YouTuber Might Face Jail Time After Reviewing Retro Handhelds
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- Italian YouTuber Francesco Salicini, who goes by “Once Were Nerd,” is facing legal troubles.
- The YouTuber reviewed retro gaming handhelds, some of which came with pre-loaded titles.
- He is accused of violating Article 171-ter of Italian Copyright Law, which reportedly could lead to around $17,000 and up to three years in jail.
Italian YouTuber Francesco Salicini, who goes by “Once Were Nerd,” is being accused of violating Article 171-ter of Italian Copyright Law. Article 171-ter is the Law for the Protection of Copyright and Neighbouring Rights. The maximum punishment for infringement is a fine of around $17,000 alongside up to three years of jail time.
The accusations occurred after Salicini reportedly promoted pirated copyrighted materials. The alleged infringement occurred during reviews of Anbernic handheld consoles, some of which come loaded with a microSD card full of games.
According to Tomshardware, the microSD cards with hundreds of ROMS are definitely against the law and a form of piracy. Salicini claims no manufacturer sponsored his videos, and that he did not add affiliate links in his content.
Salicini mentioned that over 30 consoles were confiscated from his collection by customs enforcement officers after they showed up to his property with a search warrant, with the intent to investigate promotion of pirated copyrighted materials, according to Android Authority. The consoles confiscated included, but were not limited to, ANBERNIC, Powkiddy, and TrimUI gaming handhelds.
The YouTuber expects to go to court; his fate will be decided by a judge. The judge can either dismiss the case, or decide to take it to trial.
