MPAA Releases Software For Parents

SnowWolf2003 writes "The MPAA have released their Parent File Scan tool, which 'helps consumers check whether their computers have peer-to-peer software and potentially infringing copies of motion pictures and other copyrighted material'. According to the MPAA, the software does not report any data back to the MPAA. However, users have noted that the software is not accurate; 'tagging' virtually every audio or video file it finds based on file extensions."

Not just "virtually"

[slavemowgli]

It really tags *any* media file, including soundtracks etc. of games, iTunes songs and just about everything else.

Windows Search?

[asd-Strom]

So basically this software is just as good as the "Find" tool in windows. You can actually even choose "Search for Pictures, Music, or Video" in the windows search util and don't have to type in the *.avi etc wildcards.

Re:Duped Aleady?

[Anonymous Coward]

It's just that for some reason, most of the comments on the earlier "second round of mpaa lawsuits" story actually dealt with this.

One of the reasons MIGHT just be that the article linked to that story talked about this software. I wouldn't think most people on slashdot read the article, but apparently one or two did and kicked off those threads.

Re:Not just "virtually"

[Phosphor3k]

Fromt he website and also displayed the first time you run it:

"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."

Re:This is great!

[PartyBoy!911]

Renaming them doesn't work as you can read in the forum linked in the article. The application appears to classify every media file as suspect even the default wav files installed with windows xp.

Re:MPAA/Big Brother

[Anonymous Coward]

From the User Licence :
2. The SOFTWARE does not transmit any information about you, your computer or its contents to anyone.

Remove your tinfoil hat.

Who wrote the song?

[tepples]

Suppose you record your own music, save it on your machine.

Who wrote the song? And how can you prove that it was entirely original [slashdot.org]? Perhaps you did subconsciously copy the work as in Bright Tunes Music v. Harrisongs Music [columbia.edu] (the "My Sweet Lord" case), and the original songwriter and music publisher deserve their cuts.

The MPAA claims that it's stolen, which implies that it's not yours go give away.

Nitpick: Music publishers make up the NMPA/Harry Fox Agency, not the Motion Picture Association of America.

Re:Nothing for you to see here. Please move along.

[Southpaw018]

Woah, you're not kidding about the find all media. I ran the damn thing and it even wanted to delete the system audio files in c:\windows\media.
Copyright detector. Bahahahaha.

The program will also find Spyware.

[Psionicist]

Install the program, open PCBKDP.DAT. There's a list of "file sharing"-applications the program searches for. Among them is LordOfSearch 1.57.

http://www.spywareguide.com/product_show.php?id=13 44

Heh.

Re:This is great!

[LehiNephi]

Remember Waste? It's exactly what you're describing--by invitation only, and encrypted. And if you can find a copy, it's free.

Re:This is great!

[PartyBoy!911]

Already done, check http://www.grouper.com/ [grouper.com]

The thing they have to implement to make it more usefull is multi-source downloading.
That way people with lots of online friends have an advantage :-)