The article is a cautionary tail I believe would benefit anyone who contributes content to the World Wide Web, the Internet.
Source: Prenda Law Is The Tip of the Iceberg
- May 7, 2013 | By Mitch Stoltz
"The Internet is rejoicing with news that notorious copyright troll Prenda Law, and its attorneys John Steele, Paul Hansmeier, Paul Duffy, and Brett Gibbs, received a stinging sanction from federal judge Otis D. Wright, II - over $81,000 in attorney's fees and a referral to federal prosecutors"
"Copyright is a broken system, biased in favor of copyright owners at the public's expense, prone to harsh punishment and ruinous damages, steeped in the misleading and unhelpful rhetoric of "theft" and "piracy." A system so out of balance is a natural haven for lawsuit abuse."
"Looking beyond trolls, the same vague legal principles create legal nightmares - and sometimes financial ruin - for people that try to play by the rules. Companies like ReplayTV and Veoh went bankrupt trying to convince courts that they shouldn't be held responsible when customers copy TV and movies. Dish Networks/ReplayTV, YouTube, and many less prominent technology companies face lawsuits where the toolmaker must answer for the tool user. Only lawyers benefit, as vagueness means long fights and lots of legal fees."
"Free speech, due process of law, and privacy often take a backseat when someone cries 'copyright.' In this climate, it's no wonder that Prenda Law and its fellow trolls talk about 'digital pirates' who are 'threatening entire areas of creative works' when the trolls demand money - it puts them rhetorically on the side of motherhood and apple pie."
Related:
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