More Law Firms Getting Into The Mass 'Pay Us Or We'll Sue You For Infringement' Business
from the piracy-into-profits? dept
We've seen enough reports of just how lucrative it has been for various law firms to get into the mass automated threat letter business by demanding payment from accused file sharers based on very slight evidence. The only thing that's been surprising, really, is that we haven't seen more law firms jump into the game. In the UK, there was Davenport Lyons, who more or less handed over that business to ACS:Law. Then there was -- briefly -- the UK law firm Tilly Bailey & Irvine, who were called out by a UK Lord as a "new entrant to the hall of infamy." That resulted in TBI backing out of the business. In the US, of course, there was the recent high profile entrance of US Copyright Group (which is really the DC-based law firm Dunlap, Weaver and Grubb) as well as some indications that others are getting into the game as well.TorrentFreak highlights another UK law firm, Gallant Macmillan, that has decided to join in on the "pay us or we'll sue you" fun. It appears that Gallant Macmillan has gone out of its way to try to indicate it's not "as bad" as those who came before it, but it's still in the same basic business. Of course, the more law firms that start down this road, the more attention the practice will get among politicians -- and the more likely that these sorts of quasi-extortion-like efforts gets shut down both in the UK and the US.
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Filed Under: copyright, pre-settlement letters, threat letters, uk
Companies: acs:law, gallant macmillan, us copyright group
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"quasi-extortion-like efforts"
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Re: "quasi-extortion-like efforts"
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Would this strain the system?
Seems like a huge can of worms...
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Actually I believe the opposite. The more that get into it, the more legitimate they become and at least in the U.S. the more the politicians will listen to them. After all we are becoming the society that is building an economy on make believe money.
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Easy Peasy
Oh, the laws only work in one direction? Hrmmm.
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Bears a striking similarity to...
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Re: Bears a striking similarity to...
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Actually:
... the more law firms that start down this road, the more attention the practice will get among politicians -- and the more likely that these sorts of quasi-extortion-like efforts will employ lobby groups that will eventually legitimize this both in the UK and the US..
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Actually:
... the more law firms that start down this road, the more attention the practice will get among politicians -- and the more likely that these sorts of quasi-extortion-like efforts will employ lobby groups that will eventually legitimize this both in the UK and the US..
Actually - the more law firms start down this road the more the public will wise up to the tactics - eventually making them unprofitable.
In the UK at least one "victim" has successfully turned the tables on his persecutors and got a judgement against them in the county court. (I had a link to this in an earlier comment but I don't have the time to dig it out right now).
Once these scammers start leaking money in a big way they will have to stop.
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http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/34690659-post287.html
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They have a reputation to lose
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-f*** you, pay me.
Only use the internet to stay in touch with family?
-f*** you, pay me.
Don't even know what that new-fangaled contraption is with the antennas sticking out of it?
-f*** you, pay me.
Don't even have internet?
-f*** you, pay me.
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Re:
Say, what ever happened to the child of an RIAA goon who was caught downloading music? I remember something about an apology but not a dollar amount. Did they end up paying $80k per song? Yeah, I didn't think so either. I've heard that one before - do as I say, not as I do.
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vclass action suits
they just criminalize the behavior?
Is that anything like CSIS method of sending you the material, declaring it illegal, then busting you? (a reporter got nailed with this here in ottawa)
or is it more.. 'he might try it someday"
type of guilty?
packrat
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ACS:Law Letter
The file that they alleged that I download was some acid house track for the 90's. I had to Google it to figure out what in the hell it was.
I can categorically state that I have not nor would ever download anything like that, hence going by the book and sending my reply letter to them as advised by Beingthreatened.com and informing my MP.
My MP has already read my email, sent about 3hrs ago and has told me that he will reply in full shortly.
It's amazing that this company and all the others that are starting to practice this parasitic practice are allowed to continue to operate.
Much more needs to be done about this and more people need to made aware about the practice of these firms. It worries me as to how many people have already just paid up due to intimidation.
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Simply extortion, sanctioned by the government/courts
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no problems
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