Welcome
The Risk of Copyright Infringement
Everyday, people are being sued for posting material on their websites or blogs that comes from other sources on the Internet. Newspaper articles, images, music, videos — it’s all there for copying and pasting.
It seems harmless enough. When you credit the source and provide a link, it’s almost like you’re doing the other person a favor. Who wouldn’t appreciate your help in exposing their work to a larger potential audience?
A New Business Model for Law Firms
Now a growing number of law firms see a lucrative business opportunity. They scan the Internet for articles and images that have gone viral, buy the rights from content creators, file a copyright in their own names, then file charges of infringement in Federal court. In most cases, these lawsuits are filed against people who cannot afford to hire an attorney, so they are highly motivated to settle for far less than it would cost to mount a vigorous defense. Still, the settlement amount could be several thousand dollars.
Help When You Need It
If you’ve been served with a copyright infringement complaint, your first step should be to contact The Web Defender. Nathan Muller, an Internet technology expert, will step you through the technical details and lay out your options — saving you the big upfront cost of retaining an attorney. You can always use an attorney later, if it becomes necessary.
