MPAA Releases Software For Parents
Found on Slashdot on Thursday, 27 January 2005
The MPAA have released their Parent File Scan tool, which 'helps consumers check whether their computers have peer-to-peer software and potentially infringing copies of motion pictures and other copyrighted material'. According to the MPAA, the software does not report any data back to the MPAA. However, users have noted that the software is not accurate; 'tagging' virtually every audio or video file it finds based on file extensions.
That's exactly the kind of software I would install and execute. No. I'm lying. Several others however gave it a try. It's not really the big stunt someone could expect. What they call a tool for finding pirated material simply lists all media files; pirated or not. It doesn't even bother to check anything, so if you have your latest homevideo on your PC, it will tell you that you have a pirated movie. It also lists mIRC as an evil P2P program... Splendid move, folks!