4 ms·

I’m really into the dark future of DRM enforcement drones flying around cities listening for illegal streaming.

daenz 7y ago
It will be like red light cameras, where you just receive a ticket/bill in the mail, with a photo of proof of the date and time of the infraction.
- will_brown 7y ago
  The should be so lucky...PPV is a crazy industry in terms of structure but local ppv providers would send uncover patrons to bars to find illegal ppv streams and next thing a bar/restaurant knows they got served with a lawsuit usually for about $10,000 (for UFC events anyway).
  - Scoundreller 7y ago
    Here's several legal decisions about that happening in several Canadian cities: https://www.canlii.org/en/#search/text=setanta%20ufc https://www.canlii.org/en/#search/text=setanta%20ufc
slg 7y ago
I am not sure how many people outside the UK are aware of this, but a similar thing has existed there for nearly 70 years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_detector_van https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_detector_van
- dcminter 7y ago
  The vans exist. The implied technology within them not so much. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/08/bbc-tv-licence-vans-wi-fi-snooping-analysis/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/08/bbc-tv-licence-v...
  - kevin_thibedeau 7y ago
    The Wikipedia page states that they can monitor brightness changes through a window and correlate that to a broadcast programme. How they deal with network delays and time shifting is another matter.
    - thatoneuser 7y ago
      That sounds like something that works in theory but not at all in the real world.
      - giobox 7y ago
        The full description sounds like a normal digital camera to be honest, almost as if someone has gone to great verbal lengths to disguise the fact it is simply a camera: "The optical detector in the detector van uses a large lens to collect that light and focus it on to an especially sensitive device, which converts fluctuating light signals into electrical signals, which can be electronically analysed." For many years I had heard that the real enforcement tool was the fact that anyone selling a TV in the UK, like an electrical retailer such as Comet or Currys, had to submit the name and address of the purchaser to the TV Licensing authority. I just did a quick google, and it turns out this really was the case for a really long time! > https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/business-and-organisations/tv-dealers-aud18 https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/business...
        thatoneuser 7y ago
        TV licensing authority? That sounds unnecessarily dystopian.
        giobox 7y ago
        Really? bizzare. Even the UK TV Licensing authority in the UK calls itself the the "Licensing authority"! Given it has legal enforcement powers and a team to enforce them the term "Authority" is absolutely appropriate. "Since 1991, the BBC, in its role as the relevant licensing authority, has been responsible for collecting and enforcing the TV Licence fee." > https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/foi-legal-framework-AB16 https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/foi-legal-framework-AB16
- Theodores 7y ago
  One of those vans with tinted windows would make an awesome camper van. Clearly you would be geographically limited to the UK however if that van was quietly parked up somewhere then nobody would suspect someone was sleeping in it. A vintage one would be cool too, probably a bit tricky in headwinds with that weight on the top. You could also watch TV pretty well just by watching what other people had on. Shame LCD flatscreens ended this nonsense. Most people believed the vans were mythical and that they just had a map with a database. The vans - according to some - were fake, just to put fear into people.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
guelo 7y ago
Luckily drones are too damn loud for that.
munk-a 7y ago
Eh, I prefer dark future dystopia's that rely on terrible human nature - call me when the provider starts injecting an advertisement into the game over all residentially broadcast streams "We're conducting a market research survey, are you seeing this in a pub or bar? If so call this number for a free 10$ starbucks gift card!" or even just "Broadcast of this program in a pub or bar is illegal, if you have witnessed this call this number to collect a finder's fee."
- myself248 7y ago
  I recall hearing of a DirecTV or similar network using a trick like that: In the minutes prior to a PPV broadcast, they sent a "Subscriber bonus - call now to claim your free T-shirt" or something, but it was encrypted with a key that the legit receivers didn't have -- only the pirate receivers could decode it. Thousands claimed it... I can't find a source for this anecdote at the moment, sorry.
savethefuture 7y ago
This is certainly technology gone berserk...this wont end well for anyone (maybe the ones that sue for illegal streaming)
quickthrower2 7y ago
I think that would actually be less sinister than this!
Steko 7y ago
If those are the worst drones flying around, that may be the brightest timeline.

It will be like red light cameras, where you just receive a ticket/bill in the mail, with a photo of proof of the date and time of the infraction.

will_brown 7y ago
The should be so lucky...PPV is a crazy industry in terms of structure but local ppv providers would send uncover patrons to bars to find illegal ppv streams and next thing a bar/restaurant knows they got served with a lawsuit usually for about $10,000 (for UFC events anyway).
- Scoundreller 7y ago
  Here's several legal decisions about that happening in several Canadian cities: https://www.canlii.org/en/#search/text=setanta%20ufc https://www.canlii.org/en/#search/text=setanta%20ufc

slg 7y ago

I am not sure how many people outside the UK are aware of this, but a similar thing has existed there for nearly 70 years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_detector_van https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_detector_van

dcminter 7y ago
The vans exist. The implied technology within them not so much. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/08/bbc-tv-licence-vans-wi-fi-snooping-analysis/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/08/bbc-tv-licence-v...
- kevin_thibedeau 7y ago
  The Wikipedia page states that they can monitor brightness changes through a window and correlate that to a broadcast programme. How they deal with network delays and time shifting is another matter.
  - thatoneuser 7y ago
    That sounds like something that works in theory but not at all in the real world.
    - giobox 7y ago
      The full description sounds like a normal digital camera to be honest, almost as if someone has gone to great verbal lengths to disguise the fact it is simply a camera: "The optical detector in the detector van uses a large lens to collect that light and focus it on to an especially sensitive device, which converts fluctuating light signals into electrical signals, which can be electronically analysed." For many years I had heard that the real enforcement tool was the fact that anyone selling a TV in the UK, like an electrical retailer such as Comet or Currys, had to submit the name and address of the purchaser to the TV Licensing authority. I just did a quick google, and it turns out this really was the case for a really long time! > https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/business-and-organisations/tv-dealers-aud18 https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/business...
      - thatoneuser 7y ago
        TV licensing authority? That sounds unnecessarily dystopian.
        giobox 7y ago
        Really? bizzare. Even the UK TV Licensing authority in the UK calls itself the the "Licensing authority"! Given it has legal enforcement powers and a team to enforce them the term "Authority" is absolutely appropriate. "Since 1991, the BBC, in its role as the relevant licensing authority, has been responsible for collecting and enforcing the TV Licence fee." > https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/foi-legal-framework-AB16 https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/foi-legal-framework-AB16
Theodores 7y ago
One of those vans with tinted windows would make an awesome camper van. Clearly you would be geographically limited to the UK however if that van was quietly parked up somewhere then nobody would suspect someone was sleeping in it. A vintage one would be cool too, probably a bit tricky in headwinds with that weight on the top. You could also watch TV pretty well just by watching what other people had on. Shame LCD flatscreens ended this nonsense. Most people believed the vans were mythical and that they just had a map with a database. The vans - according to some - were fake, just to put fear into people.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

guelo 7y ago

Luckily drones are too damn loud for that.

munk-a 7y ago

Eh, I prefer dark future dystopia's that rely on terrible human nature - call me when the provider starts injecting an advertisement into the game over all residentially broadcast streams "We're conducting a market research survey, are you seeing this in a pub or bar? If so call this number for a free 10$ starbucks gift card!" or even just "Broadcast of this program in a pub or bar is illegal, if you have witnessed this call this number to collect a finder's fee."

myself248 7y ago
I recall hearing of a DirecTV or similar network using a trick like that: In the minutes prior to a PPV broadcast, they sent a "Subscriber bonus - call now to claim your free T-shirt" or something, but it was encrypted with a key that the legit receivers didn't have -- only the pirate receivers could decode it. Thousands claimed it... I can't find a source for this anecdote at the moment, sorry.

savethefuture 7y ago

This is certainly technology gone berserk...this wont end well for anyone (maybe the ones that sue for illegal streaming)

quickthrower2 7y ago

I think that would actually be less sinister than this!

Steko 7y ago

If those are the worst drones flying around, that may be the brightest timeline.