There are some copyrighted films available on iTunes. OK, so unless you’re Russian you are unlikely to have ever heard of them, but that isn’t the point. It shows there are ways and means around Apple’s tough approvals process.
Illegal iTunes Movie Apps
According to BBC News, many old Soviet-era Russian films are available to download and watch via Apple’s iTunes App Store. The only problem is that the original filmmakers and copyright owners haven’t given permission for the films to be distributed in this way, and aren’t seeing any money from them.
The affected titles include Gentlemen of Fortune, Assa, The Diamond Arm, Kin-dza-dza, and Cheburashka. All of which are considered favorites amongst Russians who lived through the Soviet era.
The copyright owners of the titles are film studio Mosfilm and the Joint State Film Collection. Neither of which is involved in the smartphone apps. Apple is investigating.
Criminal or Ignorant?
This is a strange story because Apple is usually very stringent when it comes to deciding what can and cannot be put up for sale on iTunes. Apps have been declined or removed for very slight nudity and other minor indiscretions. But it appears full on movie piracy is acceptable.
The question is whether the people involved in this practice are knowingly breaking the law with criminal intent or rather just a little ignorant to the facts. Vladimir Penshin, a Ukrainian programmer responsible for at least one of these apps, said, “I realize that this is wrong. Maybe I am breaking the law.” He is definitely breaking the law, but doesn’t seem sure.
Penshin added, “Of course, I do not have any license agreement. This is all very simple. The companies, who can have complaints, submit them to Apple and Apple notifies me that they have to withdraw the application.” Because putting the onus on the victim is fair in this case, obviously.
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