(continued from previous page)
Q: What other actions did they undertake?
A: For one, they always insisted that what we had been doing with our filtering of DVDs was an unlicensed service; however, every time we applied for a license we were turned down, as was every other filtering service. They also used other practices to restrict our access, such as demanding excessive disc-purchase amounts, conflicting buy/sellback requirements — even requiring we pay retail prices. We are now waiting to see whether they can raise new arguments.

Related: Conservative Politics Needs to Be a Secret, Warns Hollywood Pro

Close

Q: You say that as if you anticipate further objections from those studios.
A: Our experience each time we have met opposition from those studios [is that] they have advanced a different rationale for it. Yet each of those objections has directly impacted the filtering service. Although they say they do not oppose filtering — which is supported by The Family Movie Act passed by Congress — their actions are contrary to their words. We will not be surprised if they find a new legal argument. That said, we have just filed a motion with the district court seeking permission to filter movies owned by those four studios using our new filtering method. Their injunction has concerned the filtering of decrypted DVDs. Our new service does not involve either decryption or DVDs.

Q: This opposition by the studios seems rather contradictory, considering they already have their films altered for other broadcast segments, such as television networks and in-flight platforms.
A: Exactly! They willingly have their product altered for those markets. Also, even on cable networks — where more content is permitted — they still allow them to be edited down for time restraints. And, of course, every motion picture is altered to fit the aspect ratio of television. So they are willing to allow filtering in those segments, but they fight strongly to prevent families from doing so in the privacy of the home.

“They fight strongly to prevent families from [filtering content] in the privacy of the home.”

Q: This does not seem a copyright issue considering the filtering is done by the end-user, the customer. Wouldn’t allowing filtering actually expand the audience for the studios’ films?
A: It would, and we have a study showing that. We asked people if, given the choice of renting offensive films without filtering, or not renting the movie at all, what would be their choice? Over 50 percent of the respondents said they would choose to avoid those movies entirely.

Q: Looking ahead to those possible objections, is there a way for studios to track customers using this filtered streaming?
A: As of now, no. Our customers are using us as a proxy streamer, but what our product does is deliver their information to the streaming service. They provide us their passwords, and we in turn supply those to the streaming service, on their behalf. So we are acting as the customer, and the streaming comes through from their own account.

[lz_third_party align=center width=630 includes=https://youtu.be/BEDukTwRerc]

Q: Is there any concern about lawsuits coming from the streaming companies: Netflix/Amazon/HBO?
A: We don’t think so. We have told them exactly what we’re doing and they have not objected. We are not violating any service agreements by allowing families the choice to remove particular elements. After all, we are driving more business to them.

Q: This seems to make sense. It’s surprising the studios don’t see that their films rated PG-13, for example, can be rented or purchased by those who have children much younger than 13.
A: Very true. The demand for filtering is there. Our customers supported us after the injunction, and many helped with our defense as well. Just look at the fact that Sony, on its own, has started to offer filtered versions of some of its films.

(Note: Earlier this month, the studio announced it would release “clean” versions of 24 titles from its vaults — filtered versions of its movies similar in content to a broadcast TV-quality release.)[lz_pagination]