Multiple Android piracy sites seized by US law enforcement

[Shawn Knight]

A number of Android-based piracy websites have reportedly been seized as part of a joint venture involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice, multiple US attorneys’ offices as well as Dutch and French law enforcement officials. A statement released by the DOJ notes that this is the first time that domains involving mobile phone app marketplaces have been seized.

Domains now in the custody of the federal government include appplanet.net, appbucket.net and snappzmarket.com. Users visiting these destinations are now shown a seizure banner that indicates what has happened and further reminding visitors that willful copyright infringement is a federal crime with stiff penalties for those found guilty.

“Software apps have become an increasingly essential part of our nation’s economy and creative culture, and the Criminal Division is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect the creators of these apps and other forms of intellectual property from those who seek to steal it,” said Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the DOJ’s Criminal Division.

Authorities were able to download thousands of copies of popular mobile apps during the investigation. The notice highlights the fact that servers storing apps sold through third party marketplaces were often hosted in other countries. In these situations, officials worked with international partners to obtain evidence stored on the servers. In the US alone, nine search warrants were issued across six different districts as part of the operation.

This of course is good news for developers as each pirated copy of an app they created is money out of their pocket. These extra funds could potentially be rolled back into the same project and result in a more innovative product for the end-user.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/49885-multiple-android-piracy-sites-seized-by-us-law-enforcement.html

 

[foreverzero89]

This of course is good news for developers as each pirated copy of an app they created is money out of their pocket.

no, it's not. it's money they would have never gotten in the first place, that and they never had the money, so it can't be "out of their pocket".

lets get this straight: piracy is not theft as there is no loss. heres a great example: piracy is where you see a car you like and make an exact copy; theft is where you go up to a car, smash the window and drive off with it.

 

[Zoltan Head]

lets get this straight: piracy is not theft as there is no loss. heres a great example: piracy is where you see a car you like and make an exact copy; theft is where you go up to a car, smash the window and drive off with it.

What a penetrating insight, never seen that POV in these pages before, eh?
Of course piracy is equivalent to theft, the only difference from TWOCing is that the rightful owner loses out indirectly rather than directly.

 

[Guest]

@foreverzero89 I totally agree! If you want to take a look at my app and then sit down for eight straight months of full-time work writing the code to make an exact copy of it, then that wouldn't be stealing. It would be copyright infringement, but it wouldn't be piracy.

This is how it works. The cost of producing an app is high. My app cost about $200k in development an production costs. I don't charge $200k plus for my app because I can spread the cost over the number of users. It's a huge gamble for me. You get $200k worth of work for almost nothing. When you make an 'exact copy' of my app, you're not taking money out of my pocket, you're keeping me in debt and negatively affecting my ability to produce more apps that you might like.

So yes, you are hurting people by pirating software and yes, it is theft.

 

[lchu12]

This of course is good news for developers as each pirated copy of an app they created is money out of their pocket.

no, it's not. it's money they would have never gotten in the first place, that and they never had the money, so it can't be "out of their pocket".

lets get this straight: piracy is not theft as there is no loss. heres a great example: piracy is where you see a car you like and make an exact copy; theft is where you go up to a car, smash the window and drive off with it.

Yes this +10000000!!!
I wouldn't have bought the apps anyways so how the **** are they losing money?

Just because you wouldn't buy them, it does not mean you should be able to download it for free and use them.

 

[yorro]

This of course is good news for developers as each pirated copy of an app they created is money out of their pocket.

no, it's not. it's money they would have never gotten in the first place, that and they never had the money, so it can't be "out of their pocket".

lets get this straight: piracy is not theft as there is no loss. heres a great example: piracy is where you see a car you like and make an exact copy; theft is where you go up to a car, smash the window and drive off with it.

I knew some people who pirate Android apps, but whenever they couldn't get a hold of one, they buy.

They are forced to buy.

 

[Guest]

its the fundamental flaw of all software it can be easily replicated. so much so that there is little to no cost put into creating replica's. as far as manufacturing principles are concerned, as you mass produce a product is value goes down. since we can mass produce software copies the prices should go down rapidly as a case of principle.

thus current pricing practices make software carry an artificial worth, when based on that manufacturing principle.

 

[Tygerstrike]

Once again those that do steal will justify their theft. It is so tiresome. I can't believe these ppl. It is theft. Just because they wouldn't pay for the app they pirate doesn't mean the developer won't lose money. It really does boil down to the hard work and time that the developers put into it. Then again until the thieves have to deal with theft in thief own lives, they won't change. I truly hope that karma comes back and slaps the piss out of them. Maybe a taste of what they do to others will help their perspective. Possibly having their life and livelihood screwed up because someone has the same loose morals as they show.
Food for thought for all the pirates. You do realize that your phone information was sent to the servers that have been seized. Enjoy the ride. You've earned it. Those EAU are a pain. Also all they have to do is match your IMEI with any of the carriers and they know exactly who you are and where you live. You may have rooted your phone but you can't change the core information that hooks you up to the towers.

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

Well said, Tyger. @foreverzero and Marin. Here's a couple thought experiments for you. If you go through a red light in the middle of the night and no one sees you, is it breaking the law? Yes, of course. If you take $5 from someone who won $100 million in the lottery, is it still stealing if they never notice? Of course.

Stealing is taking something of value that doesn't belong to you without paying for it. It doesn't matter if no one notices, no one sees, everyone else is doing it, or if the product you stole can be copied over and over again.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and just blame your parents for you not understanding this.

 

[Guest]

When you make an 'exact copy' of my app, you're not taking money out of my pocket, you're keeping me in debt and negatively affecting my ability to produce more apps that you might like.
So yes, you are hurting people by pirating software and yes, it is theft.

In the vast majority of cases this is simply not the truth. Studies have shown that over 96% of software of which a copy of had been acquired without paying the author ("pirated") would never have been purchased regardless.

The loss of piracy is typically a detriment to the author who loses out on a very substantial amount of highly potent free advertising. The loss in "word of mouth" advertising will no where near be offset by the "pirates who would otherwise purchase".

Since the manufacturing (copy) cost is near nil, in most situations the customer should decide its worth. If this doesn't provide enough income to the author to continue the application then the market has spoken.

 

[Guest]

"Stealing"... "Law". These are mere concepts clung to by the narrow-mind seeking to hold the unholdable, keep the unkeepable, and live forever when they will surely die.

We don't even own ourselves so how can we pretend to own any thing and not expect the nonsense and suffering we see before us as a result.

The wise avoid such folly and instead rely on the ongoing recognition of our true nature.

 

[Zoltan Head]

Studies have shown that over 96% of software of which a copy of had been acquired without paying the author ("pirated") would never have been purchased regardless.

What studies?

"Stealing"... "Law". These are mere concepts clung to by the narrow-mind seeking to hold the unholdable, keep the unkeepable, and live forever when they will surely die. We don't even own ourselves so how can we pretend to own any thing and not expect the nonsense and suffering we see before us as a result. The wise avoid such folly and instead rely on the ongoing recognition of our true nature.

Deep & Meaningless!

 

[Guest]

Deep & Meaningless!

describes the claim that "[FONT=sans-serif]losses from software piracy in 2009 have exceeded $51 billion" - BSA Piracy Study[/FONT]

[FONT=sans-serif]The institution of American Law is a for-profit enterprise that feeds off of "soft" crime (software piracy, marijuana etc.) by grossly exaggerating the moral, physical, and financial consequences and fills its privatized jails with harmless people. Meanwhile the American Military enterprise exports WAR Inc. The US Government has been reduced to a lobby group for the "haves" (banks, military, law, health, energy). The US middle class is in serious decline.[/FONT]

[FONT=sans-serif]Wake up time.[/FONT]

 

[TomSEA]

"Studies have shown that over 96% of software of which a copy of had been acquired without paying the author ("pirated") would never have been purchased regardless.

The loss of piracy is typically a detriment to the author who loses out on a very substantial amount of highly potent free advertising. The loss in "word of mouth" advertising will no where near be offset by the "pirates who would otherwise purchase".

Since the manufacturing (copy) cost is near nil, in most situations the customer should decide its worth. If this doesn't provide enough income to the author to continue the application then the market has spoken."

I have never read a bigger load of crap in my life. So stealing is doing the publisher a "favor" because it is actually advertising. And how about some links proving your claim that "96% of stolen software was never going to be purchased anyway." Exactly how do you PROVE that?

Just insane - I can't believe people actually think this is a valid argument to steal.

 

[DocGamin]

Tyger you unfortunately are out of the loop when you think that a person with any tech savy would use their phone to download a "pirated" app. Most would traditionally use an IP blocking software to download the app to their pc and then upload the app to the phone from the usb port. Your concept of stealing is slightly off base. If I purchased an item do I not own the right to use the item as I see fit? If so then I have the right to share my item with my friend/s. If you can tell me that you never made a copy of a song you liked and shared it with a friend I will call you a liar. If you admit to it then you are a self-indulgent "pirate" in the eyes of the law. The only reason digital sharing is illegal is because it can be done so freely. When I was a kid and dubbed a copy of my favorite tape for my friends I was considered a good friend for sharing. When sharing went digital greed kicked in before that sharing was a way to better market a product.

 

[Zoltan Head]

[FONT=sans-serif]The institution of American Law is a for-profit enterprise that feeds off of "soft" crime (software piracy, marijuana etc.) by grossly exaggerating the moral, physical, and financial consequences and fills its privatized jails with harmless people. Meanwhile the American Military enterprise exports WAR Inc. The US Government has been reduced to a lobby group for the "haves" (banks, military, law, health, energy). The US middle class is in serious decline. [/FONT][FONT=sans-serif]Wake up time.[/FONT]

More sententious psychobabble.

 

[Guest]

@DocGamin :- When you were a kid and dubbed a copy of your favorite tape for your friends, you were a thief. The law pertaining to recorded music (and other intellectual property) has been the same or stricter since the early twentieth century.

 

[Guest]

I only buy apps that I can try before I buy. I have "pirated" so many apps that were garbage. However the ones I have found useful I have bought the app to support the developer. Wait that's not completely true, I have not supported any of the big name developers, I support the small guys.

 

[rculver9056]

Tyger you unfortunately are out of the loop when you think that a person with any tech savy would use their phone to download a "pirated" app. Most would traditionally use an IP blocking software to download the app to their pc and then upload the app to the phone from the usb port. Your concept of stealing is slightly off base. If I purchased an item do I not own the right to use the item as I see fit? If so then I have the right to share my item with my friend/s. If you can tell me that you never made a copy of a song you liked and shared it with a friend I will call you a liar. If you admit to it then you are a self-indulgent "pirate" in the eyes of the law. The only reason digital sharing is illegal is because it can be done so freely. When I was a kid and dubbed a copy of my favorite tape for my friends I was considered a good friend for sharing. When sharing went digital greed kicked in before that sharing was a way to better market a product.

Actually, with software you purchase a licence to use a single copy of the software for yourself, not to share said software with your thieving friends. Sme goes for music and movies.

 

[bucklateral]

@foreverzero89 I totally agree! If you want to take a look at my app and then sit down for eight straight months of full-time work writing the code to make an exact copy of it, then that wouldn't be stealing. It would be copyright infringement, but it wouldn't be piracy.

This is how it works. The cost of producing an app is high. My app cost about $200k in development an production costs. I don't charge $200k plus for my app because I can spread the cost over the number of users. It's a huge gamble for me. You get $200k worth of work for almost nothing. When you make an 'exact copy' of my app, you're not taking money out of my pocket, you're keeping me in debt and negatively affecting my ability to produce more apps that you might like.

So yes, you are hurting people by pirating software and yes, it is theft.

Sorry. @ Guest

I happen to agree with you. I have some questions I'd like to ask you off line. Would you be willing to discuss?

email address removed for safety

 

[Darth Shiv]

@foreverzero89 I totally agree! If you want to take a look at my app and then sit down for eight straight months of full-time work writing the code to make an exact copy of it, then that wouldn't be stealing. It would be copyright infringement, but it wouldn't be piracy.

This is how it works. The cost of producing an app is high. My app cost about $200k in development an production costs. I don't charge $200k plus for my app because I can spread the cost over the number of users. It's a huge gamble for me. You get $200k worth of work for almost nothing. When you make an 'exact copy' of my app, you're not taking money out of my pocket, you're keeping me in debt and negatively affecting my ability to produce more apps that you might like.

So yes, you are hurting people by pirating software and yes, it is theft.

Sorry but that is an English fail. If no-one told you there were pirated copies of your app, you wouldn't know. And if those people weren't going to pay for it anyway, you lost no money. The definition of theft is taking property belonging to another person. You have to LOSE the property in the exchange. In piracy, you have not lost the app. You still have it. It isn't theft. You can't report it to police as missing now can you? Learn the english language.

 

[Darth Shiv]

I should add I am not condoning piracy. I pay for my applications. Just that the term is "piracy" and is not "theft". Jump up and down all you like but don't try and sensationalise it with a marketing makeover.

 

[Darkshadoe]

If the term "Pirate" can be used for illegal downloaders and so-called "thieves", Then shouldn't the term "enema bag" be used to describe anti-piracy proponents because when an enema bag starts working, sh*t is spewed everywhere?

Don't illegally download. That just tells the companies you are willing to break the law for their product and they control you with their products. Do not acknowledge their products and help them with word of mouth advertising. Make the companies cater to YOUR needs, not the other way around. The same goes for these ******* politicians. Vote with your money and you will see a change in these stupid copyright laws.

He who dies with the most toys doesn't win...they just die.

 

[Guest]

There are two components in theft. Lose of property by the rightful owner and unjust enrichment by the thief. Infringement is still unjust enrichment of the thief. And for what it's worth, infringement has been referred to by the US Supreme Court as nothing more than "garden variety theft".

Do you think it's OK to sneak into a movie theater or playhouse? How about a professional football game? People call infringement, theft because it is so similar. I certainly don't find infringement any more honorable than theft.

 

[rculver9056]

Sorry but that is an English fail...

But aren't you [they] depriving the author of money?