jayesh30202 Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 The Dutch movie industry is holding the local government responsible for the country's high piracy rates, claiming it tolerated and even encouraged unauthorized downloading for years. In response, a coalition of movie companies is demanding damages for the losses that they've suffered over the past decade, totaling more than a billion euros. Compared to many other countries around the world, pirating movies and TV-shows is hugely popular in the Netherlands. Up to a third of the population is estimated to download and stream copyrighted content without paying for it. This high percentage is not surprising as the Netherlands has traditionally been a relative safe haven for pirates. Downloading movies without permission was not punishable by law until the European Court of Justice spoke out against the tolerant stance two years ago. As a result the Dutch government quickly outlawed unauthorized downloading. However, breaking the habits of a large section of the population will take more than that and local piracy rates still remain high. This has prompted Dutch filmmakers and distributors to hold the Government responsible and they’re now demanding compensation for the piracy losses they claim to have suffered. In a letter sent to Secretary of State for Justice, Klaas Dijkhoff, a coalition of film industry companies claim 1.2 billion euros ($1.34 billion) to compensate for damages dating back to 2004. “The Dutch State has maintained for years that copying from illegal sources was allowed. The result was that an entire generation of consumers believes that downloading without paying for it is simply allowed,” the filmmakers write (via Tweakers). “Through this letter we hold the Dutch government liable for the damage. We want the Dutch State to take responsibility for its unlawful legislation and the resulting damage,” they add. The companies base their billion euro claim on research from Considerati, which estimates the losses at 78 million euros per year. Including rent that comes to a total of 1.2 billion euros. However, according to the movie companies the losses may amount to more. “The actual damage is expected to be even higher. Recent figures show that the revenue from video-on-demand have dropped off massively in 2014 and 2015, compared to 2013,” the letter adds. Among other things, the movie companies suggest using the damages for various anti-piracy campaigns. In addition, they suggest stronger enforcement against copyright infringers. The Dutch government has until later this month to respond or else the movie industry companies will take legal steps. source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtmulc Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 Do we really want to go down the "Hold governments responsible for the actions of their citizens" route? I don't think they have thought their cunning plan all the way through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vibranium Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 It's not enough to blame the Dutch government on moral grounds, there needs to be legal grounds as well. Is there any? Good luck trying, movie industry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skunk1966 Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 all they're trying to do is scare the Dutch government so that they will change the law about illegal downloading. They don't stand a chance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poipoi Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 12 hours ago, vibranium said: It's not enough to blame the Dutch government on moral grounds, there needs to be legal grounds as well. Is there any? Good luck trying, movie industry! Yes, there are international intellectual property treaties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtmulc Posted February 7, 2016 Share Posted February 7, 2016 18 hours ago, Skunk1966 said: all they're trying to do is scare the Dutch government so that they will change the law about illegal downloading. They don't stand a chance 7 hours ago, poipoi said: Yes, there are international intellectual property treaties. The Dutch did change their laws at the request (demand) of the European court to make piracy illegal. The Dutch movie industry is saying the Dutch government is responsible because its population continues to break the law. This is ridiculous. For those outside the United States, in the Appalachian region of the Eastern U.S., people have traditionally made homemade distilled alcoholic spirits made from corn (maize) called moonshine. They've been doing this for hundreds of years, since before the Revolutionary War. It's also highly illegal. Not only is it in violation of Food and Drug laws, nobody collects any taxes on it! Nevertheless, people continue to make it and sell it. Local and state governments regularly turn a blind eye to small time distillers unless someone gets hurt, figuring their time and resources are better used elsewhere. Here we have a custom and practice that was originally legal that was later banned. According to Dutch movie industry logic, because they didn't do enough to prevent it, any time some becomes sick, blind, or dies after drinking contaminated moonshine, the federal government is responsible. If we use Movie Industry Math and count each mason jar of moonshine as a lost sale of commercial alcoholic spirits, then the federal government should be sued to billions in damages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VileTouch Posted February 7, 2016 Share Posted February 7, 2016 so what do they expect if theywon't comply? shut down the government? these fools need to be stopped. there IS NO "lost revenue". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skunk1966 Posted February 7, 2016 Share Posted February 7, 2016 In The Netherlands we pay tax when we buy HDD's, playstation, xbox, CD-R/RW,DVD-R/RW, USB sticks, CD/DVD burners etc. in order to compensate for the loss of income for the authors/creators of movies, music CD's, E-books and games. Therefor the government can't be held responsible anymore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pequi Posted February 7, 2016 Share Posted February 7, 2016 Just make a deal: "You stop evading taxes and we will use a small percentage of it to crack down on piracy" "Pay taxes ? Lets talk about the weather .... " Game over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnakeMasteR Posted February 7, 2016 Share Posted February 7, 2016 While they are at it, they can try to get the taxes back they've paid more over the years since 2004 for production and whatnot. They make their own rules anyway. I bet they'll get shite, nothing more. The movie industry should never underestimate the government they are dealing with, taxes are a good way to make them shut up pretty fast, they can get their damages and in return the government increases certain taxes within the movie industry to get it right back from them in upcoming years. Imagine the dutch government wants the movie industry to pay up millions of taxes since 2005 they'd increase backwards, that's the same logic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtmulc Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 17 hours ago, Pequi said: Just make a deal: "You stop evading taxes and we will use a small percentage of it to crack down on piracy" "Pay taxes ? Lets talk about the weather .... " Game over. They have all kinds of ways of hiding money. According to Lucasfilm, Return of the Jedi still has not made a profit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pequi Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 7 hours ago, jtmulc said: They have all kinds of ways of hiding money. According to Lucasfilm, Return of the Jedi still has not made a profit. “I get these occasional letters from Lucasfilm saying that we regret to inform you that as Return of the Jedi has never gone into profit, we’ve got nothing to send you. Now here we’re talking about one of the biggest releases of all time,” said Prowse. “I don’t want to look like I’m bitching about it,” he said, “but on the other hand, if there’s a pot of gold somewhere that I ought to be having a share of, I would like to see it.” The rainbow probably ends somewhere in the Virgin Islands. Amazing the gnmt, with all the datamining, has been unable able to locate the treasure. That tax money could save a lot more lives than any "war on X" ever will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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