posted on November 9, 2000 01:21:21 PM new
In another thread the comment "weenie reported it to safeharbor" and I thought of my most recent email to the oxymoronic institution.
I know, netcop, what EVER.
I was looking up something a got a popular tv show and all the residual listings...so I started to look.
Some guy was selling a series he'd taped on his freakin' vcr.
So safeharbor said, basically, unless the verified rights owner calls it, they aren't doing a thing. So on with the auction.
SHEESH!!!
I cannot believe it. It is soooo obviously not licensed material for distribution.
Just a vent, I sell stock footage as a side, both video, film and photos...it is an outrage.
Thanks,
Capriole
posted on November 9, 2000 05:46:10 PM new
Capriole ... You may want to search for a few of the threads I have started in AW on this issue. eBay does not seem to care about the sales of home taped tv stuff. I guess, if they don't intend to kill these auctions, they should at least set some 'rules'.
For example, in the description, the seller should have to:
indicate the total number of tapes,
specify the source of the material that your copies will be made from (off air, copy of commercial tape, 1st generation, 2nd generation, EP/SP, etc.)
specify what speed your copies were/will be made at
indicate whether the copies are mono or hi-fi sound
If any of the above criteria are incorrectly listed, the buyer should have an eBay-backed guarantee for a full refund.
The problem with most of these illegal tapes is that the buyer usually bids/buys in good faith and then gets crap copies. Can't really do much because most of the sellers know damn well they are selling junk - they simply change their ID and do it over and over again. In fact, many of these sellers list the same thing under several auction numbers - it's just as easy to make and sell a dozen illegal copies as it is to do one.
eBay cannot argue their typical "we're just a venue and can't police our site" routine when they ignore warnings from knowledgeable and honest video dealers, advice provided by their own lawyers (it's written on their site!), and copies of ceast and desist orders from lawyers representing the copyright owners.
I have given up trying to educate eBay on this ...
posted on November 9, 2000 05:47:52 PM new
Curious - (I know, netcop, whatEVER) - but did you ever think of reporting it directly to the feds and telling Safeharbor you were doing that?
I do not go around reporting people myself, but I just wonder if anyone else was ever so incensed by Safeharbor refusing to act that they went right to the folks who gather the data and care the most and put pressure on eBay.
I am not sure how I feel about this issue, so this post is not advocating either side (do nothing or netcop).
________
I never had one, and I didn't want one, and I don't, so now I do...
I wouldnt even know how you would list or price these would you say like old blank VHS tapes 12 month of the days of our lives was recorded on these tape ????
posted on November 9, 2000 07:01:50 PM new
Well, my experience was a bit different. I bid on a tape and won it. It was a bit overdue, so I went to look up the seller. He was NARU. I wrote him to ask if he was going to send the tape - he said it would go out that week. When I got it, it was a very poor copy-of-a-copy of a tv program, on an unlabeled store-bought videotape.
Now, I don't know for sure if he was NARU'd for bootlegging, but it seems entirely plausible.
posted on November 9, 2000 08:37:47 PM new
Here is a possible solution to those of you that has gotten bad tapes: only buy them from people with good feedback. If you don't bid on tapes from people with no feedback you lower the risk of getting a crappy tape. I have debated these auctions in the past in this forum so I won't get into that, but if you don't want to get scammed, be careful before you bid.
posted on November 9, 2000 09:36:45 PM newTaker: The seller I got the tape from had over a feedback of over 500, with 4 or 5 negs that were over 6 months old.
posted on November 9, 2000 09:57:21 PM new
I didn't say that it is completely avoidable, but it will cut down the probability of getting ripped off. Heck I've bought items off power sellers and gotten ripped off, but I realize on average they are more honest.
posted on November 10, 2000 01:43:01 AM new
1) Yes it is outrageous.
2) No eBay does nothing to stop it.
eBay makes rules for the sake of the Feds, then refuses to enforce the rules. Homemade bootlegged CDs are killing some of the categories where I sell. eBay looks the other way, despite clearly posted prohibitions against sales of CD-R software.
posted on November 10, 2000 02:33:15 PM new
SO, is there some alternative reporting channel? I've been hearing quite a bit about eBay's failure to enforce in this area. On the one hand, it makes some sense because if the copyright owner doesn't care then why bother. On the other hand, why bother having a policy against bootlegs when eBay isn't gonna enforce it?
I'm confused.
________
I never had one, and I didn't want one, and I don't, so now I do...
posted on November 11, 2000 05:09:50 AM new
I don't think we have heard the fat lady sing on that case.
________
I never had one, and I didn't want one, and I don't, so now I do...
