Amazon Fights Piracy Tool, Creators Call It a Parody 268
jamie points out an interesting story which started a few days ago, when a pair of students from the Netherlands released a Firefox add-on which integrated links to the Pirate Bay on Amazon product pages. Customers who had the add-on would see a large "Download 4 Free" button next to items which were also available on the Pirate Bay. The add-on quickly drew notice, and the creators were hit with a take-down notice and threats of litigation from Amazon. Now, the students have removed the add-on, and they are claiming an unusual defense: "'Pirates of the Amazon' was an artistic parody, part of our media research and education at the Media Design M.A. course at the Piet Zwart Institute of the Willem de Kooning Academy Hogeschool Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It was a practical experiment on interface design, information access and currently debated issues in media culture. We were surprised by the attentions and the strong reactions this project received. Ultimately, the value of the project lies in these reactions. It is a ready-made and social sculpture of contemporary internet user culture."
Re:Defense for what? (Score:5, Funny)
Conspiracy to commit contributory copyright infringement.
So, yeah, it's a death penalty case.
Re:And a billboard giving detailed instructions on (Score:3, Funny)
Yeah, agreed. This is like those professors who were found with a bunch of issues of Playboy in their office and they claimed it was part of their research into the correlation of economic conditions with contemporary playmate body types, as a study of evolutionary psychology.
Re:Defense for what? (Score:5, Funny)
What is illegal about this?
I believe that would be the crime of pissing off a corporation with enough money to rape your pathetic ass in court.
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Re:And a billboard giving detailed instructions on (Score:1, Funny)
But I bet this "art work" is in direct violation of a number of laws
Can you name any?
Does, "Getting a date." qualify?
Re:Defense for what? (Score:5, Funny)
Judge: "Kids, you're guilty, and I sentence you to receive 700 million dollars from Amazon"
Kids: "Woohoo!"
Amazon: "That's no fair!"
Judge: "Oh oh, it's not working. 800 million!"
Kids: "Woohoo!"
Amazon: "Gaah!"
Phew! (Score:5, Funny)
Well thank God, because now people won't download shit for free anymore and instead buy it on amazon.com.
Re:Defense for what? (Score:4, Funny)
p.s. I don't use FireFox, so I can't verify the link torrent is anything useful.
Re:And a billboard giving detailed instructions on (Score:4, Funny)
Oh ... my ... god. Apparently, I got it wrong. It wasn't some off-the-cuff excuse. They actually wrote up the paper [sagepub.com]!
More [marginalrevolution.com] links [nytimes.com].
Re:Defense for what? (Score:2, Funny)
p.s. I don't use FireFox
Get off my Slashdot.
Shame... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Chin deep (Score:5, Funny)
You must be new here (on planet Earth, that is).
You're missing the point... (was: Re:Chin deep) (Score:5, Funny)
All it takes to trigger the download is One-Click (TM)...
The plugin authors did not obtain a license to use Amazon's One-Click patent, now did they? ;-)
Re:regardless of legality this is stupid (Score:2, Funny)
Regardless of its legality this is truly self-destructive and silly. I can understand how people want to get stuff for free, even though I fundamnetally disagree with piracy. What I do NOT understand is why those peole cannot see that if everyone does what they do, no new content will be produced.
What browser are you using? The way I see it, either you're using Firefox, and therefore wrong, Q.E.D.
Or you're using I.E., and therefore of inconsequential opinion.
Re:And a billboard giving detailed instructions on (Score:4, Funny)
Not writing the paper would be like telling a cop you were speeding to get to the hospital. Then when he lets you go, you drive to the movies while he follows you.
Re:And a billboard giving detailed instructions on (Score:1, Funny)
You know, betting is illegal in some places...
Re:Defense for what? (Score:5, Funny)
There, I said it!
Re:Defense for what? (Score:5, Funny)
If my keyboard didn't have drain holes
Ugh. They guy at Circuit City told me they were speed holes.
Re:So Where is it Now? (Score:3, Funny)
Crap. I just downloaded that Amazon/piratebay malware. I thought I could trust slashdot authors to not post links to dangerous code but I guess not.
Re:Defense for what? (Score:3, Funny)
Think of Al Gore's responsibility in all of this!
Re:Chin deep (Score:3, Funny)
Not that logic ever kept a company from spooging lawyers all over some random person.
Yerg! (Score:3, Funny)
Lovely image, thank you!
(reaches for large bottle of whiskey to blot out the very idea...)
Cheers,