A man has been arrested under tightened anti-piracy laws in New York after allegedly recording the sci-fi blockbuster Transformers during a preview.Kalidou Diallo, 48, has been charged with unauthorized use of a video camera in a cinema.
Under upgraded legislation, he could face six months in jail and fines of up to $5,000 if found guilty.
Meanwhile, Transformers has broken 4 July US box office records with takings of $29.1m.
Mr Diallo was arrested after allegedly smuggling a video recorder, video player and remote control into a preview of the film in the Bronx.He was later released without bail and ordered to return to court on 20 September."This is the first time someone has been arrested and charged with the new illegal camcording law," City Hall spokesman Jason Post said Thursday.
The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) says more than 40% of bootlegged films in the US are secretly taped in New York cinemas.The copies are frequently sold for mass reproduction or posted on the internet, sometimes within hours of the film opening.Pirated films cost major US film studios more than $6bn in 2005, according to the trade association.
