Canadian Game Industry Seeks to Jail Pirates, Targets Mod-chips

[PS3 News]

The http://www.theesa.ca/ is calling for tougher copyright laws in the country, including jail time for pirates and the criminalization of mod-chips.

To quote: A bill modeled after the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMCA in the U.S. was introduced in Canada last year but died before it could be passed when the government called an election.

Grassroots resistance to the bill was strong, with critics claiming it was overly restrictive and would leave individual citizens exposed to huge fines. Nonetheless, Parr called for similar legislation to be introduced "as soon as possible."

Among the changes called for by the ESAC is the right for the http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/menu-eng.html - what used to be called Customs - to seize goods they know to be pirated, something they cannot currently do without a court order, as well as stronger penalties, including jail time, for intellectual property crime and the outlawing of mod chips. "In Canada, these [mod chip] devices are not illegal," she said. "They're illegal in virtually every other country."

Edmonton Member of Parliament Mike Lake, whose constituency includes famed developer http://www.bioware.com/, said the government was planning to introduce a new copyright law but wouldn't specify when, saying only, "It should happen in this Parliament."

He added that the bill was a "priority" for the government and said it would benefit not just the game industry but also the music, movie and television industries as well.


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[red8316]

What a joke, what a person does with what they buy is no ones business but their own. So long as their use of the item does not hurt or endanger others. Modding a console to get additional features and benefits is fully within my rights to do so. If that requires me to have a mod-chip, then so be it.

Once I buy the item it becomes my property. If I buy a PS3 and want to get a mod-chip, ... someday ... , to let it give me back rubs, tuck me in bed, tell me how much it loves me, and to play a backup copy of a game I bought in case the original gets lost, damaged, destroyed, or stolen then I should damn well be able to.

Sure, a console "as is" may be awesome, but what if I want some homebrew apps, a lot of them add more functionality than the console came with or would ever have. I can understand the piracy concern to a certain extent, but here in Canada I'm charged a blank media piracy tax of sorts anyway. That almost condones it in a way. But telling people they cannot have a mod chip for fear of what they might do with one is ridiculous.

[Starlight]

Haha..this is a joke forsure, if those clowns haven't any better thing to do then pick on people, like the one guy said up here it is just so they can make money for themselfs and is a farce as he said, they should fix the country's problems and never mind this kind of rubbish..well that was my 2 cents worth but is true.

[Neo Cyrus]

Absolutely disgusting, the economy is a mess headed for a catastrophe and they want to focus on this sort of elitist garbage? Unbelievable.

I'll be darned the day I can't do what I want with MY OWN property. When I pay for a console I'll do whatever the hell I want to it.

Last edited by Neo Cyrus; 04-25-2009 at 06:56 AM.

[BigBlarg]

LOL. It's funny to see people say it's disgusting. Face it! 99.9% Don't give a crap about "additionnal features" and being able to play "legal backups" of their games, to protect them.

No! All they want is be able to play illegal copies!

Ok, it's true, there is some good homebrew. The SMS media player on PS2 was amazing. But the movies I watched with it... they were DiVX... Don't you think that if I had the DVD version, I would watch the DVD instead?

Yes, when I bought a mod chip for my PS2, I admit, it was to play illegal backups. Did I ever feel the need to "backup" my original games? Never, because I don't play freezbe like an idiot with my discs.

[kenshin33]

Funny how the concept of property goes one way. Evebn though you paid for it; When they (garbage association that is) say "it's our property you can't do what you please with it" it works and it's legal, they can fine and put people in jail. And when the end user says "hey it's my property I can do what ever a I pelase with it " he can go to jai and pay fines. What the hell?

In the mean time companies like EBgames and co are bleeding the Een Users and the Dev Companies .. "legally".

as some one said: I smoke tea, I stay awake ... the nightmare continues.

Where are we heading ?

Originally Posted by BigBlarg LOL. It's funny to see people say it's disgusting. Face it! 99.9% Don't give a crap about "additionnal features" and being able to play "legal backups" of their games, to protect them. No! All they want is be able to play illegal copies! Ok, it's true, there is some good homebrew. The SMS media player on PS2 was amazing. But the movies I watched with it... they were DiVX... Don't you think that if I had the DVD version, I would watch the DVD instead? Yes, when I bought a mod chip for my PS2, I admit, it was to play illegal backups. Did I ever feel the need to "backup" my original games? Never, because I don't play freezbe like an idiot with my discs.

No man, I placed a hard drive and a network Adapter to be able to play games/watch movies ithout the over head of putting a disk in it. movies on a central shared drive. and games I'm intrested to play at eh moment on the Hard drive.

Last edited by kenshin33; 04-25-2009 at 04:38 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

[dotISO]

Oh crap i'm going to loose my job (I work at modchip.ca, and my boss was already talking about this )

[Rtrace]

"They're illegal in virtually every other country."
That quote is my favorite, it's bs. Modchips are not virtually illegal everywhere.. in fact I'm pretty sure they are illegal no where. If this where to go into action the Canadian government would become the first country to make this law and I really do not think they want to be known in addition to great Maple Syrup and really hilarious accents with this.

I myself am against modchips, but respect those who have them and make them because it isn't easy. But this is going too far. This is not because I like to pirate..and so you know..I don't...well not counting my M3 for the DS..but that's a different story all together (they need good games)..anyways...tired rants.