Los Angeles-area Boy Scouts can earn "activity patch" in copyright

Los Angeles-area Boy Scouts (this author used to be among them) will now be able to receive an "activity patch" in respecting copyrights. Different from a merit badge, The Associated Press reports that "an activity patch is not required to advance in the Scouts. Instead, they are awarded for various recreational and educational activities, such as conservation or volunteering at a food bank." Scouts will get a primer in copyright law, will have to identify five types of copyright, and will get to visit a movie studio to learn about "how many people can be harmed by film piracy," as defined by the MPAA. Boing Boing also adds that a movement is underway to educate the Los Angeles Area Council about their concerns of potentially pushing the MPAA's agenda. Jay Neely, an Eagle Scout (as is this author), writes on Boing Boing: "If it's as one-sided or erroneous as your post worries it will be, I'd like to get other current or former scouts to take part in a concerted effort to write the Los Angeles Area Council with our concerns." So basically, this ain't over yet, Hollywood.

[Thanks, Rollins]

Read - The Associated Press
Read - Boing Boing

[Juaquin @ Oct 21st 2006 2:56PM]

Nice to see that the corporations are pushing their agenda all the way from the Senate down to the Boy Scouts. I don't think there's one mind they haven't tried to brainwash yet.

[Whynot @ Oct 21st 2006 3:26PM]

A few years from now, in a paralell universe (so paralell that maybe it's the same):
- "Excuse-me, professor? Why wasn't my son accepted in 4th Grade? He's a straight A student!
- I'm sorry Mrs Smith, but the MPAA did not let him because he did not agree that piracy was responsible for $3 billions daily losses. He's gonna have to spend 6 month in the MPAA Center for Potential Pirates to be brainw...reeducated."

[AKBlade13 @ Oct 21st 2006 3:28PM]

You know, somehow, I see that actually happening.

AKBlade13

[Chris @ Oct 21st 2006 3:27PM]

I bet the scout leader downloads illegaly.

[Phil @ Oct 21st 2006 3:28PM]

So where are the Respect Consumers and the Protect Consumers' Rights badges?

Maybe Engadget should sponsor those.

[Whynot @ Oct 21st 2006 3:49PM]

Consumers' Rights will be outlawed by the next revision of the DMCA because of the threat they represent for the MPAA and the RIAA.

[LTM @ Oct 21st 2006 3:28PM]

If you weren't a pirate before, this B.S, self serving, nauseating tactics from the MPAA would make you want to learn how to become one real fast!

[paolo @ Oct 21st 2006 4:23PM]

so how much do these patches sell on ebay?

[Chris @ Oct 21st 2006 6:13PM]

Though I think that this particular program smacks of manipulation on the part of the MPAA, I applaud the Boy Scouts for addressing the issue of piracy and copyright violation. I am also an eagle scout, and I see the issue of piracy somewhat differently than do quite a lot of others (including, it seems, many who post on this website). I think that it is wrong for media companies to charge confiscatory rates for their products-- the time has come for media companies to recognize that their products are not as highly valued as they would like to think. But if the media companies have a product that I want and I am unwilling to pay their price, I have two options: 1) Don't buy the product. 2) Steal it. I am not willing to become a thief over the cost of an album or a movie, and I can live without.

[devon @ Oct 21st 2006 6:20PM]

Next they'll be teaching the Boy Scouts to write C&D letters.

[Matthew Nitti @ Oct 21st 2006 6:26PM]

aha, ha.. ah... hahahahaha.. HA!

[DudeinAmerica @ Oct 21st 2006 7:35PM]

How about a "Fair Use" patch... F*ing MPAA.

[Ryan Kyle @ Oct 21st 2006 7:55PM]

I bought thier popcorn at the grocery store while they had an ipod boombox playing HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Pbase @ Oct 21st 2006 8:30PM]

Very Kim Jongish.

[Brad @ Oct 21st 2006 9:21PM]

Too bad the majority of kids in the Boy Scouts won't give a shit. They'll continually download copyrighted materials as much as they do porn.

[Mikey @ Oct 21st 2006 11:03PM]

I work for the BSA, and think this is dumb. If the oath & law are not enough to deter people from "stealing" then why would this help?

"On my honor, I will do my best... ...To keep myself... ...mentally awake, and morally straight"

[c.Lake @ Oct 22nd 2006 12:31AM]

how weak...

[Scott @ Oct 22nd 2006 2:35AM]

Another Eagle Scout here, and current LA resident. This is silly, but so are alot of the BSA's departures from their classic roots.

[Juaquin @ Oct 22nd 2006 3:05AM]

Can't we all just light a fire with our bare hands and sing campfire songs?

Not listen to campfire songs on your iCrap that you illegally obtained from a friend who downloaded it on bittorrent?

[Tris @ Oct 22nd 2006 12:15PM]

You know as a former Eagle scout, I gotta say, I'm pretty disappointed... You know BSA, this didn't work out to well for some people back in the 30s and 40s in Germany or for some people McCarthy scared up... I know you fell off the map of social irrelavance after the whole gay scout leader fiasco, but couldn't you think of something socially meaningful to do?

[steve @ Oct 22nd 2006 1:35PM]

i want them to make a pirate patch
im guessing most scouts would get that one

[Ralph Wiggum @ Oct 22nd 2006 8:56PM]

I know that the Boy Scouts have been in decline recently, but.....

I truly f***ing hate them now. Seriously. They're using this retarded bullsh*t to make a BADGE?! Large corporations have waaaay too much power these days, and the homosexual leaders at the Boy Scouts can be bought off too easily.

Just my $0.02. Amazing I actually used to respect the Boy Scouts.

[Wonderboy @ Oct 23rd 2006 9:39AM]

You know when I was earning my Eagle Scout I was learning things like how to survive in extreme situations and how to better man-kind. Ten years later we're at this point.

I swear we've pissed off evolution somehow and it's getting back at us by reversing our progress at rapidly increasing speeds.

[Matt B @ Oct 23rd 2006 11:08AM]

How can a company lose $3B a day and stay in business? What is next?

1.The MPAA will add a line to our tax return form for us to claim how many songs and movies we downloaded this year.

2. The MPAA will make it illegal to say that they do not lose $3B a day.

[Dave @ Oct 23rd 2006 11:18AM]

Still not as good as my "Respect the right to life of animals and don't club baby seals" patch.

On second thought... dang.

[buy new pc @ Dec 16th 2008 11:46AM]

Interesting post! I think that it is wrong for media companies to charge confiscatory rates for their products-- the time has come for media companies to recognize that their products are not as highly valued as they would like to think.

[ViSalus @ Dec 31st 2008 8:59AM]

It was a very informative. I applaud the Boy Scouts for addressing the issue of piracy and copyright violation.