Student Arrested for Modifying Consoles

[exfileme]

A Southern California college student was arrested for running a console-modifying business from his home.

Student Arrested for Modifying Consoles : Read more

 

[ColMirage]

Ouch, ten years...

 

[omnimodis78]

All these corporations have been ripping us off for a long, long time - and a guy goes and runs a business where he uses his skills and talent to earn some cash and lo and behold he is shoulder deep in shit now! Go figure... We will never, ever win against these greedy bastards because they write their own laws to screw us over day in and day out!

 

[Blessedman]

Doesn't make a lot of sense... Maybe I am just confused about what they are actually jailing him for. I can't modify something I own? It's not like he was violating copyright laws, he was just allowing someone else to.

 

[twisted politiks]

i didnt think it was illegal to modify your console, just to actually download, burn, and play the illegal games...

 

[adamovera]

[citation][nom]Blessedman[/nom]Doesn't make a lot of sense... Maybe I am just confused about what they are actually jailing him for. I can't modify something I own? It's not like he was violating copyright laws, he was just allowing someone else to.[/citation]

Yeah, unless they found a bunch of pirated games/movies/music (which I'm sure they did), what law was broken? And WTF does Homeland Security have to do with enforcing the DCMA, or I.C.E. for that matter? Was he exporting them?

Nevermind, look here.

IMHO, getting the government to enforce DRM is BS. I suggest you all call your representatives and tell them to tell corps. to hire their own PIs and sue, IN CIVIL court!

 

[jivdis1x]

I think the news story left some important facts out. How can modified any thing against the law?

 

[gekko668]

Didn't you guy catch the "Entertainment Software Association" or something similar to RIAA and MPAA.

 

[lifelesspoet]

[citation][nom]adamovera[/nom] And WTF does Homeland Security have to do with enforcing the DCMA, or I.C.E. for that matter? Was he exporting them?Nevermind, look here.IMHO, getting the government to enforce DRM is BS.[/citation]
In 2003, several independent us government services have been rolled into homeland security, which wasn't on of the intended original goals. Examples like, fema, INS, coast guard and secret service, seemingly with diminished quality of service have been commonly reported.

 

[adamovera]

Unbelievable, if you want to modify something that you've already paid for, you've voided the warranty, but to make it a crime! WTF?

 

[ethaniel]

The problem is, he was doing it for profit. You can do your own modifications to your own console, but if you start to "offer your services", that's a different story. The "Keep a low profile" is a must.

 

[redkachina]

such a BS, if user wants to modified their consoles just let them be..

 

[adamovera]

[citation][nom]ethaniel[/nom]The problem is, he was doing it for profit. You can do your own modifications to your own console, but if you start to "offer your services", that's a different story. The "Keep a low profile" is a must.[/citation]

Ahh, that makes sense But still, ICE? Isn't that more in the purview of the FTC, the IRS, or the local Sheriff via state or local tax collector's office? Seems like overkill, like sending the FBI after someone who is adding an extra room onto their house without a permit.

 

[viometrix]

you know with all this big brother peaking in ourlive, our fucked up government seems to forget, for all the military, cops etc etc, general citizens sick of all this horsecrap outnumber them 500 to 1.... i saw we rise up, dispose of them all...and make a true government that is for the people by the people.... not our government today that wears that mask but really works for the big companies

 

[krashnicki]

Really? Does Homeland security have nothing better to do then arrest this guy for modifying game consoles. If they have this much free time the government should be closing/downsizing the department of Homeland security and saving the public millions if not billions of dollars every year. I don't see how this guy is threatening the nations security. This is a waste of tax payers money. WTF!

 

[livefree]

The Department of Homeland Security arrested him at his home for modifying gaming consoles? What a bunch of Nazis...I mean seriously, what's next?

 

[eddieroolz]

What the government should be doing is removing the stupid restrictions the entertainment industry put in so we can't watch/play/enjoy things from overseas or different "Regions".

MPAA, RIAA. I'm looking at you.

 

[stumpystumped]

the whole law system is cripped, it assumes everyone understands the law to start with. what kind of assumption is that? it's like assuming Amazon carries millions of books so everyone in the world should know all the materials in there.

 

[scryer_360]

The problem is he was profiting from the game consoles. MS hasn't authorized ANYONE to modify the console, just sell it or program for it.

MS can't legally prevent him from modifying the hardware of the machine, but its the SOFTWARE on the machine that they can prevent him from modifying. By adding new hardware and placing the OS on a machine that wasn't in the original spec, MS can say he modified the OS. Hence, jail time.

 

[cruiseoveride]

Time for that vacation in Mexico