VEVO repeatedly and losing, but using the ongoing legal fees to bleed them dry.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Feb 2012 @ 6:43pm

Punishment is for slaves
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TtfnJohn (profile), 9 Feb 2012 @ 7:24pm

Thing is that we have all this wrong. We need to learn that the RIAA and MPAA can do no wrong. Ever. Eternally. Ever.

OK, so what Vevo did would get others busted for piracy and maybe tossed into jail. But they're owned by RIAA members so it can't be piracy. The RIAA has the right to do whatever it wants, whenever it wants.

After all, between the MPAA and RIAA they control the world don't they? They've told Congress they do. They've told various parliaments they do, If you as they'll tell you they do.

Surely they wouldn't fib, would they?

/s
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Anonymous Coward, 10 Feb 2012 @ 12:50am

The NY Times too.

http://blog.thephoenix.com/BLOGS/phlog/archive/2012/02/08/bill-keller-new-york-times-stole-o ur-column-should-we-sue.aspx

Was caught stealing and it gets even more funnier since one story was calling the damn pirates thiefs and that everybody against SOPA is in a war against the creative people(his words not mine).
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Ninja (profile), 10 Feb 2012 @ 3:19am

High court, low court classic case.

Filthy pirates... mumble mumble.. lost sales... mumble mumble... American jobs... whine whine.... need more private jets... groan...
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Anonymous Coward, 10 Feb 2012 @ 7:58am

Re: more likely
If you believe their 'bs' there are no excuses.... the IP holder is RESPONSIBLE regardless of who or what committed the action...

At least that's what they keep telling the court, until they are caught, then it's just a 'bad actor' or the 'kid next door stealing our wi-fi'.....

Smells like Hypocracy.... (TM Patent pending.... use the name of my next song and I'll sue....)
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RadialSkid (profile), 10 Feb 2012 @ 1:52pm

Re: Re:
You're thinking of Veoh. VEVO was actually started jointly by Universal and Sony.
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RadialSkid (profile), 10 Feb 2012 @ 2:01pm

VEVO's official response. Predictable: http://blog.vevo.com/vevo-powerstatio�n-at-sundance-an-explanation/
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nasch (profile), 10 Feb 2012 @ 7:09pm

Re:
That link didn't work for me.

http://blog.vevo.com/vevo-powerstation-at-sundance-an-explanation/

Short version: oops, somebody else did it. Does that work when a little guy is accused of copyright infringement?
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Anonymous Coward, 10 Feb 2012 @ 9:04pm

Re: Re:
Yes.
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nate, 11 Feb 2012 @ 4:42am

aristocracy
This is just another example of how the big companies and the politicians have created the same aristocracy that caused greece and rome to fall. We never learn from history...
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