Gosh, it feels like it’s been AGES since I posted about Odex! The news this time is pretty benign, however: the company is taking the downloader witch hunt online and softening the first blow. The downloader(s) in question will receive an e-mail warning first, and they will have the opportunity to promise not to download again. If they are caught downloading again, however, they will be considered a second offender, at least by Odex, which could potentially increase the damages the downloader would be forced to pay if a lawsuit made it to court. (Though of course, they virtually all will settle outside of court.)
This is a bit more fair, though I’m skeptical about whether it would actually curb downloading. I don’t think this whole affair has really stopped anyone who hasn’t actually been hit with a letter. If you got a warning letter from Odex (or an equivalent in your country), would you stop? I wonder…
September 17th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
I think that’s a much more fair approach–especially for not-Internet-savvy parents who may have no idea their kids are downloading anime, it gives them a chance to pull the plug before the lawyers bend them over. Although I think if I was one of the people who’d already had to pay $3,000 in fines, I’d be kind of annoyed they didn’t try this tack to begin with…
September 17th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Agreed, Suguru.
September 17th, 2007 at 10:22 pm
Just do like most pirates … take your laptop with you to the Coffee shop and download off unsecure wifi.