Messages

496

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Getty Images (Cabinet Bouchara Avocats) Attempts to Intimidate ELI to Kill Links

« on: January 12, 2017, 06:49:10 PM »

Techdirt did a nice job covering, commenting, and summarizing the ELI story:

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20170111/11203336464/gettys-french-office-sends-out-letters-to-us-websites-demanding-they-take-down-anything-linking-it-to-legalized-extortion.shtml

497

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Cabinet Bouchara Avocats/Vanessa Bouchara / Getty Images Censorship-Gag Letters

« on: January 11, 2017, 04:53:49 PM »

I think Eugene was prepared to gear up for a big fight and then we would have to have a legal reunion.

However, Greg still hasn't gotten his apology yet so it isn't quite over yet.

Eugene is so funny. Their half assed apology "spoiled/ruined" his fun! LOL!!!

Ya...'twas funny that the "disregard" and "sincerest apologies" went to EUGENE first WTF??!
Glad to hear that actual  "LETTER RECIPIENTS" of this bullshit got an apology as well for what that is worth anyway.

498

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Cabinet Bouchara Avocats/Vanessa Bouchara / Getty Images Censorship-Gag Letters

« on: January 11, 2017, 04:51:32 PM »

Hello Ryan,

I debated being nice given you are "competition" in Google search for "Getty Images extortion letter".  *wink*

But I am glad you came to ELI to post your story along with Neal's response. It was helpful to me in assessing the situation and coming up with a plan and also contacting a "special friend" to help get the word out.

It is never easy being the first one to get these types of bogus letters.  I benefited from not getting the letter right away.

There is power in communicating with an established community as you can see. This one got nipped in the bud pretty quickly. Faster than I expected.

I'm honored to be included on this list, Matthew. And thank you for your kind words. :-)

499

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Cabinet Bouchara/Vanessa Bouchara/Getty Emails Apologies to ELI & Matthew Chan

« on: January 11, 2017, 04:45:35 PM »

Ryan,

Thanks for sharing. I wasn't sure if apologies were going to certain people or everyone that received the letter.  So far, the people receiving it are the ones who have blogged about it.

What about the people who didn't challenge or blog about the French letters?

500

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: A New Getty Problem - Cease & Desist Letter from France

« on: January 11, 2017, 04:43:23 PM »

Ryan,

I absolutely agree with you. Definitely a face-saving move since the story has been circulating and being retweeted now.

Today I received an email from Vanessa -- the French lawyer -- saying that the letter I received Dec. 28, 2016 was a "mistake." I sincerely doubt it was a mistake. I assume they are now claiming it was a mistake in order to save face and avoid further embarrassment.

501

Getty Images Letter Forum / Cabinet Bouchara/Vanessa Bouchara/Getty Emails Apology to ELI & Matthew Chan

« on: January 11, 2017, 10:35:33 AM »

It appears that the ensuing public blowback and my publicly fussing and posting several critical comments about the ingenuous lack of apologies or any retraction notifications (based on Eugene's report of Getty Images supposed public apology) seems to have found its way back to France.

Today, I received THREE separate form apology emails in a 20-minute time span from Vanessa Bouchara for three of my websites:

========================

Dear Sirs/Madam,

Whilst operating as Getty Images’ French legal advisor, we sent you a formal letter dated December 23th 2016, asking you to cease and desist perceived libelous activity on your site.

Please disregard our previous letter, it was sent in error and accept our sincerest apologies.

Yours sincerely,

Vanessa Bouchara

===============

I would like to find out from other people if they have received THEIR apology emails and compare the date and time stamps of when they received it.

I received the three form apology emails from Vanessa's office on January 11, 2017 at 9:54am, 10:06am, and 10:14am Eastern Time.

502

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Cabinet Bouchara Avocats/Vanessa Bouchara / Getty Images Censorship-Gag Letters

« on: January 11, 2017, 07:44:17 AM »

These are comments Oscar Michelen made on Eugene Volokh's Washington Post piece:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2017/01/10/american-bloggers-criticizing-american-company-threatened-by-french-lawyer-citing-french-law/

"I have to agree with some of the commenters here Eugene that I find it hard to believe that Getty US was wholly unaware of Ms. Bouchard's campaign. For something this extensive to have been contrived on her own without Getty's knowledge seems like a leap. I told Matthew the same thing when he contacted me about this and I told him about the Speech Act. Getty's response to you strikes me as the same thing as the French police chief in Casablanca being "shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here"

503

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Cabinet Bouchara Avocats/Vanessa Bouchara / Getty Images Censorship-Gag Letters

« on: January 11, 2017, 07:20:44 AM »

Thank you, Vanessa Bouchara!

Greg Troy is ticked off now.

504

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: An Experiment Against Getty

« on: January 11, 2017, 07:16:55 AM »

And here, I thought this discussion thread might get retired.  I guess we have to thank French lawyer, Vanessa Bouchara, for pissing off Greg with her obnoxious and ridiculous censorship letter.

505

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Getty Images (Cabinet Bouchara Avocats) Attempts to Intimidate ELI to Kill Links

« on: January 11, 2017, 07:15:24 AM »

ELI Team Member, Greg Troy, has also just received his letter from French lawyer, Vanessa Bouchara and posted his story:

http://gettyimagesmustchange.com/site/getty-images-now-trying-to-control-free-speech-and-limit-opinions/

Greg is responsible for initiating the longest thread in ELI history. It appears that Getty Images has sufficiently ruffled Greg's feathers and he has decided to become much more vocal than he has been. Like myself, Greg is an extreme skeptic and find their apology offered to Eugene Volokh of the Volokh Conspiracy impotent.

Thank you, Vanessa Bouchara, for bringing Greg back into the ELI fold and he is unhappy and on the warpath now. I think we will be hearing from Greg a bit more in the days and weeks to come.  This is not over for him.

I have not heard from anyone that received these recent Getty Images censorship letters seeing any retraction letters or direct apologies. Eugene Volokh gets the apology although he never received a censorship letter to remove any of his content.

506

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Getty Images (Cabinet Bouchara Avocats) Attempts to Intimidate ELI to Kill Links

« on: January 10, 2017, 11:43:07 AM »

Due to the extremely threatening letter from Vanessa Bouchara, we will henceforth be calling ourselves blackmailletterinfo.com and referring to the outrageous demand letters as "copyright blackmail letters."

:-)

507

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Cabinet Bouchara Avocats/Vanessa Bouchara / Getty Images Censorship-Gag Letters

« on: January 10, 2017, 09:25:07 AM »

I am fairly certain Getty Images has issued no apologies or retraction letters to the victims.

Read Getty Images' official bullshit response to these letters from a French lawyer:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2017/01/10/american-bloggers-criticizing-american-company-threatened-by-french-lawyer-citing-french-law/

Typical.

508

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Getty Images (Cabinet Bouchara Avocats) Attempts to Intimidate ELI to Kill Links

« on: January 10, 2017, 09:23:03 AM »

The ELI story got written up in the Washington Post / Volokh Conspiracy:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2017/01/10/american-bloggers-criticizing-american-company-threatened-by-french-lawyer-citing-french-law/

Another typical bullshit response by Getty Images. They get caught and they simply say it is a mistake with zero consequence.  But they want everyone else to pay them.  They apologized to no one.  And I have not heard anyone getting any retraction letters.

509

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Getty Images (Cabinet Bouchara Avocats) Attempts to Intimidate ELI to Kill Links

« on: January 10, 2017, 03:53:02 AM »

This is my response letter to French lawyer, Vanessa Bouchara.

https://www.scribd.com/document/336153842/Response-to-Cabinet-Bouchara-Avocats-Getty-Images-Vanessa-Bouchara-Censorship-Gag-Letter

Anyone may borrow or use the content of my letter if they feel it will help them in their own situations. No ELI Support Call required!  :-)

Special thanks to Oscar Michelen who read over my letter and made some good suggestions.

===============

January 10, 2017

Ms. Vanessa Bouchara
Cabinet Bouchara Avocats
17 rue du Colisée - 75008 PARIS

Email Address: [email protected], [email protected]

I am in receipt of your two letters where you attempt to convince me that I should remove specific blog posts from my websites where I have reported demonstrably accurate facts and expressed informed opinions about your purported client, Getty Images.

It is unclear to me whether you represent Getty Images in the U.S. or Getty Images in France. Which specific entity do you represent here? I request to see proof of who you claim to represent as this is unprecedented for me to receive any letters from France regarding any matter.

Regardless of which corporate entity you represent in France, I inform you of the following:

1.   I am a U.S. Citizen who lives and work in the U.S.
2.   I do not have any business interests in or solicit any business from France.
3.   My websites are hosted in the U.S., written in English, and primarily targets American readers.

As such, any content you or your client may object to on my website all firmly within the realm of U.S. laws and the First Amendment. I do not see how you can threaten me with a lawsuit being brought in a country in which I have no contact, connections, or involvement.

Am I to blindly accept and believe that French law somehow has jurisdiction over me, my posts, or my websites based on your form letter? What about the U.S. First Amendment? Are you asserting that French law somehow has superior jurisdiction here?

French law might have jurisdiction over you, your law firm, and your client operating in France. But I cannot see any way whatsoever how French law applies to me or my websites.

Until you provide me some important answers to my questions regarding your purported client's status and standing as well as a convincing explanation why French law has any bearing or relevance to me or websites, I have no intention whatsoever in removing any posts that I or anyone else have written and posted on my websites.

Respectfully,
 
Matthew Chan (on behalf of ExtortionLetterInfo.com & TurnKeyPublisher.com)

510

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Cabinet Bouchara Avocats/Vanessa Bouchara / Getty Images Censorship-Gag Letters

« on: January 10, 2017, 03:31:36 AM »

This is my response letter to French lawyer, Vanessa Bouchara.

https://www.scribd.com/document/336153842/Response-to-Cabinet-Bouchara-Avocats-Getty-Images-Vanessa-Bouchara-Censorship-Gag-Letter

Anyone may borrow or use the content of my letter if they feel it will help them in their own situations. No ELI Support Call required!  :-)

Special thanks to Oscar Michelen who read over my letter and made some good suggestions.
===============

January 10, 2017

Ms. Vanessa Bouchara
Cabinet Bouchara Avocats
17 rue du Colisée - 75008 PARIS

Email Address: [email protected], [email protected]

I am in receipt of your two letters where you attempt to convince me that I should remove specific blog posts from my websites where I have reported demonstrably accurate facts and expressed informed opinions about your purported client, Getty Images.

It is unclear to me whether you represent Getty Images in the U.S. or Getty Images in France. Which specific entity do you represent here? I request to see proof of who you claim to represent as this is unprecedented for me to receive any letters from France regarding any matter.

Regardless of which corporate entity you represent in France, I inform you of the following:

1.   I am a U.S. Citizen who lives and work in the U.S.
2.   I do not have any business interests in or solicit any business from France.
3.   My websites are hosted in the U.S., written in English, and primarily targets American readers.

As such, any content you or your client may object to on my website all firmly within the realm of U.S. laws and the First Amendment. I do not see how you can threaten me with a lawsuit being brought in a country in which I have no contact, connections, or involvement.

Am I to blindly accept and believe that French law somehow has jurisdiction over me, my posts, or my websites based on your form letter? What about the U.S. First Amendment? Are you asserting that French law somehow has superior jurisdiction here?

French law might have jurisdiction over you, your law firm, and your client operating in France. But I cannot see any way whatsoever how French law applies to me or my websites.

Until you provide me some important answers to my questions regarding your purported client's status and standing as well as a convincing explanation why French law has any bearing or relevance to me or websites, I have no intention whatsoever in removing any posts that I or anyone else have written and posted on my websites.

Respectfully,
 
Matthew Chan (on behalf of ExtortionLetterInfo.com & TurnKeyPublisher.com)