Posted on 08/05/2010 3:58:24 PM PDT by mnehring
The Righthaven lawsuits filed in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas at first glance seem pretty simple: They show bloggers, nonprofits and generally small-time websites around North America for years have been cutting and pasting entire Las Vegas Review-Journal stories on to their websites without authorization.
That seems like obvious copyright infringement. But, as defendants with and without attorneys fight back in some of the cases, Righthaven’s claims don’t appear to be so cut and dried....
//snip
...On July 20, the freerepublic.com message board was filled with “here we go again” comments after users of the site learned it had been sued again, this time by Righthaven. In the new Righthaven case, the stories weren’t posted directly by freerepublic, but by users on its message boards.....
(Excerpt) Read more at lasvegassun.com ...
ping (the armed citizen also has a mention in this article)
I understand the concept of copyrights. But don’t these news sources realize that by us posting their stories, their websites are getting a wider potential audience? They only need to get their advertising deals in line so they can get paid.
Wow this sounds like one small time shake down operation.
Hungry sharks trolling for victims.
They offer to settle for less than it would cost to defend against the lawsuit. The only missing datapoint is how much the law firm has promised to kick back to the LJ Review.
My guess is that it's something similar to the ambulance chasers: 50% if we win. No cost to you if we don't.
This deal with the LVwhat'sit looks pretty desperate. Just nickel and dime stuff ~ wouldn't even pay to buy the printing presses they fear are sitting there getting ready to turn into sources of scrap iron.
As many have noted there's always a lawyer ready to make a living off of someone else's personal misfortune and misery. Some of them really get a kick out of doing that too.
BTW, lawyers will shortly go under the internet/cellphone yoke and be reduced to slavery ~ or at least FAR LOWER FEES.
A great deal of what they do can be computerized, and given the right amount of rubber and aluminum we can roboticize them ~
I wonder where the money is coming from for all these lawsuits?
Its clear what the purpose is and that is to put fear into anyone looking to share an article or comment on a published story.
Actually, the purpose is $$$, plain and simple. Righthaven was created solely for the purpose of copyright trolling. They bought the rights to these articles then scoured the web looking for anyone using them. This is very similar to what patent trolls do. They make their money off settlements because most blogs don't have the money or time to fight these charges.
Is this ethical. Sounds like something the mob would come up with.
I would really believe that if this was based in a town with a history of mob shake-down schemes like Chicago or Las Vega... oh wait. :->
Ping, here is another one. You may find the bulk of this article of interest, especially the ways all the other sites are fighting this.
My understanding from reading the article you linked, as well as a few others on the same web site, is that Sherman Frederick, publisher of R-J, acknowledged that its parent company, Stephens Media, had “grubstaked” Righthaven’s start-up business.
Righthaven employs 10 people whose job it is to troll the internet looking for potential copyright infringements of Stephens Media content. When they find one, then Righthaven notifies Stephens Media and subsequently buys the copyright to the story, then sues the alleged copyright offender.
I think this is even sleazier than your suggestion that Righthaven bought the copyrights and then scoured the web looking for offenders. See, the way they’re actually doing it, they never pay Stephens Media for a copyright that doesn’t have an infringement since Righthaven finds the infringements prior to buying the copyrights.
This just stinks to high heavens! What a stench must be coming from the office of Steven Gibson (CEO of Righthaven).
Thanks for the ping, mnehring.
I hope someone will fight these guys and make them pay for their extortion tactics.
DLR,
Did I read on FB that you have obtained an attorney and are trying to partner with other sites being sued? I assume you’ve contacted Jim.
Thanks, Amy. Sorry to hear that Jim and FR has been targeted by this despicable shakedown artist. I hope this is able to be cleared up quickly and Righthaven is forced to cease and desist these frivolous suits.
It seems to me that, because Righthaven does not buy a copyright UNTIL they've discovered an infringement, they have incurred no damages. In fact, it's precisely the opposite. Their whole business model requires infringement. Loss of revenue occurs only in the absence of infringement.
Righthaven uses the threat of statutory penalty to pressure settlement out of court. As others have noted, this is a shakedown scheme. Glad to know that there are people standing up to them. I'm a strong proponent of copyright law--but for the purpose it was intended, not this. IP theft is rampant and too often justified by the same socialist mentality that justifies every other instance of helping oneself to the fruits of someone else's labor.
The publicity this has garnered should be enough to dry up Righthaven's revenue stream down to a trickle in short order.
I’m hoping that others will protect themselves from this scam scum. He is scouring the net to find his victims.
Have you all seen that DU is also getting sued by RightHaven?
http://www.rfcexpress.com/lawsuit.asp?id=62249
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.