DATELINE -- Wednesday, 17 November 1999
Editor's note: The following letter -- sent to a website that posted links to the DeCSS hack -- was posted on a different website during the week of Nov. 15, 1999. The DVD Journal originally intended to provide a link to this document, but later decided to replicate the letter here because the original site contained links to DeCSS. The DVD Journal does not endorse DeCSS or video piracy in general. And if you're thinking about posting DeCSS anywhere on the Internet, you can bet that the 11 studios and parent companies below will send this letter to you as well. (For the record, here's the studios on the list: Disney, Columbia TriStar, Fox, MGM/UA, Paramount, Universal, and Warner -- i.e., The Big Seven.)
Harvey Shapiro
November 12, 1999Re: Infringement of Copyrighted Motion Pictures: illegal distribution of deencryption material
[website deleted by editor]
MPAA #5-671Dear Sir or Madam:
Sargoy, Stein, Rosen & Shapiro represents and is authorized to act on behalf of the following copyright owners:
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.
Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
Paramount Pictures Corporation
TriStar Pictures, inc.
Twentieth Centry Fox Film Corporation
United Artists Pictures, Inc.
United Artists Corporation
Univeral City Studios, Inc.
Warner Bros., a Division of
Time Warner Entertainment Company, L.P.We have received information that the above referenced address is offering to provide instructions on defeating DVD encryption to allow for the illegal replication of DVDs. This site is providing links to 38 sites with the deCSS utility, the deCSS utility itself, and css-authorizing CVS code. This site, although appearing to run through an off-shore address resolves back to your server at [deleted for privacy reasons]. Moreover, from the attached documentation, it appears that the site is being operated by one of your employees.
These activities constitute contributory infringement of the exclusive rights to make and distribute copies; and constitute an infringement of copyright by offering goods or services which are primarily designed to circumvent technological protection measures. United States Copyright Act 17 U.S.C. 106 and 1201.
We request that you immediately terminate this individual's account with your service and take such other action as may be appropriate to suspend these illegal activities. We would also request that you advise us of the name and physical address of the person operating this site.
You may contact me as follows:
Harvey Shapiro
Sargoy, Stein, Rosen & Shapiro
1790 Broadway, 19th floor
New York, NY 10019-1412
(212) 581-2222
(212) 581-2755
hshapiro@sargoy.comOn behalf of the respective owners of the exclusive rights to the copyrighted material at issue in this notice, I hereby state that I have a good faith belief that use of the material in the matter complained of is not authorized by the copyright owners, their respective agents, or the law.
I hereby state, under penalty of perjury under the laws of New York and under the laws of the United States, that the information in this notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that this law firm is authorized to act on behalf of the owners of an exclusive rights which are being infringed as set out in this notification.
We thank you for your cooperation in this matter. Your prompt response is requested so that the illegal infringing activity can be stopped.
Please telephone or write to me if you have any questions.
Very truly yours,
Harvey Shapiro