Why Bootleg/Illegal Downloads Are Taboo Here

[James Harvey]

Hey everyone,

Over the past couple weeks, we've seen some threads pop up dealing with bootleg Batman episodes and downloaded copies online. As stated in the rules of the board, this topic is something we can't through around lightly. TIme Warner is a corporate company, and thinks like one. This means that when they see they're losing potential profit, they will strike at the source. So, if posters on this board are offering free downloads on episodes, then this board is a target. There have been many boards online that have been shut down when bootleg dealings have trans acted on them.

This site came close to being shut down when the Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker controversy erupted late last year. WB emailed me about the bootleg discussions that covered the Batman Beyond board for weeks. I narrowly escaped having the site shut down, and I don't want to see it happen again.

You may wonder why it's a big deal to download episodes when they are airing on TV. Simple. The less people who watch Batman when it's on TV, means the less ad revenue they'll get during commercial breaks. And money is veyr important to any given company. So having episodes available for free pulls audiences away from the show. Then that draw attention to this site as a problem, and that is not a good thing. When discussions on free bootlegs and downloads pop up here, the WB execs pay attention, and if they think that this site is a threat, then this site will get shut down.

So please, No More Bootleg/Download Discussions Here! Continued discussions will lead to board suspensions and bannings. We're just trying to make sure these boards stay online.

Thank you.

[D-Mono]

Yeah, I can understand this action. While some fans forget it, bootlegs are actually illegal. Still, since WB are so monetary-minded, you'd think they would appease fans and cut the amount of people buying/trading in bootlegs (I say cut as no-one can ever really stop the piracy trade - it's just too big - for every one pirate that goes down, 10 more spring up) by making everything we want available to us commercially. Just a thought.
D-Mono.

[mgibson72]

Amen. It's been proven that if quality product is out on the shelves then the pirates don't have a leg (even a wooden one! Ha!) to stand on. Warner Bros.: PLEASE give us Bats on DVD with extras, etc. and you won't ever have to worry about piracy of that product again. Period.
MG