News

Singapore Company Cracks Down on Anime Downloads

According to a news report on the enforcement of copyright rules outside Japan, Singapore anime licensor Odex has started a campaign to eliminate illegal downloads of anime online. Beginning in May, Odex began sending cease and desist letters to the names and addresses of people whose download history had been exposed. The warning letters state that people who continue to share and download anime illegally will be reported to police. Odex is requesting that police search the homes of anyone who is reported.

The letters that Odex is sending are being sent almost exclusively to the people who download the files. This method is a strong contrast to the approach of Japanese authorities that are focusing on prosecuting the people who distribute anime.

Although Odex is the largest licensor and distributor of anime in Singapore, the company has seen a sharp drop in sales in recent years. This led to the company stopping distribution on all but the most popular titles. The company has cited internet file-sharing as a major cause of the drop in sales.

Source: Anime! Anime!