AfterDawn: News

French presidency accused of piracy, again

The French weekly "Le Canard Enchaîné" has reported today that French presidency has made 400 unauthorized copies of the documentary "A visage découvert : Nicolas Sarkozy," going so far as to replacing the name of the editor with logos promoting “Service audiovisuel de la présidence de la République”.

The editor, Galaxie Press, confirmed that they had only shipped 50 copies but Sarkozy's gang needed more and took matters into their own hands.



Making the story all the more hypocritical is the fact that the French parliament recently approved the highly controversial 'three strikes' law for Internet pirates, giving authorities the power to disconnect multiple time offenders from the Web completely.

This is strike number two for Sarkozy and party, who paid American band MGMT €30,000 as a settlement in March over the unauthorized use of its music during a political rally.

One more strike and you are out Mr. President?

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 10 Oct 2009 1:34

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• 10 comments

• WW3

  well at least the skirt chaser doesn't have as big of an ego as Barry "Giggles" Soetoro..
  
  --this is just one man's opinion!

  10.10.2009 02:09 #1

• DXR88

  these laws only affected the hardworking citizens. if i was president i could download what i want when i want and there would be nothing you could do about it.

  10.10.2009 10:52 #2

• Tristan_2

  Why the hell did I have a feeling this would happen this shows this law should be disbanded and marked unconstitutional.

  10.10.2009 10:55 #3

• WW3

  while i do not agree with the three strikes law, i do agree that copyright's should be protected.. but i do not agree that the internet internet is a "basic human right" now follow me on this one ok? we didn't have the internet 50 years ago, there was still ip theft and there always will be, so why is it that this "three strikes law" works?
  it doesn't and it never will...
  

  dsi|360 jasper|Western Digital my book essential 1TB external HDD|
  
  

  10.10.2009 11:08 #4

• Josipher

  yoskowitz- tu shee on the ending of the article :P
  now personally this doesnt seem wierd to me at all. let me remind those whov'e seen the movie "Harold and kumar escape from guantanamo bay"
  harold and kumar both young and unpromising americans who like weed met the president of the US in his house and he was smoking weed.
  kumar asked the president "isnt it illegal to smoke weed? your a hypocrite"
  he got this anwser from the president:
  "son let me ask you something. do you like getting hand jobs? "
  "yes"
  "do you like giving handjobs?"
  "NO!"
  "well then how can you call me a hypocrite? im just another guy"
  i hate sarkozy and i hope he gets caught in a clinton like affair eventually. but its not like its obvious that being president he thinks himself above the law.

  10.10.2009 16:45 #5

• canuckerz

  Because of this shouldnt the entire french government lose internet access according to their new law?

  10.10.2009 17:10 #6

• ivymike

  Bring out the Guillotine!

  10.10.2009 18:53 #7

• Amak

  Originally posted by Tristan_2: Why the hell did I have a feeling this would happen this shows this law should be disbanded and marked unconstitutional.I believe the EU ruled the law was illegal. But of course France won't listen...

  10.10.2009 21:25 #8

• WW3

  i think there's allot of political trouble in Europe right now,hell at least Germany elected a different party.. but just doing that will get you nowhere, the people need to act. "not an anarchy" but need to keep an eye on there respected officials.. look at Northern Ireland, sure there probably having financial troubles but at least there making it on there own.
  
  Josipher, i respect your opinion and if i was in your country, i would fight to the death to protect your opinion, but "the skirt chaser" sarkozy in my eyes at least is actually showing some metal, even if it isn't a popular thing.. just look at Giggles he's just like Neville Chamberlain, trying to Appease the Persian pimp "Mahmoud Ahmadinejad". it wont work, those who forget there history is doomed to repeat it. again this is just one man's opinion if you do not agree "which undoubtedly there will be people who do not agree" then either ignore my post or politely and respectively reply.
  
  edit: i've just been informed that i am going to have to leave town to pick up some thing's out of state, i'll be back 2 maybe 3 days max..
  

  dsi|360 jasper|Western Digital my book essential 1TB external HDD|
  
  

  11.10.2009 00:22 #9

• KillerBug

  It is important to note that they did not use the internet to distribute the movies...so technicaly that 3 strikes law does not apply.
  
  If a movie/game/etc is out of print, and good condition used copies are not available, piracy becomes the only option. It is a bit silly for a company to claim lost sales on a product that they refuse to sell, but they do anyway.
  
  It shows once again that those who push these laws through care only about money and power; they have no morals...even when they fight their moralist battles.

  11.10.2009 09:12 #10