You can click, but you can't hide
Encyclopedia
You can click, but you can't hide is a publicity campaign run jointly by several international associations, most notably the MPA
, the MPAA
, and the GVU
, as part of the larger "Respect Copyrights" campaign against peer-to-peer
file sharing
of motion pictures. The associations have long alleged that Internet file sharing, or maintaining a file sharing tracker, network or search engine
, constitutes copyright infringement
and hurts their profits.
The phrase is an adaptation of the phrase "You can run but you can't hide," a statement attributed to American boxer Joe Louis
. The "Illegal Downloading: Inappropriate for all ages" campaign logo is based on the MPAA Rating System logos.
In addition to a print and billboard
campaign, BitTorrent tracker
websites closed between October 2004 and May 2005 due to legal action by the associations have replaced their front page with the campaign's logo and an accompanying message:
There are websites that provide legal downloads. This is not one of them. This website has been permanently shut down by court order because it facilitates the illegal downloading of copyrighted motion pictures. The illegal downloading of motion pictures robs thousands of honest, hard-working people of their livelihood, and stifles creativity. Illegally downloading movies from sites such as these without proper authorization violates the law, is theft, and is not anonymous. Stealing movies leaves a trail. The only way not to get caught is to stop.
, closed the site and turned over its logs, amidst controversy, as part of a settlement ending a 2005 copyright infringement lawsuit filed by MPAA studios against him. The anti-piracy campaign's signature replaced the content of the website upon its shutting down.
and Who Makes Movies?
, which appealed to the consumer's interest in the art form and the consumer's compassion for movie industry workers. John G. Malcolm, former Senior Vice President and Director of Worldwide Anti-Piracy for the MPAA, has been quoted saying that the goal of the campaign is to "make an example of" internet movie thieves an other pirates.
Former MPAA chief Dan Glickman insisted in a statement to film p2p traders that the MPAA "will find you, and you will be held responsible".
Motion Picture Association
The Motion Picture Association is the international counterpart of the Motion Picture Association of America.-History:The MPA starting out as the Motion Picture Association of America was started in 1922, as a trade organization for American Film industry...
, the MPAA
Motion Picture Association of America
The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. , originally the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America , was founded in 1922 and is designed to advance the business interests of its members...
, and the GVU
GVU
The GVU or Gesellschaft zur Verfolgung von Urheberrechtsverletzungen is a German association that investigates cases of software, music, and motion picture copyright infringement...
, as part of the larger "Respect Copyrights" campaign against peer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer computing or networking is a distributed application architecture that partitions tasks or workloads among peers. Peers are equally privileged, equipotent participants in the application...
file sharing
File sharing
File sharing is the practice of distributing or providing access to digitally stored information, such as computer programs, multimedia , documents, or electronic books. It may be implemented through a variety of ways...
of motion pictures. The associations have long alleged that Internet file sharing, or maintaining a file sharing tracker, network or search engine
Search engine
A search engine is an information retrieval system designed to help find information stored on a computer system. The search results are usually presented in a list and are commonly called hits. Search engines help to minimize the time required to find information and the amount of information...
, constitutes copyright infringement
Copyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
and hurts their profits.
The phrase is an adaptation of the phrase "You can run but you can't hide," a statement attributed to American boxer Joe Louis
Joe Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...
. The "Illegal Downloading: Inappropriate for all ages" campaign logo is based on the MPAA Rating System logos.
In addition to a print and billboard
Billboard (advertising)
A billboard is a large outdoor advertising structure , typically found in high traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertisements to passing pedestrians and drivers...
campaign, BitTorrent tracker
BitTorrent tracker
A BitTorrent tracker is a server that assists in the communication between peers using the BitTorrent protocol. It is also, in the absence of extensions to the original protocol, the only major critical point, as clients are required to communicate with the tracker to initiate downloads...
websites closed between October 2004 and May 2005 due to legal action by the associations have replaced their front page with the campaign's logo and an accompanying message:
There are websites that provide legal downloads. This is not one of them. This website has been permanently shut down by court order because it facilitates the illegal downloading of copyrighted motion pictures. The illegal downloading of motion pictures robs thousands of honest, hard-working people of their livelihood, and stifles creativity. Illegally downloading movies from sites such as these without proper authorization violates the law, is theft, and is not anonymous. Stealing movies leaves a trail. The only way not to get caught is to stop.
LokiTorrent Controversy
The associations have also obtained records from some closed tracker sites, which could be used to trace individual users. The administrator of one such site, LokiTorrentLokiTorrent
LokiTorrent was a BitTorrent indexing service operated by Edward Webber from 2004 until 2005. The domain name was originally registered on 24 February 2004....
, closed the site and turned over its logs, amidst controversy, as part of a settlement ending a 2005 copyright infringement lawsuit filed by MPAA studios against him. The anti-piracy campaign's signature replaced the content of the website upon its shutting down.
Comparison to Other Campaigns
The arresting nature of the graphics, and the use of scare tactics in this campaign is a marked difference from previous large-scale copyright-promotion campaigns such as Home Taping is Killing MusicHome Taping is Killing Music
"Home Taping Is Killing Music" was the slogan of a 1980s anti-copyright infringement campaign by the British Phonographic Industry , a British music industry trade group. With the rise in cassette recorder popularity, the BPI feared that people being able to record music from the radio onto...
and Who Makes Movies?
Who Makes Movies?
Who Makes Movies? was an advertising campaign run jointly by several international associations looking to crack down on copyright infringement of motion pictures, most notably the MPAA, as part of the larger "Respect Copyrights" campaign...
, which appealed to the consumer's interest in the art form and the consumer's compassion for movie industry workers. John G. Malcolm, former Senior Vice President and Director of Worldwide Anti-Piracy for the MPAA, has been quoted saying that the goal of the campaign is to "make an example of" internet movie thieves an other pirates.
Former MPAA chief Dan Glickman insisted in a statement to film p2p traders that the MPAA "will find you, and you will be held responsible".
See also
- WarezWarezWarez refers primarily to copyrighted works distributed without fees or royalties, and may be traded, in general violation of copyright law. The term generally refers to unauthorized releases by organized groups, as opposed to file sharing between friends or large groups of people with similar...
- "Don't Copy That FloppyDon't Copy That FloppyDon’t Copy That Floppy was an anti-copyright infringement campaign run by the Software Publishers Association beginning in 1992. The video for the campaign, starring M. E. Hart as “MC Double Def DP,” was filmed at Cardozo High School in Washington, D.C...
" - You Wouldn't Steal a Car
- Beware of illegal video cassettes
- Home Taping is Killing MusicHome Taping is Killing Music"Home Taping Is Killing Music" was the slogan of a 1980s anti-copyright infringement campaign by the British Phonographic Industry , a British music industry trade group. With the rise in cassette recorder popularity, the BPI feared that people being able to record music from the radio onto...