Jan 19 2009
In Italy it is changing the PlayStation offense
We know that with the PlayStation, the famous Sony console, the games are not original, for instance those not sold directly by the manufacturer but burned hand, does not work.
Many users, however, while saving on the purchase price of the games, certainly not cheap, have changed or done to modify their consoles so that I can read the game so not original.
To do this meeting are some entrepreneurs who sell directly or through the internet mod-chip designed to change the operation of the console.
The Italian Supreme Court has now determined that the video game for PlayStation are “property” and, as such, are protected in copyright law.
Those who apply the mod-chip or change the console, usually with the aim of using non-original games, and thus circumventing the protections, commits an illegal violation of the copyright law.
This is what decided the fourth section of the Criminal Court of Cassation ordered a man who through their own site selling mod-chip intended “to alter the product PlayStation 2 and allow the use of video games burned.”
The man - a member of Bolzano, which distributes electronic products - already sentenced in first instance and acquitted on appeal, the latter ruling, however, was undone by reference to the Court of Cassation.
The defense argued that the video games software and a PlayStation, a situation that would place the quetione outside the law on diritoo notice.
For the Cassation videogames are “works of the complex and multi-media” and the PlayStation is an “automatic data processing” in case “console game.”
In this case the copyright law can be applied: “If the use of prevailing PlayStation is amended to read videogiochi burned” by passing the measures imposed by Sony, is a violation of copyright.
For this reason, the businessman was sentenced to pay to Sony in 2500 euros as compensation.
In light of this ruling also the production and the mere possession of these chips is now punishable by law.
Together the works of a video game ingenuity, the Italian courts have effectively bridged the legal uncertainty which allowed many to produce and sell in our country, the mod chip to unlock the console and make them accept any kind of software.
