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Following on the catastrophic leak of data and ongoing scandal arising from ACS:Law case – astonishingly, another London based copyright lawyer, Gallant MacMillan – who represent The Ministry of Sound – is set to pursue exactly the same course as ACS:Law at The High Court, London, in just 4 days time – on October 4th.In an astonishing show of legal arrogance, mounted against the UK public’s current outrage that thousands of their names and addresses were “leaked” – along with details of sordid pornographic videos they were supposed to have shared online – one would have thought that Gallant MacMillan and their right’s holders – could have at least waited until the furore died down. But alas, it seems not …In the Monday next hearing before Chief Master Winegarten, Gallant MacMillan will apply for an order that will attempt to force PlusNet to reveal to them hundreds of names and addresses of PlusNet’s customers – in order that they can be threatened and intimidated by yet more accusatory letters – suggesting immediate payments of up to £350 be made, in “compensation” and “costs” without the benefit of going to court.PlusNet are likely to fight this up-coming action tooth-and-nail, so if you are a PlusNet customer – give them your support – request that they at least INFORM YOU before they release your own personal data, even if the release is subject to a Court Order. We believe you have an absolute right to know that your own data is being disclosed to third parties such as legal firms – before the lawyers start using it against you!Some observations from WIREDVC1. Gallant MacMillan – we hope your servers and systems are extremely secure, because the eyes of the on-line world are now upon you.2. We hope that Chief Master Winegarten will not rubber stamp this order, but apply proper diligence and require that evidence is presented for each and every IP address for which a data release is requested.3. If you live in London – try and get there on Monday! Show your disgust at this practice. WIREDVC hopes to be sending a reporter to observe the proceedings.4. If your name and address is released and you eventually receive a letter – DO NOT PAY – let them take you to court and try to reliably prove their accusations. The likelihood is – they have zero chance.5. DO NOT offer any information about who lives in your house, your network – or ANYTHING that might otherwise incriminate you etc. Gallant MacMillan should be required to apply for a further disclosure order from the Court against the bill payer – in each and every case, to obtain such further details – if you do not plan to accept responsibility yourself. Remember, the order issued by the Court is against your ISP – not against you! The lawyers will have to gain a further order against YOU PERSONALLY if you deny personal liability and resist giving them information about your family, friends, lodgers, dog, cat, etc.6. If they insist on pursuing this action – BOYCOTT MINISTRY OF SOUND.7. If your data is released by your ISP – complain to the Information Commissioner – even though he will tell you it is currently a legal practice.8. We believe that the practice of demanding payment by threatening letter for an alleged act, that the defendant is expected to “self-incriminate or face the consequences”, is intimidation and little short of menace and extortion. It should be outlawed. If a rights holder has a case against you – let them fight it in court. You are INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.9. There is NO LAW against operating an unsecured wireless network in your own home.DON’T PAY THE PIPERFor the rights holders and copyright lawyers, this is just a numbers game. So if NOBODY PAYS THE PIPER, they will ultimately be forced to cease their ruthless and unjust intimidation of the nation’s Internet users. The publicity surrounding this unfair badgering of the public by lawyers and rights holders must already be making some content producers think again …Nobody (except the lawyers, rights holders – and maybe the Government) wants a private Internet police force.UPDATE: By the way chaps … have you told General Motors you are using their trademark?
