US government ups the fines on DVD piracy, makes FBI/Homeland Security DVD pirating warnings unskippable

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US government ups the fines on DVD piracy, makes FBI/Homeland Security DVD pirating warnings unskippable

For decades, everyone in the US has gotten used to the big, nasty FBI warnings at the beginning of VHS tapes and DVDs about the consequences of pirating movies or unlicensed playback. Just recently, these warnings were changed, adding a Homeland Security badge, upping the fine to $250,000 and oh yeah… those warning screens are now unskippable.

Only MPAA members are licensed to use these government logos, because other studios are apparently not entitled to a share of whatever imaginary protection the DHS is extending here.

Here’s ThreatLevel’s David Kravets:

That screen, like the others, presumably will be made unskippable during viewing. The warning says, “Piracy is not a victimless crime. For more information on how digital theft harms the economy, please visit www.iprcenter.gov.” The center’s logo is tough, too, with a hawk clenching a banner that reads “Protection Is Our Trademark”.

Via