How 1996 is this? C|Net News reports that the MPAA is suing an American company for selling, via the Internet, allegedly pirated DVDs acquired from a Malaysian liquidator (MPAA sues online DVD seller). This is newsworthy, why?
The complaint is the first to target a U.S.-based retailer for importing pirated works and selling them online, according to the MPAA.
This, of course, is hugely different from a U.S.-based retailer importing pirated works and selling them in swapmeets. It actually involves the Internet in some peripheral way!
Actually, though, we can thank this article for providing this wonderful quote from David Corwin, senior counsel at the MPAA:
It's certainly an Internet issue because of the fact that he [the American retailer] could sell these products to anyone worldwide online. It suggests the viral nature of the Internet.
This makes sense. An American company imports pirated DVDs from Malaysia, so they can sell them worldwide! Perhaps even back to Malaysia, or Hong Kong, or Mexico or something. Who knows what country this viral Internet will infect next?