Iceland's MPAA Pirates Software; Tries To Defend Itself On Facebook; Runs Away

from the so-much-for-that-plan dept

Thu, Feb 7th 2013 12:44pm — Mike Masnick

Via TorrentFreak we learn that SMAIS, the Icelandic equivalent to the MPAA, was recently called out for pirating some software. The software, made by Dutch company NICAM, is apparently used for setting up a labeling/rating system for content including movies, video games and more. SMAIS agreed to license the software, which it received, but then it failed to make the payments. Any of them. At all. A NICAM exec is quoted as saying:

From the moment the contract was signed, everything went silent. There was no contact between SMAIS and us, unfortunately. We tried to contact them, but it didn't work.

This, as you might imagine, caused a bit of an uproar in Iceland, with people speaking out against SMAIS. In response, someone there (apparently without very much internet experience) decided the right thing to do would be to set up a Facebook account for SMAIS. Now, if they could actually discuss the various issues, that might not be a bad idea. But... that's not what happened. After being bombarded with critical comments from others, SMAIS shut down the Facebook account with a snarky note about how they needed to hire someone to run the account, and also about how they have "lots to learn." Though, they also claimed that "some freedom fighters think that only some voices have a place on Facebook." Probably not the right spot for a bit of snarkiness, but perhaps it's not so surprising.

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Filed Under: conversation, copyright, iceland, infringement, software
Companies: facebook, nicam, smais

30 Comments

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Rikuo (profile), 7 Feb 2013 @ 12:39pm

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH...cough cough...HAHAHAHAHAH!

H Y P O C R I S O C Y, that's how you spell lying thieving scumbags.
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Feb 2013 @ 12:49pm

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH...cough cough...HAHAHAHAHAH!

H Y P O C R I S O C Y, that's how you spell lying thieving scumbags.

Unfortunately it's not how you spell Hypocrisy.
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- Anonymous Coward, 7 Feb 2013 @ 12:57pm
  
  Re:
  Because "Hypocrisy" is aggressively trademarked by the SMAIS.
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Anonymous Monkey (profile), 7 Feb 2013 @ 12:59pm

Open mouth ....
insert BOTH feet...
o_o

I tell ya'... these people are just BRILLIANT -_-
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- RD, 7 Feb 2013 @ 3:23pm
  
  Re: Open mouth ....
  "Open mouth ....
  insert BOTH feet..."
  
  Feet are not the appendage they are taking in their mouths.
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- Bergman (profile), 7 Feb 2013 @ 5:32pm
  
  Re: Open mouth ....
  Yup. They put both feet so far into their mouth, that they regained the ability to walk shortly afterwards.
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Nigel (profile), 7 Feb 2013 @ 12:59pm

Creative America
Same shit, different logic switch.

I was shocked to see CA still trying to spread the FUD. A cursory glance at CA shows this though.

http://blog.creativeamerica.org/2013/usc-annenberg-innovation-lab-launches-effort-to-educ ate-major-brands-on-how-advertising-supports-piracy/

Guess its time dismantle some shit over there again lol..

Nigel
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- Anonymous Monkey (profile), 7 Feb 2013 @ 1:03pm
  
  Re: Creative America
  I don't think it'll make any difference... they all seem to have selective cognitive skills and brain function >_
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- Seegras (profile), 8 Feb 2013 @ 12:20am
  
  Re: Creative America
  Off topic.
  
  Apparently it does: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130201/12043621854/many-motivations-movie-piracy-notably-absent-i -want-everything-free.shtml
  
  42% of people copying movies illegaly do so because they don't want to see commercials. So advertising pretty much fosters "piracy".
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Feb 2013 @ 1:06pm

when someone has done the very thing they accuse and sue others of doing what did they expect? it goes to show that when the evidence is totally against them, when they have no possible defence or way out and no one from bought law enforcement or government to intimidate on their behalf, they do what all bullying cowards do, turn tail and run!!

the statement that "some freedom fighters think that only some voices have a place on Facebook." is typical. when in the shit pile you've created for yourself and then stepped in, try chucking some around. instead of doing them any good, the need to be careful that it doesn't come back and bite them would be advised
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E. Zachary Knight (profile), 7 Feb 2013 @ 1:23pm

That's not piracy...
SMAIS is a thief. Why? Because they made a promise to pay and then refused to do so. That is theft.
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- Chris Rhodes (profile), 7 Feb 2013 @ 1:57pm
  
  Re: That's not piracy...
  Breach of contract maybe, but not theft. ;)
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  - G Thompson (profile), 7 Feb 2013 @ 11:14pm
    
    Re: Re: That's not piracy...
    Actually it's probably both a breach of Contract and outright fraud since they have not paid and from actions have no intention to pay nor ever did entering the contract.
    
    The sad thing is that most people do not realise that this is not an uncommon occurrence for organisations like this who seem to think they have some underlying legal authority to do whatever they wish with no ramifications.
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- Mr. Applegate, 7 Feb 2013 @ 2:08pm
  
  Re: That's not piracy...
  Well, I think it is obvious that they are guilty of both piracy AND theft. I think it is important that they be sued for breach of contract.
  
  They should also be prosecuted criminally for theft and prosecuted criminally for piracy.
  
  You know Copyright infringement is now a criminal act, so what is good for the goose...
  
  Oh and since they are accused of piracy we must seize their websites.
  
  They will also have to take all their computers (as well as all copies of backups) for evidence of the crimes.
  
  Probably should seize all their assets until the cases are settled so they don't try to run away with cash.
  
  Surely there are other charges that can be piled on as well.
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  - G Thompson (profile), 7 Feb 2013 @ 11:17pm
    
    Re: Re: That's not piracy...
    There is no theft, though there could be a type of conversion (maybe). As I state above fraud is more likely and criminally chargeable
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    - PaulT (profile), 8 Feb 2013 @ 1:03am
      
      Re: Re: Re: That's not piracy...
      There's no theft in the pure meaning of the word, true. However, there's more identifiable evidence of actual losses caused by this action than by any "pirate" currently being threatened with lawsuits.
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      - G Thompson (profile), 8 Feb 2013 @ 1:23am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: That's not piracy...
        Action that causes losses/harm is in no way a definition of theft (larceny) anywhere nor conversion. It's nearly the correct definition of negligence though.
        
        Which brings me back to fraud which is intentional deception and/or misrepresentation for the purpose to gain advantage (in any way) and/or damage another.
        
        They haven't stolen or removed anything, since it was given freely (as part of the contract) by the other party to them for the purposes of the license/sale. Piracy be it the old version or the latest IP version still doesn't come into it since they wilfully entered into a contract of sale/service allegedly knowing they would not pay (ie: fraud) instead of 'piracy' which is about no current contract of sale/service anywhere and just the taking of the work (not theft) without authority.
        
        As for the threatening of lawsuits, in the egregious cases (trolls) that is more about legalised extortion than anything else.
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    - That One Guy (profile), 8 Feb 2013 @ 7:20am
      
      Re: Re: Re: That's not piracy...
      I'd agree that rationally this isn't a case of 'theft', and is instead more a case of fraud, but at the same time if groups like that are going to claim that acquiring/downloading a song/movie without paying for it is theft, it seems only fitting that they are charged with theft as well as fraud.
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Feb 2013 @ 1:25pm

They probably pay inverses after a delay of a copyright term.
/s
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- Anonymous Coward, 7 Feb 2013 @ 1:28pm
  
  Re:
  r/inverses/invoices/
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Anonymous Anonymous Coward, 7 Feb 2013 @ 1:27pm

Underfunded
Hey, give them a break. Maybe they just haven't collected enough copyright (ahem) "taxes" to pay for the software. After all, salaries are more important than other payables!
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Unanimous Cow Herd (profile), 7 Feb 2013 @ 1:43pm

Freedom Fighters
"Freedom Fighters" Think about what those words mean when put next to each other. I find it interesting and more than a huge blunder on their part to characterize their detractors as "Freedom Fighters". When I hear those words, I think of the French resistance in WWII or the great and noble William Wallace rather than a bunch of "I want everything for free" pirates; which is how they would have everyone think of downloaders, open source software users, the likes of SOPA/PIPA or Occupy protesters and anyone else who isn't ready to play the MONETIZE THE HUMAN RACE game.

But I digress, and tip my hat to you SMAIS. Even in your blunder you've managed to point out a very real truth. A pair of words that most won't say because the term has been trivialized by the lamestream media, and never use when talking about themselves, even when it is true (talking to you Aaron RIP). My hats off to the people of Iceland. Once again proving what a cool place Iceland is.

End of File.
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- Anonymous Coward, 7 Feb 2013 @ 3:40pm
  
  Re: Freedom Fighters
  It's the coolest!
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- Simple Mind (profile), 7 Feb 2013 @ 3:58pm
  
  Re: Freedom Fighters
  If the people against you are "Freedom Fighters" then what does that make you, a "Prison Enthusiast"?
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  - The Groove Tiger (profile), 8 Feb 2013 @ 7:10am
    
    Re: Re: Freedom Fighters
    "Captivity Collaborator"?
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Feb 2013 @ 1:49pm

"and also about how they have "lots to learn.""

What they mean here is not that they have 'lots to learn' in terms of ensuring that they act as law abiding citizens. They have lots to learn in terms of learning how to get away with breaking the very laws they intend to enforce on others. and by get away with it, I don't mean get away with it in terms of getting law enforcement off their back (to the extent that law enforcement goes after them now, it's only because the public encourages them to). They want to get away with breaking the law in terms of not receiving any public backlash and not letting the public know. If the public doesn't know then law enforcement will leave them alone, they won't even make an effort to find out and even if they know they won't respond, because the MPAA et al. practically own lawn enforcement. They own the media (and that does need to change). They haven't yet owned the Internet. They still have a lot to learn in terms of getting away with breaking the law. They haven't learned, and do not want to learn, that they shouldn't break the law and that's not what they mean here. They are basically taunting the public with snarky remarks, we will, one day, learn to get away with stuff, and you won't be able to do anything about it.
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Zakida Paul (profile), 7 Feb 2013 @ 1:50pm

Do as I say, not as I do.
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Coogan (profile), 7 Feb 2013 @ 2:21pm

also about how they have "lots to learn."

Not really "lots to learn". Really just one thing - how to write a check.
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That Anonymous Coward (profile), 8 Feb 2013 @ 3:43am

I enjoyed their letter whining as they left FB.

"It is interesting to learn that some freedom fighters think that only some voices have a place on Facebook, but it�s not surprising."

It seems only fair as they drown out the public in the halls of the government while buying more laws to give them control over everything.
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Ninja (profile), 8 Feb 2013 @ 8:12am

I wonder if they downloaded the software at The Pirate Bay? ;)
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