It is important to know that your Internet Access Provider is not suing you. The letter that you received is most likely from your Internet Access Provider (major providers include Cox, Comcast, and Brighthouse). ![]() That said suits against individuals are possible, and appear to be targeted at making examples of individuals to force further settlements. Almost always, these Plaintiffs are looking for settlement money as it would generally be difficult for these plaintiffs to engage in thousands of long, drawn-out trials. These Plaintiffs are accusing people like you of illegally engaging in illegal filesharing of their movies for free through sources like “BitTorrent” or “P2P” programs (filesharing services that can be used for for illegal as well as legal downloading and uploading) rather than legally obtaining the video from sources like iTunes and Amazon. Even if you are sure you are innocent, you may be one of these people who was mistakenly flagged. These movie companies (the “Plaintiffs”), gather the identifying numbers of the computers they believe are involved in sharing their films, these are called “IP addresses.” For various reasons, some of these IP addresses are associated with internet account holders who have not actually illegally shared a video online. That’s why we have drafted this guide to explain to you what is going on generally, and the best ways to proceed.Īs you may be aware, some producers of independent films and adult video content have been suing individuals who they believe have illegally downloaded their films. We also understand that these suits are designed so that it is less expensive for you to settle than hire a lawyer to learn your rights. That said, we understand how difficult it is to get any information at all about these suits. The wide range of situations that you may be in, the wide range of different plaintiffs filing these suits, and the quickly changing legal landscape surrounding these lawsuits makes it so a guide like this is not a proper substitute for legal advice directly tailored to your situation. (3) Someone in your family or a third-party stealing your internet connection may have downloaded the movie/video in question without your knowledge. (2) You aren’t aware of the circumstances surrounding the filesharing of the video you are accused of sharing illegally online, and you may not even know what BitTorrent is. ![]() (1) You may be aware of the circumstances surrounding the filesharing of the movie/video you are accused of sharing illegally online īecause these suits have been filed against such large groups of people relatively indiscriminately, defendants like yourself may be in one of several very different situations. You may be able to find a lawyer who can assist you by visiting the EFF’s Subpoena Defense resource at. We would like to ensure that ever person gets accurate, up-to-date information, but a guide like this can only serve to provide basic orientation. ![]() This guide is not a substitute for advice from a lawyer because each person’s case is different. Also, realize that this guide is not a substitute for legal advice from a lawyer.ĭISCLAIMER: THIS GUIDE IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR LEGAL ADVICE Please read everything in this guide carefully. Since this may be the first time anyone has ever threatened legal action against you, the contents of this letter may shock, frustrate, or confuse you.Īs a public interest legal advocacy organization, and due to the dramatic number of defendants and pressure on resources for assistance, New Media Rights has drafted the guide below to provide you basic information regarding how to handle the letter you have received. You may have received a letter from your Internet Access Provider that alerted you of the potential lawsuit against you. ![]() If you are reading this guide, you may be a defendant or may know a defendant involved in one of the “BitTorrent filesharing lawsuits.” These suits are also sometimes referred to as “Mass copyright lawsuits” because for the first time, hundreds and sometimes thousands of individuals like yourself have been implicated in lawsuits alleging “copyright infringement.” Indeed, as of September 2011, there are over 200,000 individuals involved in such lawsuits.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |