US Copyright Group Willing To Reveal The Tech It Uses To Identify File Sharers... Sort Of
from the an-investigation-would-be-useful dept
US Copyright Group, which is really DC-based law firm Dunlap, Grubb and Weaver, has made a lot of news recently for unleashing thousands of lawsuits on people it accuses of infringing on copyrights, in an effort not to stop infringement, but to send out "pre-settlement letters" to get people to pay up to avoid the lawsuits. Dunlap keeps insisting, despite similar efforts accusing perfectly innocent people of infringement and demanding payment, that its technology is reliable and credible. CCS Labs, a company that does work in the computer crime field, was curious about this and asked US Copyright Group for the right to review its methodology and technology.Dave Gordon from CCS Labs contacted us to let us know that US Copyright Group has agreed to let it review its technology and methodology if CCS Labs can show that it has been hired by someone who is being sued by it. So, CCS Labs is looking for anyone who was on the receiving end of a US Copyright Group lawsuit to contact them as soon as possible:
However, the CCS LABS, requires your help! If you have received a letter from the US Copyright Group please contact the CCS LABS and formally request them to represent you as your technology experts. They will need your case number of personal contact details which will not be made public. You will also have access to the full report produced by the CCS LABS, instead of a summary disclosure report.Why might this be important? Beyond getting a look into what US Copyright Group is actually doing in determining who it accuses of infringement, CCS Labs could potentially determine that the technology is not reliable for courtroom use:
The technology supplied will be tested for "fitness" and can receive one of three classifications NOT CERTIFIED, eDiscovery Certified, or Forensics Certified. Only Forensics Certified software may be used to provide "expert evidence" in court. If the technology receives a NOT CERTIFIED classification then the technology is not fit for any intelligence gathering use.I have no clue if the technology and methodology used by USCG is any good, but it would be nice to have some more details on it, and also getting it tested to determine whether or not it really can be used in court. Among the questions that CCS Labs intends to look at:
1) Is the file downloaded the file that is expected?I'm guessing that US Copyright Group really isn't that keen on having all these questions answered.
2) Are the IPs listed providing the chunks expected or false chunks?
3) Is every action logged?
4) Is a full report produced?
5) Are problems displayed and analysed by humans later?
6) What is the user documentation like?
7) Are the users of the technology fully trained on the technology?
8) Do we have access to the developers?
9) Is the technology's confidence level known?
10) Are the results produced by the Technology repeatable?
11) Has the technology been assessed by an external auditing authority already?
12) How automated is the system?
13) What level of redundancy checking is used?
14) If hashing used, which algorithm(s) is/are used?
and many more...
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: certification, copyright, downloading
Companies: ccs labs, us copyright group
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
doesnt the technology only have to show enough probably cause to allow for a seizure of computer?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
You should try reading the article before asking questions that have already been answered. As clearly stated in the article, a technology that fits under the "Not Certified" classification is not usable even for discovery purposes, and therefore could not be used to justify probable cause.
Also, the fact that hundreds of computers can simultaneously connect to the internet through the same IP address means that knowing what IP address was used does not mean that you know what computer was used.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
So you're implicitly admitting that Mike's business sense is good enough to afford sock puppets to troll trolls?
How curious. I thought he had no idea what he was doing, and that his business ideas were pure bunk.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
According to everything you say about them, they should be living in cardboard boxes on the street and hacking open WiFi for access to the internet.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
Sounds to me like US Copyright Group is dancing on the head of a pin, trying to find a way to abuse the legal system so they can file against 5,000 people while only paying for one filing fee. They also seem to be dancing around the need for actual proof.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
What if they just use a magic 8-ball to guess who's infringing?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Of course they haven't sued anyone...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Of course they haven't sued anyone...
That's not true. They have filed lawsuits.
It is true that ACS:Law in the UK just sends pre-settlement letters, threatening to file a lawsuit. But USCG has, in fact, filed numerous lawsuits.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Of course they haven't sued anyone...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Of course they haven't sued anyone...
Does this relate to differences between UK and US law and procedures or is it a real difference in tactics?
If you work on the assumption that this is basically a shakedown then you wouldn't expect USCG to go to any expense that they could avoid so you wouldn't expect actual lawsuits unless US law made them necessary.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Of course they haven't sued anyone...
I'm pretty sure it's due to the RIAA/Verizon lawsuit about a decade ago, where Verizon fought -- and won -- in the courts to say that the RIAA could only demand names and info if it had filed a lawsuit.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Of course they haven't sued anyone...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Legal grunt
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: If you want freee legit music .....
By the way techdirt did a recent article titled ...
Michael Robertson's Crowdsourced List Of 1,400 Examples Of EMI Giving Away Free Music; EMI Denies All But 3".
In the article there is a list of 1400 songs that were given away for promotional puposes with a spread sheet of where to download them.
I downloaded the list and added it to my current list of legal promotional music to download. My list is 158,000 plus distinct URLs at this point none of which I have downloaded. The "download all" button is kind of tempting though. Between the 1400 songs listed and my list there was alot of cross over. If released as an app and source code with an XML database of URL's. The app is only 2,800 lines of VB code. Most of the code is to create pattern match files to prevent downloading the same song multiple times. It is the precursor to a screen saver to play music amd determine what is playing on what web radio station.
Release of the promotional URL list download program (Code name MUSE-ick) would cause one of three outcomes.
One the record labels issue DMCA take downs against every song on the list and piss off every person promoting their music. Causing a huge backlash against the labels, loss of artists, and public awareness.
Two they do nothing. At which point everything they have dumped for promotion is fair game for download.
Three they stop all free promotions of music. This would actually be an extension of two. And problematic in how do you create hype when no one knows what is coming.
Whats funny is this is one of those, damned if they do, damned if they don't, moments for the record labels. The thought is out there for anyone to implement.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: If you want freee legit music .....
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: If you want freee legit music .....
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: If you want freee legit music .....
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: If you want freee legit music .....
excuse me for being a bit cryptic.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: If you want freee legit music .....
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Exposing those behind the USCG
We think we know who it is already, but have to wait and see. But as yet no one has come forward who will provide their case number and contact details.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Exposing those behind the USCG
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Exposing those behind the USCG
Dear person posting this: please be aware that when you post from your work account, we are aware of the corresponding IP address, which exposes who you work for.
Would you care to share that with the folks you are insulting? For example, would you, perhaps, like to share whether or not you are an unbiased party here?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Exposing those behind the USCG
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Exposing those behind the USCG
I think Mike is just saying: "be aware, you are not as anonymous as you think."
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Exposing those behind the USCG
He did and I appreciate it. He didnt mention Anonymous Cowards name or the company he works for he never does. He did however tell us what I suspected the instant I read the post this guy strikes out, panics, and fears what Dave (not me the other David) can do to this case. The post by it self is very telling ...
"You are just trying to profit off these cases like everyone else."
Seems to say, you are going after my cash cow stop it, or you are going to ruin this plan, or you have done this to me before. Iake your pick.
"Besides, I read the article you posted on your lousy website, and all these people have said is that they will "consider" your request, "
This is the hope line, it says I am hoping that people dont use you.
"You jumped the gun on this one you moron."
This is the anger line and says, In conclusion I am pissed you are doing this me.
The whole post is really telling. It is full of anger, fear, despair, uncertainty, and reminds me of the Record label type that wants the death penalty for infringement. It has the same level of unadulterated, everything is slipping away from me, RAGE.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Exposing those behind the USCG
privacy denied.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Exposing those behind the USCG
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Dave Gordon
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Dave Gordon
Dear person posting this: please be aware that when you post from your work account, we are aware of the corresponding IP address, which exposes who you work for.
Would you care to share that with the folks you are insulting? For example, would you, perhaps, like to share whether or not you are an unbiased party here?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Dave Gordon
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Dave Gordon
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Dave Gordon
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Dave Gordon
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Dave Gordon//where is the techdirt privacy policy again?
REALLY!! Where is it ? does it exist?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Dave Gordon//where is the techdirt privacy policy again?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
logging IP addresses
Mike hasn't revealed any info here, he's just warned the hater that he/she isn't quite as anonymous as he/she thinks. That Mike COULD reveal the info should be a deterrent, unless AC is as ignorant as his rants make him appear to be.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: logging IP addresses
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: logging IP addresses
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: logging IP addresses
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: logging IP addresses
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: logging IP addresses
remember that the next time you post here. if mike doesnt like your comments, he might out you.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: logging IP addresses
Remember this the next time you try to post anonymously to any website: Free speech does not by default imply anonymous speech. It is your responsibility as a speaker to assure that you are anonymous. Anyone between you and Techdirt can expose you, not just Mike. If you don't want to be outed, my suggestion is that you should look into technology such as anonymous proxies and TOR. Realize however, that even these systems can be compromised.
Mike told us nothing we already knew. You are a shill, and likely a paid one. You believe that by posting anonymously, that you are trying to pull a fast one on us and make us think that you are an average joe, but your very style of writing gives away that you have a vested interest and nothing worthwhile to say other than to throw gasoline on the flames to polarize the discussion. Luckily, because people like you in the past, most of us are cynical and either ignore you or bait you.
Most of us don't care about privacy in the way that you do. Your campaign of terror is limited by public exposure, and the more people see through your terror, the deeper you are going to have to hide. The rest of us care about our personal privacy, but a compromise isn't going to be as earth-shattering to our business models as it is to your zombie business model (it just will not die and go away.)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: logging IP addresses
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: logging IP addresses
Apart from Mike doing it only to total ass-clowns like you appear to be, what about it? Are you afraid your mommy's gonna find out your using the internet again?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: logging IP addresses
That is, if you indeed have a vested interest.
Your insults towards Dave have been nothing but ludicrous, and very telling indeed, without Mike's warning even. So you can stop acting like a damsel in distress, it'll give you no soap. It doesn't suit you.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]