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Copyright Trolls

Copyright Trolls Explained!

It turns out the trolls from fantasy movies have invaded the court room. Using piracy as their shield, these copyright trolls make huge cash by threatening users who downloaded music or movie to pay some settlements. As an ordinary internet user who knows nothing about law, paying hundred dollars for settling a penalty is considered better than going to the court. They are not a party who has lots of bucks to hire a lawyer, and yet they feel unsure if they are going to win the case.

Copyright trolling actually uses legal system as a cash cow. The filing lawsuit due to piracy is a perfect plan of threatening internet users and take money from them. Basically, you can say that it is the business troll’s job description. Copyrights are supposed to protect people of creative industries from profit stealing and give them the exclusive right for that.

A mass litigation by squeezing defendants’ wallet was happening in 2003 where Recording Industry of America filed cases to stop file-sharing software for music. The tactic succeeded for awhile. But later on stopped because these people they accused were their own customers and the act has ruined the industry’s reputation.

Forbes reported the litigation strategy had once made an attorney, John L. Steele, a rich man. He collected more than $10 million of settlement in such allege in adult movie industries. How did he succeed? Simply because people felt guilty of downloading porn movies for free and taking it to court would only expose how they were embarrassed by the situation.

The art to make a troll silent is by putting a considerable amount of dollars in their mouth. Copyright troll uses IP address as a proof that a user is guilty for downloading illegally and then filing a $150,000 penalty for the victim. On the other hand, a troll is smart enough to offer a silent price, much cheaper than the penalty. As the ultimatum is sent to the user, the cost for a legal battle in court may potentially harm client’s financial. This has led user to choose the second option (most of the time, users were scared and chose the second option) paying an amount ranges from $1,000 to $5,000- which is more wallet-friendly.

The idea of getting paid without ever going to a court room has left the troll with happy face whereas the cases remain unresolved. And it has become an iceberg phenomenon until the government mentioned something about patent infringement.

The U.S government takes patent infringement and copyright issue as a big event. The copyright trolling is a disease that brought civil people to misery on the hand of devilish firms who make trolling a cash cow. In October 2012, Pennsylvania pioneered the bellwether trial as a result of overload cases on the same topic. The bellwether trial tracks similar cases with one representative that may be benefit for settling such claims as soon as theories have been discussed. Thanks to the Senior Federal Judge, Michael M. Balyson for making it possible!

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