FOX's lawyer kills web sites, why?

[:]

The fans do free propagation for FOX and FOX kills them! For goodness' sake! What is sence of this activity?

[#1 :]

To try and understand Fox is to go insane. I truly don't understand the mind of a soulless corporation. Fox owns the rights to Futurama and so long as they can make a profit, they will shut down sites that make videoclips, soundwaves, and framegrabs available. Most C&Ds seem to be form letters sent to everyone. They won't say what they're specifically after most times. Nobody wants you to have anything for free. They want your money. That's why sites like Nappster are shut down.

But they always "appreciate" your interest in the show.

[#2 :]

 

Originally posted by Allen:
But they always "appreciate" your interest in the show.

And promise to make more quality entertainment...   

[#3 :]

Does FOX seem to record any profit from shutting down sites? I mean, I'm confused. There are other companies that promote the making of such sites, and some even offer 'fan site kits' so you can use their official logos and such.

There should be a universal set of laws that should mandate how entertainment companies allow fair use of their content. Its not fair that one company gives the OK to make a fansite, while FOX would say no! Entertainment is entertainment!

[#4 :]

Since they killed the show, and their own website is utter crap, I fail to see how fansites could ever harm FOX profits. If they had their own kickass fansite, with pictures, sounds, merchandise links, FOX Futurama Shop, etc. I might see their point. But as it stands I can't see how a simple fanbuilt site, with fanart, fanfics and other show-related, yet fanmade, stuff can damage them. Are they trying to tell us they care for the show? 

[#5 :]

Well, from my perspective, the MPAA has no authority to be sending the C&D letters. They're acting on behalf of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, which does NOT own the rights to Futurama (Twentieth Century Fox Television and The Curiosity Company do in a joint). So there's no authority for the C&D. If someone gets one, try that strategy to get it away.

[#6 :]

Jon tried, they still managed to shut his site down for a week or so. Hosters cave so easily to legal mumble-jumble it's not even funny.

[#7 :]

Some sites seem to get more than one and keep running, while others "cave in" and disappear which is a shame, Futurama needs all the sites it can get.

Personally, I'm hoping Anders of PE.DK will make a stunning return to the Futurama Arena.

[#8 :]

I've a theory about Fox Lawyers, and it stems from Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men.'

See, the lawyers just love the fans and their sites sooo much, they just want to love them and stroke them and hold them.   They try and send sweet, loving words that communicate their grand affection.  The problem is they try so hard it just comes of as "copyright infringement" and the word "illegal" is mentioned 87 or so times.

But they love us, they really do.  And the only solution is to shoot them in the back of head for the benefit of humanity   

edit: fixed because SQ points out my numerous faults!

[#9 :]

Try bribing the hosters so they can't shut you down, or better yet, get one of those webhosts that knows what it means to have a fansite. There are many webhosts that specialize in hosting fansites, maybe you should go with them. I'm not really sure, but maybe you'll get extra back-up with those kind of people 

[#10 :]

 

Originally posted by Strat:
I've a theory about Fox Lawyers, and it stems from Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men.'

See, the lawyers just love the fans and their sites sooo much, they just want to love them and stroke them and hold them.   They try and send sweet, loving words that communicate their grand affection.  The problem is they two so hard it just comes of as "copyright infringement" and the word "illegal" is mentioned 87 or so times.

But they love us, they really do.  And the only solution is to shoot them in the back of head for the benefit of humanity   

That made no sense. Then again, I haven't read Of Mice and Men.

And how do you "two so hard"?

[#11 :]

That was a sad, sad book. The analogy fits, though; this is a sad, sad story.

[#12 :]

Tell me about the Outlet, George.

[#13 :]

It'a all about copyrights.  They own the copyrights to the characters, names, logos and the ever popular and jealously guarded "intellectual properties"

The latter is so vague that it can be construed, if your last name just so happens to be "Fry", technically you are in copyright violation.

They will not stop persuing sites that infringe on their copyrights by posting pictures, writng stories or using sounds, images, graphics etc. in relation to their "Property"

It makes absolutely no difference to them if the violators, ie: you and me are good, bad or indifferent.

It's the very idea of using the copyrighted material, period.

That is something nobody can get around.  As Ted Turner once said in answer to a purists question about his colorization of classic movies.  I have one thing you don't, a reciept of ownership.  In other words, it's mine and I can do whatever the hell I want with it.

[#14 :]

I have a question - has this site had any complaints from the network?

[#15 :]

no

[#16 :]

Short, sweet and to the point! Thankies [-mArc-] 

[#17 :]

 

Originally posted by Spice Weasel:
... It makes absolutely no difference to them if the violators, ie: you and me are good, bad or indifferent.

SAD STORY   

[#18 :]

For information regarding US copyright law and what constitutes "fair use", go to the feds' own site at http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html.   It makes for some rather interesting reading, although it's about as understandable as Swahili transliterated to Linear A!

[#19 :]

 

Originally posted by Strat:
I've a theory about Fox Lawyers, and it stems from Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men.'

See, the lawyers just love the fans and their sites sooo much, they just want to love them and stroke them and hold them.   They try and send sweet, loving words that communicate their grand affection.  The problem is they try so hard it just comes of as "copyright infringement" and the word "illegal" is mentioned 87 or so times.

But they love us, they really do.  And the only solution is to shoot them in the back of head for the benefit of humanity   

edit: fixed because SQ points out my numerous faults!

I say we tell fox to look across the river and to imagine a massive pile of money, then we get a gun and....click....

its easy to imagine fox as a giant idiot, which can kill stuff almost too easily.

[#20 :]

Of Mice and Men is possibly one of the worst books I've ever read. He never should have killed Lennie, he should have killed Curley. Or if he killed Lennie, he should have also killed himself.

Stupid George.

I did a 10 minute video about of mice and men with two other people in a university dorm room. It took an hour to film, and had to be done without editing. It was pretty funny. I put black shoe polish on my face to appear to be crooks. It had so many stereotypes in it. Wow.

[#21 :]

putting shoe polish on your face must of been nasty, then again i knew a guy who once ate shoe polish on toast.

[#22 :]

have you ever thought fox loyers(SPELLING?) are waching us?????

[#23 :]

Lawyers. Yes. They probably are... they're everywhere.

[#24 :]

    LAWYERS   

[#25 :]

What are you talking about! I loved Of Mice and Men. It's one of my all-time favourite books.  It's so saaaaaad :'(

[#26 :]

I had to read Of Mice and Men this summer for one of my assignments.  It was pretty good.

[#27 :]

I'll tell you why! Fox are so stuck up. You can't even say the word Futurama or name your child Bart without fox claiming copyright money.
OK a little exaggeration but you get the point.

[#28 :]

 

Originally posted by Kryten:
Tell me about the Outlet, George.

I was under the impression that The Outlet was killed by Cashus non havus and not C&D. Due to the fact that it costs some real money to run a site with that kind of bandwith.

[#29 :]

This program, it's images, liknesses, characters, plot, moral lessons, musical stylings, and the brains cells you used to rememeber them are property of FOX and it's affiliated entities.

[#30 :]

 

Originally posted by mazaite:
 I was under the impression that The Outlet was killed by Cashus non havus and not C&D. Due to the fact that it costs some real money to run a site with that kind of bandwith.

Plus the pain in the ass it would've been to restore the content.

It was the Futurama Chronicles that was C&D'ed into oblivion by FOX. 

[#31 :]

Unca Dave makes a good point about the copyright law. If the FOX butt heads try to shut down a fansite. Fight back and get them where it hurts there check books.i know that the futurama fans out there will not put up with this crap from fox.Up Yours FOX   

[#32 :]

 

Originally posted by Teral:
 Plus the pain in the ass it would've been to restore the content.

It was the Futurama Chronicles that was C&D'ed into oblivion by FOX.   

I thought Robert had all the content safetly stored when his first ISP bit the dust. I know in '01 he even had a new layout desigh all ready for when he was going to put the site back up. It looked slick.

And I had forgotten about my anger at FrCr being shut down. That site was nice too. The capsules used to be so huge back then.

[#33 :]

I dont know what FOX is going to do when the Simpson are over.
They are going to die!!

[#34 :]

Not really. FOX has plenty to stand on without The Simpsons. At least according to the ratings. Other then Futurama I never watch FOX.

[#35 :]

Actually FOX hasnt had a big hit in a while, King of the Hill is still going and that 70's show.  But some of the ratings for their new shows have been dismal.  Through July 6th FOX had two shows in the top 20.  One was Independence Day the movie #10 and the other was American Juniors #16.  So, they really dont have much to stand on at all.
 http://http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/nielsen.htm

[#36 :]

FOX makes no sence as simple as that but not good

[#37 :]

The heart of a heartless corporation is money, but the contradiction with a company like FOX is that the people in charge don't really understand their product. They are incapable of understanding it. People that money centred cannot appreciate satirical shows like Futurama. If they did they wouldn't be in the job. If there are exceptions they won't be enough to make a difference. This is the way it is, the way it always will be.

[#38 :]

Why was The Futurama Chronicles shut down yet The Simpsons Archive continues to live? Both tried to stay away from multimedia as far as possible and purely relied on written information. Capsules and all, FrCr was to Futurama as SNPP was to The Simpsons. So what's the diff? Why was FrCr an easy target?

[#39 :]

After reading this, my hate for FOX went up a notch.