*Update* for DMCA Black Friday : Walmart officially sue FW, F@tWallet Strikes Back Using DMCA..

[jimmyhaha]

12/04 Update: F@tWallet Strikes Back Using DMCA

This is important. Mod, parent up.

This is refer to the discussion of DMCA violation of getting advance information of Black Friday sale.
What is DMCA ? For the lazy, just click the link or Go to google.com, type "DMCA" & hit "I'm Feeling Lucky" button & give me the same site as above, how ironical...

F@tw@llet get busted and compile to remove all post containing black friday sale information

1st Story reported by 3rd party

Slashdot article

Wired

Here are the stores that sent the DMCA threats: Wal*Mart, Target, Best Buy, Staples

There are also a few site get busted already, including dvdtalk.com. I will NOT be suprised that anandtech is going to be the next...

FYI, this Post may be violation of DMCA too, with the indirect link of Black Friday sales information in slashdot.com, and may get lock soon

America: The freedom of Speech,The land of Corporate, politicians & lawyers, The home of the DMCA.

 

[jcarson]

Is it now illegal to talk to your friends about deals? This is insane.:disgust:

 

[zaph]

Scary, very scary.

 

[MowSow]

This country belongs to corporate america ... so just shut up and OBEY .. anyone who doesn't, is a terrorist

 

[Orunitia]

It's inconceivable how DMCA can even be applicable to this. What the hell does removal of copy protection mechanisms got to do with a good deal or even telling a friend about a good deal? This is utter BS period. Any site that's complying to these silly allegations is just letting the corps screw them up where the sun doesn't shine.

 

[msh111]

It's all BS! Let the underground prevail...

 

[Lars]

I posted the letter I got because of the violations HERE (in case that anyone is interested in reading it).

 

[c627627]

If you work at a newspaper printing facility and you take an add that hasn't been published yet, that's one thing.
If you say: "Hey, word's on the street that Wal-Mart will have a sale", that's another.

There is ample room to fight against prosecution here, but since Anandtech HoT deals forum is probably THE strictest forum out there and backs down even at a hint of something not being strictly by the book, I'd say read those Black Friday threads while you can, 'cause they're not going to last long (not that they'll be anything like what they used to be last year for a long, long time to come).

P.S. I like this forum.

 

[jcarson]

Todays "Underground" was yesterdays normal people following normal laws.

 

[cheapgoose]

Personally I love all the forums that saves me money. As wrong as walmart, target...are, I don't want to see Anadtech, or FW go to court to fight and tigh up resources they don't have. Let us all just read/copy the lists now, suck it up, talk some crap about these companies and move on.

 

[LoverBoyJ]

The creation of DMCA just opened up pandoras box. A lot of company's have been hidding behind DMCA rules for thier own good and not for the good of the masses. :disgust:

 

[kof]

At present a way to defeat this is:
You got the info - register under another handle and post.
In your post put "SAVE THIS 'cuz DMCA is going to take it away".
They come back and say "STOP"
You say sorry.

Pretty soon ALL vendors may start jumping on this just so they can sue.

Meanwhile politely complain to Congress.

 

[Zambonni]

This is utter crap. It makes me embarressed to be an American.

Welcome to the new police state of Corporate America.

 

[slaman]

This is ridiculous - the DMCA really has nothing to stand on in this matter for the simple reason that prices cannot be copyrighted. Unless I see a c with a circle around every price in a flyer, that knowledge is public domain. I'd love to see all forums join and stand up to corporate bullying, but I doubt they'd have the financing, time, and patience to deal with it. Funding from anti-corporate groups? leftwing groups? Make this a big deal!

 

[Vegito]

This all leads to the idiot that printed out the discussion and bought it to staples and show the manager

 

[Distinguished]

Never in my 50 years have I been more fearful of government and corporations.

The government is getting bigger and more controlling every passing day. Large corporations have taken over almost every business segment. The small independent business is nearly extinct. We, the citizens of this great country, are now just pawns. We have lost our ability to think critically, our ability to voice opinion, and our ability to act. The desire is there, but our ability is being stripped away by the government and corporate machines.

Our elected leaders no longer represent the wishes of the populace but rather the corporations and special interest groups that fund their campaigns and line their pockets. It is no longer a ?Government of the people, for the people??.

We are seduced by low prices from mass merchandisers. Their slick marketing and advertising convinces us they are as ?American as apple pie?, and yet most of their goods are foreign made. These companies are draining the dollars from our economy as fast as we can hand it over to them.

What can we do?

Support the small/ mom & pop businesses as much as possible. You may pay a little more, but your money will probably be staying in your local area economy.

Buy American made products. Keep the money and jobs in the USA.

Get involved in politics. Think critically about the issues being decided and what it means about our futures. Let your representatives know that you expect them to represent the people and not the corporate and special interest groups.

Make your voice heard.

 

[Oakenfold]

Originally posted by: Lars
I posted the letter I got because of the violations HERE (in case that anyone is interested in reading it).

Wow..interesting letter you got lars.

We also ask that you provide us any information you have regarding the identity of the person who posted the Circular on your website, including the person's name, contact information, and IP address.

I wonder if the peeps over @ Heftysack know that Walmart probably requested their info as well.

 

[sgopal2]

This is <U>unconstitutional</U>. From my limited knowledge of the law, the 1st amendment takes precedent here.

One of my friends is a law student at Stanford and mentioned to me about this prof there who does work like his. His name is Lawrence Lessig and appears to be a heavyweight in the burgeoning field of cyber-law.

I would probably drop him an email and see what he thinks.

This kind of BS by corporate lawyer/thugs is getting ridiculous.

 

[Wolfsraider]

simple time to boycott.

why do business with them then?money isn't everything even though they seem to think so.

i would rather spend mine on a place that wants my business and that welcomes advertising of their known sales.

these dcma drones are not getting my money.will it cost me more?yes but at least then my money won't go to fund their stupidity or orginization.

Wal*Mart
Target
Best Buy
Staples

are off my to do business with list

mike

oh under the law they may well be within their rights.butthen again if enough people say enough is enough and don't buy from them...

 

[VaG]

Originally posted by: Wolfsraider
simple time to boycott.

why do business with them then?money isn't everything even though they seem to think so.

i would rather spend mine on a place that wants my business and that welcomes advertising of their known sales.

these dcma drones are not getting my money.will it cost me more?yes but at least then my money won't go to fund their stupidity or orginization.

Wal*Mart
Target
Best Buy
Staples

are off my to do business with list

mike

oh under the law they may well be within their rights.butthen again if enough people say enough is enough and don't buy from them...

If I took Target off my to do business list I would not be able to mantain my existence. Of course I only buy at 75% off so thats got to hurt them a bit.

 

[Kegger22]

Don't exactly know if I'm right on this one, but I was always under the impression that if anything is copyrighted or patented that an infrigement would have to be an EXACT duplicate, and if that is the case I havn't seen any pictures yet just type.

Any legal minds out there wish to comment and correct me if I'm mistaken?

 

[nickdigger]

The FBI should investigate these posts. These posters are corporate espionage agents conspiring to aid and abet consumers in robbing American corporations of profits they are entitled to, which will surely kick our recessed economy into depression.
It is further conceivable, with the latest warnings of terrorist "attacks against the US economy", that the posters are defacto agents of Al Qaeda. These Black Friday leaks are therefore a threat to national security, and the posters should be tried by a floating military tribunal in the Indian Ocean.


BTW, all the postings i have seen are in list format:
SKU, Desc, Price
SKU, Desc, Price
. . .

No PDF's, no JPGs, no GIFs, no TIFs. Most of the supporting text has even been excluded. Since no actual copy has been provided, the info is in fact A RUMOR, and nothing more.

 

[tedinde1]

First we cannot post coupons, we have to go to other sites to get them, now we cant post deals, So just close the deals forums here.

And we'll have to use newsgroups for deals, and be dropped to the level of people looking for Warez and kiddie porn.


I have to go before big brother kicks in my door.

This is crap.

Doesnt really matter anyway, usually all these great deals on black friday are a bait and switch, They will have only 2 of the super deals in stock. No rainchecks, But they will give you that raincheck on the overpriced regular stuff.

 

[CoOliOgUy17]

you think companies would use forums like these to their advantage, its just promoting the companies....... for the love ?

 

[jamautosound]

Interesting, DMCA counter notification letter.