PocketGPSWorld Speed Camera Database Piracy

[Darren]

Today is Wednesday release day so for those of you who are paid up subscribers a release will be published this afternoon.

Sadly we have seen a rise in the detected cases of piracy of our database in the past week, we had hoped that the message had sunk in and that those who choose to steal our work in this way would think again but clearly not. The database files are Copyright PocketGPSWorld.Com Limited and their use is subject to our published Terms & Conditions. We can uniquely track the database to an individual subscriber. If we subsequently find our database on any web-site in contravention of our licence conditions you will immediately forfeit any remaining subscription to PocketGPSWorld.com and will be banned from membership of this web-site indefinitely.

We have in the past week banned three members for breaches. Two members have forfeited their subscription fees and the third, a Lifetime Member, has lost his 20yr+ subscription as a result.

The database has a reputation for its accuracy because of the work we have input and the time and money invested in the software and systems that support it. Everyone who pays to subscribe recognises the value a subscription provides and we strive to offer the best in terms of service and support. We will continue to trace and target those in our society who think they can continue to steal without penalty.

As always, we welcome reports of suspected sharing of our database, please send your links or other information to piracyATpocketgpsworld.com. For those cases that we were not previously aware of and that result in the identification of a member we will at our discretion award three months subscription.
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Darren Griffin

[Tom59]

I think that in addition to forfeiture of membership, PGPSW should seriously consider prosecution.
There will be a lot of opinions both pro and con on this issue, but my personal feeling is that one successful prosecution for theft would have the desired effect.
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TT Go 720 (T)
Firmware 9.430. Map: Western Europe V 875.3613

TT iPhone app
V 1.23 Map: Western and Central Europe 2 GB V 965.7286

TT iOS Go Mobile
V 1.1 Map: Western Europe 965.7248

[Darren]

Sadly the law is such that whilst we could seek a prosecution, the costs would be high. We are prepared for such action though and one website that was selling our data escaped such an action recently at the 11th hour.

By pursuing a company we can at least hope to recover our costs and seek an order for compensation, were we to do so against an individual I fear we would be unlikely to recover our costs.
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Darren Griffin

[BigPerk]

I can't find the thread now but I thought you said you were going to "name and shame" - presumably publishing actual names and possibly other identifying features. That may have more effect perhaps against individuals. Legal problems perhaps(or me making it up)?

I don't know the feasibility or difficulty these days, but would it be possible to trasmit the data file encrypted, with a separate 'protected' decoding system file, so that copying the user data would produce gibberish? I realise that even if some such an approach exists, determined pirates would still get around it, but most people are just opportunists and would probably be discouraged. Determined pirates are, in any case, the ones to name and shame, or pursue in other ways, as they are probably also habitual.
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David
(Navigon 70 Live, Nuvi 360)

[Darren]

[BigPerk]

Shame!

If you can't give personal details, would you be allowed to continue to show the offender's avatar and possibly previous posts as normal, just changing their status to TERMINATED or some appropriate toned-up/down term (ebay say something like "this user is no longer on ebay").

I assume they would soon remove themselves!
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David
(Navigon 70 Live, Nuvi 360)

[Darren]

What we have started doing is adding the 'Banned' rank to all those members who have been banned.

Bear in mind that not every banned member has been guilty of piracy. A few have been banned following misuse of the forums, trolling, spam posts etc and many who have been banned for piracy have a zero post count so won't appear in the forums.
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Darren Griffin

[253]

I'm sorry to hear this again, I really feel for you guys. You all put in a lot of work, people give their own time and effort. The fee is not a lot when you consider what you get, it's still not a lot anyway - look what you get for 20 quid these days.
People who are passing the data base on - what do they get, they can't charge a hell of a lot anyway, are they doing it for the hell of it, or spite - I don't get it.
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Triumph Tbird 1700. And now a Bonnie T100.

[Darren]

Most sharing seems to be via furtive sites where they take pride in getting something for nothing and 'kudos' for sharing or stealing as it actually is.

Of course the sad types that are so engaged would be up in arms if it was they who were the victims, but that's society for you.
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Darren Griffin

[Kar98]

[PaulB2005]

[DennisN]

And many of the links they post are to sites where you can download a small file free, but one the size of our database is above the free limit, so you have to buy yourself downloading credits. The PocketGPSWorld site is easily found, whereas some of the nasty sites are a bit obscure. So one has to first find, then pay the site for the data. It would not surprise me to learn that the cost of the downloads adds up to more than the cost of a legitimate subscription here. Now that the database is being updated weekly, the cheapo scroungers will have to pay their fees that much more often - the sites will be happy, but the suckers will find the costs doubling! Those sites don't operate at no cost.
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Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

[lillyelse]

Why can't we be required to input a password before download, or is this suggestion too simplistic, or been tried before and found wanting?

[Kar98]

[PaulB2005]

We see you’re using an ad-blocker. We’re fine with that and won’t stop you visiting the site.
Have you considered making a donation towards website running costs?.
Or you could disable your ad-blocker for this site. We think you’ll find our adverts are not overbearing!