posted on March 9, 2001 08:51:24 PM
I have noticed a number of folks selling videos of sporting events, like the Superbowl games taped right off television.
Can this be legal? They're quite open about doing it.
posted on March 9, 2001 09:33:48 PM
I don't see any way this can be legal but some people have the attitude that they will do it as long as they can get away with it. I knew a girl who was taping TV shows and selling them on ebay and when I told her I thought it was probably illegal she said "who cares?"
Citygirl
posted on March 9, 2001 10:34:08 PM
No it can't be legal, but people will do anything to make money. Ebay is quick to pull some auctions and not other ones. I myself would never buy a home video as you get what you pay for. I am trying to think what is at the end of each televised football game. This game is the property of the NFL. Any rebroadcasting, taping or selling of this football game is illegal, well it is something on that order. I am sure you can tape them and keep them for your own use or swap between friends but to sell it that's a no no.
posted on March 9, 2001 10:42:54 PM
This is the link to report violations to - and you should. It's theft in the short run and perpetuates more Copyright/® theft mentality- which equals more theft-
posted on March 9, 2001 11:08:11 PM
This is the link to report violations to - and you should. It's theft in the short run and perpetuates more Copyright/® theft mentality- which equals more theft-
posted on March 9, 2001 11:18:58 PM
If you see an auction like this, simply click the "mail this auction to a friend" link on the auction page and send it to [email protected]. They will remove the auction and warn the seller. If the seller is reported again, they will suspend the seller.
There is a comment box. Be sure to include what the listing violation is. It helps to copy & past quote the rule from Ebay's listing policies pages. Some of Ebay's employees aren't very familiar with thier own policies and it helps if you copy and paste it for them right there.
They don't police themselves, but will end an auction within a day or so if someone reports a listing violation. And they will suspend a seller if they catch them doing it again.
posted on March 9, 2001 11:49:19 PM
Gamecock,
I have done that about 8 times, NO KIDDING. Ebay says that it's up the the original content owners to say something.
Corporate media has a lot to lose, maybe the resale isn't that big of a deal.
Here's a pullquote:
One of the obstacles preventing the free-flow of digital programming is copy protection. Given the ease with which digital information can be replicated, the perfect quality of every digital copy, and the limitless distribution potential of the Internet, content producers understandably are concerned about placing their works on a cable system or broadcast network without adequate protections in place.
We aren't talking about crummy VHS dubs anymore, we are talking about movie rental quality.
And more
With the advent in the next year or two of affordable consumer level dvd-r it's going to get easier and easier!
So the folks who own the content aren't liking it much.
I have to say I am curious about the rumor I heard on the Clark Howard show: FCC proposes new generation VCRs have a "turn off" chip built into it so that shows may be unavailable for recording.
Philisophically what is the difference between buying a pirated "Sopranos" episode versus a photocopied manual for
your vintage widget?
posted on March 10, 2001 01:23:02 AM
I have noticed that ebay has "relaxed" it's
policy over the last couple of years
regarding home-made video's. In the past
safeharbor would remove all auctions of
this nature when they were notified.
Then they stopped removing auctions giving
reasons like, "Using our Vero program the
copyright owner can..."
Like ABC, CBS, NBC, had time to sit around
and track auctions.
Again, since Ebay is the "go-between" they
aren't liable, and they say it's not
their responsibility.
Well things stayed the same for a while, and then the music industry got upset with everyone selling copies of CD's on ebay. Now when they came knocking at Ebay's door
Ebay listened, and they began yanking auctions left and right.
They even closed some auctions that were not copies but the original thing.
It's a nice formula:
Ebay will not get sued = no action by Ebay
" might get sued = maybe " " "
" is getting sued = wait and see
"
Ebay looses lawsuit against them - Ebay hasn't lost one yet!
posted on March 10, 2001 04:49:58 AM
I agree with what Kelly said about eBay being a more relaxed in removing these auctions. Once I reported someone selling a very obvious home-made video of TV shows and was told some spiel about how they couldn't remove it and the VERO program and writing to the copyright owners so they can join VERO and have it removed...yadda, yadda, yadda.
However, I have a friend who sells and she listed a video with episodes from an older TV show and I warned her that she could get in trouble. She listed anyway and someone on VERO must have turned her in because not only did they remove the auction, eBay CALLED her to tell her why. Now she knows better!
I see some of these videos go really high too. I wouldn't feel comfortable myself bidding on these. You never know what the quality would be. Not risk the chance IMO.
