Think again about buying knock-off DVDs

[14 July 2008]

The Industry Trust has released a new poster campaign to warn the public that buying pirated DVDs could help to fund criminal networks.

This new, hard-hitting poster, for use by trading standards, is available now, free of charge, from the Industry Trust for IP Awareness.

The poster's ‘Puppet Master' theme highlights the fact that there is often an ‘unseen hand' behind the trade in knock-off DVDs. Its message to the public is ‘if you are offered pirate DVDs, think carefully about who might really be pulling the strings as your purchase could help to fund a criminal network'.

The posters are part of the Industry Trust for IP Awareness's campaign to highlight the criminality associated with copyright theft - a message that the Trust believes is most forceful when it comes from local law enforcement agencies. The reverse of the poster features recent prosecutions to remind people that copyright theft is a criminal offence and that the penalties can be high including custodial sentences, fines and, increasingly, seizure of assets.

This is the third poster in a range produced specially for trading standards. The posters are designed to be displayed in council owned venues, at council run events and consumer awareness activities. One of the posters in the range, headed ‘No Knock-Offs Here', has been specifically produced for use by trading standards in initiatives with local car boot sales and occasional markets” .

Crimestoppers is an independent charity and not part of the police. If you wish to pass on information about crime anonymously, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or fill out our anonymous online Giving Information Form.

The Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT)

Crimestoppers and the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) working together in partnership to tackle film piracy and the wider implications on society that counterfeiting can have on communities. FACT was established in 1983, in order to protect the UK's film and broadcasting industry against counterfeiting, copyright and trademark infringements. It is the leading representative protecting the interests of the audio-visual industry, in its fight against piracy of DVDs and CDs and online piracy. For more information please visit FACT's website.