this post was submitted on 22 May 2025
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I've got a friend I know from college. We where gonna do a movie night and I offered her access to my server that contains all my very legally attained media.

Said she'll have to decline because of "security concerns with work and everything". Apparently if she watches Shakma the dastardly Chinese spies will steal company secrets.

The absolute state of Americans.

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[–] peeonyou@hexbear.net 3 points 17 hours ago

bahahaha... "they're watching EVERYTHING i do!"

[–] barrbaric@hexbear.net 18 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Shakma

I believe you mean SHAKMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Also if she's just declining to link a work laptop or something to pirated material I wouldn't blame her, lots of companies will just immediately fire you for stuff like that.

[–] buh@hexbear.net 6 points 1 day ago

Shakma hand 🤝

[–] NinaPasadena@hexbear.net 4 points 1 day ago

It's true I misspelled it. Gotta yell it.

[–] darkcalling@hexbear.net 36 points 1 day ago (1 children)

This sounds like just general computer ignorance and fear which is pretty common among people who aren't terribly informed but have been given security training and over-extend any (sometimes dubious) lessons from that.

Or her work has software on her computer and she's worried they'd catch her doing that and get in trouble. Problem is many such people just aren't interested in the 10 minutes it takes to become educated by a friend on that and will shrug off attempts at explaining it because computers are scary.

[–] NinaPasadena@hexbear.net 19 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Absolutely true. Most are totally uneducated and have no interest in becoming more knowledgeable.

In this case tho... this person has a PhD in a technical field and I think writes code as a major part of their job. so presumably understands computer not scary but who knows. I guess that makes the fear that the boss would find out the most likely one.

[–] buckykat@hexbear.net 30 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Getting a PhD erases all knowledge not specifically related to the PhD

[–] SkingradGuard@hexbear.net 21 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Getting a PhD erases all knowledge not specifically related to the PhD

It is known.

[–] darkcalling@hexbear.net 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)

That or they just have some sort of philosophical aversion to piracy but don't want to say that so made up an excuse.

But I've also met too many people who are technically very educated who don't understand basic things. Who would totally believe that watching a movie like that could lead to the police raiding them.

I've seen programmers, lead programmers, professors who don't understand Windows settings or how to set up a home network or VPN or do advanced troubleshooting of an OS or hardware problem. They have very narrow skill-sets, they're not enthusiasts in computers like some stereotypical 90s nerd who poke around and truly understand all aspects of it, they're just people who work on them and have some knowledge to do specific things and think that makes them hot shit.

[–] NinaPasadena@hexbear.net 11 points 1 day ago

Gotta agree with that all. People being good at one thing does not make em experts in everything else. Even related fields.

That or they just have some sort of philosophical aversion to piracy but don't want to say that so made up an excuse.

Definitely wondering this myself. All my other friends are like ohh yes please link to server please.

[–] Damarcusart@hexbear.net 26 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Hey, it's me, your friend, can I have server access? I would love for the Chinese spies to know that I watched The Croods 2 thirty-seven times in a row.

[–] KuroXppi@hexbear.net 3 points 21 hours ago

The Croods 2 thirty-seven times in a row

I'm gunna crooooooooom

[–] NinaPasadena@hexbear.net 15 points 1 day ago

2 and a half days of excellence. Really stress test the Server

[–] Hestia@hexbear.net 24 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'm more concerned about the profit driven streaming services violating my security than any pirating website.

Exactly my thoughts. The MEGACORPS do more harm to us everyday that we could ever do.

[–] SkingradGuard@hexbear.net 12 points 1 day ago

Copyright and intellectual property is fake anyway. Long live the pirate-jammin

smartest american

[–] boiledfrog@hexbear.net 9 points 1 day ago
[–] ChaosMaterialist@hexbear.net 4 points 1 day ago
[–] CloutAtlas@hexbear.net 15 points 1 day ago (1 children)

你好,it’s me,your local Chinese spy。我的命令is to distribute copies of 「...And Justice For All」 with the bass guitar not digitally removed (the original version Lars tried to suppress) on “Limewire”。 This will somehow aid 中华人民共和国 in ways even I am unsure of.

[–] ThermonuclearEgg@hexbear.net 5 points 1 day ago

中国万岁!🇨🇳

[–] TheSpectreOfGay@hexbear.net 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I had a friend who freaked out over me streaming pirated films over discord. Like they didnt even have the files they just though them being in a chat with illegal media streaming was going to get them in legal trouble

[–] Strayce@lemmy.sdf.org 10 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

I haven't read up on Discord's TOS lately, but I absolutely would not trust them to not spy on my shit.

[–] TheSpectreOfGay@hexbear.net 2 points 1 day ago

oh for sure i just think thinking ur gonna get thrown in jail bc someone's watching illegal shows in a server ur in when u dont even live in america is pretty silly

[–] dead@hexbear.net 11 points 1 day ago

I'm not a lawyer, but my understanding of US copyright law is that it's a violation of copyright law to share (upload) copyrighted material that you don't own, not a violation to receive (download) copyrighted material. The technicality that people have been sued for using peer-to-peer software where the user both uploads and downloads the copyrighted files.

Also copyright infringement in most circumstance is a civil infringement, not a criminal infringement. This means that you are only prosecuted by the copyright holder, the rights holder could try to sue you in court. The US government won't prosecute you for copyright infringement unless you are making money from it or are operating a large scale distribution operation. However, it is very difficult for a rights holder to track you down and it's costly for them to prove it in court, so they don't bother.

Use a VPN when you use peer to peer software to share files.

[–] quarrk@hexbear.net 10 points 1 day ago (2 children)

If she is employed by DoD then they scared the bujeezus out of her that she will go to jail if she commits a thought crime about China.

If she is employed in private sector, then her employer scared the bujeezus out of her that they will sue her and her extended family for one trillion dollars.

The threats make people unwilling to test boundaries.

[–] peeonyou@hexbear.net 1 points 17 hours ago

ceo @ my company is ex nsa.. he absolutely cannot stand when I say good things about China.. he loses his shit every time

[–] NinaPasadena@hexbear.net 8 points 1 day ago

This is almost certainly true. The unfortunate truth behind an amusing encounter. Basically bullied hard enough to give Jeff Bezos $3.99 to watch a movie made 40 years ago.

[–] TankieTanuki@hexbear.net 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Does she not own a computer of her own?

[–] NinaPasadena@hexbear.net 10 points 1 day ago

Anything is possible but Id be pretty surprised if she didn't atleast have a personal laptop or smart TV

[–] Comrade_Mushroom@hexbear.net 4 points 1 day ago
[–] IncorrigibleDirigible@hexbear.net 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

My copy of Pink Flamingos, C.H.U.D. or Troll2, etc. will definitely h4x0r ur b0x3n. Also Shakma needs to be on my Jellyfin.

[–] NinaPasadena@hexbear.net 7 points 1 day ago

Also Shakma needs to be on my Jellyfin.

It really does. Best DnD movie ever.