ExtortionLetterInfo Forums
Retired Forums => P2P/BitTorrent Lawsuits Forum => Topic started by: Matthew Chan on February 03, 2012, 09:35:40 PM
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MSBNC has picked up the story of the ongoing battle by adult video copyright trolls against peer-to-peer network users.
http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/07/20/7113220-porn-piracy-wars-get-personal
http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/03/10312840-internet-piracy-suit-asks-can-you-even-copyright-porn
These stories has revealed copies of the Steele-Hansmeier Settlement Demand Letter, similar in many respects to those used in the stock photo industry. Two examples can be found here:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/80437326/Steele-Hansmeier-Settlement-Demand-Letter-First-Time-Videos
http://www.scribd.com/doc/80436331/Steele-Hansmeier-Settlement-Demand-Letter-Wong-case
What is interesting is that it includes settlement agreement attachment not normally done by the stock photo industry.
As always, our friends and allies at the Electronic Frontier Foundation is at the forefront fighting this.
We would also like to do a shout-out to our brother-in-arms http://fightcopyrighttrolls.com for their ongoing efforts on this front.
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Is this the same Steele mentioned here: ?
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110430/00274114096/judge-slams-copyright-troll-lawyer-john-steeles-latest-fishing-expedition.shtml
I particularly liked the following quote from the judge that I think fits many of the stock photo situations:
". . . The embarrassment of public exposure might be too great, the legal system too daunting and expensive, for some to ask whether VPR has competent evidence to prove its case . . ."
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It's the same, he's been playing this game for a longgggg time
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There are many articles on John Steele's extortion scheme. It has far more public awareness and coverage than the stock photo extortion letter scheme because John Steele has, in fact, filed lawsuits.
Take a look at some of the more interesting articles....
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110425/00365314021/even-as-copyright-trolls-legal-strategy-appears-to-be-failing-shakedowns-are-working.shtml
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110430/00274114096/judge-slams-copyright-troll-lawyer-john-steeles-latest-fishing-expedition.shtml
http://torrentfreak.com/anti-piracy-lawyers-rip-off-work-from-competitor-110727/
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110718/10420515147/copyright-troll-john-steele-insists-that-70-year-old-is-responsible-porn-downloads-even-if-someone-else-used-wifi.shtml
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A series of voicemails from Steele-Hansmeier to listen to...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxXFpN2VYZs