08.04.07
Singapore anime downloaders charged
THE 9-year-old was caught illegally downloading Japanese anime online.
Now, the child’s parents have received a letter from Japanese animated cartoons distributor Odex telling them to go the company’s office to discuss the matter, if they don’t want to face legal proceedings. Similar letters were first sent out in May, when the company began cracking down on local Internet users who had been illegally downloading the cartoons.
News on The New Paper
Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge is one of the titles licensed by Odex.
Click here to see the list of titles licensed by Odex.
Click here to see AVPAS authorized titles.
Odex imports popular anime titles, such as Bleach, Inuyasha and D.Gray-man, from Japan.
Since May, the company has found the culprits to be mostly students. The youngest was just 9.
Mr Stephen Sing, one of Odex’s directors, told The New Paper that though they had expected the bulk of illegal downloaders to be students, they didn’t expect them to be so young.
When Odex sent out its first batch of 17 letters, it also posted warnings on anime forums against illegal downloading.
But these were ‘not taken seriously’, Mr Sing said.
He said they began sending out legal letters on a ‘much greater scale’ in June, catching many illegal downloaders by surprise. He declined to reveal the number of letters sent.
It is unclear whether all recipients were penalised, but Odex confirmed that it had taken action against some offenders.
One Sec 3 student, who declined to be named, said he received a letter from Odex in June. He was made to pay more than $3,000 in reimbursement to Odex. His parents had to cough up the amount.
He said: ‘I was shocked that they had been able to track all my downloading activities from as early as March.’
The boy’s father, a 47-year-old businessman, said that though he was shocked by the hefty penalty, he wasn’t surprised.
He said: ‘I think my son has learnt his lesson.
‘However, I think more has to be done to educate parents on these Internet-related issues as well.’
The student added that though he had seen some warning posts on online forums about illegal downloading, he thought it ‘wasn’t that easy’ to be caught.
He said: ‘I heard from friends that if I downloaded anime using a particular peer-to-peer file sharing protocol, it would be difficult to track.’
Peer-to-peer file sharing allows users to download files in small information packets from multiple users, instead of a single source.
MISCONCEPTION
This is a dangerous misconception, Mr Sing said.
He said: ‘There are ways to track downloading activities very easily.’ He declined to elaborate.
In a copy of one letter sent to an illegal downloader obtained by The New Paper, the user was sent a list of files which he had illegally downloaded since March.
Mr Sing said that the company was meeting with each recipient of the warning letters.
Lawyers hired by Odex will determine the penalties, if any, on a case-by-case basis.
‘Most of the Internet account holders are these students’ parents who knew nothing about their children downloading anime. They were shocked,’ he said.
He said that the company is in touch with the anime clubs of various schools and have given them notices to help students be better-informed.
Under the Copyright Act, users found guilty of wilful and significant downloads face fines of up to $20,000 and up to six months in jail.
The Act does not specify what constitutes a significant number of downloads.
Source: The New Paper
This is shocking news, I strongly discourage downloading of licensed animes by Odex, moreover through $ingnet ISP which can be tracked very easily by its user’s unique IP address.
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Brian said,
August 5, 2007 at 1:20 pm
These anime licensors do not fuck around…
cococokie said,
August 5, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Bleach is one of the licensed ones, i’m sure many will wail about it. Darn, never thought this will happen in singapore. First time licensor catching anime downloaders here.
Brian said,
August 5, 2007 at 3:21 pm
I hope they don’t send people to your house…They might do it Claymore style where one will go up the stairs while another will leave behind a bag filled with money to pay for the whole house…
cococokie said,
August 6, 2007 at 5:15 pm
lol…hopefully not.
xaero said,
August 14, 2007 at 11:17 am
OMFG!?!?!?! What in the world (o.0).. damn!
i’m frm sg and i’m lucky not to be one of those ppl -.-
its 2007 and n00bs still use p2p -.- LOL
Brother Rain said,
August 14, 2007 at 11:38 am
Well, looks like another faction is outhere crazy to gain profit……….
Don’t the feel a bit ashamed that the original producer and makers of these anime don’t mind…. or should it put it as don’t care if their anime are put up online and can be dlded……… Naruto and Bleach has been online so long, yet i never heard that
Masashi Kishimoto going rampage around the world cause someone put up his anime or manga on the net…… .
Tanjun-ayatsu, neh??
Singapore’s crackdown on anime p2pers « think it out* said,
August 21, 2007 at 9:13 pm
[...] ISP) to give up names of people involved sharing anime titles which are licensed by them - even a 9-year-old was not exempt (a copy of the letter [...]
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January 19, 2008 at 6:01 pm
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mizuki amuru said,
January 24, 2008 at 10:07 pm
isnt it easier to just watch it on anime viewing sites?
mizuki amuru said,
January 24, 2008 at 10:10 pm
rather than downloading them or buy them instead of being cheap skates? obviously not including the nine year old. if they want it that much cant they just ask their parents or what ever? jeez -_-;