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Submission + - Sony Sends DMCA Notices Against Users Spreading Leaked e-Mails (freezenet.ca)

Submitted by Dangerous_Minds
Dangerous_Minds writes: Last week, Sony threatened legal action against users spreading leaked information obtained through the e-mails that were leaked as a result of the Sony hack. Freezenet is now pointing to an Arstechnica article saying that Sony has begun carrying through with those threats. Twitter, after resisting demands that a user account be suspended for publishing leaked e-mails, has received a DMCA notice saying that the e-mails are, weirdly enough, copyrighted. Freezenet notes that other media outlets have been publishing the leaked information and wonders if Sony would begin targeting other outlets for similarly publishing leaked information online. Citing Wikileaks as an example of previously leaked information, if Sony were to target others, it is unlikely that the information will ever be fully removed, but it won't likely be without casualties that the information remains online.

Submission + - Australia Considers Internet Censorship to Slow File-Sharing (freezenet.ca)

Submitted by Dangerous_Minds
Dangerous_Minds writes: Freezenet is reporting that the Australian government is considering web filtering to combat copyright infringement. The idea is that alleged file-sharing websites would be blocked to would-be file-sharers. Freezenet notes that all this is happening in the wake of a recent incident of overblocking in the UK which saw the Chaos Computing Club blocked by porn filters and suggests that things won't likely be any better in Australia should such a mechanism be implemented.

Submission + - API Outage Temporarily Takes Down Anti-Spam Filter Akismet (akismet.com)

Submitted by Dangerous_Minds
Dangerous_Minds writes: When it comes to fighting spam on WordPress sites, many users turn to the Akismet comment spam filter plugin. However, recently, many users who use the plug-in are getting notices that there was an API issue that has prevented the plug-in from filtering spam comments. In spite of everything telling users Akismet is working properly, spam comments are not being filtered. What is going on? Akismet is reporting that they are having outages back on the 25th on their end for some users, "There was a sudden surge in spam traffic, on top of spam volumes that were already unusually high. One of our data centers began dropping some API calls, and responding slowly to others. Our systems team routed all traffic to another data center, and after a few minutes the load was stabilised." Today, Akismet is saying, "There was an API outage on November 28th. A switch failure led to cascading problems that took approximately 40 minutes to stabilize."

Submission + - Multiple Analysis' of Recently Leaked IP Chapter of the TPP Emerge (freezenet.ca)

Submitted by Dangerous_Minds
Dangerous_Minds writes: Recently, Wikileaks leaked a recent version of the Intellectual Property Chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP). People are beginning to publish full analysis of the chapter. Drew Wilson of Freezenet.ca posted that the TPP would, among other things, create a global three strikes law, resurrect the INDUCE Act, and create a Global DMCA. Michael Geist has also published his observations agreeing that termination of individual accounts is in there along with copyright term extensions.

Submission + - GIMP Abandons SourceForge. Distributes via FTP Instead (gimp.org)

Submitted by Dangerous_Minds
Dangerous_Minds writes: GIMP, a free and open source altenernative to image manipulation software like Photoshop, recently announced that it will no longer be distributing their program through SourceForge. Citing some of the ads as reasons, they say that the tipping point was "the introduction of their own SourceForge Installer software, which bundles third-party offers with Free Software packages. We do not want to support this kind of behavior, and have thus decided to abandon SourceForge." The policy changes were reported back in August by Gluster. GIMP is now distributing their software via their own FTP page instead. Is Sourceforge becoming the next CNET?

Submission + - The Pirate Bay Experiences Downtime (zeropaid.com)

Submitted by Dangerous_Minds
Dangerous_Minds writes: It appears that BitTorrent website The Pirate Bay is experiencing some downtime. ZeroPaid notes that users who attempt to access the site see a "Could not connect to caching server 00" error message. Drew Wilson says that it's unlikely that a raid has occurred and that it couldn't be a DNS problem as users can access enough of the site to receive the error message. Still, details are sparse as to the precise problem of the site at this point in time.
The Courts

Submission + - TorrentLitigation Offers Database on File-Sharing Lawsuits (freezenet.ca)

Submitted by Dangerous_Minds
Dangerous_Minds writes: Freezenet recently profiled a website called TorrentLitigation. The website documents the file-sharing related litigation that is going on, then compiles them in a database of multi-Jon Doe lawsuits filed in the US. The database organizes the lawsuits by plaintiff and jurisdiction. There is even a list of files that plaintiffs have been most suing people over. Adam E. Urbanczyk of TorrentLitigation made a number of interesting comments including this: "The website has always been designed to be an objectively-minded “portal” through which website visitors – usually individuals on the receiving end of federal copyright infringement or state-based hacking cases, but also other attorneys and inquisitive individuals – can educate themselves and, if need be, seek our assistance."
Piracy

Submission + - Returning NZ Soldier Fined Under Skynet Law (freezenet.ca)

Submitted by Dangerous_Minds
Dangerous_Minds writes: The publicity for the New Zealand three strikes law (or Skynet law) isn't getting any better. Freezenet is pointing to an article on Stuff which details the latest incident revolving around the Skynet law. Apparently, a soldier was just finishing a tour in Afghanistan and returning to New Zealand. When he got back to the country, he found out he received his third and final copyright infringement strike and was to appear before the copyright tribunal. Despite the obvious circumstances, he was fined $255.97 for downloading music from Hot Chelle and Rhianna anyway. Last month, it was revealed that RIANZ spent $250,000 just to reap the reward of $616.57.
Australia

Submission + - New Calls Surface for Australia to Implement a Three Strikes Law (freezenet.ca)

Submitted by Dangerous_Minds
Dangerous_Minds writes: In the midst of a debate that pits media corporations against the Australian government over what new regulations should be in place for the media, Foxtel CEO Richard Freudenstein has called for Australia to be the next country to implement a three strikes law. He says the law should be similar to that of the US, France and New Zealand variations. Freezenet points out that all three countries have had numerous problems since their respective implementations. Examples of these problems include introducing new security risks, failing to slow falling music sales and costing hundreds of thousands of dollars with a mere fraction of that money returning from fines. Since a three strikes law is a marked departure from the debate surrounding what rules journalists should abide by in the wake of the phone hacking scandal in the UK, it''s unclear whether or not this latest call will get any traction.
Your Rights Online

Submission + - Criticisms Toward Copyright Alert System Mounts (freezenet.ca) 1

Submitted by Dangerous_Minds
Dangerous_Minds writes: This last week, the Copyright Alert System was rolled out. Now that everyone is getting a better idea of what the alert system looks like, criticisms are building against the system. Freezenet says that the mere fact that ISPs are using a browser pop-up window opens the floodgates for fraudsters to hijack the system and scam users out of money. The EFF criticized the system because the educational material contains numerous flaws. Meanwhile, Web Pro News said that this system will also hurt small business and consumers as well.
Canada

Submission + - The IIPA Copyright Demands for Canada and Spain (freezenet.ca)

Submitted by Dangerous_Minds
Dangerous_Minds writes: The International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA) is demanding a number of countries be placed back on the special 301 piracy watchlist. One country being recommended for inclusion is Canada (PDF). Apparently, even though Canada passed copyright reform laws, any compromise to protect consumers is reason for inclusion. Michael Geist offers some analysis on this move. Meanwhile, the IIPA is also recommending that Spain be included in the watchlist. In a separate filing, the IIPA makes a host of reasons why Spain should also be included. One of the main reasons seems to be that even though Spain passed the Sinde Law in spite of protests, the courts aren't simply rubberstamping any takedown requests and that cases that were dismissed due to lack of evidence is cause for concern. Freezenet offers some in-depth analysis on this development while noting towards the end that the Special 301 report suffers from credibility problems.
Piracy

Submission + - RIANZ Blows $250,000 on NZ Three Strikes Law to Gain $616.57 (freezenet.ca)

Submitted by Dangerous_Minds
Dangerous_Minds writes: Earlier, Slashdot posted a story where RIANZ convicted its first file-sharer under the New Zealand three strikes law. While the fine totaled $616.57, a New Zealand Herald report points out that in order to get that fine, RIANZ had to spend $250,000. Freezenet makes an interesting point that HADOPI (France's version of the three strikes law) faced similar problems when the Socialist party commented that 12 million euros was a lot of money to pay 60 agents to send out 1 million e-mails. In making this connection, the question raised is whether or not this money pit trend will continue when the Copyright Alert System (CAS) starts processing strike notices in the United States.
Piracy

Submission + - RIANZ: Downloading P2P Software Proof of Wrongdoing (freezenet.ca)

Submitted by Dangerous_Minds
Dangerous_Minds writes: Yesterday, a tribunal enforcing the three strikes law in New Zealand fined its first file-sharer. Today, Freezenet is providing a followup by pointing to a radio interview where the director of RIANZ said that the mere act of downloading a file-sharing program is proof of wrongdoing and that no one downloads copyrighted material without knowing that it's illegal.
Piracy

Submission + - Russia Proposes New Internet Piracy Crackdown (freezenet.ca)

Submitted by Dangerous_Minds
Dangerous_Minds writes: Freezenet is reporting that the Russian Ministry of Culture is proposing a new law that would crack down in Internet piracy. Citing both Russian and French reports, the proposed measures would demand websites remove infringing material within 24 hours of a complaint. If there is no compliance, then the website owner could face a fine, though there are conflicting reports as to what that fine is. Reportedly, even web hosting companies could be liable for the act of infringement as well.

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