Oldest known version of this page was edited on 2005-02-10 23:31:12 by RichardBerg []
(originally posted here∞)

My analysis is even more bleak. As we pointed out, there are two likely reasons for the website owner to post such a capitulatory message, and neither bodes well:

(1) A court order. Being forced to apologize for breaking the law is all well and good, but this is a civil lawsuit, not Megan's Law. Furthermore, the text of the message is firmly in the domain of opinion, not fact -- any bets on whether the owner really believes that p2p movies constitute "theft" that's putting actors on the street? I can't frame this as a free speech issue per se, but the right to hold silent in the face of propaganda you don't believe is almost more sacred.

(2) Ass kissing. If the owner is sucking up to the MPAA, that's fine -- one certainly has the right to defend his own skin, and without knowing his history I have no ethical ground from which to criticize him either. However, what of the donations he raised? Even in these days of payformyboobjob.com, $40k is a LOT of scratch. If you sent money to an ailing underdog's legal defense fund, how would it make you feel if those dollars instead lined the pockets of an MPAA lawyer's settlement package?


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