Thank goodness I am not into anime. And downloads.
I was too IT dumb to know that we can actually downloads stuff from the net. And when I did possessed the knowledge, copyright issues and files sharing piracy were all over the news. Illegal downloaders were being hunted down and issued warning lawyers's letters.
I was too intimidated and having lived so long without downloading anything illegally, I really dun see the need to now.
And those companies are so merciless in their quest to hunt for illegal downloaders. So beware of the dangers and dun download.
----------------------------
New Paper
28 Aug 2008
Hunt for illegal downloaders widens
More Japanese anime companies to take action
THE hunt for those who illegally download Japanese animation looks likely to get even more widespread.
By Liew Hanqing
A California-based company, which tracks copyrighted digital content, expects even more Japanese anime companies to engage its service, in their bid to crack down on illegal downloaders - and Singapore is one of the targets.
Mr Mark Ishikawa, chief executive officer and founder of BayTSP, the company which is tracking the illegal downloads, told The New Paper that it is working with several anime companies and 'talking with several more'. He declined to name the companies, citing a contractual agreement on confidentiality.
Copyright infringements
'Typically, clients direct us to monitor for copyright infringements worldwide, which includes Singapore,' he said.
Local anime distributor Odex engaged BayTSP's tracking services last year when it began its crackdown on illegal anime downloaders.
This year, it appears the Japanese companies - which include Geneon Entertainment Japan and Showgate Inc - are taking matters into their own hands.
On whether the anime downloading situation here has worsened over the last year, Mr Ishikawa said: 'Because we are working with more companies than we were a year ago, we're seeing more piracy of anime content, so there is no reliable way to compare a year ago with what we're seeing today.'
The New Paper asked Rajah & Tann, the law firm representing the anime companies, how many alleged illegal downloaders it had identified and sent letters to, but the firm declined to comment.
The New Paper understands that some netizens have been asked to pay settlements of up to $6,000 each for their illegal downloads.
One netizen, who declined to be named, described the amount as 'unreasonable'. He received a letter from Rajah & Tann on 18 Aug which alleged that his StarHub Internet account was linked to illegal downloads of Showgate's anime.
He was asked to pay a settlement of more than $5,000.
But the account linked to the downloads had already been terminated in April this year, he said. He asked: 'Why am I paying their legal fee when it is an out-of-court settlement? It feels like I've already been to court and lost the case by paying them the full sum.
'It would probably be more reasonable to ask us to purchase their original box set instead.' The netizen added that he had posted on several online forums, a call for those who had also received letters to seek collective legal advice on the matter. 'I have had people willing to donate small sums to 'take up the case and fight it' as well.'
Furore
The latest series of letters sent on behalf of the Japanese companies, who own the copyrights to the downloaded anime, have caused an online furore among other netizens who claim to have stopped downloading anime since the Odex crackdown last year.
The netizen The New Paper spoke to said the date of his alleged downloads were as far back as last September. He added: 'Even after this case ends, it would not promote original anime in any way. It would only increase our detest of these copyrighted anime.'
I was too IT dumb to know that we can actually downloads stuff from the net. And when I did possessed the knowledge, copyright issues and files sharing piracy were all over the news. Illegal downloaders were being hunted down and issued warning lawyers's letters.
I was too intimidated and having lived so long without downloading anything illegally, I really dun see the need to now.
And those companies are so merciless in their quest to hunt for illegal downloaders. So beware of the dangers and dun download.
----------------------------
New Paper
28 Aug 2008
Hunt for illegal downloaders widens
More Japanese anime companies to take action
THE hunt for those who illegally download Japanese animation looks likely to get even more widespread.
By Liew Hanqing
A California-based company, which tracks copyrighted digital content, expects even more Japanese anime companies to engage its service, in their bid to crack down on illegal downloaders - and Singapore is one of the targets.
Mr Mark Ishikawa, chief executive officer and founder of BayTSP, the company which is tracking the illegal downloads, told The New Paper that it is working with several anime companies and 'talking with several more'. He declined to name the companies, citing a contractual agreement on confidentiality.
Copyright infringements
'Typically, clients direct us to monitor for copyright infringements worldwide, which includes Singapore,' he said.
Local anime distributor Odex engaged BayTSP's tracking services last year when it began its crackdown on illegal anime downloaders.
This year, it appears the Japanese companies - which include Geneon Entertainment Japan and Showgate Inc - are taking matters into their own hands.
On whether the anime downloading situation here has worsened over the last year, Mr Ishikawa said: 'Because we are working with more companies than we were a year ago, we're seeing more piracy of anime content, so there is no reliable way to compare a year ago with what we're seeing today.'
The New Paper asked Rajah & Tann, the law firm representing the anime companies, how many alleged illegal downloaders it had identified and sent letters to, but the firm declined to comment.
The New Paper understands that some netizens have been asked to pay settlements of up to $6,000 each for their illegal downloads.
One netizen, who declined to be named, described the amount as 'unreasonable'. He received a letter from Rajah & Tann on 18 Aug which alleged that his StarHub Internet account was linked to illegal downloads of Showgate's anime.
He was asked to pay a settlement of more than $5,000.
But the account linked to the downloads had already been terminated in April this year, he said. He asked: 'Why am I paying their legal fee when it is an out-of-court settlement? It feels like I've already been to court and lost the case by paying them the full sum.
'It would probably be more reasonable to ask us to purchase their original box set instead.' The netizen added that he had posted on several online forums, a call for those who had also received letters to seek collective legal advice on the matter. 'I have had people willing to donate small sums to 'take up the case and fight it' as well.'
Furore
The latest series of letters sent on behalf of the Japanese companies, who own the copyrights to the downloaded anime, have caused an online furore among other netizens who claim to have stopped downloading anime since the Odex crackdown last year.
The netizen The New Paper spoke to said the date of his alleged downloads were as far back as last September. He added: 'Even after this case ends, it would not promote original anime in any way. It would only increase our detest of these copyrighted anime.'
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