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MPAA, national theater association take stand against wearables
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MacNN Staff
Join Date: Jul 2012
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Wearing Google Glass in any movie theater in the United States could soon mean a visit from law enforcement, thanks to the efforts of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and National Association of Theatre Owners. The organizations released a joint statement this week, announcing that wearable devices are now added to official anti-piracy polices.
The policy update doesn't target any specific wearable devices, but it is likely Google Glass or any other worn devices with a camera would be counted. With the flak Google Glass has received in movie theaters in the last year -- including detaining someone wearing one, and outright bans on the devices -- it isn't hard to imagine that the policy was officially updated to give theater owners ammunition against the technology. However, the change could also have an effect on the emergence of smartbands and smartwatches, assuming they have a built-in camera.
Changes to the policy are less about finding a way to deal with customers that are interested in "intelligent" wearable devices, but instead look at wearables from an anti-piracy standpoint. For the MPAA and National Association of Theatre Owners, adding wearable devices is an extension of the preexisting policy that adopts a zero tolerance for the use of any recording devices during the showing of a film.
"As has been our long-standing policy, all phones must be silenced and other recording devices, including wearable devices, must be turned off and put away at show time," reads the updated policy.
While forgetting to turn or take off a wearable like Google Glass may not immediately warrant a phone call to the authorities, theaters can now turn to law enforcement if management suspects that illegal recording activities are taking place. It's likely that people wearing the offending wearables will be asked to either take them off or leave before such actions occur.
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Last edited by NewsPoster; Oct 31, 2014 at 04:11 AM.
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Senior User
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Sydney, Australia
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A tone like this will only drive people towards Netflix.
Watch out movie theatres, you may find yourself facing the same fate brick and mortar stores like Circuit City and Borders did in the face of Internet based competition.
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Apr 2003
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You're so right, Butcher. Since I bought a home cinema projector, which doesn't cost a fortune, I rarely ever go to the movies. So I was really surprised when I went again recently. The picture quality is actually worse! My projector has way better black levels and the picture is sharper. Also, I always sit exactly in the sweet spot, food and drinks don't cost an arm and a leg and I can pause at any time if I need to get another beer or need to take a leak. They won't see me anytime soon. Watch out movie theaters indeed!
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Princeton, NJ
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Oh how I wish I could agree with you both on this one! That is exactly the stance I have always taken with regard to industries about to be steamrolled by technological advancements. I even moved in that direction re. cinemas when I installed my first Dolby Digital 7.1 system, feeling great about not having to sit amidst chattering buffoons while I watched movies, but the local IMAX cinema with its huge screen and megawatt sound system where I watch every new Marvel flick that comes out has still got some life in it.
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