Prison Time | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Tue, 09 Apr 2019 10:06:34 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png Prison Time | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Four pirate site operators face up to a $560 million fine and prison time https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-news/damien-cox/four-pirate-site-operators-face-up-to-a-560-million-fine-and-prison-time/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-news/damien-cox/four-pirate-site-operators-face-up-to-a-560-million-fine-and-prison-time/#respond Tue, 09 Apr 2019 10:06:34 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=409877 It’s not uncommon to see distributors of piracy-enabled hardware end up the court room, but the operators of copyright infringing websites rarely face the consequences. Spanish anti-piracy efforts are hoping to change that, as entertainment groups are seeking jail sentences and half a billion dollars in damages against four alleged perpetrators. Alberto García Sola, Alexis …

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It’s not uncommon to see distributors of piracy-enabled hardware end up the court room, but the operators of copyright infringing websites rarely face the consequences. Spanish anti-piracy efforts are hoping to change that, as entertainment groups are seeking jail sentences and half a billion dollars in damages against four alleged perpetrators.

Alberto García Sola, Alexis Hoepfner, Jordi Tamargo and David Martínez are currently on trial in Murcia, Spain for their alleged connections to now-defunct piracy websites VideosYonkis, PeliculasYonkis and SeriesYonkis. TorrentFreak reports that evidence from local film industry group EGEDA and Spanish Anti-Piracy Federation FAP links the defendants to the crime, representing MPAA members Paramount, Sony, Universal, Walt Disney, and Warner Bros.

Sola is believed to be the owner of Poulsen SL, a company which is said to have originally owned the sites before selling them onto Burn Media for €610,000 back in April, 2011. Hoepfner is the owner of Burn Media, who is said to have profited up to €260,000 from the purchase, while partners Tamargo and Martínez allegedly received €175,000 each.

Burn Media gained notoriety after the purchase as it managed to strike a deal with Filmin despite its then-newfound ties to piracy. Affectionately referred to as the Spanish Netflix, Filmin required Burn Media to remove all links to copyright infringing material before receiving its 23% stake, eventually selling the collection of piracy sites on once again in 2014. None of the sites have housed infringing content since 2014 when owners struck a deal with the FAP; however this was some time after the defendants had profited from the dealings.

Publico reports that while FAP is seeking €9.5 million from all four combined, the EGEDA is after a much larger sum of €546 million. This targets Hoepfner more than most, alleging €318 million in damages, €199 million from Sola and a further €14.3 million each from Tamargo and Martínez. Damages are said to be capped at €170 million maximum however, with a realistic expectation of two years prison time and a maximum of four.

KitGuru Says: Tackling piracy at the operator level is certainly a more preferred method than punishing the parents who protect their piracy-indulging children. A win here could set a precedent for more legal cases against operators in the future but we will have to wait and see the verdict first.

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UK government to extend prison time for Internet trolls https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/uk-government-to-extend-prison-time-for-internet-trolls/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/uk-government-to-extend-prison-time-for-internet-trolls/#comments Mon, 20 Oct 2014 11:30:03 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=217456 The UK Government is looking to crack down on severe Internet trolling, raising the current maximum prison sentence from six months to two years if the amendment to Criminal Justice and Courts Bill as well as the Malicious Communications Act go through. This news follows on from the harassment of TV Presenter, Chloe Madeley, the daughter of well …

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The UK Government is looking to crack down on severe Internet trolling, raising the current maximum prison sentence from six months to two years if the amendment to Criminal Justice and Courts Bill as well as the Malicious Communications Act go through.

This news follows on from the harassment of TV Presenter, Chloe Madeley, the daughter of well known presenters, Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. The new law would also give police more time to collect evidence for their prosecutions.

Speaking with the Mail on Sunday, Justice Secretary, Chris Grayling, said: “These internet trolls are cowards who are poisoning our national life. No-one would permit such venom in person, so there should be no place for it on social media. That is why we are determined to quadruple the current six-month sentence.”

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“This is a law to combat cruelty – and marks our determination to take a stand against a baying cyber-mob. We must send out a clear message – if you troll you risk being behind bars for two years.”

Chloe Madeley said she supported free speach and social networking but pointed out that the Malicious Communications Act is 10 years old and was drawn up before Facebook and Twitter gained mainstream prominence and widespread adoption.

Speaking with the BBC she said: “While I agree that spending time and money on trolls is somewhat disagreeable, social networking has become the most influential and powerful voice of the people, and the fact of the matter is it now needs to be regulated.”

The new Bill is currently going through Parliament and is due to be debated at the House of Lords later this week.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Internet trolling can be a bit of a problem, the trouble is, UK police will run in to issues arresting the worst offenders if they live abroad. What do you guys think of this? Should severe trolls get as long as two years in prison? Is that too extreme? Is it not extreme enough? Let us know what you think. 

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