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MPAA Software For Parents
New lawsuits, new software
The MPAA filed a new round of lawsuits yesterday against broadband film file traders. They also released new software for parents dubbed Parent File Scan, that allows them to scan a kid's PC to see if it contains pirated motion pictures - though apparently it's as accurate as a drunken archer. The software does not monitor or block software - simply offers to delete pirated content, and according to the MPAA, does not report any data back to the MPAA. Correction: The app simply identifies all media content, some p2p apps, and some assorted files it shouldn't (like application sounds), urging parents to "make appropriate decisions" about what should be deleted (ergo it's even less useful then we originally surmised).
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FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

2 edits

FFH5

Premium Member

Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

This is a good tool for parents to keep an eye on their kids, who may be latent crooks at heart. Better to catch them before the lawsuit comes in the mail.

My Web Page
My Blog
Join Red Room Forum

Omega
Premium Member
join:2002-07-30
Golden, CO

Omega

Premium Member

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

$10 says this search tool just does an all around search for *.avi, *.mpeg, *.mpg, *.wmv and tells the parents the result.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

said by Omega:

$10 says this search tool just does an all around search for *.avi, *.mpeg, *.mpg, *.wmv and tells the parents the result.
That isn't what their web site says. It looks for specific movie files, maybe by size and signatures(like how antivirus programs work) and not just file name.
Hashmap
Premium Member
join:2004-05-02
Denver, CO

1 edit

2 recommendations

Hashmap

Premium Member

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

That isn't what their web site says. It looks for specific movie files

No.

maybe by size and signatures

Absolutely not.

There is no way to know what a movie is based on size. Depending on the application used to convert it, the format of the converted video, the audio and video compression rates used, the resolutions and countless other variables, one movie could be ripped to a thousand different file sizes.

To do it based on a signature, the software would have to generate a hash from every video on your computer. Generating a hash of a 500mb or 1.2gb file would peg your computer out at full CPU usage for awhile. Multiply this by every video file found. Also, this signature would be different for every file size (for which there could be thousands, as mentioned in the above paragraph).

Finally, there is absolutely no way for the MPAA to know that a movie on your machine has been illegally acquired.

Why anyone would trust the MPAA is beyond me. Hell, our strapped public schools are wasting class time and resources indoctrinating children with the MPAA/RIAA supplied materials. At this rate, we're going to have an entire generation of kids who think it's immoral and unethical to make a backup copy of their videogames or lend a copy of their favorite book to a friend to read.

linicx
Caveat Emptor
Premium Member
join:2002-12-03
United State

linicx

Premium Member

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

Maybe teaching kids right from wrong is not such a bad idea.

Southpaw018
@psu.edu

Southpaw018

Anon

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

This isn't about teaching kids right from wrong, it's about the MPAA using FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) to get their way. This amounts to a fear-based campaign. I ran it on my system, and it highlighted something like 10,000 files. Most of them were audio files that were legitimate parts of programs installed on my computer - including Windows itself.

Some copyright detector this is.

linicx
Caveat Emptor
Premium Member
join:2002-12-03
United State

linicx

Premium Member

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

If parents taught their kids right from wrong to begin with, and they enforced it, the Internet wouldn't need MPAA or FUD. On the other hand, if the internet was less Wild West maybe some of the bad things wouldn't happen to good people.

It is one thing to share one song, or even one album you purchased with one friend, and quite another to use a network to share 10,000 songs you didn't purchase with an unknown number of people. The later is what the music industry is crying about.

KayJay
@primeretail.com

KayJay

Anon

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

Honestly, I don't see where this is hurting them. There have been many extensive studies showing that p2p has helped the industries. I can't vouch for accuracy, but in my own experience, they've got more money out of me. I download albums, songs, and movies all the time. But with movies, I don't like waiting around for a 4.5gb DVD quality movie and where are my DVD-extras? Here's an example. Christmas rolled around and lots of relatives asked me what CDs and/or DVDs I might want for Christmas. There are probably 20 CDs and about 20 DVDs I listed, in which I got quite a few, in which my response to them would otherwise be, "nothing in particular".

Bestro
@unknown

Bestro to linicx

Anon

to linicx
I think you're either working for the MPAA or blissfully ignorant.

1) The previous guy already says that the program detects things that the MPAA cannot have access rights to. Actually, it's COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT BY THE MPAA for them to claim that ding.wav and other OS sounds are under the MPAA's copyright (they're actually coprighted by the software company, like AOL's "You Got Mail").

2) The MPAA/RIAA will be here even if everyone was good. That's why it was here before the personal computer was invented. They exists because they price fix the films/songs so they can make profit (it's not quite that dasterdly--the RIAA offers services to artists for record production and stage performances, though the price, in the end to the artist, is huge).

3) FUD will always be here, because it is marketing. Fud is the marketing philosiphy of "If I can make your product look worse, you'll buy/use ours."

3a) Kids aren't the only ones downloading. Plus, some people just want to hear a song so they can then decide to buy the album. RIAA has a nice history with many people of encouraging filling albums with random crap songs so people buy it for the single but pay the full Cd price. Other hits go on other CD's, so you sell more CD's. It's just wrong.

4) The music industry is crying about their own profits. I doubt they truly care about the artists other than as a source of personal revinue. Any band typically makes about $2-3 per sale of a CD. The rest of that 10-15 dollars is RIAA and production costs (which are about 15 cents). They're mad because you've undercut their funds. And they feel they have the right to a profit (note, this is different from the right to _make_ a profit).

Apple and others like iTunes have the right idea. Sell songs at a fair cost and allow everyone to play. Unassociated bands (RIAA-free) can also sell on iTunes, which makes the market equal.

I agree the mass distribution houese should go down (10,000 songs). In equador you can buy illicit movies on SVCD for $2/movie. This is the stuff that they should be aimed at. Not the very person that buys the music

fallen1
@206.34.x.x

fallen1

Anon

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

actually, artists make a lot less than $2 per CD sold. it's a lot closer to $.15 per CD (except for the really big names...the might make as much as $.75 per CD). The vast majority of the $15 pricetag on a CD is distribution, marketing, and store markup costs. Lower CD sales (if we believed the RIAA about sales dropping off..even though market reports show CD sales increasing) have virtually no effect on how much the artists make. most of the money that goes to the artists comes from touring (which is why bands spend as much time on the road as possible), merchendise, and paid endoresemnts and appearences.
oh, and as to all the hype about how downloading is stealing the artist's intellectual property, that's all BS. argue all you want about if it's stealing or not, but the fact is that the music is almost NEVER the artist's intellectual property. a major part of the standard contract they sign states that all intellectual property is the sole property of the recording company. so it doesn't matter how much time and effort went into a song..as soon as it is recorded it belongs to the company, not the artist. so if you belive it is stealing, then realize it is stealing from the company not the artist and that the RIAA is lying to you when they say otherwise. There are of course a handful of exceptions, but those are generally the super-bands that have been around for so long they finally have the power to tell the companies that they are keeping the rights to thier songs (we're talking bands like Aerosmith and The Rolling Stones...not Brittney Spears or NSYNC).

qoa
@69.246.x.x

qoa

Anon

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

Ever watch MTV Cribs? It's hard to feel bad for the latest annoying popstar when they show off all 4 of thier cars that cost more than I make in two years...

thender2
Glamour Profession
Premium Member
join:2004-05-16
Staten Island, NY

thender2 to linicx

Premium Member

to linicx
said by linicx:

Maybe teaching kids right from wrong is not such a bad idea.
Yes. Start by showing them how the music industry manufactures the only media that hasn't had a price drop in twenty years. Start by showing them how the artists get close to nil in comparison to the RIAA when you buy a CD. Show them how they'd like to limit your freedom even when this freedom has proven to raise sales.

Show them right from wrong indeed.

AtomicZero
join:2004-11-24
West Palm Beach, FL

1 recommendation

AtomicZero to Hashmap

Member

to Hashmap
said by Hashmap:

At this rate, we're going to have an entire generation of kids who think it's immoral and unethical to make a backup copy of their videogames or lend a copy of their favorite book to a friend to read.
Um isn't that the point..?
-WHY back-up? simply buy another!
-WHY create copies? simply buy more!
-WHY lend/share with a friend? tell them to BUY their own!
-Stealing is stealing....beeep!

I decided to post all the rhetoric you're gonna get for your post. good luck

anomus
@mindspring.com

anomus

Anon

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

When I was a kid, I was always taught to share what I have with others and thats just what I do. I read the book "Animal Farms" where clever animal leaders continually altered the rules of existance till the leaders had it all and the populace had nothing but servitude. I dont play that game. Let them try and catch me shareing. It will never happen with the fake ID I use and I will continue to spread the joys of shareing with my fellow p2p-ers.

BonezX
Basement Dweller
Premium Member
join:2004-04-13
Canada

BonezX

Premium Member

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

said by anomus:

When I was a kid, I was always taught to share what I have with others and thats just what I do. I read the book "Animal Farms" where clever animal leaders continually altered the rules of existance till the leaders had it all and the populace had nothing but servitude. I dont play that game. Let them try and catch me shareing. It will never happen with the fake ID I use and I will continue to spread the joys of shareing with my fellow p2p-ers.
fake id nothing, it's called an ip address, and a john doe lawsuit on that ip, then using the lawsuit to get your address from your isp then rolling trucks to your house. and the funny thing is, this method is completely legal and usable.

Whisper69
@charter.com

Whisper69

Anon

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

"fake id nothing, it's called an ip address, and a john doe lawsuit on that ip, then using the lawsuit to get your address from your isp then rolling trucks to your house. and the funny thing is, this method is completely legal and usable"

Not any more Charter took the RIAA/MPAA to court and the court decided that the John Doe IP lawsuits are not legal.
But don't let that get in the way of your opinion.

Corinus
@65.204.x.x

Corinus

Anon

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

No, they took them to court to prove that they don't have to give up their customer information unless legal action is actually taken. Before, MPAA/RIAA were demanding customer information so they could sue them directly, but no lawsuit had been made yet. Now, they have to sue the user by IP address, and once the lawsuit as begun, they can get the customer information.

FreeAir
@170.161.x.x

FreeAir to BonezX

Anon

to BonezX
Good Thing I'm on someone else's wireless network.

Anon Name
@synaesthetic.net

Anon Name

Anon

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

So it's ok to get an innocent third party in trouble instead? Funny morals you've got there.

DrSane
@radiant.net

DrSane to anomus

Anon

to anomus

Um... sure...

That it the stupidest argument I've ever heard.

When you were a kid and you shared your toy truck, did it multiply and allow you to play it at the same time as your 10,000 closest friends?

If you are going to argue in support of sharing then use some common sense.

ryusen
@honolulu.hi.us

ryusen

Anon

Re: Um... sure...

Actually the stupidest argument i've every heard was about suing your own customers over imaginary lost sales (sales have actually been going UP), in an effort to "protect the artist," which you've been ripping off for years. THAT is the stupidest argument in digital piracy.

Plasticman
Will Work For Bandwidth
Premium Member
join:2002-09-06
Johnston, RI

Plasticman to FFH5

Premium Member

to FFH5
said by FFH5:
said by Omega:


$10 says this search tool just does an all around search for *.avi, *.mpeg, *.mpg, *.wmv and tells the parents the result.
That isn't what their web site says. It looks for specific movie files, maybe by size and signatures(like how antivirus programs work) and not just file name.
I bet that if I capture some video with my web cam and save it to my hard drive, it will get tagged a pirated material and try to delete it as it was mentioned in the article that its tagging all video and audio files

Plasticman

Short Circuit
@grcc.edu

Short Circuit

Anon

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

"I want all my digitized home videos to just...disappear. Her first step, her first solid food. Peas! It was peas! Do you remember that? (tickle)"

Nerdtalker
Working Hard, Or Hardly Working?
MVM
join:2003-02-18
San Jose, CA

Nerdtalker to FFH5

MVM

to FFH5
said by FFH5:
said by Omega:


$10 says this search tool just does an all around search for *.avi, *.mpeg, *.mpg, *.wmv and tells the parents the result.
That isn't what their web site says. It looks for specific movie files, maybe by size and signatures(like how antivirus programs work) and not just file name.
Yeah right, this is just the MPAA trying to create a divide between parents and children to forward their selfish causes.

Even family bonds aren't a big enough bond to be broken. Whats next?

The MPAA and pop culture demonstrate at every round of the corner the necessity of their destruction.

C9
@208.138.x.x

C9

Anon

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

Remember DARE teaches kids to tell on their parents if they observe something that might not be right.

Undermining our children is nothing new. Thats why being a good parent means being in your childs life, learning as they do, responding to things that affect them, and help steering their development. In the end its the parents responsibility, not the state, feds, or schools.

Weird Al
@212.248.x.x

Weird Al

Anon

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

This (DARE) is exactly what is documented in the book Nineteen Eighty-Four. Children are encouraged to rat on their parents if their parents are acting suspiciously.

sporkalicious
@cruzio.com

sporkalicious

Anon

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

any program that puts marijuana usage in the same league as coke usage is a load of crap so using DARE for any kind of a metaphor is completely void..... the program has been proven to be completely useless (statistically there is no difference in drug usage after being in the program). & from my own personal experience has actually caused more because I (and my friends, (from several different states) hated our dare officers).

fazed323
@172.25.x.x

fazed323 to Nerdtalker

Anon

to Nerdtalker
I bet that if I capture some video with my web cam and save it to my hard drive, it will get tagged a pirated material and try to delete it as it was mentioned in the article that its tagging all video and audio files

Plasticman


it doesnt look for files by size. it tags any media file including sound files that come with the OS.. to me thats pretty pathtic

bob6
@12.5.x.x

bob6 to FFH5

Anon

to FFH5
bzzzzzt. Wrong. I used it on my work computer. It found every single multimedia file on my computer including two huge text files that I renamed as mp3s.

cluelessblameless
@east.verizon.ne

cluelessblameless to FFH5

Anon

to FFH5
That isn't what their web site says.

Actually, the press release (Nov 04) states that the software looks for movies or music files, and presence of any P-P software.

The pages I read said nothing about looking for specific files. It did say files which might be illegal. The read is such that it does exactly what others here suspect (or stated) that it does. It lists out all the multi-media files on the system and offers to delete them for you. In other words - it's the MPAA relying on uninformed parents (FUD) to delete all their kids files, illegal or not.

"Thanks for spending hundreds on those legal MP3's - now please delete them and buy them again"

------
It's not my fault - blame the village
Expand your moderator at work

Sarah

join:2001-01-09
New York, NY

Sarah to Omega

to Omega
Excerpt from the EULA...
quote:
1. The SOFTWARE also searches to see whether any of several well-known ‘file sharing’ programs are installed on the computer. The SOFTWARE gives you the option to remove such files or programs from the computer
It doesn't 'monitor or block' software, just deletes it for you!

Nerdtalker
Working Hard, Or Hardly Working?
MVM
join:2003-02-18
San Jose, CA

Nerdtalker

MVM

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

said by Sarah:

Excerpt from the EULA...
quote:
1. The SOFTWARE also searches to see whether any of several well-known ‘file sharing’ programs are installed on the computer. The SOFTWARE gives you the option to remove such files or programs from the computer
It doesn't 'monitor or block' software, just deletes it for you!
By definition, this is essentially a voluntary trojan.

I hope AV companies add this to their definitions.

IJK
@137.81.x.x

IJK

Anon

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

I wonder how many parents have used the 'delete' function before consulting their children, to find out that they just hosed the video of the family vacation to the grand canyon, their daughter's first piano recital, etc. etc. etc.

Just another lame ass tactic of an industry that cannot adapt to change.
Cyron
join:2002-09-24
Charlotte, NC

Cyron to Omega

Member

to Omega
Anyone know if the program looks in compressed files (ie rar'd or zip'd).

SRFireside
join:2001-01-19
Houston, TX

SRFireside

Member

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

Probably looks for anything with a name similar to a movie title that is not a word processing file (.txt, .doc, .pgm, etc) and calls it pirated just to be safe and take out the Torrent files and other programs they don't know about. Of course that's just conjecture on my part, but it's sloppy enough to sound like the MPAA.

Anonymous_
Anonymous
Premium Member
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1

1 edit

Anonymous_

Premium Member

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

Execrypt.zip
102,073 bytes
(Execrypt.exe)
said by SRFireside:

Probably looks for anything with a name similar to a movie title that is not a word processing file (.txt, .doc, .pgm, etc) and calls it pirated just to be safe and take out the Torrent files and other programs they don't know about. Of course that's just conjecture on my part, but it's sloppy enough to sound like the MPAA.


NIce try MPAA use this free program To EXECRYPT any file
Anonymous_

Anonymous_ to Omega

Premium Member

to Omega
said by Omega:

$10 says this search tool just does an all around search for *.avi, *.mpeg, *.mpg, *.wmv and tells the parents the result.
i can do that for free with out haveing to download any software

START > SEARCH

What do you what to search for?
--> Pictures,Music,Video

TheHelpful1
Premium Member
join:2002-01-11
Upper Marlboro, MD

TheHelpful1 to Omega

Premium Member

to Omega
HA. If that is all it searched for was file extensions, I wonder how many kids will get busted for having downloaded porn movies and such like..uhh... .avi

oliphant
I Have 8 Boobies
Premium Member
join:2004-11-26
Corona, CA

oliphant to FFH5

Premium Member

to FFH5
said by FFH5:

This is a good tool for parents to keep an eye on their kids, who may be latent crooks at heart. Better to catch them before the lawsuit comes in the mail.

My Web Page
My Blog
Join Red Room Forum
Except it doesn't work. If I were to follow it's recommendations my printer/fax/copier would have stopped working and my own home movies would have been deleted. Thanks MPAA!
JPCass
join:2001-01-23
Denver, CO

JPCass

Member

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

Well, that printer/fax/copier could be used for duplicating copyrighted works.

And what makes you think you have the right to make your own movies if you don't belong to the MPAA?

So yeah, it sounds pretty clumsy and big brother-ish, not having installed it to see how it works for myself. It doesn't sound like it's even a very useful tool for most parents - if it's going to make a lot of dubious identifications and list every example of certain file types, it should clearly say so and not offer to delete them automatically, and perhaps even offer the opportunity to connect to an online server to do a detailed and more accurate comparison based on file names and sizes.

AtomicZero
join:2004-11-24
West Palm Beach, FL

AtomicZero to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
um ya, from what I've been reading on the other threads it picks up all your media files and p2ps and recommends you dump it... I think there are better programs you can use to 'monitor your kids'

pulp46
Premium Member
join:2003-01-28
canada

1 edit

pulp46 to FFH5

Premium Member

to FFH5
I honestly can't believe how Big Brotherish the U.S. has become but even more strikingly, the average american citizen. You guys seem to think this crap is great! d-oh! The two solitudes between Canada and the U.S. continues to deepen... wild.

•••
JPCass
join:2001-01-23
Denver, CO

JPCass to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
Isn't that what parents are supposed to do, keep an eye on their kids, especially if they're doing something that could be illegal and lead to trouble? And what kid has anything to worry about, other than a bit of wounded ego, unless they're doing something illegal?

If the "kids" are living at home after leaving school and old enough that the legal liability falls entirely on their own shoulders, that may be a different matter. But so long as the RIAA is hanging parents out to dry for their kids' activities, right or wrong, it's a legitimate issue for parents, or at least a risk that should be discussed. And if what the RIAA is doing is a big issue, kids could of course decide to fight back by staging boycotts or other protests - but we don't see that level of responsibility-taking, do we?

The online environment has some real pitfalls and dangers, particularly for younger kids, and parents are going to need better tools to keep the same sort of eye on kids playing in the virtual world that they have for keeping tabs on kids in the real world. The RIAA software sounds like a mis-guided and mis-implemented attempt, but isn't the idea of giving parents tools the right idea? And to some extent in this case, it does not too specifically identify content, just alert parents to possible patterns of activity they can then investigate or communicate about further, which again seems to offer a model that is appropriate in some fundamentals.

This is also the capitalist system in action, protecting its product and self-interest, and possibly being foolishly short-sighted in search of near-term profits and organizational self-protection. Parents do want and need some tools, and here is a business stepping up to address that, and particularly since it is free the tool is crafted around the business' self-interest.

ctnp
@155.xx.252.conversen

ctnp

Anon

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

quote:
And what kid has anything to worry about, other than a bit of wounded ego, unless they're doing something illegal?
Well, if an overzealous parent blindly deletes every .MP3, .WAV, .MPG (etc.) file on their kid's machine, then the kid has a broken computer to worry about even if (s)he's not doing anything illegal.

It's an ignorant company pushing harmful software on ignorant parents after making ignorant assumptions regarding their top line. Straight up.
BIGHUSKER3
join:2002-01-20
Minneapolis, MN

BIGHUSKER3 to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
said by FFH5:

This is a good tool for parents to keep an eye on their kids, who may be latent crooks at heart. Better to catch them before the lawsuit comes in the mail.
You might have a point if the tool actually did something other than brute-force search for every video and audio file on their computer...but, well, you don't have a point.
Sarge_0321
join:2002-06-27
San Diego, CA

Sarge_0321 to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
And we may as well throw all priests into jail as being latent pedophiles and perverts.
SNOldak924
join:2003-06-15
Bethesda, MD

SNOldak924 to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
I just ran it, and it told me that my recently downloaded movielink files were pirated! Does this program filter its search at all!?

That guy
@cmich.edu

That guy

Anon

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

No, not at all. Nice of you to ask though. I got my morning chuckle.

MrObviousMan
@dsl.sfldmi.ameritech

MrObviousMan to FFH5

Anon

to FFH5
A parent that was actually in the 'business' of parenting wouldn't need to use this software, since that parent would know what his/her children are up to. There's this thing called communication, which typically involves being open and straightforward with one another.

That's the way that parent/child relationships should work. Far to often I see people lose touch with that reality and they end up having some kind of cop&robber relationship with their children which is not only unhealthy for the relationship, but terribly unhealthy for the development of the child.

It's better to be there and teach your children right from wrong and explain certain things, like what is and what isn't stealing rather then act like a prison warden or wait for something terrible to happen.

Get involved in your child's life and you might be surprised at what you may learn about yourself and your child. Quit being afraid to be there for your child and quit being afraid that you might fail in raising your child. If you aren't there and do nothing, then you are going to fail in raising your child.

KayJay
@primeretail.com

KayJay to FFH5

Anon

to FFH5
Just for fun I decided I would download and run this software on my WORK pc. Just for some background, my PC was re-imaged when I started working here, so there were no files that could be from previous users. I wasn't surprised at all, even though I should be, that it picked up 7 files! The most amazing of all is it picked up a *.mp3 file that was one I played for a co-worker. However, it was a song written by my bestfriend and recorded by our band in my own basement! The file was then converted from *.wav to *.mp3 using a legally purchased mp3 license! I believe this confirms that it merely does a search for file extensions. I wonder if they even wrote their own search code or if it simply utilizes the windows search feature...

Does anyone else out there feel complelled to violate the copyright agreement you accept when you install the program?
KayJay

KayJay

Anon

Re: Nice tool for parents to keep eye on kids

Sorry, here's an edit. Listed 70 files, not 7.

Linux anyone
@t-dialin.net

Linux anyone to KayJay

Anon

to KayJay
I wanted to try the program out but .msi files don't run on my linux box. Stupid programs for stupid operating systems. Plus any operating system that needs a file extension to identify a file is also stupid.

bob6
@12.5.x.x

bob6 to FFH5

Anon

to FFH5
Where is the tool for consumers to keep an eye on the record labels, who ARE latent crooks at heart? Better to catch them now before they can hide behind laws to "protect" the consumer.

AbBaZaBbA
Premium Member
join:2002-07-10
Wildomar, CA

1 edit

AbBaZaBbA

Premium Member

mpaa

I'll be the first to tell the mpaa to f#$% off. Their business model is doomed to fail when it relies on scaring people into buying their movies with lawsuits. They can only really catch people who use bt or have the movies in shared folders on kazaa ect. These people aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer for doing something that they can so easily get caught with. Newsgroups are much faster, much safer, have much better quality files (dvdr's anyone?), and have a huge selection of all types of files as well.

And I highly doubt this program would take into account legal backup copies either. It's just propaganda to try and scare people... plain and simple.

oliphant
I Have 8 Boobies
Premium Member
join:2004-11-26
Corona, CA

oliphant

Premium Member

I ran it just to see...

And it misidentified TONS of crap. It even identified some of my printer utilities (HP Toolbox) as "Gluz.exe" P2P app. And parents who aren't so computer literate could end up trashing their system wondering why all of a sudden even hardware fails if they follow the recommendations of this worthless trash.

And like a previous poster said, it seems to just search for avi, mp3 etc cause it identifies files that aren't copyrighted, like my own home movies saved in AVI.

More racketeering from the MPAA.

hbguy
join:2000-11-20
Huntington Beach, CA

hbguy

Member

Just installed it

I just installed this on a clean machine with only Windows XP on it. It found the Windows default wav files as copyrighted material and it wanted to delete them. Boy that is great software. What will they think of next? I know software that tells parents to delete the Program Files folder because P2P could possibly be installed into it. Or how about offering to reformat your hard drive so there is no possibility of downloading copyright material?

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Hashmap
Premium Member
join:2004-05-02
Denver, CO

Hashmap

Premium Member

MPAA preys on idiotic parents.

First, if anyone trusts installing software on their PC from the MPAA or RIAA, they're a complete idiot. Remember, these are the same people who wanted an exception written into legislation that would allow them to be judge, jury and executioner by breaking into and causing harm to computers that they felt were "bad guys".

Second, how will this software differentiate between MP3s of content that has been ripped from CDs that the PCs owner actually posess? How will it detect whether a video is legally acquired (say, an online movie rental service) or downloaded over P2P?

There is no way to detect whether there are pirated movies on someone's computer. I have videos on my computer. I'm sure the MPAA's software would detect it as "pirated", but I own the actual DVDs. I just ripped them to my computer because I like to watch them from my home office while I'm working on other things.

This software obviously searches for specific file formats, then compares the titles of those files to a database (they certainly don't use an MD5 hash, becuase that would consume enormous processing resources on your machine). So the question is (and no, I didn't RTFA) - is the database a massive local database that is installed with the software? Or do they report the title of EVERY VIDEO FILE ON YOUR COMPUTER to a central MPAA operated server that then searches their database for a matching title?

I can't imagine what kind of crappy parent is going to install this invasive crap willingly on their computers (or those of their children). Probably the same parents that take their kids to the mall to have the police fingerprint their toddlers and provide private information about their children, with the stupid idea that if your child is abducted, you'll be able to locate them because of a stupid fingerprint in a database.

pmw2
@cox.net

pmw2

Anon

Re: MPAA preys on idiotic parents.

"Second, how will this software differentiate between MP3s of content that has been ripped from CDs that the PCs owner actually posess?"

You don't really think that they believe that ripping a CD is legal, do you? As far as they're concerned, it's illegal. They just haven't found a way to prosecute for it yet. Heck, they don't even think that you should be able to sell the original CD to someone else, even if you haven't ripped it. I'm not joking on that one, either. They've tried to stop the sale of used CDs.

"There is no way to detect whether there are pirated movies on someone's computer. I have videos on my computer. I'm sure the MPAA's software would detect it as "pirated", but I own the actual DVDs. I just ripped them to my computer because I like to watch them from my home office while I'm working on other things."

Here again, they don't believe that you can legally rip a DVD to your hard drive. They have at least a shred of legal backing there, since the DMCA has that clause about anti-copy circumvention. Since most DVDs are copy protected, you probably circumvented that protection, when you ripped it, ergo you're a criminal, as far as they're concerned.

"This software obviously searches for specific file formats, then compares the titles of those files to a database (they certainly don't use an MD5 hash, becuase that would consume enormous processing resources on your machine). So the question is (and no, I didn't RTFA) - is the database a massive local database that is installed with the software? Or do they report the title of EVERY VIDEO FILE ON YOUR COMPUTER to a central MPAA operated server that then searches their database for a matching title?"

You're giving them way more credit than they deserve. You would hope that even a very poor software for searching out such files, would use a database, but this one doesn't even bother.

N.X.

Isotope 23
@65.222.x.x

Isotope 23

Anon

Re: MPAA preys on idiotic parents.

Maybe I should offer to integrate my S3 (Scripted Summons Solution) into their product. Upon identifiying a possible pirated media file, a EULA-like window would open with the text:

The MPAA has identified possible pirated and/or copyrighted media on your computer. Click below to accept the terms of this Court Summons.

The next page would ask for user name, address, etc. It would also supply 3 check box selections:

1. "I recognize that my machine contains pirated and/or copyrighted media and I would like to plead guilty to all charges."

2. "I contend that the media files on my computer are, to the best of my knowledge, not copyrighted and/or pirated. I would like to plead no contest to all charges."

3. "I contend that the media files on my computer are, to the best of my knowledge, not copyrighted and/or pirated. I would like to plead no contest to all charges, but I request that the MPAA and/or RIAA pursue this matter in court to the fullest extent of the law."

And this is a notice to the MPAA, if you even try to bundle this functionality into your current software solution, I will sue you for infringement!

Heh heh heh.
RandallFlagg6
The Last Gunslinger Of Rational Thought
join:2002-06-09
Renton, WA

RandallFlagg6

Member

Taylor Troll! Battle Stations! Red Alert!

C'mon, TT! We need one of your edifying comments. I suggest you say that this software should not only format the pirate's hard drive, but it should also impregnate his/her cat, drink all the beer, and leave the seat up (which I know would piss *you* off to no end, right?)!

We are counting on you, Taylor Troll! (Unless your AOL connection is dead... in which case, well, use smoke signals or someting)

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Ctrl Alt Del
Premium Member
join:2002-02-18

Ctrl Alt Del

Premium Member

Here is what the program ACTUALLY does.

Parent File Scan is brought to you by DtecNet Software ApS. This free program allows you to search your computer for installed P2P applications as well as movie and music files. You will then be given the option to remove the identified applications and delete infringing movie and music files in a few easy steps. The program does not distinguish between legal and illegal copies, as it is up to the user to determine, whether the files found by the program have been acquired legally, or whether the material should be deleted. Information generated by the program will be made available only to the program's user and will not be shared with or reported to DtecNet Software or any other body.
Taken directly from the download page. Bold emphasis mine.

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Nice Try5
join:2003-04-17
Silver Spring, MD

Nice Try5

Member

just ran on fresh xp install

Click for full size
Click for full size
here's the results. the xp install isn't a default installation so some files that xp might install with optional components don't exist. anyway it's pretty interesting that it found those wma files. also notice that intro.wmv (in the same directory as title.wma was not reported. it is using some kind of logic to tag the files although the extent of that logic is anyones guess.

Have a nice day.
Cyron
join:2002-09-24
Charlotte, NC

Cyron

Member

Re: just ran on fresh xp install

I think the file has to be a certain size before it's tagged. For example, a 500KB MP3 file would probably not get hit.

If you say so
@cmich.edu

If you say so to Nice Try5

Anon

to Nice Try5
"it is using some kind of logic to tag the files although the extent of that logic is anyones guess."
Logic is not the word I'd use here...

Phoenix__1
join:2003-07-17
Holyoke, MA

Phoenix__1

Member

Laughs out loud

LOL

This is a joke, right? Who on gods green earth would trust this thing? lol

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sancraig
join:2003-11-05
Saint Louis, MO

sancraig

Member

mpaa slippery slope

Ok heres a scenario for you, I download the the program use it on my 14yr olds computer delete recommended actual copyrighted material and p2p apps.A day later he re installs software unknown to me, they send me a lawsuit at that point I say hey I used your program what else you want me to do? That then takes the financial burden off me cause I wasn't negligent, but forces them to criminally prosecute my 14 yr old beings theres no financial gain to them at that point......hmmm I wonder how far they'd take it and at what point does this all become a liability to them...

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guitarzan
Premium Member
join:2004-05-04
Skytop, PA

guitarzan

Premium Member

How Do You Install It

Click for full size
I wanted to test this out.Instead of install I get This. Any Ideas.?I wanted to test it to see how it handles flac, shn
and or lossless files.Every thing is backup to a image.I can just re image my drive anyway. Thanks BBR

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FishNET
join:2004-07-01
Haddonfield, NJ

FishNET

Member

LOL

I installed it, ran it... it claimed that mirc is a filesharing program.... Its as much of a filesharing program as AIM, ICQ or MSN is. It DIDNT detect WinMX, or MyNapster, but it found bittorrent.

It found like 1500 files... some were windows files, some were from games.

Oh no, I found some pirated movies! I had better turn myself in so I can get sued!

Really, what are these people thinking? Any parent that runs it then reports it to them deserves the lawsuit for being such an idiot.
JPCass
join:2001-01-23
Denver, CO

JPCass

Member

Isn't this the "education" that's been asked for?

I find it interesting that when spam and other security issues are being discussed, quite a few of the obviously tech-savvy types suggest that the answer lies in educating users, and expecting users to be more vigilant and deploy the multiple tools available to them. Here, a lot of posters seem to be pointing out that the average users who are parents of children, are not likely to be able to deal with the technical complexities of the issue.

Granted, there's a difference between the various reasonably well-honed anti-virus, anti-spam and anti-spyware tools available, and this one rather blunt instrument. But then again, that brings to mind that this RIAA sham isn't all that different than some of the scam anti-spyware products, and how is the non-tech-savvy user to know the difference between any of them?

The idea of finding and listing suspicious files, so that parents can look further into what is going on, seems to me a good "educational" approach. It's the option to delete files that have only been tentatively identified, including application files, that's scary. It also sounds like they haven't done as good a job as they might have, in making listings really informative, well classified and categorized.

The identification part of the approach also suggests a tack OS vendors might take - perhaps OSs should do just the scanning for viruses, malware, and possibly security issues, even automatically downloading definition files, then offer up that information to the user and let the user decide what to do, including using third-party removal tools. XP SP2 already does a bit of that, warning the user if there is no antivirus application running.

anonguy
@rr.com

anonguy

Anon

Re: Isn't this the "education" that's been asked for?

Never use the words "XP SP2" and "security" in the same sentence again.

tomkb
Premium Member
join:2000-11-15
Tampa, FL

tomkb

Premium Member

awesome virus tool!

How long will it be until a hacker uses this tool to share all the videos on your computer?

mpaasucks
@ncsu.edu

mpaasucks

Anon

Re: awesome virus tool!

You don't know how tempted I am to crack into this thing and change all the words. You could do this in freakin notepad man, just open the .exe file(s) and dlls in notepad and change text you recognize.
I'm not going to do it, but I bet someone will and it'll be the hottest thing since Star Wars Kid and Red vs Blue, lol.
BIGHUSKER3
join:2002-01-20
Minneapolis, MN

1 edit

BIGHUSKER3

Member

Completely useless bloatware

I downloaded and installed it out of curiosity..and the article above is generous. The program itself even says this on one screen: "The program does not distinguish between legal and illegal copies"

All it does is search for video and audio files (.avi, .wmv, .mp3), and it's slower than hell. Whoever coded this should be embarassed. It's slower than the Windows XP search function, and it does the same exact thing.

Anybody dumb enough to use this program will likely delete everything...even legal files.
DONKEYKONG01
join:2003-03-21
Metairie, LA

DONKEYKONG01

Member

Re: Completely useless bloatware

If you use this program, you need to see a psychic quick!

Vvian Kalyss
join:2003-10-14
Stage 5.0

Vvian Kalyss

Member

Re: Completely useless bloatware

A psychiatrist? I'm not sure how a psychic would work in this case.

udoh
@arcnxe1.adsl-dhcp.te

udoh

Anon

Another App

Anyone out there with some programming talent, that can create a small application that locates the "MPAA Anti-Piracy App" and proceeds to remove it?
RemyL75
join:2001-06-07
Chicago, IL

RemyL75

Member

Here's one for ya....

Ok, I got an even better question. What if you use your PC as a TIVO?? Will they sue you for that too?? Because there is software out there (that is LEGAL) that lets you turn your PC into a TIVO. It's one of the concepts that they based XP Media Edition on. So are they gonna denounce TIVO and TIVO software too???? What's Next.....3-5 yrs for owning a TV?!?!?!

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waynebike
join:2002-07-29
Elgin, IL

waynebike

Member

mIRC

If you run this software, it deletes mIRC, which CAN be used to download files and movies, but it also has many ligitimate uses. For example, if your kid plays online games, many users of the games use mIRC for chat. Counter-strike is an example of a game that has a very big IRC gathering.

twizlar
I dont think so.
Premium Member
join:2003-12-24
Brantford, ON

twizlar

Premium Member

What a joke

Click for full size
Not only did it NOT detect obviously pirated material but it grabbed a bunch of sound files from my CS dir. Useless software.

Corrahn
join:2004-08-09
Maumelle, AR

Corrahn

Member

Re: What a joke

i guess nobody actualy read anything on the site before they downloaded it or even the pop up messages in the program itself.

"The program does not distinguish between legal and illegal copies, as it is up to the user to determine whether the files found by the program have been acquired legally, or whether the material should be deleted."

mpaasucks
@ncsu.edu

mpaasucks

Anon

Re: What a joke

I guess you don't read other people's posts either. He said that it failed to pick up obviously pirated media but wrongfully flagged legit files. Also notice the attachment is cropped...

epsilon9090
Lost Is Amazing
Premium Member
join:2002-07-29
Rochester, MI

epsilon9090

Premium Member

great

another excellent reaon to brainwash kids into thinking that those who need the money from films are struggling to feed their families.

this is just about getting some rich guy's paycheck in the mail faster, not about anything important.

they are using tactics to brainwash people. people don't do the right thing so that a few rich greedy pigs can get more money. no they do it only when it is labeled as a crime against humanity, and the worst crime possible.

lets cut to the reality here people, don't be fooled by rich white men. be yourself.

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