June 10, 2010 at 14:36Akopov noted in Contact
Alexander Akopov, who intends to judge criminals on VKontakte, today gave comments to the internal journal of the social network. Before that, in an interview with Russia-24, he said that he intends to restore order throughout the Runet. Akopov left his comments directly under the article of Tsyplukhin, who clarified the situation to schoolchildren.
Apparently, VKontakte representatives will be forced to respond to this parish.
* * * * *
Hello, dear VKontakte Network User! My name is Alexander Akopov. It's time to chat ...
Everyone who believes that this story is conceived in order to use the Vkontakte network to draw attention to the problem of so-called “piracy” is absolutely right. We call it not piracy, but theft, because "real" pirates (those who are in children's books and movies), somewhere even noble and certainly funny people.
I am writing here because the editorial office of VKurse has contacted me for comments regarding my statements, for which I am very grateful to the editorial board. Therefore, I will first make a copy-paste regarding the questions sent to me, and then I will try to answer them in detail.
First of all, I have to slightly correct the media reports that appeared on this topic, because, unfortunately, our colleagues from the information services who were present at the meeting accurately reproduced the MOOD of the meeting that took place at AFK Sistema last week, but not its CONTENT.
This was a meeting of representatives of Russian film companies, state and public organizations, IT specialists and lawyers. This meeting was called VORU.NET, and was dedicated to the coordination of joint actions to eliminate theft of content on the Internet.
I want to emphasize that in this case we are no longer talking about charity, political speculation and other chatter that accompanied the problem in recent years, but that the problem needs to be resolved completely (the terms were different, I belong to the group that believes the problem will be resolved in 1.5-2 years, some colleagues believe that it will take up to 4 years).
Let me first answer the question "why now"? The question is perfectly fair, which can clarify a lot. Indeed, the fight against illegal content throughout the world was rather sluggish and for many it would seem that the status quo of the first years of the Internet’s existence would last forever. Why is it now that the world film industry has announced this phenomenon “the last and decisive battle”? There are two reasons.
Until recent years, there have indeed been few FREE LEGAL PROFESSIONAL content on the Internet. The reasons can be discussed, of course, this is also the fault of the film industry. Our industry is distinguished by extreme conservatism and even the death of the neighboring - music - industry was perceived by filmmakers and television people as "someone else's misfortune" and did not lead to vigorous action in its defense.
Everything began to change less than two years ago when NBC Universal, Fox, and then Disney ABC (the three largest television networks and the three largest film companies) supported the Hulu.com project, which offered viewers on the Internet free films and TV shows of these American companies. The instant rise in popularity of Hulu.com convinced everyone that the free (ad-funded) lifestyle model of licensed professional content can live. For a year and a half, there appeared models for placing films and TV shows on the network, which suited both viewers, and moviegoers, and television people. New terms and legal constructions have appeared (for example, catch-up rights, that is, a free display on the Internet immediately after the premiere on television).
Netflix took off during the same years, which provides access to the latest movies right after the end of the distribution, in parallel with the DVD release or immediately after it - this is a paid service, but the cost of the show (called rent) is lower than the price of a movie ticket. You can also download the full movie - for the price of a DVD.
And we have? Would you like to have all these services at your place tomorrow?
So - the first part of the task in Russia has already been solved, which, I hope, you already know. In recent months, in our country, FREE services have been launched that work with LEGAL PROFESSIONAL content. There are FOUR (!!!) of them - firstly, of course, Tvigle.ru is the pioneer of legal video content in our country, and then, in the order of appearance, Ivi.ru, Tvzavr.ru, and Zoomby.ru. Further - in recent years, all Russian television channels (and these are the owners of most of the content) have acquired official sites on which a significant part of their products are posted. Moreover, a completely official Internet cinema was opened by the Mosfilm film studio, which, it would seem, was written to be extremely conservative in kind. It is paid, but there is collected the best that has been done by domestic cinema for decades. According to Zhvanetsky - it seems that we, "chronically lagging behind,"
What is left? Yes, so far none of these services have new American TV shows and new American cinema. It, of course, will appear. In a year - if we eradicate theft in a year. Ten years from now - if we eradicate theft in ten years.
And why do we need to eradicate theft if everything is already working? The sad answer is that all of these organizations, launched with free content, all Russian studios and channels that provided content for them, do it LOSSY today because the same content is available on illegal sites. These projects can live only through advertising, and advertising appears only with appropriate attendance, and where to get visitors if everyone has already seen everything on thieves resources? Add - out of habit (not out of malice)!
So, the first reason why our industry went into the “last and decisive battle” was that we fulfilled, albeit belatedly, the desire of the public to create platforms for free professional content on the Internet.
And the second reason is Google TV and similar systems, which were announced literally in recent weeks and which will be distributed in millions of copies in the next year or two. They are cheap and they will allow even your grandmother to easily output video from the Internet to the screen of a large TV in your living room. Google TV and the ability to watch videos from the Internet on a large screen is a great invention that certainly opens up great opportunities for both viewers and industry. But if you do not eliminate the sources of stolen content, this is already a “direct and obvious threat” to the legal construction of the information space. While there was a struggle for computer screens, the film industry and television were, frankly, relatively calm. There were relatively few computers, the channels a couple of years ago were mostly narrow, the video went badly and poorly. But suddenly, in just a couple of years, it turned out that there were almost 45 million computers and fast Internet channels in our country !!! Filmmakers and television people all over the world suddenly realized that the struggle went for the “most sacred” thing - television in the living room.
The Internet in its current form (call me a conservative), with its very specific ideas about “freedom,” seriously worries people who are responsible, for example, in raising their children. The “freedom” of the spread of porn, obscene language, violence, extremism cannot come to the big family screen. (Just don’t butt me on the fact that today on TV and so on over the edge of violence and low-level community - firstly, I really do not like it, and secondly, these are "flowers" compared to what is happening on the Internet). And although many people do not like philosophy or history, considering them boring sciences, it is these sciences that give the key to a simple and obvious forecast: there will be no “absolute” freedom on the Internet, simply because it does not exist, never was, and never will be in human society . She was awhile until no one understood until the end, What is the Internet. The fashionable “cyber-libertarian” views that the Internet supposedly “finally” will provide mankind with absolute freedom is nonsense that is spread by people who did not study well at school. And those who studied well know how to "see the future." Here are a few quotes from one person who studied well:
"… пользователи получают огромные потоки информации, которая не всегда является правдивой". "… самые идиотские призывы могут мгновенно набрать популярность" "… коммуникационные инструменты не всегда следуют ценностям демократического общества". "… информация перестает быть средством обеспечения прав и свобод граждан. Все это наносит вред как стране в целом, так и отдельным людям". То, что стесняются говорить многие, опасаясь, как бы их не обвинили в зажиме демократии, озвучил президент страны, которая хотела бы считать себя «самой свободной», Барак Обама, 10 мая 2010 года.
Я думаю, что ответ на вопрос «почему сейчас?» уже многое объясняет.
Our, Russian film companies will announce their strategy in early fall. Participating in the action will be member companies of the Association of Film and Television Producers, television channels, as well as any other organizations that they consider necessary. I will not reveal great secrets, the sequence is presented as follows:
Russian film companies will send an open letter to all Internet users with a request not to post in Internet services accessible to an unlimited circle of people video, music, literature, photo content, rights to which are not granted to you in an explicit (written) form. (When you buy a DVD or watch a legal site, these rights are granted to you for private viewing - this is written in small letters on each disk and each legal site). We will warn you that when you are offered to post content somewhere "at your own peril and risk", when sites claim that they are "not responsible" for the content you post, it may be a trap, this may push you to violate the law, for which you will answer personally, and not just the owners or operators of the site. If you are not sure that you have the rights to host such content, it’s better not to download, do not forward such content to storage facilities where they can become publicly available. The same goes for downloading and streaming content. We will try to explain everything as detailed as possible.
Further, we will post in the press a list of sites on which illegal content has been spotted. Of course, (in response to questions 4 and 5), the list may include the CONTACT site, YouTube, and any other well-known sites where illegal content will be noticed (and documented). We will offer them to remove illegal content from their sites. But the matter is not only in prohibitions. We can offer sites to switch to completely legal models of work, for example, by placing players on legal video content sites. We will, of course, be open to discussing any such models. In this case, users may not notice anything at all - just at one point illegal content will change to legal.
Understanding that this can take a lot of time, we will provide this time to the relevant sites. It seems that a few months will be enough to understand that legal issues have been resolved, technical issues may take longer.
We very much hope that the owners and managers of the largest sites will come together somewhere and agree with each other to switch to a legal model. This would be the greatest evidence of a just world order for millions of people. This could be called a civil feat. In fact, I don’t think that, for example, the VKontakte network was created in order to post the stolen video - the download and viewing functionality was just implemented, and then it turned out “as always”. And even more so, I don’t think that the network’s audience will scatter if it contains only links to legal videos.
We all hope that this will end and that the issue will be settled by the world.
But if it does not succeed, then we will distribute the claims filing between 20 companies, for example, to the 20 largest remaining thieves' sites, without distinction of names and origin. And win them. Today, the legislative framework is ready for this, and judicial practice is being tightened. And most importantly, the Law is on our side. And now he is on our side, because the logic of History has come to this.
And hereinafter - if one of the site owners continues to persist, that the stolen video on their site is posted by the users themselves ... (to be honest, if they continue to SUBSTITUT you), and the user will insist that he does not know either about what rights, he’s like “for freedom” and so on, lawsuits will be filed against such SILENT private individuals. But YOU personally will not do this?
By then you will have a bunch of legal videos on legal sites - why do you personally need these adventures?
You will have a lot of content for free and without advertising - many television shows, concerts, music videos, popular science and entertainment programs will be available on this model. There is always a place for the production of independent studios, young authors who are just starting their career.
Most of the content will be available by advertising model. This is the majority of Russian and foreign series, films older than 6-12 months from the date of release. But after all, advertising on the Internet interferes much less than on TV? Who is hindered by the fact that the whole great Google actually lives only from advertising?
And, of course, there will be paid content - this is the freshest Russian and foreign cinema, some kind of foreign series, for example, you sat down, you want to watch them on the day they were first shown in the USA. And now it will not be possible to steal and lay out somewhere for free. It will be necessary in an adult to wait a few weeks until the rights for a free show are opened. This is the most difficult thing that shines for you in the new model of life. Can't stand it? Or find a way to earn a hundred rubles and look for the money?
And finally, about the "30 million criminals." Thank you for calling it hyperbole - just like you taught at school in literature classes. In response, I confess the Internet language, it was the trolling that caused the flame. This is just a call for responsible behavior. This is a call not to joke with the article of the Criminal Code, which promises up to 6 years.
But if you call me copyrights, I will strongly object. For as it is said in your Internet encyclopedia Lukomroye (by the way, a stunningly talented example of modern Russian literature, albeit hooligan), copywriting is a person who ABUSE copyright. I myself hate them, on occasion I’m ready to tell several stories. We do not abuse, I hope. Just insist on your and your rights. And you do not abuse. The Internet often forces us to use evil, and we will try to use good.
I really want to see the country - in order, and you happy.
And please study well. I’m talking about this because I understand that you, dear Network User Vkontakte, are under 18 years old. Otherwise, you would know everything that I am talking about.
Yours, Alexander Akopov
* * * * *
Runet waiting for a major change?
Apparently, VKontakte representatives will be forced to respond to this parish.
* * * * *
Hello, dear VKontakte Network User! My name is Alexander Akopov. It's time to chat ...
Everyone who believes that this story is conceived in order to use the Vkontakte network to draw attention to the problem of so-called “piracy” is absolutely right. We call it not piracy, but theft, because "real" pirates (those who are in children's books and movies), somewhere even noble and certainly funny people.
I am writing here because the editorial office of VKurse has contacted me for comments regarding my statements, for which I am very grateful to the editorial board. Therefore, I will first make a copy-paste regarding the questions sent to me, and then I will try to answer them in detail.
First of all, I have to slightly correct the media reports that appeared on this topic, because, unfortunately, our colleagues from the information services who were present at the meeting accurately reproduced the MOOD of the meeting that took place at AFK Sistema last week, but not its CONTENT.
This was a meeting of representatives of Russian film companies, state and public organizations, IT specialists and lawyers. This meeting was called VORU.NET, and was dedicated to the coordination of joint actions to eliminate theft of content on the Internet.
I want to emphasize that in this case we are no longer talking about charity, political speculation and other chatter that accompanied the problem in recent years, but that the problem needs to be resolved completely (the terms were different, I belong to the group that believes the problem will be resolved in 1.5-2 years, some colleagues believe that it will take up to 4 years).
Let me first answer the question "why now"? The question is perfectly fair, which can clarify a lot. Indeed, the fight against illegal content throughout the world was rather sluggish and for many it would seem that the status quo of the first years of the Internet’s existence would last forever. Why is it now that the world film industry has announced this phenomenon “the last and decisive battle”? There are two reasons.
First
Until recent years, there have indeed been few FREE LEGAL PROFESSIONAL content on the Internet. The reasons can be discussed, of course, this is also the fault of the film industry. Our industry is distinguished by extreme conservatism and even the death of the neighboring - music - industry was perceived by filmmakers and television people as "someone else's misfortune" and did not lead to vigorous action in its defense.
Everything began to change less than two years ago when NBC Universal, Fox, and then Disney ABC (the three largest television networks and the three largest film companies) supported the Hulu.com project, which offered viewers on the Internet free films and TV shows of these American companies. The instant rise in popularity of Hulu.com convinced everyone that the free (ad-funded) lifestyle model of licensed professional content can live. For a year and a half, there appeared models for placing films and TV shows on the network, which suited both viewers, and moviegoers, and television people. New terms and legal constructions have appeared (for example, catch-up rights, that is, a free display on the Internet immediately after the premiere on television).
Netflix took off during the same years, which provides access to the latest movies right after the end of the distribution, in parallel with the DVD release or immediately after it - this is a paid service, but the cost of the show (called rent) is lower than the price of a movie ticket. You can also download the full movie - for the price of a DVD.
All this already works - in the USA
And we have? Would you like to have all these services at your place tomorrow?
So - the first part of the task in Russia has already been solved, which, I hope, you already know. In recent months, in our country, FREE services have been launched that work with LEGAL PROFESSIONAL content. There are FOUR (!!!) of them - firstly, of course, Tvigle.ru is the pioneer of legal video content in our country, and then, in the order of appearance, Ivi.ru, Tvzavr.ru, and Zoomby.ru. Further - in recent years, all Russian television channels (and these are the owners of most of the content) have acquired official sites on which a significant part of their products are posted. Moreover, a completely official Internet cinema was opened by the Mosfilm film studio, which, it would seem, was written to be extremely conservative in kind. It is paid, but there is collected the best that has been done by domestic cinema for decades. According to Zhvanetsky - it seems that we, "chronically lagging behind,"
What is left? Yes, so far none of these services have new American TV shows and new American cinema. It, of course, will appear. In a year - if we eradicate theft in a year. Ten years from now - if we eradicate theft in ten years.
And why do we need to eradicate theft if everything is already working? The sad answer is that all of these organizations, launched with free content, all Russian studios and channels that provided content for them, do it LOSSY today because the same content is available on illegal sites. These projects can live only through advertising, and advertising appears only with appropriate attendance, and where to get visitors if everyone has already seen everything on thieves resources? Add - out of habit (not out of malice)!
So, the first reason why our industry went into the “last and decisive battle” was that we fulfilled, albeit belatedly, the desire of the public to create platforms for free professional content on the Internet.
And the second reason is Google TV and similar systems, which were announced literally in recent weeks and which will be distributed in millions of copies in the next year or two. They are cheap and they will allow even your grandmother to easily output video from the Internet to the screen of a large TV in your living room. Google TV and the ability to watch videos from the Internet on a large screen is a great invention that certainly opens up great opportunities for both viewers and industry. But if you do not eliminate the sources of stolen content, this is already a “direct and obvious threat” to the legal construction of the information space. While there was a struggle for computer screens, the film industry and television were, frankly, relatively calm. There were relatively few computers, the channels a couple of years ago were mostly narrow, the video went badly and poorly. But suddenly, in just a couple of years, it turned out that there were almost 45 million computers and fast Internet channels in our country !!! Filmmakers and television people all over the world suddenly realized that the struggle went for the “most sacred” thing - television in the living room.
But not only TV people understand this
The Internet in its current form (call me a conservative), with its very specific ideas about “freedom,” seriously worries people who are responsible, for example, in raising their children. The “freedom” of the spread of porn, obscene language, violence, extremism cannot come to the big family screen. (Just don’t butt me on the fact that today on TV and so on over the edge of violence and low-level community - firstly, I really do not like it, and secondly, these are "flowers" compared to what is happening on the Internet). And although many people do not like philosophy or history, considering them boring sciences, it is these sciences that give the key to a simple and obvious forecast: there will be no “absolute” freedom on the Internet, simply because it does not exist, never was, and never will be in human society . She was awhile until no one understood until the end, What is the Internet. The fashionable “cyber-libertarian” views that the Internet supposedly “finally” will provide mankind with absolute freedom is nonsense that is spread by people who did not study well at school. And those who studied well know how to "see the future." Here are a few quotes from one person who studied well:
"… пользователи получают огромные потоки информации, которая не всегда является правдивой". "… самые идиотские призывы могут мгновенно набрать популярность" "… коммуникационные инструменты не всегда следуют ценностям демократического общества". "… информация перестает быть средством обеспечения прав и свобод граждан. Все это наносит вред как стране в целом, так и отдельным людям". То, что стесняются говорить многие, опасаясь, как бы их не обвинили в зажиме демократии, озвучил президент страны, которая хотела бы считать себя «самой свободной», Барак Обама, 10 мая 2010 года.
Я думаю, что ответ на вопрос «почему сейчас?» уже многое объясняет.
Теперь о частностях
Our, Russian film companies will announce their strategy in early fall. Participating in the action will be member companies of the Association of Film and Television Producers, television channels, as well as any other organizations that they consider necessary. I will not reveal great secrets, the sequence is presented as follows:
Russian film companies will send an open letter to all Internet users with a request not to post in Internet services accessible to an unlimited circle of people video, music, literature, photo content, rights to which are not granted to you in an explicit (written) form. (When you buy a DVD or watch a legal site, these rights are granted to you for private viewing - this is written in small letters on each disk and each legal site). We will warn you that when you are offered to post content somewhere "at your own peril and risk", when sites claim that they are "not responsible" for the content you post, it may be a trap, this may push you to violate the law, for which you will answer personally, and not just the owners or operators of the site. If you are not sure that you have the rights to host such content, it’s better not to download, do not forward such content to storage facilities where they can become publicly available. The same goes for downloading and streaming content. We will try to explain everything as detailed as possible.
Further, we will post in the press a list of sites on which illegal content has been spotted. Of course, (in response to questions 4 and 5), the list may include the CONTACT site, YouTube, and any other well-known sites where illegal content will be noticed (and documented). We will offer them to remove illegal content from their sites. But the matter is not only in prohibitions. We can offer sites to switch to completely legal models of work, for example, by placing players on legal video content sites. We will, of course, be open to discussing any such models. In this case, users may not notice anything at all - just at one point illegal content will change to legal.
Understanding that this can take a lot of time, we will provide this time to the relevant sites. It seems that a few months will be enough to understand that legal issues have been resolved, technical issues may take longer.
We very much hope that the owners and managers of the largest sites will come together somewhere and agree with each other to switch to a legal model. This would be the greatest evidence of a just world order for millions of people. This could be called a civil feat. In fact, I don’t think that, for example, the VKontakte network was created in order to post the stolen video - the download and viewing functionality was just implemented, and then it turned out “as always”. And even more so, I don’t think that the network’s audience will scatter if it contains only links to legal videos.
We all hope that this will end and that the issue will be settled by the world.
But if it does not succeed, then we will distribute the claims filing between 20 companies, for example, to the 20 largest remaining thieves' sites, without distinction of names and origin. And win them. Today, the legislative framework is ready for this, and judicial practice is being tightened. And most importantly, the Law is on our side. And now he is on our side, because the logic of History has come to this.
And hereinafter - if one of the site owners continues to persist, that the stolen video on their site is posted by the users themselves ... (to be honest, if they continue to SUBSTITUT you), and the user will insist that he does not know either about what rights, he’s like “for freedom” and so on, lawsuits will be filed against such SILENT private individuals. But YOU personally will not do this?
By then you will have a bunch of legal videos on legal sites - why do you personally need these adventures?
You will have a lot of content for free and without advertising - many television shows, concerts, music videos, popular science and entertainment programs will be available on this model. There is always a place for the production of independent studios, young authors who are just starting their career.
Most of the content will be available by advertising model. This is the majority of Russian and foreign series, films older than 6-12 months from the date of release. But after all, advertising on the Internet interferes much less than on TV? Who is hindered by the fact that the whole great Google actually lives only from advertising?
And, of course, there will be paid content - this is the freshest Russian and foreign cinema, some kind of foreign series, for example, you sat down, you want to watch them on the day they were first shown in the USA. And now it will not be possible to steal and lay out somewhere for free. It will be necessary in an adult to wait a few weeks until the rights for a free show are opened. This is the most difficult thing that shines for you in the new model of life. Can't stand it? Or find a way to earn a hundred rubles and look for the money?
And finally, about the "30 million criminals." Thank you for calling it hyperbole - just like you taught at school in literature classes. In response, I confess the Internet language, it was the trolling that caused the flame. This is just a call for responsible behavior. This is a call not to joke with the article of the Criminal Code, which promises up to 6 years.
But if you call me copyrights, I will strongly object. For as it is said in your Internet encyclopedia Lukomroye (by the way, a stunningly talented example of modern Russian literature, albeit hooligan), copywriting is a person who ABUSE copyright. I myself hate them, on occasion I’m ready to tell several stories. We do not abuse, I hope. Just insist on your and your rights. And you do not abuse. The Internet often forces us to use evil, and we will try to use good.
I really want to see the country - in order, and you happy.
And please study well. I’m talking about this because I understand that you, dear Network User Vkontakte, are under 18 years old. Otherwise, you would know everything that I am talking about.
Yours, Alexander Akopov
* * * * *
Runet waiting for a major change?