Porn distributor defends filesharer shakedown

A CONSUMER RIGHTS GROUP has been in court trying to stop a porn film distributor from demanding £700 in damages from alleged filesharers.

The group called Consumer Focus was in court on Friday, according to Computeractive, and demanded to know why Goldeneye entertainment was sending out demands to alleged filesharers.

In court its barrister, Guy Tritton told Justice Arnold that the firm's attempts to get a Norwich Foundation order, a demand to an internet service provider for information on its users, was reminiscent of the ACS:Law and Andrew Crossley.

Tritton, adds the report, said that the firm was as guilty as that firm of speculative invoicing and profiteering, practices that cost ACS:Law its business.

"We take objection to the excessive damages and extraordinary profits Golden Eye will be getting. If you take £700 by 9,000 that is £6.3m and Golden Eye will be getting 75 per cent of this which amounts to £4.75m," he said. "It's not a genuine attempt to get redress for a copyright owner."

Goldeneye's lawyer defended the £700 damages figure, and dismissed suggestions of a trial case. It has a week to give further evidence, and the court has two weeks to decide whether it is right to allow the Norwich order to go ahead. µ