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Media Businesses Music Privacy

Record Labels Release Software To Combat Piracy 427

Posted by Zonk from the who-needs-a-music-collection dept.
mrsalty writes "CNET reports that IFPI representatives are pushing a new piece of software to delete filesharing programs. It will also 'search computers for music and movies and remove any illegal copies'." From the article: "Digital File Check is easy to use and can help people prevent their employees, children and others from illegally downloading and swapping movies ... It could be especially useful for parents who want to encourage their children to enjoy music responsibly on the Internet ... It is free, voluntary and for private use only and does not tip off any antipiracy organizations."
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Record Labels Release Software To Combat Piracy More

Record Labels Release Software To Combat Piracy

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  • fair trade? (Score:5, Funny)

    by overpayd ( 855430 ) * on Friday September 23, 2005 @02:59PM (#13631524)
    "Please remove your spyware-filled file-sharing software in favor of our spyware-filled file-sharing-deleter software." -IFPI

  • OH MY GOSH! (Score:5, Funny)

    by MicroPat ( 895649 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:00PM (#13631540) Homepage
    I can't wait until the download completes!!!!
    • Already did it! Thank god, the program was easy to use as the article said. I was worried may be it'd be complex and would prevent wide spread use!
    • > I can't wait until the download completes!!!!

      Of what, the 3.5 megabyte "setup.msi" file, or the Macromedia Flash plugin? :-)

    • Re:OH MY GOSH! (Score:4, Funny)

      by CTalkobt ( 81900 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:27PM (#13632023) Homepage
      >> I can't wait until the download completes!!!!

      Geesh - think of all the disk space I could save!!! Who needs archival copies when you've got the real thing broken into pieces by your moronic three legged cat that really thought it was a frisbee and tried to catch it in her mouth. ( She jumped up, grabbed it in mid-air, bit and decided she didn't like classical music... ).

      • Re:OH MY GOSH! (Score:5, Funny)

        by Shadow Wrought ( 586631 ) <shadow.wrought@g ... minus herbivore> on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:40PM (#13632218) Homepage Journal
        She jumped up, grabbed it in mid-air, bit and decided she didn't like classical music...

        Instead of asking the obvious question, "why were you throwing your CD" (note no "?"- I'm not a asking), I will instead point out that your kitty might have better appreciated an introduction to classical music via listening. If, however, you are comitted to an introduction of classical music via taste, I would recommend that the composers' works are played in the correct order. Nothing tastes worse than decomposing maestros.

  • Voluntary for how long? (Score:2, Interesting)

    by CyricZ ( 887944 )
    Indeed, considering the political clout of these media groups, it would not be unreasonable to believe that running such software on a very regular basis will become mandatory in the near future. Of course, what that means for non-Windows users is uncertain.

    • Doesn't apply to non-windows users. Mac fanatics are eager to pay to Itunes so they are not worried about them. Unix users are mostly serious about their work and they don't fuck around. That leaves linux community but they have DVDJon on their side. So RIAA and gang know that it is already cracked.
    • Of course, what that means for non-Windows users is uncertain.

      Well, I tried it but it didn't find anything...

      cpb@localhost:~$ dfc.exe
      bash: /home/cpb/bin/dfc.exe: cannot execute binary file
      c.

  • It must use magic! (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Inkieminstrel ( 812132 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:01PM (#13631557) Homepage
    How, pray tell, does it tell the difference between bits that come from my CDs that I own versus those which come from CDs that others own? I believe one of those copies is perfectly legal.

    • Re:It must use magic! (Score:5, Insightful)

      by CyricZ ( 887944 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:07PM (#13631679)
      It probably doesn't. After all, these companies don't exactly believe in fair use, even if it is legally mandated. As far as they're concerned, any such file should be treated as an illegal copy, and thus should be deleted. It's quite possible that that's what this software has been designed to assume.

    • It apparantly can't tell a .txt file from a movie.

      On the "Media in other folders" page they list "log.txt" as a legitimate file to delete.
      There are others (zip files inside java folders etc)

      It also lists something called "music.wma" from the all users/my music folder.

      If I remember rightly, thats default and installed legally on windows xp.

    • Re:It must use magic! (Score:5, Interesting)

      by techstar25 ( 556988 ) <techstar25@gCHICAGOmail.com minus city> on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:15PM (#13631826) Journal
      It doesn't try to determine which is legal and which isn't. It only compiles a list of ALL the media files on your computer, and then compiles a list of all the media file in your "shared" folder. Any deleting has to be done by the user.
    • Easy, as far as the RIAA is concearned, the music that you have purchased is perfectly safe because it is on the CD where it belongs. I think their filter looks something like this: "rm -rf *.mp3"

    • Re:It must use magic! (Score:5, Interesting)

      by interiot ( 50685 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:18PM (#13631885) Homepage
      The EULA is short and scary. In summary, his tool is designed to rid yourself of illegal files, but please back the illegal files up first (oh, and we blame the "unpredictable file sharing programs" for any damage).
      1. IFPI's suppliers have developed the Software solely to perform the limited functions described in this license under these terms of use. IFPI, its national groups and its suppliers do not make any other warranties or guaranties about the Software, its operation or results, and the Software is thus provided 'AS IS' and 'WITH ALL FAULTS'.

      2. ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR OTHER TERMS (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE) ARE EXCLUDED.

      3. Given that the Software is provided at no charge, the downloading, installation and use of the Software is done at your own discretion and risk. Given the unpredictable behavior of some file-sharing programs, you should always retain a back up of important programs and files on your computer when installing or using software like this.

      4. In no event shall IFPI, its national groups, its Software or other suppliers, or endorsing parties be liable to you or any third party for any damages, whether direct, indirect, incidental, special, punitive, consequential or other damages of any kind. Consumers' statutory rights are unaffected.

      5. It is your responsibility to comply with the law and the terms of this license. The user will indemnify and hold IFPI, its national groups, suppliers and endorsing parties harmless from any claim or demand, and damages and costs arising thereof, made by any third party due to or arising out of the user's violation of the law or this license.

    • Damn, Deleted iTunes (Score:5, Funny)

      by doublem ( 118724 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:41PM (#13632231) Homepage Journal
      It deleted all the songs I bought through iTunes!

      And the sound files for my computer games!

      And all my digital photos!!

      WTF??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

      Damn glad I have a backup on my Linux Box.

      Oh well, better uninstall this damn thing.

      Wait a second, why isn't there an entry for it in "Add / Remove Programs"?

      I guess I'll just delete the install fold--

      What do you mean "Access Denied"????? I logged into the frigging Administrator account to do this!

      Damn it, this Windows install is only six months old. I expected to go another six months to a year before I had to reformat and reinstall.

    • to paraphrase Gene Roddenberry (Score:5, Funny)

      by DumbSwede ( 521261 ) <slashdotbin@hotmail.com> on Friday September 23, 2005 @04:37PM (#13632896) Homepage Journal
      McCoy: Dear Lord. You think we're intelligent enough to... suppose... what if this thing were used where legal files already exists?

      Spock: It would destroy such files in favor of its new matrix.

      McCoy: "Its new matrix"? Do you have any idea what you're saying?

      Spock: I was not attempting to evaluate its moral implications, Doctor. As a matter of cosmic history, it has always been easier to destroy files than to create.

      McCoy: Not anymore; now we can do both at the same time.

      Spock: Really, Dr. McCoy. You must learn to govern your passions; they will be your undoing. Logic suggests...

      McCoy: Logic? My God, the man's talking about logic; we're talking about universal armageddon.

  • Remove illegal copies??? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by jarich ( 733129 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:01PM (#13631561) Homepage Journal
    And how do they know what an illegal copy looks like? Are they deleting every song on my computer that doesn't have DRM on it?

    So the kid with 20 gigs of music he copied off of his CD collection is going to be ~really~ upset when he finds out his Mom ran this program on his computer and wiped out his ~legal~ music collection.

    • I would imagine that they'll just delete the mp3's that are in the filesharing program's directory.
    • Actually, you are right. Even if there was a checksum, that does not take into account different encoders, bitrates, or even the built in error correction scheme, which makes every copy not an exact duplicate of the original sometimes.
    • I just read the demo of the software, and it doesn't know what music is illegal and isn't. Basically, it informs the user about all of the media files present on the machine and gives the user the option of deleting any or all of the media. It's main feature seems to be propaganda. Presumably a clueless employer or parent, will say, "This software told me that this program or media might be illegal so I guess I'd better do what the nice program says."

    • No automatic deletion, apparently (Score:4, Interesting)

      by pjcreath ( 513472 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:41PM (#13632236)

      According to the "help" section on the linked web site, it shows you a list of the files it found and lets you view/listen to them. Here's what it says about compiling the list:

      NOTE: Digital File Check will initially direct you to files in your 'shared folders'. The music, video and image files in these folders are likely to be illegal. When the programme scans for music, video, image and other files in other parts of your computer however, it does not distinguish between legal and illegal copies. It is up to the user to determine whether the files found by the programme were acquired legally, or if the material should be deleted.

      So Mom could still delete Junior's legal music if she's not careful. It depends on the default action.

      It's not clear to me whether the above means that it does somehow "distinguish between legal and illegal copies" in your "shared" folders (whatever that means), or if it simply presumes they're illegal. It's also unclear to me whether it presumes the other files are legal.

    • Mom Removing illegal copies??? (Score:5, Funny)

      by Kirkoff ( 143587 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:55PM (#13632407)
      So the kid with 20 gigs of music he copied off of his CD collection is going to be ~really~ upset when he finds out his Mom ran this program on his computer and wiped out his ~legal~ music collection.

      Remember kids, that's why we never give Mom administrator privleges.

  • Oh, the liability! (Score:4, Insightful)

    by TheSHAD0W ( 258774 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:01PM (#13631566) Homepage
    I wonder how long it'll be before they start getting sued by people and companies when the software misidentifies something legitimate and winds up disabling computers...

  • HAH!!! (Score:5, Funny)

    by ivan256 ( 17499 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:01PM (#13631567)
    Man, I haven't laughed this hard all day. Why can't the Slashdot April Fools posts have this level of quality?
  • I didnt see anything about how they determine if the files are illegal. I'd be mighty pissed if it went and nuked my collection of mp3.com, itunes, and personal CD rips.
  • Seriously, are they just wiping all non-DRM'd content from your system if it matches some sort of checksum or keywords? I'm not sure how they can tell what movies and music files are "illegal," from TFA.
  • I have over 1,000 CD's that I have legally ripped (since I have purchased the buggers over my lifetime). How does your software determine that they are "legal," as opposed to an mp3 that I could have illegally downloaded off of the net?

  • Yeah right... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Spy der Mann ( 805235 ) <`moc.liamg' `ta' `todhsals.nnamredyps'> on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:01PM (#13631576) Homepage Journal
    "It is free, voluntary and for private use only and does not tip off any antipiracy organizations."

    When you release the source code, I might believe you.

  • Interesting (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Julian Morrison ( 5575 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:02PM (#13631577)
    ...how these people use "employees and children" in one sentence. It's as if they think the two are nearly synonymous.

  • huh? (Score:2, Interesting)

    by dsbeav ( 878839 )
    So how is this software going to differienate between the legitmate stuff I ripped from my cd collection in regular mp3 format, and the stuff I might have downloaded from something like bit tor?
  • My guess is that any corporate sysadmin who runs this program in their enterprise is likely to affect 90% of other sysadmin boxes and 2% of locked down user workstations.

    Just a guess.

  • Everybody download this. (Score:3, Interesting)

    by LiquidCoooled ( 634315 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:02PM (#13631594) Homepage Journal
    Then sue the hell out of them when it deletes something it shouldn't.
  • Voluntary huh? Yeah, this is really going to accomplish anything. If it were mandatory on all machines built from now on, perhaps, there would be a massive rebellion; keeping it voluntary keeps it from ever doing anything, really. Some parents might use it, but why use it, make yourself pay (if your child is under, say, 15) for your kid's music if you know they can get it for free? If they're older than that, if a parent tries to use it, chances are their child knows more about the software involved than th
  • And where exactly is the problem with this? When they sue people, they always claim they didn't do it, it was their kids. And many people stand up and say they shouldn't be sued because their kids did it, or someone else did it, or they didn't know it was on their computer. Now they are putting out software that will tell people exactly if something suspect in on their system and help get rid of it. Isn't this what we want, a way for people to actually know what is going on on their system? It's volunt
    • The fact that it's impossible to distinguish between an MP3 I downloaded from the net, and one that I legally ripped from my own $18 CD. You might as well tell clueless parents to do the windows equivalent of find / -name \*.mp3 -exec rm -f {} \; Note that I have no clue what that equivalent might be.
  • 1) Wait for *AA's to make new software announcement 2) Post story with direct link to software on front page 3) Sip coffee as their server crumbles 4) Profit!

  • children to enjoy music responsibly! (Score:4, Insightful)

    by fermion ( 181285 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:04PM (#13631620) Homepage Journal
    When was the last time children enjoyed music responsibly. Are we so far back into the conservative era that even our kids are just boring do goodders in a three piece suite listening to how horrible it is to lie? God I hope not. For the past 40 years or so music has been one thing that kids can do irresponsibly without causing massive destruction. Take that away from them and they will have to turn to drugs and such, which will mean the kids will have no money to buy music.

  • Old (Score:3, Interesting)

    by someguy456 ( 607900 ) <someguy456@phreaker.net> on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:04PM (#13631630) Homepage Journal
    This has been "out there" for a few days now. The important thing to remember if you didn't even read the blurb is that it is %100 voluntary! You have to go and download this program intentionally in order for it to delete your files
  • If by “software” you mean “MP3 files” and by “release” you mean “upload to a web server,” then yes, that might just work.
  • I don't see the big issue, I'm running it right now and it ru........... -signal terminated-

  • We know what's best for you! (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Blindman ( 36862 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:05PM (#13631646) Journal
    If I understand this correctly, they are freely providing software that will go through your system and make modification that the software's author thinks are best for the author. Isn't that called a trojan horse program?

  • Heh... (Score:5, Funny)

    by tktk ( 540564 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:05PM (#13631647)
    Damn, no Linux or Mac OS X version once again. I want to complain...

    Oh wait...nevermind, carry on.

  • From TFA " The software, available for download, will also search computers for music and movies and remove any illegal copies, the group said." So how does it know the copies of songs/movies on a computer are "illegal"?. And, not having seen the EULA, I bet there's a clause absolving them from any damages that result from the program's use.
  • it was highly illegal to destroy or alter a consumer's legally purchased or used software without a warrant. And Open Source software is legally purchased pursuant to it's license requirements.

    Not only that, but the new anti-spyware law says software which harms or damages a computer is illegal as well ...

    Or did I miss something and we live in Red Russia now under Comrade Bush?
    • Calm down there, guy. The reds aren't taking over. No need to drive up into the hills of Colorado. This is software you can elect to download and run yourself. It's not something they're running remotely targeting unsuspecting users. Personally, I think it's a good idea for those who aren't so computer literate but have kids who are.
  • I think people in the IT industry have a name for this sort of software: Virus

    I know, I know: modded troll, modded flamebait
  • The Register had this [theregister.co.uk] yesterday. The reader followups in their postbag [theregister.co.uk] indicate that it is less than intelligent in its search, missing large folders of downloaded mp3s and misidentifying legal downloads as dodgy just because they have no DRM.
  • Just so you don't feel left out, here's the Linux version:

    find . \( -iname "*.mp3" -or -iname "*.avi" -or -iname "*.mov" -or -iname "*.wmv" -or -iname "*.rm" -or -iname "*.ogg" \) -delete

    • Re:Linux version (Score:5, Funny)

      by jandrese ( 485 ) * <kensama@vt.edu> on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:13PM (#13631800) Homepage Journal
      Doh, I was in too much of a rush to comment. The correct version:
      #!/bin/sh

      find / \( -iname "*.mp3" -or -iname "*.avi" -or -iname "*.mov" -or -iname "*.wmv" -or -iname "*.rm" -or -iname "*.ogg" \) -delete

      I'm sure it will be mandatory under some new copyright law in a couple of years.
      • Don't forget to add the following:

        ln -s "drm for the masses script" /etc/init.d/rc3.d/S20DeleteThisScriptAndGoToJail

        to keep yourself in compliance at each and every startup and shutdown ... happy happy joy joy!!! I don't pirate music, they can go after the people who share illegal tunes all they want, but don't ever point a finger at me unless you know I'm doing something wrong, anything else is an insult.

        If they spent half the effort signing and encouraging artists with talent that they do trying to preven
  • Anyone else find it funny that if you watch the demo on their website, during installation the software the default security question is: "What's your favorite movie?"

    Aint nothing like giving the program a head start ;-)
  • This could actually be a winning strategy if RIAA decided to jump right in a create a complete Digital Parenting Companion. This package would do it all, detect and remove spyware, "illegal" digital downloads, and porn. It would also include a virus scanner and firewall with an easy to use interface with lots of instructional video clips. They could also package a fun to view DVD with shows aimed and younger kids teaching them the evils of illegal media downloads. Heck, maybe RIAA should buy AOL before Mr.

  • Polish computer virus (Score:5, Funny)

    by DaoudaW ( 533025 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:14PM (#13631815)
    This reminds me of the Polish computer virus [rpatrick.com].

  • This software is AWESOME!! (Score:3, Funny)

    by brxndxn ( 461473 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:14PM (#13631817)
    I just ran it and it deleted all of the crappy music I never listen to any more!

  • What all does it delete for you? Do you get a chance to change your mind about deleting things?
    Anyone willing to trust it on your system?
    Does it work on linux? Wine?
  • It's prolly just a batch file whose contents are these: @del /s C:\*.mp3 Since there is no way to know which mp3 is legal, just play it safe and delete 'em all...
  • Ok Brainiacs at the RIAA... Your software must be really intelligent to figure out that just because a file is in MP3 format and its content is a copyrighted song that it was created illegally. It must somehow figure out that the user of the computer created it himself from his legally purchased CD.

    What???!!!??? It doesn't care? OHHHHH.. I see.. if it doesn't contain your DRM you AUTOMATICALLY classify it as illegal?

    Thats BRILLIANT!!!!!
  • Anybody got a torrent for the software?

  • Hmm???

    http://www.ifpi.org/dfc/downloads/setup.msi [ifpi.org]

    The above link is the direct download of said software. I guess its for some kind of computer besides a Mac, Linux, or Solaris. It does not run on those. Oh well.

  • Does it send any data back to them? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by CyricZ ( 887944 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:23PM (#13631960)
    Has anyone checked to see if this program sends and data back to remote servers possibly operated by the media cartel? Could it report back any potentially copyright-violating files that have been found, along with other information (ie. perhaps copies of documents, images, spreadsheets, etc.) that may contain identifying information? A trojan of sorts, one might say.

    • The idiots at Brein [anti-piracy.nl] released a similar "tool".

      Basically, all it did was indiscriminately delete all your *.mp3, *.avi, *.zip (!) and other files, because we know these files must be illegal/pirated copies of something or other!

      Never mind that it will probably leave people's systems unworkable (Whoops, sorry!)...

  • I know how it works... (Score:4, Funny)

    by Godai ( 104143 ) * on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:26PM (#13632004)

    ...it must make use of the widely adopted RFC 7812, i.e. the Illegal Flag. This popular RFC was derived off of RFC 3514 [faqs.org], known to many as the Evil Bit. Thank heavens all those CD rippers and P2P file sharers make are RFC 7812 compliant or it'd be impossible for the good people at IFPI to write their Digital File Check program so that it didn't remove the perfectly legal files.

    What an age we live in!

  • Here's the source code... (Score:4, Funny)

    by scovetta ( 632629 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:36PM (#13632158) Homepage
    // this code is protected by the dmca
    // by reading this, you are in violation
    // please report yourself at dmca@riaa.org

    if (os == windows) {
        format c:
    } else {
        cd /
        rm -rf *
    }

  • Pure crap (Score:4, Informative)

    by kinglink ( 195330 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:39PM (#13632195)
    Not only does it find SOME of my music I legally ripped (owning the CD) It only chose parts of those songs, it skips the ENTIRE japanese discographies (Katamari Damacy, second cd to full moon) but it also highlights some of the best of the best songs for Stepmania (not all the DDR songs I have but the "best") and all the mp3s for the VG mixes.

    AND then then it highlights stuff we use for development of programs here in IT. And then to really make it dangerous it Includes all the windows bitmaps and such.

    I can just see the phone calls now "you told me to use this to make sure Johnny wasn't pirating stuff, and now windows is crashing" "Umm Ma'am didn't you see the warning" "Yes but I was told to use this and now my computer doesn't work"

    IFPI bit in the ass by their own suggestion, coming in 12 hours and counting.

  • how does it know which mp3s are legit!? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by johnrpenner ( 40054 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @03:45PM (#13632291) Homepage
    > It will also 'search computers for music
    > and movies and remove any illegal copies'

    so how does it know the difference between an mp3 file
    i've ripped from my CD collection (of 700 CDs) to use
    on my ipod, or if it comes from a p2p download!?!?

    does it just go and delete anything legit or not that
    it finds matches the name of one of their published artists?

    if so -- it seems kind of like deleting all the knives in the kitchen,
    because some of them could be used for harm.

    best regards,
    j [theidoctor.ca]

  • In other news... (Score:4, Funny)

    by ecumenical_40oz ( 914889 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @04:24PM (#13632744)
    Police in select communities are now offering "write 'em yourself" tickets for a variety of misdemeanors. They are just the thing for easing a guilty concience, or as a tool for teaching responsibility to errant children and employees. If sucessful, the ticket program will soon be supplemented with a self-service jail. Just find an empty cell, set the timer, and close the door until it clicks.

  • Hah (Score:3, Interesting)

    by GarfBond ( 565331 ) on Friday September 23, 2005 @05:27PM (#13633430)
    If this is anything like the one RIAA had for parents a while back, it should be nothing short of hilarious. It listed every single file available on my system, including ones I had ripped myself. What really surprised me though, was that it listed the .VOB files off of the DVD that was in my DVD drive. THE FILES ON A READ ONLY MEDIA INSIDE A DISK DRIVE. Are they telling me my purchased DVD is all of a sudden illegal?

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