What is Content Theft?
CAMCORDER THEFT
Approximately 90% of newly released movies that are stolen can be traced to thieves who use a digital recording device in a cinema to literally steal the image and/or sound off the screen. Camcorder theft is one of the biggest problems facing the film industry.
All it takes is one camcorder copy to trigger the mass reproduction and distribution of millions of illegal Internet downloads and illegal DVDs in global street markets. This is often done just hours after a film’s release and well before it becomes available for legal rental or purchase from legitimate suppliers.
Studios and cinema owners have significantly increased security and surveillance in cinemas all over the world to thwart would-be camcorders.
AFACT and its members are dedicated to ensuring that the sources of content theft, such as unauthorised recordings in cinemas are eradicated, and to educating people about the gravity of content theft and its consequences.
AFACT works closely with cinema staff and law enforcement agencies to prevent unauthorised recordings through regular awareness and training seminars, and via their interactive and multi-lingual website http://www.make-a-difference.sg/australia/
OPTICAL DISC THEFT
Optical disc theft is the illegal manufacturing, sale and/or distribution of movies in hard copy or disc format. Illegal DVD and Blu-ray manufacturers sometimes have elaborate operations where they replicate DVDs and Blu-ray discs and then distribute them to vendors who sell them illegally on the streets.
There is strong evidence that many of these operations are run by the same organised crime networks that traffic in drugs and human beings. Others may have small operations in their homes and even in their places of work. These illegal goods can be sold anywhere: on websites, online auction sites, via e-mail, by street vendors and in flea markets around the world.
PEER TO PEER (P2P) THEFT
A peer-to-peer (P2P) network, such as BitTorrent, is a system that enables Internet users through the exchange of digital files among individual computers or “peers” to (1) make files (including movies and music) stored on their computer available for copying by other users; (2) search for files stored on other users’ computers; and (3) transfer exact copies of files from one computer to another. P2P technology itself is not illegal and may be useful for many legal purposes, but people often use the technology to illegally exchange copyrighted material on the Internet.
If you download infringing content using peer-to-peer, you are often also distributing illegal content, as the default setting of most P2P networks ensures that individuals downloading files from the network are simultaneously uploading files and thus distributing illegal copies of works to other peers in the group, who in turn distribute the files to yet others.
By uploading and downloading copyrighted material on P2P networks you are not only violating the law, you are also potentially exposing your computer and private information to strangers. By allowing strangers to access files on your computer, other sensitive information, such as bank records, tax information and pictures, could also become accessible and put you and your family at risk of identity theft or worse.
Accessing infringing material through P2P networks additionally increases your chances of exposure to viruses, spyware and malware. If you are downloading files with an unknown source, the files you receive may not be what they claim to be and contain content with malicious intent and may be embedded with viruses, or trick you into downloading some.
Research conducted in 2010 by the Internet Commerce Security Laboratory at the University of Ballarat found that 89% of all BitTorrent files were infringing copyright.
Please click here to access the complete research document from the University of Ballarat.
For more information regarding online content theft, please click here
STREAMING AND CONTENT HUBS
Today, the fragmentation of the online market means that streaming sites and illegal content hubs represent a growing share of unlawful conduct.
Streaming theft refers to a form of online content theft that allows users to view unauthorised copyrighted motion picture and television content on demand, without downloading the illegal file. Users generally visit unauthorised websites that either host illegally streamed content or provide links to content hosted illegally on other websites.
Illegal content hubs are web services that host infringing content. They are a simple storage solution and content can be downloaded by anyone with a link to its location. Content hubs often provide financial (or similar) rewards to uploaders of popular files. The more users who download a particular file, the more the original uploader will be paid.
Both hosting unauthorised content and linking to unauthorised content hosted on other websites is illegal.
While there are many websites where consumers can legally view streamed content, there are many illegal streaming sites where operators will solicit users to provide payment to purchase “subscriptions” or “memberships” or otherwise pay for illegal content. These sites often feature advertisements for legitimate products or services alongside illegal streaming of unauthorised movie and television content. They may use trademarks and cover art of well-known studios and distribution companies or provide a plot summary of a movie or a list of the cast of characters. Website operators of such unauthorised sites purposely use these techniques to fool consumers into believing that their websites are legitimate; that’s how they make a profit. It’s called fraud and theft.
The Australian Government provides some useful information about staying safe online. For more information, click here
For more information regarding online content theft, please click here
SIGNAL THEFT
Signal theft refers to the act of illegally misappropriating satellite signals without authorisation. Those involved with signal theft often provide consumers with illegal cable decoders or satellite descramblers in order to provide unauthorised access to satellite broadcasts. Internationally, the problem becomes more acute when programs not otherwise legally available to a particular country at that time are stolen from satellites and then re-transmitted in that country either by cable or broadcast TV.
SCREENER THEFT
Illegal copies of films are sometimes made from legitimate, advance copies used for screening and marketing purposes called “screeners.” This type of theft is rare. Movie studios send out hundreds of thousands of screeners every year with very few instances of leaks. However, there are some unfortunate instances where the source of stolen movies is found to be screeners. To protect against screener leaks, the studios annually confirm addresses in their databases to ensure screeners are delivered to the correct addresses and end up in the hands of the intended viewer.
ILLEGAL PUBLIC PERFORMANCE
An unauthorised public performance occurs when an unlicensed or unauthorised performance is transmitted by means of any device or process to the public.
Unauthorised public performances include situations where an institution or commercial establishment shows a film to its members or customers without receiving permission from the copyright owner, regardless of how large or small the audience may be, and regardless of whether the establishment may have lawfully hired or purchased the movie being shown.
This includes “public performances” where an admission fee is charged or no admission fee is charged (such as screenings in a town hall or a park), as well as those that are simply offered as an additional service of the establishment. However, there are a few narrowly described circumstances (such as face-to-face classroom situations) where a licence is not required to show a movie.
For more information regarding public performance, please click the following links:
amalgamated movies
roadshow entertainment
BROADCAST THEFT
Like signal theft, broadcast theft involves over-the-air broadcasts. However, instead of stealing signals, the illegal act may be the unauthorised, on-air broadcasting of films or television programs without permission from the copyright holder.
