A maker of DVD-copying software is offering US$10,000 bounties for tips about people who are using the product to pirate movies -- but the company says the move is not directly related to its legal fight with Hollywood.
In the first week after offering the rewards Feb. 11, 321 Studios did not field any tips of suspected piracy -- and does not expect that to change, said Robert Moore, 321's founder and president.
"It's primarily our response to the Motion Picture Association of America's continued claims that this software is a piracy tool, that I'm a thief and that every one of my customers is a co-conspirator," Moore said. "Those are their words, not mine, and I'm frankly tired of hearing it."
Moore said his "Piracy Prevention Program" does not suggest the company is caving in to Hollywood's challenges of 321's DVD Copy Plus or its follow-up DVD X Copy. About 200,000 copies have been sold online or in stores for US$100 apiece since its November rollout.
"While we believe consumers should have the right to make perfect, personal-use backup copies of DVDs they already own, we are against the illegal use of our products," added Mike Wozniak, 321's chief information officer.
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