This is exactly why the draconian punishments are so unjust. Now you have firms looking to profit by simply extorting money by threatening people and holding the huge punishment over their heads. The threat of financial ruin will cause many people to pay the racket money just to avoid the risk.
Good job E.F.F.
Time to donate more money. -- "Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." -- Benito Mussolini
USCopyright Group should be charged with extortion.
If I received one of these threat letters, I would try to prosecute it AS EXTORTION. Until their (Dunlap, Grubb, and weaver) information that is used to bring these civil charges is verified as court worthy, IT IS EXTORTION!!! (at least in MN and WI, but I have yet to hear about anyone in either state that has received one)
reply to Chubbysumo I wish! However, the companies are careful to donate the appropriate protection money to the elected officials and judges.
Extortion is where I go into a store and say "Pay me $500 right now and nothing bad will happen to your store tomorrow".
Lawyers simply say "You downloaded ???, pay me $ 3000 or I sue you for $150,000." Lawyers don't give a rats tushie whether or not the charges are true or not.
I doubt the judge cares whether or not the defendants did anything wrong or not; I'm only surprised they don't simply issue default judgments immediately. Maybe not getting enough under the table?
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