'Revenge Porn' Site Owners Escalate Their Failure, Going From Bogus DMCA Notices To Bogus Legal Threats
from the we're-going-to-need-a-bigger-FAILboat dept
Apparently, Chance Trahan and Craig Brittain of "revenge porn" site Is Anybody Down are still busily working on their shovel-ready project "Digging Our Own Internet Graves." When we checked in last time, the living proof that two heads are sometimes much, much worse than one had just served up a bogus DMCA notice in a weak effort to censor criticism.Needless to say, the criticism hasn't ceased and nothing has been taken down. In fact, the boys have moved past the DMCA process and have moved on to completely bogus legal threats to us here at Techdirt, and a number of other sites as well. As described by Popehat, who has received an identical threat, it appears that Trahan and Brittain have decided to dive right into the always-entertaining "bumptious legal threat" arena.
Craig and Chance are now resorting to legal threats. One of them — probably Craig — has left two identical threats here, as well as at Adam's blog, on Wikipedia, and on a satirical video by Captain Obvious:Adam refers to Adam Steinbaugh, who has been recapping the ongoing Is Anybody Down saga at his blog. This same "legal notice" has also been "served" to Is Anybody Down's Wikipedia page, which ironically enough is already slated for deletion. (Oh, and the Captain Obvious video is worth a watch, along with an earlier video dealing with infamous legal threatener, Charles Carreon.) [Oh, and remind me to start a tumblr called "Slander and Screen Shots" when I get some free time.]"Be advised that these actions, your slander and screen shots can and will be used as key factors should a case be pursued against you. Your posting, advertising, marketing, dissipating and otherwise disseminating the slanderous materials constitute actionable violations of Mr. Trahan and Mr Brittain's rights of privacy and publicity."
Now, what did I say about starting a war of words with someone who knows way more words than you do? Ken at Popehat tears apart this latest missive from the overmatched duo, so that we don't have to:
This is a notably, remarkably stupid comment, even for an Internet Lawyer. First, slander is verbal; libel is written. Second, "be advised" is a reliable tell of an empty threat. Third, nobody is "marketing" anything; that sounds like an attempt to fabricate a copyright claim. All criticisms are non-commercial, making all quotes and screenshots fair use. Fourth, you gravel-knuckled troglodyte, you mean disseminating, not dissipating, and that word's already in the sentence. Fifth, Trahan and Brittain have no privacy or publicity rights to be free of criticism or satire, however popular that approach is to would-be censors.This ongoing battle has all the hallmarks of a popcorn-worthy event (and it appears we now have a front row seat). On one side, you have respected and intelligent legal minds. On the other, two lugs who thought they could smarm their way into some easy money, only to find themselves neck-deep in a self-made hole. It appears their constant shouts for "MOAR SHOVEL!" very possibly won't be silenced until the dirt is well over their heads.
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Filed Under: chance trahan, craig brittain, is anybody down, threats
Reader Comments
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What they're burying themselves in isn't dirt.
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Re: What they're burying themselves in isn't dirt.
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I emailed Chance...
Chance replied:
"Thanks, I can now use this as proof as well that you are in turn harassing us. Thanks for replying. I knew you would."
Sigh.
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Slightly modified yet appropriate movie quote time...
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Re: Slightly modified yet appropriate movie quote time...
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Re: I emailed Chance...
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I think the site is run by someone who once watched a lawyer on TV.
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MY LIFE IS OVER! REALITY FAILED!!!
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About time
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They need....
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Re: They need....
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This streisand effect is working for them
If I were them, I would make more and more outrageous threats and claims until you stopped paying attention.
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Re: This streisand effect is working for them
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Re: This streisand effect is working for them
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Not because I don't think they haven't done anything illegal, it's just our justice system has a very odd sense of humor when it comes to how heinous some crimes are (downloading a song = 5 million dollar fine and probation for life, taking pictures with no context from victims who are extorted to have them removed = can't be any worse than littering).
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He probably was thinking of "dispersing", which, like "dissipating", starts with a "dis", has a "p" in the middle, and ends with "ing" and which, unlike "dissipating", would actually fit in with the others, meaning-wise.
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This is entertainment.
I wonder if Craig's parents are happy their son is so successful. Who knew living in a basement could lead to such fame.
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Its not like the boy is overly smart, I had a dossier 2 hours before anyone else mentioned it on Randazza's blog. Seems genius had managed to piss off some Anons previously... why is it they never learn?
Turnabout being fair play I was surprised that no one setup a website featuring his pics and videos from his cam whore days yet. People have them, the net never forgets, and this genius would be in the same boat as his victims.
He seemed really angry when the court records were posted, I gotta think his cam whore ads would get a better response.
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none
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Is there a "porn" setting for auto-correct or something?
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Thanks for the referral to my videos I'm glad you found them entertaining and informative.
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Boy you must be smokin some good stuff there buddy because you have no idea how silly you sound.
�I wouldn't post screenshots if I was you,�
Really? Why not? OMG it�s it�s � screen shots. Your understanding of the law = fail.
�Chance and Craig are not alone in this fight�
Oohhh the mysterious army of yet unnamed big wig lawyers and other important peoples. Wonder if they come from the same place as David Blade you know 1-800-IMA-FAKE
�And Marc Randazza isn't a real lawyer, expect to hear from the authorities on that one!�
Uh yeah like David Blade is a real lawyer.
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A bit of advice: if you want people to take you seriously, get your facts right and try to spell check!
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1) Up
2) A brain
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"Chance, this is chess."
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I mean a little gay for pay never hurt anyone's reputation.
But then your reputation is pretty much in the shitter right now. You understand that they can use your IP address to tie this post back to you and your other little fledgling site right?
And the fact you run around making baseless legal threats will not help your case 1 bit. I look forward to you screaming how its unfair when your facing charges of extortion and anything else they can find to level at you.
So is the construction and lockpick companies yours or daddies?
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Even I knew that, and I'm a moron in a hurry.
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gravel-knuckled troglodyte
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Other Similar Sites
If the owner is ever unmasked, I suspect he won't sleep very well at night. He's screwed over a lot of women.
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Other Similar Sites
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