The controversial torrent hub and community ThePirateBay.com has been hit by a series of attacks led by malware researcher Ch Russo. The attack has led to the exposure of the user database for the site. Now, with over 4 million usernames and emails in his possession, Russo has said that groups like the RIAA and more »

It seems as if it has been a while since we last heard an MPAA horror story, but not to worry because we have a goodie for you on this fine Friday morning. It would seem that those living in Coshocton, Ohio have at least temporarily lost their free Wi-Fi. And yes, they had city more »

Since June 2008, the Motion Picture Association of America (“MPAA”) has moved forward with a petition to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the right to use selectable output control (SOC). This practice involves disabling the analog or digital portions of a video stream to the consumer. The MPAA claims using SOC would allow them more »

RealNetworks has been fighting against the MPAA and the DVD Copy Control Association in court to prove that its RealDVD software is actually legal. Real is saying that RealDVD does nothing wrong because while it does copy DVDs, it keeps the copy protection on the file that was on the DVD. It simply allows for more »

MPAA and RealNetwork court proceedings started this week in a copyright lawsuit against the RealNetworks software system that allows consumers to make digital backup copies of their DVDs. Lawyers from the Motion Picture Association of America have won a petition to close the courtroom, but their testimony is to be based around the fact that more »

Back in September/October of last year, RealNetworks released a product called RealDVD. It sold about 3,000 units before Real was promptly sued by the MPAA. The MPAA wasn’t very happy with the idea of people being able to copy DVDs onto their computers and play them back without the actual disc. Real and the MPAA more »

Looking for the next video format war? It might be in the last place you want it: movie theaters. Sony announced Thursday that has teamed up with Twentieth Century Fox and Paramount Pictures to promote the new Sony-developed digital projection setup. This came only a day after five major studios including Twentieth Century Fox and Paramount Pictures as well as Walt Disney Motion Pictures, Universal Studios and Lionsgate Films were announced to be part of a deal with Digital Cinema Implementation Partners (“DCIP”) to expand digital screens. The DCIP deal would try to upgrade 20,000 screens across the U.S. and Canada, while the Sony deal has plans to use put its system into 9,000 screen across North America, Europe and Asia.

According the to most recent MPAA numbers from 2007, just under 5,000 screens across the U.S. use digital systems, with 6,455 screens worldwide. Both deals want to increase that number, but it might get a bit tough if there are multiple proprietary formats. The last thing we need is another format war. More after the break.

In a very RIAA-like move, the MPAA has sued RealNetworks for a program that they claim allows its users to steal DVDs. The program is called RealDVD, which allows you to copy your DVD onto your computer or external hard drive for playback later. However, Real says that RealDVD has encryption that doesn’t allow users to copy or distribute the DVD files. Although, theoretically it is possible to get a DVD from Blockbuster, Netflix, or even a friend, copy it, and give it back.

“The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.” So says the warning on all movies released since early 2004. Well, granted many get a bit of a chuckle every time they pop a movie into their player and see that flash across their screen knowing they’ve just downloaded it from somewhere on the ‘Net, but still…it’s the thought that counts. And apparently, the thought of RealNetworks is that they want to make it a little easier for their customers to burn those dvds; since they are coming out with a new product called RealDVD which allows users to burn a digital copy of the movie of your choice…ummmm..legally? Guess that remains to be seen. Because there hasn’t been enough chatter about the whole piracy/fair use thing lately.

In an attempt to be more proactive rather than simply reactive, the MPAA has recently approved the DreamStream system and its 2048-bit “military strength” anti-piracy encryption technology to protect content streamed to viewers online.

First introduced to the MPAA in March of 2008 by Laura Tunberg, MGM’s former vice president of intellectual property enforcement, it was since reviewed by the MPAA and found it to be a viable means for securing digital content. Chief development officer for DreamStream, Ulf Diebel, is excited by this acknowledgment of their product.

“We are very excited to have the MPAA stand behind our technology.”