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Originally Posted by anamardoll
I was specifically referring to the thread around here about France piracy crack-downs. Many people download pirate versions as a form of format-shifting
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That's not "format shifting", it's piracy, plain and simple. I've done it myself, but I'm not kidding myself that it's anything other than piracy. Are you suggesting that right holders are doing something wrong in prosecuting people who illegally download copyrighted material?
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Also, DVD companies have (iirc) gone after format-shifting tools on the grounds that those tools break DRM in order to work. I would also consider that in the same category as my statement.
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That's a very, VERY different matter to prosecuting people who USE those tools for personal use. There appears to be some doubt in the US whether or not using DRM-removal tools is illegal (some legal authorities have voiced the opinion that it constitutes "fair use") but there's not argument by anyone that development and distribution of DRM-removal tools is not illegal. The people who develop such tools are very well aware of that.
I'm afraid that I must, with the greatest respect, disagree with you about this.