RSSFox Looks to Identify YouTube Leaker
By Ed Oswald | Published January 25, 2007, 3:39 PM
Fox is attempting to uncover the identity of a YouTube user that uploaded recent episodes of the network's hit television shows "24" and "The Simpsons" to the service without its permission, a blog reported Wednesday.
Details of a subpoena granted by a U.S. District Judge in San Francisco were first reported by Google Watch. A smaller video site, LiveDigital, also received a subpoena as part of the legal action.
Fox confirmed the existence of the subpoena, but would not comment further. LiveDigital said it had received the request and intended to comply, however YouTube would not comment on the matter.
According to the document, episodes of "24" appeared on YouTube before the season debut on January 14. YouTube was contacted by Fox on January 8, but apparently did not remove the videos in time to avoid legal action.
12 "Simpsons" episodes are also included in the suit, most from the seventh season of the show. The show is now in its 18th season.
The YouTube user who posted the videos was known by the handle "ECOTotal." A BetaNews search of the username on the video site shows that the company has suspended that user. Fox seeks to find the indentity of this user.
Even if ECOTotal is identified, that person may have not been the start of the leak. Even before January 8, press reports indicate the unaired episodes of "24" appeared on file-sharing networks, meaning others could have viewed the content in question before it appeared on YouTube.
Legal experts say that while Google has a history of protecting the users of its services, the law would allow Fox to press for the real identity.
Jack Bauer is a cheap skate anyway, on the BBC each show is only 40 minutes because there is no adverts, the tight a** gets away with doing 24 hours work in 16 hours!
Score: 0
|Umm this is stupid. The guy that posted the shows on youtube is not the person that actually leaked the shows. Dumb. It's just some kid that decided to upload what he found on torrent sites. Go after the right people, fox.
Score: 0
|I'm Spartacus!
Score: 0
|This is just an act of desperation. Did you know that in the past 5 years my ratio of watching TV vs. being on the computer has changed tremendously? I BARELY watch 30min/1hr of TV a day now and it's all on account of the net is sooo f*cking much better. This is the route that evolution is taking and all the television network profiteers know it.
They're struggling to get their last buck for in 20 years, television will be but a memory. And good riddens too, what a waste of brain activity (or lack thereof).
Score: 0
|Fox is upset because people are watching a show for free that you can watch on Fox.........for free?
I hope the schmuck deleted all the commercials. If you skip the commercials it's like stealing TV. Not stealing a TV, which you would get in less trouble for than uploading a bunch of 1 and 0's to a website.
Score: 0
|Mark,
Don't take the fall for me. I did it.
Score: 0
|Actually it was me, Mark Gillespie here in London. But honestly I did not realize it was illegal at the time and actually though I was doing a great service to all the Simpsons and 24 fans out there. Fox, please don't hunt me down like a criminal I promise not to do it again.
Score: 0
|never heard of?
www.allsp.com
all southpark episodes
www.allfuturama.com
all futurama episodes
www.alluc.org
bunch of movies/shows/etc..etc..
www.peekvid.com
bunch of movies/shows/etc..etc..
(the last 2 links contain all 24 episodes and a bunch of simpsons... so F*CK YOU fox! Stop bugging youtube! Even if the links dont contain unaired files. wtf man its still more than 100 24 episodes, and more simpsons)
Score: 0
|I see your logic there. Since other sites have episodes posted, it's ok for Youtube to. What an incredible precedent this could be. Since other people commit crimes, we should all be able to.
Hooray!
Score: 0
|This is almost as stupid as the RIAA. WDF? If anything it might make them decide to watch the show. Who would want to watch that many episodes on youtubes crap video quality anyway?
Score: 0
|The crime would be for you not to contact me before I put up some of your Roland House/Discovery Channel pics/vids on YouTube....
Score: 0
|