Slashdot Mirror


Patent and Copyright Wars Gone Wild

snydeq writes "While Apple and Samsung fight over patents and prototypes, other copyright trolls are waging an X-rated battle on innocent users, as lawyers representing some adult movie companies are sending letters accusing users of illegally downloading their movies and saying that, for a price, they can make the charges go away. 'Cases like this, usually involving pornographic content, are very common,' Mitch Stoltz, a staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation said. At least 250,000 individuals have been named in group lawsuits over the last few years. There's a very common belief that if someone pirates your Wi-Fi connection or uses your computer without your permission, you are responsible for illegal downloads of copyrighted material. That's not true, says Stoltz; the law is quite clear. However, the lawyers who bring those cases use that misperception to convince innocent people that they had better pay up. Since $3,500 is just a fraction of the money it would take to fight a case in court, most people simply settle."

4 of 197 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Plus, there's the embarrassment factor by Gaygirlie · · Score: 5, Funny

    I wouldn't mind. Everyone knows I'm a regular, old perv, it'd just earn me some street-cred.

  2. Article has nothing to do with patents by Theaetetus · · Score: 4, Funny
    While Apple and Samsung fight over patents and prototypes, other copyright trolls are waging an X-rated battle...

    While China and America vie for Gold in London, other copyright trolls are waging an X-rated battle...

    While the Horde and Alliance battle in the Outlands, other copyright trolls are waging an X-rated battle...

    While McDonalds and Burger King fight over the best fries, other copyright trolls are waging an X-rated battle...

    While sensationalist submitters and editors figh- oh, wait, they're in total agreement.

  3. Re:Dear Proprietarians and Patent Trolls by ldobehardcore · · Score: 5, Funny

    Cthulu 2012: Why Settle For A Lesser Evil?

    --
    Hectice, baby, Mercator says hello to you
  4. Re:you blame both by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is PORN we're talking about. Not a good actor as far as the eye can see.