You must have noticed some of the buzz around the leaked and widely distributed secret HD DVD key. This string of 32 digits and letters in a specialized counting system is used by the technology and movie industries to prevent piracy of high-definition movies. Someone found and posted the key on digg.com and, together with thousands of internet users, caused a worldwide internet riot. A huge moment in internet history, if you ask me. BBC, CNN, ABC and NYTimes covered the story and started discussions about user generated content, copyrights and online riots. Meanwhile, nobody couldn't prevent that the code is still outhere. Everywhere.

Read further on BoingBoing for great coverage.

First three links show a "Page not Found" site.

mmmm.... ¿conspiracy?

Posted by: Odrakir at May 4, 2007 11:08 AM

what amazes me is that companies and lawyers are still thinking they can win this war against the users...

Things have changed and people, for the most part, see the majority of internet content as public domain... This is not ever going to change, so these companies better learn how to make money doing other things rather than restricting content...

One good example is ADCritic... I subscribe to the letter, but to read and see the work they post, I have to pay $200/year...

I just search for the name of the campaign and find it elsewhere... it's common practice...

These companies have to learn how to live in the digital world in this 21st century... otherwise more and more riots like this will keep happening...

Posted by: Marcelo at May 4, 2007 03:36 PM

@odrakir
thanks, definitely a conspiracy :) now fixed.

Posted by: rocco at May 4, 2007 05:33 PM

Great oportunity ad!

Posted by: Marketrix at May 4, 2007 06:27 PM