MPAA’s Copyprotected.com p0wned by Anonymous
by Pixeleen Mistral on 16/10/10 at 1:40 am
Hactivists use MPAA web site to spread anti-copyright message
The cyberwar between the Anonymous hactivists and recording and motion picture industry interests heated up earlier today when the www.copyprotected.com site was hijacked to display an anti-MPAA message in support of the embattled Pirate Bay bittorrent tracker site, then redirected viewers to the piratebay.org site.
As of this writing the MPAA’s site continues to display a "Payback is a Bitch" image and a rather wordy manifesto which is reproduced at the end of the article for those who are not quick enough digest the screed before being automatically redirected to the thepiratebay.org site.
While the irony of an MPAA site directing visitors to a bittorrent tracker site is undeniable, it takes a quick hand to capture the carefully footnoted text, and a detailed analysis of the arguments advanced by the unnamed persons will have to wait for another day.
copyrightprotected.com is owned by the Motion Picture Association – and p0wned by hactivists
This incident marks a change in tactics now that Anonymous seems to have moved beyond simple denial of service attacks. The Sunbelt Software blog speculated that the copyprotected.com site had been subject to DNS cache poisoning – an attack which would cause the site’s traffic to be redirected to a rogue server – but other believe this to have been an SQL injection exploit. In any case, it is unlikely that the MPAA is pleased with the result.
google cache image of copyprotected.com before…
…and after
Now that 12 hours have elapsed, presumably the MPAA will regain control of their site at some point soon and remove the Operation Payback message. Meanwhile, in the war for media attention the hactivists are beginning to gain ground.
The text of the Operation Payback manifesto from the copyprotected.com site:
To whom it concerns,
Over the past years, we have borne witness to a technological revolution. The individual has become free, in the most extreme anarchistic sense, to share ideas. Some of these ideas are shared behind proxies, darknets, or similar "closed doors". Nevertheless, the ideas are out there. There have been similar instances of such revolutions of the mind. Their effects on society are inestimably great. As in past times with the invention of the printing press, so it is today that the people embrace this revolution, this new "anarchy" of freedom to share, while their autocratic rulers seek to crush this freedom.
In spite of censorship in the form of copyright law and other restrictions, the people have succeeded in distributing content to the poor, the underprivileged and the oppressed. The most numerous pirates are Chinese, as content filters restrict a vast amount of information in their country. Pirates are also numerous among the poor, as this demographic cannot afford things like college books or entertainment. Indeed, while often ignored by those interested only in bread and circuses, a vast amount of educational literature is available to the everyday pirate online. Piracy democratizes knowledge and makes education affordable.
History repeats itself. There was a time when powers that be attempted to silence the printing press, the blank cassette and the recordable CD. All of these previous attempts at censorship have failed, and future attempts of this nature are doomed to failure. Indeed, the sequestration of human knowledge for the benefit of extremist capitalism is treason against the whole of humanity. All should have the right to listen to a melody, experience a plot and learn from the aggregate of human knowledge available online.
The man on the street already knows this. He knows it when he illegally [1] gives his unused software to a friend or acquaintance. He knows it when he gives that old college book to a person in need. However, he also knows that something is wrong.
He knows that something is wrong when the artwork of little girls is raped in the name of copyright [2]. He knows that something is wrong when solicitors use copyright to blackmail thousands of people sharing information [3]. He knows that something is wrong when corrupt organizations seeking to stem the free flow of information lie through their teeth, produce false documents and spread misinformation about their opponents [4].
He knows that it is not right when his leaders inexplicably support massive capitalist enterprises over the majority opinion of their own people [5]. He know they are wrong when they use illegal means to get what they want, while hypocritically deprecating their opponents for doing the same [6].
If one were to pursue the propaganda of various community-reputable organizations such as…
The Motion Picture Association of America [MPAA]
The Recording Industry Association of America [RIAA]
The British Phonographic Industry [BPI]
The Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft [AFACT]
Stichting Bescherming Rechten Entertainment Industrie Nederland [BREIN]
…They would come across many a morality play suggesting that, if they "pirate" a film or an album, they are depriving a simple artist, actor or crewmember of their rightful wage. This worker won`t be able to break even for their next lot of groceries because the pirate robbed them of their money.
Of course, these organizations carefully omit the fact that only a small percentage of the profits made by big media ever make it to those who actually produce it. Do they ever disclose how small of a percentage most script writers, novelists, etc., actually make? Of course not, and there is a reason why. Do these anti-piracy organizations truthfully disclose how much they receive in donations, and from whom? Of course not, and there is a reason for this also.
In the end, our DDoS efforts have been compared to waiting for a train [7]. What must the people do to be heard? To what lengths must they go to have their pleads taken seriously? Must they to take to the streets with noose and handgun before those in power take notice?
You are forcing our hand by ignoring the voice of the people. In doing so, you bring the destruction of your iron grip of information ever closer. You have ignored the people, attacked the people and lied to the people. For this, you will be held accountable before the people, and you will be punished by them.
We will not stop. We will not forget. We will prevail. We are anonymous.
[1] http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/09/first-sale-doctrine/
[2] http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100722/09434710323.shtml
[4] We DID NOT attack thepirate party, we ARE NOT affiliated with anti-scientology activism, andThe Pirate Bay has not organized this.
[5] http://www.which.co.uk/news/2010/01/acs-law-letter-writing-continues-197714
[6] http://torrentfreak.com/anti-piracy-boss-denies-dos-attacks-torrent-site-refutes-claim-100912/
Kinoko
Oct 16th, 2010
Well I support Copying of movies & Game software, don’t like it invent a new technology that requires a movie player, and your DVD comes with a serial key you have to enter to watch the movie, and has to be verified via internet before it can be played..
Screw the MPAA, Screw Second Life content creators in violation of our privacy rights. I will make sure your content is copied/ripped and distributed to its fullest. I support Annomoyous and what they are doing because the MPAA is attacking sites not just used for illegal sharing, but legal sharing as well that have been around years.
James Larken Smith
Oct 16th, 2010
I don’t support this. I do for sure believe our copyright laws are outdated however. The MPAA & the RIAA go after the wrong people. In addition, the big publishing houses try to control education. Why do most textbooks need to be changed every 3 years. One reason, so the big corporate companies can sell overpriced expensive books. And now they want to not allow resellers. No joke. They want to say that reselling a cd, software, even books, I jest not, is a license, not a product. Of this I disagree, and it’s time to call our legislators and voice this injustice. I have, and I hope you will too. But anarchy, no…….
edna
Oct 16th, 2010
Pathetic rant. Once again, if the “poor” don’t have a buck to legally rent a movie from Redbox maybe they should be out looking for jobs instead of worrying about their access to entertainment.
II Singh
Oct 16th, 2010
The rasping sound you here is Edna’s knuckles dragging on the ground. Walking upright would appear to be a challenge to some who still have to resort to knuckle-walking. Perhaps Sasquatch has at last been found on the internet.
II Singh
Oct 16th, 2010
sorry homonym hang-up here should be hear.
Boyd Doghouse
Oct 16th, 2010
I’m suspicious of the MPAA allowing the takeover of their site to last so long.
My guess is they are using the incident to increase support for their cause and will be asking for greater legislative tools to further their agenda soon, as well as increasing the penalties for such activities.
I think you’ll find that, while your friends may not be among them, most people do support the MPAA and resent people who trade copyrighted material illegally, which will probably result in even stronger statutory penalties for doing so.
There are legal ways to accomplish everything Anonymous wants. They take more time and they’ll have to get public support behind them, but that’s how a nation of law works.
Trying to circumvent the system and force their way is only going to turn more and more people away from anonymous and toward organizations like the MPAA.
Twenty first century technology doesn’t change the fact that unless you have the people behind you, then you’ve got nothing and the way anonymous has been behaving the past two years is turning more and more people away from them.
Even people, like me, who hate Scientology, have been chilled by the tactics employed by anonymous in their fight against Scientology and their current antics just make it worse.
Whatever anonymous might have become, all they are now is a bunch of cyber bullies trying to troll a dying cult and clear their way to trade intellectual property without paying a dime to the actual creators of said IP.
Don’t piss down my leg and tell me it’s raining. These people aren’t revolutionaries, they’re cheap looters and trolls. You want to be revolutionaries, do something about something that matters, not this bullshit with the MPAA and Scientology.
Mary Elizabeth
Oct 16th, 2010
“redirected to a rouge server”
Owned by Sephora?
Inniatzo
Oct 16th, 2010
so they have done this to the MPAA server. ok, fine. let’s even assume for the moment that their motives are pure. so now what? sure, they have gotten some measure of attention, although not in a way which i think is going to be sympathetic to most people, and not in a way that is going put any serious pressure on legislators or public opinion to change anything.
it’s a pointless prank, and i tend to doubt their motives are pure. i suspect they like attention for themselves, period.
Tracey Humphreys
Oct 16th, 2010
Can’t pay?
Don’t pay.
The Anti Herald
Oct 16th, 2010
SHOCK!! NOBODY LIKES HACTIVISTS – HERALD MISJUDGES OWN READERSHIP.
That should be the headline here. Though it should come as no surprise.
Nelson Jenkins
Oct 16th, 2010
@ The Anti Herald
Lots of people like hacktivists. The problem here is that you just don’t like the Herald and naturally disagree with everything.
Gundel Gaukelei
Oct 16th, 2010
@The Anti Herald
So, now I :heart: hacktivists, just to proof your “nobody” statement wrong.
Dave Bell
Oct 17th, 2010
It’s a long time since I studied economics, but what I recall is that what we think of as a market depends on the goods being physical, and not easy to duplicate. Magnetic tape, for videos and music cassettes, was still hard to copy–there was a loss of quality.
Now we have digital media, perfect copies can be made, and the market system starts to fall apart.
Copyrights, trademarks, and the whole mass of IP law has been a necessary part of the market, but for a multiplicity of reasons. What would happen if anybody could put any name they wished on a book? You, as a purchaser, could be easily cheated. And the people who do the work do need to be paid.
But, you know, there are thousands of organisations, run by determined people, who have been cheerfully encouraging you to read books that you don’t have to pay for. Add to that video and music recordings. They might park a van on your street and invite you to deal with them.
They’re called Public Libraries.
What are the MPAA and RIAA going to do to them, if they get the sort of laws they seem to want.?
Nelson Jenkins
Oct 24th, 2010
@ Dave Bell
The MPAA and RIAA don’t give a shit about public libraries unless they’re loaning out music and movies. It’s when you start loaning that stuff that they get their shitstained panties in a wad.
anonymoose
Oct 25th, 2010
Funny how the manifesto states they are not affiliated with anti scientology activism. Kind of how Furries are not affiliated with bestiality, and WU is not affiliated with anyone paying friendly visits to Prok, amirite?
Senban Babii
Nov 8th, 2010
Looks like IP/copyright law in the UK could be getting a shake up to bring it more in line with the age of the interwebs anyway.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11695416
King Reggin
Nov 8th, 2010
Hopefully the MPAA decides to sue everyone involved.
Nelson Jenkins
Nov 8th, 2010
@ King Reggin
Including themselves, perhaps?