FTC complaint over misleading copyright warnings

The Computer and Communications Industry Association (a group of tech companies including Microsoft, Google, et al) has filed a formal complaint with the US Fair Trade Commission, over "years of consumer deception" in the form of misleading and deceptive copyright warnings from major copyright holders.

Some examples of the types of warnings in issue here include:

NFL warning:  (this clip was, itself, ironically, the subject of a DMCA takedown notice from the NFL)


Sterling Mets warning:


Commissioner of Baseball warning:

The consequences for disregarding these warnings can be severe:


The complaint alleges that the copyright holders:

have engaged, and continue to engage in, a nationwide pattern of unfair and deceptive trade practices by misrepresenting consumer rights under copyright law, and in some cases threatening criminal and civil penalties against consumers who choose to exercise statutorily or Constitutionally guaranteed rights. These false representations violate the letter and spirit of the Federal Trade Commission Act's prohibition against unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce.

Other articles on this topic are here and here.  [For nytimes.com username and password, use bugmenot.com]