Since 2003 it has been illegal in the UK to modify video games consoles. The first conviction for this offence came this week.
The offender was sentenced to 140 hours community service and ordered to pay £750 in costs. The court also seized his equipment – three PCs, two printers*, three Xbox consoles and 38 hard drives. Article BBC Online.
This coincides nicely with the publishing of the report “Fake Nation: A study into an everyday crime” (Bryce & Rutter) which presents attitudes towards counterfitting and copying.
The report shows that pirating and purchasing counterfit products is viewed as acceptable social behaviour.
*What motivated the courts to sieze his printers? Since he probably wore shoes while modifying and selling why not take his shoes?