Possible legal issue: someone charging for VLC

[hobster]

Hi guys,

I just want to bring your attention to one possible scam dealing with downloading VLC from a domain name similar to videolan.org. I recently suggested a friend to Google VLC and download it. She messaged me saying she was required to send a premium SMS. The URL she got from google was http://videolan.com.es/?gclid=CPSuldP29 ... Qgody2jiDA which is visually very similar. Please note that this link was provided by google possibly in the first results and maybe as a paid advertisement. I tried the link and saw that the download started right after and told her that for me there was no SMS involved. She quickly replied telling me that this was requested when she executed the downloaded EXE file. Very surprised I went to my download (a 9 MB file) and noticed that Google Chrome had identified this file as potentially harmful to the computer, which confirmed this was a modified EXE to get the activation code via SMS and maybe other bad side effects.

I'm quite certain that the license of VLC does not allow for this type of modifications, but I just want to let you know in case you want to take some legal action. I think this guy must stop monetizing your work. If you need help with the languaje, let me know.

Hope this is of help to you

Javier
Valladolid, Spain

[CloudStalker]

Terrible, just terrible. Some websites find this little legal loophole by offering VLC (main attraction) as part of a paid service or program (not attractive at all), so they make their little money off the appeal of VLC. What hobster is bringing to our attention may be different, hobster is saying that this could be potentially harmful to ones computer and that someone may have (illegally) modified something that he wasn't supposed to. Tanks for dat bit of info.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

I'm quite certain that the license of VLC does not allow for this type of modifications, but I just want to let you know in case you want to take some legal action. I think this guy must stop monetizing your work. If you need help with the languaje, let me know.

Unfortunately, this is legal. :'(

[johnp]

I am not qualified or even knowledgeable on legal issues but my understanding is that even though GPLv2 allows others to redistribute even for profit free software, they are not allowed to use the same logo (icon) and name if these are trademarked. In other words if "VLC" or "videolan" and/or the logo are registered trademarks there will be limitations on who can distribute your program with the name VLC and the original icon, because they will need your permission for doing so. At least this is my impression. It will be good to ask somebody qualified on legal aspects of the GPL.

-- John

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

I am not qualified or even knowledgeable on legal issues but my understanding is that even though GPLv2 allows others to redistribute even for profit free software, they are not allowed to use the same logo (icon) and name if these are trademarked. In other words if "VLC" or "videolan" and/or the logo are registered trademarks there will be limitations on who can distribute your program with the name VLC and the original icon, because they will need your permission for doing so. At least this is my impression. It will be good to ask somebody qualified on legal aspects of the GPL.

-- John

I think your opinion is right. That is why we are in instance of trademarking those.