Image for Techdirt: Rightscorp’s Copyright Trolling Phone Script Tells Innocent People They Need To Give Their Computers To Police
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Techdirt: Rightscorp’s Copyright Trolling Phone Script Tells Innocent People They Need To Give Their Computers To Police

Thanks to US copyright law, Rightscorp will threaten you and hound you until you pay. Article by Techdirt We already wrote about the various filings in the Rightscorp-by-proxy lawsuit against Cox Communications. However, mixed in with all the filings are some interesting tidbits and exhibits. One that caught my eye was an exhibit revealing the "script" that Rightscorp gives its agents to use when people call in after receiving a notice. Cox Communications filed this in showing that the actual plaintiffs (BMG and Round Hill Music) "turned a blind eye" to Rightscorp's misconduct. The script is quite something, with a few ridiculous statements. The most ridiculous, however, is the following. If the caller says that they're innocent, here's how Rightscorp has its agents respond:

Thanks to US copyright law, Rightscorp will threaten you and hound you until you pay.

Article by Techdirt

We already wrote about the various filings in the Rightscorp-by-proxy lawsuit against Cox Communications. However, mixed in with all the filings are some interesting tidbits and exhibits. One that caught my eye was an exhibit revealing the "script" that Rightscorp gives its agents to use when people call in after receiving a notice. Cox Communications filed this in showing that the actual plaintiffs (BMG and Round Hill Music) "turned a blind eye" to Rightscorp's misconduct. The script is quite something, with a few ridiculous statements. The most ridiculous, however, is the following. If the caller says that they're innocent, here's how Rightscorp has its agents respond:

In order to cancel this matter without payment, you will need to go and get a police report and fax or email it to us. The police may take your devices and hold it for ~5 days to investigate the matter. You must be sure that it was not you, anyone in your household, including friends and neighbors or you will be breaking a different law with the police department.

Every part of that statement is bullshit -- and it's clearly designed to do one thing only: to frighten the caller into just paying up. To tell totally innocent people that they need to hand over their computers to the police for five days and that if anyone else used their computer to infringe that they'll be violating some sort of criminal law is downright disgusting. It just highlights that Rightscorp is in the extortion/shakedown business, rather than actually trying to stop copyright infringement.

 - Read more at TechDirt



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