According to the Copyright Infringement Act of 1976 "Any person who, with
fraudulent intent, removes or alters any notice of copyright appearing on a
copy of a copyrighted work shall be fined not more than $2,500." That's it.
Only the warning can't be "removed" or "altered." And you can't even claim
fraud with Mr. CleanVideo. He spells out what is omitted... I can't find
anything else in the Copyright Infringement Act that suggests that what Mr.
CleanVideo claims he's doing can't be done. Can anyone?
And let's suppose he is nailed. How is his crime different from a video
store that sells me a "used" mangled, chewed-up video that's blurry and full
of picture drop-outs. That video has been altered too from its original
condition. Maybe I can get the MPAA on my local store's case...
Personally I would never do business with Mr. CleanVideo because I want to
see my movies unedited. But I'm not convinced that what he's doing is
illegal, and cannot share in the drooling enthusiasm to have him drawn and
quartered. I especially don't understand why people seem less bothered by
corporations who lie, deceive, cheat, overcharge and steal from millions of
consumers than a guy who is openly providing a seemingly legal service that
his community clearly wants.