MPAA Wants your Home Theater Shut Down, or Does It?

The Motion Picture Association of America wants you to pay $50 if you own a home theater. Or so a story recently posted on BBSpot News suggested. But the story is a hoax. It's funny. A friend sent it to me and as I read it, it sounded too scary to be true.

The only real evidence that it was a satire was the "Related News" headlines that included "MPAA to Thwart Pirates by Making All Movies Suck". One could make a case that they've already started doing that.

Bloggers up and down the web are being fooled by the story. Many of the respected news blogs are rescinding stories they'd previously posted after they discovered it was a joke. Don't be fooled, the attacks on your civil liberties haven't gotten that bad yet. The MPAA may have a disjointed ratings system that hurts many films. But they're no RIAA.

3 comments
Posted by Wayde on December 13,2006 at 3:00 PM
Oh that story had me going for several minutes after I read it. Then I started exploring the page. Good work BBspot.

Would the MPAA do this for real? Who knows.
Posted by some BBspot long-time fan on December 13,2006 at 4:00 AM
As far as "real evidence that it was a satire" goes, there is also the disclaimer at the end of the page:

"BBspot is a satire news and comedy source and meant to be funny. If you are easily offended, gullible or don't have a sense of humor we suggest you go elsewhere."

Granted, it's a bit hidden by the Ad.
Posted by triga on December 8,2006 at 4:24 PM
What makes this BBSpot article frightening, is the fact that it is 100% plausible.  Don't kid yourself, this may be a gag today, but in a few yaers it will be the horrifying reality.