Anti-Piracy Lawyers Find A Cheaper Way To Identify BitTorrent Users
Anti-Piracy Lawyers Find A Cheaper Way To Identify BitTorrent Users
Posted 07/24/2011 at 7:52am
| by Justin Kerr
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BitTorrent is a great way to move large royalty free files around the web, but it’s also a great way to get sued if you happen to stumble upon the wrong link. Since 2010 close to 200,000 people in the US have been sent pay-up-or-else-letters for alleged copyright infringements as a result of using torrents, and this number could explode exponentially based on a new ruling that would allow these cases to spill over into state courts.
Copyright cases have typically always been the mandate of the federal courts, however anti-piracy lawyers have now successfully pushed several cases through state courts, allowing them to subpoena Internet service providers for subscriber information by jumping through far fewer hoops than ever before. If the trend continues, this could mean significantly more settlement letters being sent out, and more importantly for the lawyers, cost far less to pursue.
TorrentFreek reached out to prominent anti-piracy lawyer Marc Randazza for comment, and he responded by confirming the recent developments. “What is going on here is a complaint for pure discovery — in other words, all the lawyer is asking the court for is for the court to give him the right to figure out who the defendants are. This seems to me to be a proper way to do things,” Randazza told TorrentFreak, admitting that he also has also filed a few cases in state court.
“In my torrent cases, my defendants have to pay pretty high figures to get out of the case — because we put a lot of money and effort into the case. If there were an easier way to get in contact with the torrenters, then they would likely all get off much lighter. Food for thought for potential defendants.”
Anti-piracy lawyers are in the business of suing, and what I can I say, business is good.
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Silencer
August 11, 2011 at 5:25am
A lie from a lawyer:
"If there were an easier way to get in contact with the torrenters, then they would likely all get off much lighter."
Liar.
"all" are not getting caught ATM. What's less? A $10 fine, or a $0 fine? Your logic's wrong. Liar. Wants the money.
So you mean the few who are caught would pay less, because we'd all be paying. Money-Loving Socialist. Traitor. Bye.
tdtimes
July 25, 2011 at 11:33am
Somebody sue this lawyer for lying.
A lawyer that "reduces" a fee. What an laugh.
How about the fact they are way over paid in the first place.
Somehow magically retainers always equal work done.
This is all about gaming the system.
These hypocrits should be sued for false advertisment, ie, the justice system.
Not too mention sueing the music industry for promoting theft in their songs.
gesh, what a bunch of self-righteous legal twisting.
Seen any lemonade stands this guy can shut down?
jgrimoldy
July 25, 2011 at 1:00pm
>These hypocrits should be sued for false advertisment, ie, the justice system.
We do not have a justice system in the U.S. We never have. We have a legal system. The two are vastly different. Accept this and change your expectations. You will be much less frustrated.
tdtimes
July 25, 2011 at 6:15pm
Ouch - that is how "legal" systems end up coming for you.
You will only be able to relax so long to the swat team tatics and the vast over-reaching "legal" system that has taken all of your freedoms.
But hey relax no one ever innocent goes to jail or will have to pay a "lawyer" for being a bully with the law.
Of course to steal music is wrong, but how dare others attempt to take the moral high ground.
First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.
Eoraptor
July 24, 2011 at 5:22pm
This is so fabulous... the last time I checked any number of sources, Copyrights and patents and trademarks were all issued by the federal government. Meaning only a federal court has jurisdiction for ANY of this, strict legality on file sharing aside.
But, these slimeballs get around all that by saying "we're not asking you to rule on the copyright, but merely on the off chance that there is SOMETHING illegal going on SOMEWHERE, SOMEHOW." And then sending out Cease and Deist letters that no mere mortal can do jack scite about because, hey, we can't all afford to keep a $700-per-hour lawyer on retainer even if we've done nothing more illegal than having an unsecured wireless network. so it's "pay up or die" with nothing but some legal blackmail.
Sooner or later, anyone who looks at a RickRoll on Yourtube will be declared to have stolen someone's Intelectual property and sued into abject poverty, just because a lawyer can do it.
God Bless America.
Joji
July 24, 2011 at 1:47pm
@winmaster
Pirating is good sometimes. Such as PIRATING MW3 WHEN IT COMES OUT BECAUSE ACTIVISION DOES NOT DESERVE OUR MONEY!! True that.
Besides, as long as you buy it later on, I don't see what's the issue with pirating. I know friends who are pretty poor and can't afford a descent gaming computer. That's why they have to rely on torrented games until they get the money.
Holly Golightly
July 24, 2011 at 1:14pm
Man... Why use Torrents? There are more sneakier ways to download a file without using a torrent. BY sneaky, I mean going to legit sites and just ripping the content for yourself. The only thing good I see out of torrent is to be able to download games with the DRM already cracked... But for simple things like music and movies... Which seems to be the ones in the courtrooms anyways, I would just recommend ripping them off of legitimate websites and not have your information tracked. Expecially those Russian sites, they work wonders. You just have to know some of the language to get through. As for these lawsuits, it hurts everybody financially. The cost of litigation continues to rise... These are just greedy capitalists that want you to suffer, even if it hurts them too. Proving they are self-destructive.
vpitcher07
July 25, 2011 at 1:13pm
.....or you can go to North Korea and have absolultely no internet. But they have free health care so it's all good. Oh and they're a democracy, and they have freedom of speach. Shit... why don't i live their? sounds so nice.
Nimrod
July 25, 2011 at 2:55pm
Considering the fact that the statement in your macro IS an argument, your an idiot. Macros are for stupid woads who cant think of anything to say because their stupid.
This communist moron is a bitch and she needs to be told so regardless of the venue. So piss off.
Ghok
July 25, 2011 at 7:16pm
I don't like Holly and her wacky (perhaps an understatement) opinons, but she didn't even mention communism in her post. I may think she's acting stupid, but you're just being a bully.
Carlidan
July 25, 2011 at 3:20pm
Dude you really need a chill pill. Just because you don't agree with her position doesn't mean she's a communist. Name calling doesn't get your message out. It just makes your juvinelle.
szore
July 24, 2011 at 11:06am
Is bittorrent legal or not? If it's illegal the sites would have been shutdown. They haven't. The fact is bittorrent is NOT copyright infringement, deal with it.
warptek2010
July 24, 2011 at 10:37am
Sure, it's all about stopping piracy, isn't it Mr.Randazza??? It's NOT about the money. Afterall, we all know how much the entertainment industry is hurting right now and we all know what percentage of any settlements the lawyers get.
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