renowiggum
08-04-2010, 11:15 AM
Wired has an interesting story about the LVRJ's policy of sue-first, ask-questions-later.
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/07/copyright-trolling-for-dollars/
Of interest:
Gibson’s vision is to monetize news content on the backend, by scouring the internet for infringing copies of his client’s articles, then suing and relying on the harsh penalties in the Copyright Act — up to $150,000 for a single infringement — to compel quick settlements. Since Righthaven’s formation in March, the company has filed at least 80 federal lawsuits against website operators and individual bloggers who’ve re-posted articles from the Las Vegas Review-Journal, his first client.
Personally, I think basing your business model on getting $ from lawsuits should be grounds for having your business license revoked. Legitimate protection of your copyrights is one thing. Trying to drum up settlement cash from people too poor to mount a defense - that's scum and villany.
Gibson says he’s just getting started. Righthaven has other media clients that he won’t name until the lawsuits start rolling out, he says.
Further proof that the goal is not copyright protection, but rather lawsuit-based revenue. Otherwise, why wait to file suits before saying "content from these media companies is going to be carefully monitored?" They want MORE instances of infringement, so they can sue more people.
Utterly disgusting.
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/07/copyright-trolling-for-dollars/
Of interest:
Gibson’s vision is to monetize news content on the backend, by scouring the internet for infringing copies of his client’s articles, then suing and relying on the harsh penalties in the Copyright Act — up to $150,000 for a single infringement — to compel quick settlements. Since Righthaven’s formation in March, the company has filed at least 80 federal lawsuits against website operators and individual bloggers who’ve re-posted articles from the Las Vegas Review-Journal, his first client.
Personally, I think basing your business model on getting $ from lawsuits should be grounds for having your business license revoked. Legitimate protection of your copyrights is one thing. Trying to drum up settlement cash from people too poor to mount a defense - that's scum and villany.
Gibson says he’s just getting started. Righthaven has other media clients that he won’t name until the lawsuits start rolling out, he says.
Further proof that the goal is not copyright protection, but rather lawsuit-based revenue. Otherwise, why wait to file suits before saying "content from these media companies is going to be carefully monitored?" They want MORE instances of infringement, so they can sue more people.
Utterly disgusting.