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[Nreive]

Have you noticed that magazine scan DVD sellers seem to be breeding on eBay?  We have and are really getting sick of it all.  These magazines remain copyrighted to the original publisher, whether they are still around or not, and they are definitely not "public domain" as one seller has laughably stated.  The real kick here is that these scans are not even the work of these sellers and the majority of them were done by Mort at his own website at Zzap Zzuperstore and can also be found hosted around various magazine preservation websites for free.  So with the only cost being the blank DVDs, these sellers are making between £5.00 and even up to £30.00 profit on each auction.

Well, we think enough is enough and it's time to hit back.  Remember, these people have no permission fromt he original publishers to sell these scans and don't even have permission from the person who scanned them.   I've already reported around 30 auctions from four different sellers.  Yes, 30 auctions from 4 sellers.  However, we all know that this is just the start. eBay may ignore this as a one off and just warn the seller.  That's where you come in.  If you were a huge fan of these magazines then you owe it to yourself to report these copyrighted infringing auctions, again and again. 

To make reporting the auctions that little bit easier I have included their user ids, links to their auctions and example reporting descriptions.


eBay has a long winded reporting system, but don't let that put you off.  Here's what I've been reporting these DVDs as, but feel free to use your own method.  To help the cause, feel free to send this announcement on to like minded people.

Report Item -> Counterfeit and breaches copyright -> Bootleg and counterfeit media -> Media on Recordable formats (CD-R, DVD-R, VHS tape, etc.)


Brief Description:

Mags remain copyright of Newsfield Publications. Seller has no permission to sell scans.
Mags remain copyright of www.emap.com. Seller has no permission to sell scans.
Mags remain copyright of Future Publishing-www.futureplc.com. Seller has no permission to sell scan
Mags remain copyright of Dennis Publishing-www.dennis.co.uk  Seller has no permission to sell scans.
Mags remain copyright of original owners. Seller has no permission to sell scans.
All media on these DVDs remain copyright of original owners. Auction infringes ebay policies.


eBay scans DVD sellers. Here they are, named and shamed:
 
catherinesutton ( 176)   http://shop.ebay.co.uk/catherinesutton/m.html
List of items currently selling (at time of writing):
ZZAP!64 Complete 90 issue set on DVD
Sega Force magazine collection all issues on DVD
Mean Machines Sega Complete 53 issue set on DVD
Crash Magazine Complete 98 issue set on DVD
Mean Machines Magazine Complete 24 issue set on DVD
Mean Machines Magazine Complete 24 issue set on DVD

 
sveta025 ( 33)   http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsassZsveta025QQhtZ-1
List of items currently selling (at time of writing)::
SUPER PLAY + N-FORCE +SNES FORCE MAGAZINES DVD COMPLETE
CVG COMPUTER AND VIDEO GAMES MAGAZINE DVD
SEGA FORCE MEGA MASTER VISIONS MAGAZINES COMPLETE DVD
ZERO VIDEO GAMES MAGAZINE DVD COMPLETE ALL ISSUES MAGZ
ACE ADVANCED COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE DVD MAGZ
MEAN MACHINES MM SEGA MAGAZINES DVD COMPLETE ALL ISSUES
NINTENDO POWER 1-145 FUN CLUB NEWS MAGAZINES 2 DVD
SINCLAIR ZX-SPECTRUM ENCYCL. ULTIMATE COLLECTION 20 DVD
COMMODORE C64 ULTIMATE ENCYCLOPEDIA 30 DVD COLLECTION


fpap1 ( 549)   http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/RETRO-GAMERS-GARAGE
List of items currently selling (at time of writing)::
Your Commodore & Commodore World Mag collection DVD
Mean Machines + MM SEGA + The Games Machine C64/128 DVD
NEW CVG COMPUTER & VIDEO GAMES 1-126 EXCLUSIVE EXTRAS
AHOY ! Commodore 64/128 Amiga COMPLETE Magazine DVD
Compute! Gazette COMPLETE Magazine Collection 2 DVD C64
RUN Commodore 64 / 128 Magazine Complete Collection DVD
Commodore Format + Commodore Disk User Collection DVD
Compute! Magazine Collection 4 DVD C64 - Apple II
The One + Games Machine + Raze mags on DVD + Coverdisks
Sinclair Spectrum ZX Ultimate Collection - 7 DVD's
Commodore User + Micro Adventurer collection C64 DVD
COMPLETE CRASH Magazine DVD - Spectrum - ZX - Sinclair
COMPLETE Sinclair User Magazine DVD - ZX Spectrum
ACE MAGAZINE + COVER TAPES inc No 1 + EXCLUSIVE MUSIC
ZERO + The Games Machine DVD - PC - Atari ST - Amiga
Commodore Magazine + Big K + Micro Adventurer C64 Amiga
CU Amiga Magazine COMPLETE Collection 2 DVD
ALL NINTENDO POWER + N FORCE + SNES FORCE Magazines DVD
COMPLETE Your Sinclair Magazine DVD - ZX Spectrum
Zzap! 64 COMPLETE + Commodore Horizons Collection DVD


lynnanne12374 ( 1000)  http://shop.ebay.co.uk/lynnanne12374/m.html
List of items currently selling (at time of writing)::
Sega Force, Mega & Master Force Magazine - ALL ISSUES!
Zzap!64 Commodore C64 Magazine - ALL ISSUES! ZZAP 64
Crash Sinclair ZX Spectrum Magazine - ALL ISSUES!
ALL Amstrad Computer User & CPC Attack Magazine on DVD
Nintendo N-Force & SNES-Force Magazine - ALL ISSUES!
Your Commodore & Your 64 Magazine - ALL ISSUES! 2xDVD

[meppi]

Indeed, the only way to put an end to these practices is if enough people file a report on ebay.
We've come across listings like these many times over the years and it seems that ebay has started ignoring single complaints. So the only way to have a chance at stopping these money hungry idiots is to report them in numbers.

To make it a bit easier you can use these numbers for the above autions:

110510119070, 110510125020, 110519895291, 110519890332, 110510122909, 110521034947, 110522142686, 110522145077

250607170950, 250607171200, 250607171502, 250607172047, 250607172519, 250607172973, 250610003854, 250610445863, 250617133936

190382661307, 200452958522, 200455016514, 200455626960, 200460217312, 190388199101, 200460219179, 200460225325, 200460228615, 200460815764, 200461632603, 190389210276, 200461634463, 200461634537, 190389445528, 190389866039, 200462585276, 190390210730, 200463415978


They can be reported in a batch of 10 at a time.

To report them, got to an item in question and on the righthand side underneath the seller info and other item info box you'll find a "report item" link.
Click it and choose:

Counterfeits and breach of copyright

bootlegs and counterfeit media

unauthorized copies of printed materials

Then hit continue.
Fill in the numbers (max. 10 at a time)

And in the brief description section write something along the lines of: "Copyright infringement of video game magazines without the publishers authorization"

Then hit send report.

[Nreive]

Nice one.  Reporting 10 auctions at a time would certainly save time 

[meppi]

Too bad it doesn't amount to jack squat. 

Just received an email from ebay to take a nice little survey about what I think of their report handeling.

I got asked the following: What changes would you make to the ‘Report Item’ process to improve your experience?

To which I replied:

When an item, or in this case a selection of items gets flagged for obvious copyright violations, I would like to see the items actually being removed instead of being kept up, so that the person selling as well as ebay itself stops profiting from content that was stolen.

To clarify, the items I reported were classic video game magazines which have been scanned by individuals such as myself, with the only intent to preserve these classic works.
If possible with the consent of the actual publishers.
No one, including myself has the permission to sell these scans, on DVDs or otherwise.
no matter how manny times someone mentions that these are public domain now, it still remains a flat-out lie.
Only the publisher who owns the copyright has that right.

So I expect such auctions to be taken down when a genuine complaint comes in, as well as the correct steps to be taken concerning the seller.
An organisation such as ebay should know much better than this to begin with!

[triverse]

If enough people complain, I am sure eventually Ebay will listen.  Also, if anyone reading this thread is an owner of any copyrighted material being sold illegally on DVD through these auctions, please make your voice be heard with Ebay.

[Nreive]

Yeah, it's depressing when you still see some listings up.  Some of them have went, though.  A couple of the scammers listings have been pulled as they don't exists anymore.

One of my Retroaction staff has been reporting the same kind of auctions at http://www.trademe.co.nz/ - a New Zealand auction site. He says that they take the listings down virtually the same day there.

Check out one of the scammer's reply to my news post at Retroaction.  This not a backstreet scam, these guys are making a living from this.

http://retroactionmagazine.com/retronews/support-magazine-preservation-projects-not-ebay-scammers/

As I said there, this if far from over.

[meppi]

tsss.

I'm at a loss of words here really.
Him trying to justify it like he's doing...