Quote:
Originally Posted by Katsunami
At this point in time, it isn't. If BREIN would knock on my front door, and ask something like this:
"A person called Mr. X on MobileRead is spreading books on the internet. We have determined that it is likely that you are a good friend of his. What is his name and where does he live?"
Then I could just give them the finger and slam the door shut and they couldn't do anything about that.
If they'd have a judge's warrant to come ask for this information, and have some police officers with them, then that would change the situation.
It's blackmail.
The problem is that stores have to acquire all Dutch books through Centraal Boekhuis. If BREIN persuades them (CB) to put something like "Buying books from CB makes it obligatory to provide a customer's personal data to BREIN if they want it. If you don't, then you can't sell our books", then the stores are stuck between a rock and a hard place. They can't give CB (and thereore, BREIN) "the finger", because for a vendor, there is no other place to acquire Dutch books. Not as far as I know; there were, but they are either bankrupt, or bought by CB.
One of the questions asked in parliament addresses this exact issue.
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I was going to say blackmail as well, but not too sure.
I understand that a small company cannot survive without it's main supplier even if they win eventually. This equates to bullying IMO.
I do not think that a vender can legally share actual credit card information unless the credit card holder agrees, but I may be wrong on this.
If I was buying books for the purpose of uploading them ( always seemed a bit of a peculiar thing to do) I would use a prepaid credit card and remove the watermark etc.
The chances of someone getting your reader and saying aha this is my big chance to get into the piracy game seem pretty slim, unless it is a young naïve family member. Could happen. Worse things do happen accidentally every day. In my condo building a neighbour accidentally caused pretty severe water damage to several units below her with no insurance
Looking at a hazmat bill for about $60K and one person is talking about suing to get the actual walls replaced). No way she can even fight the $60K.
I guess we will wait and see what develops, but I personally vote on a good dismantling of Brein.
Helen