Have you received a letter from your Internet Service Provider about copyright infringement? Here are some answers to common questions.
Why did I get this letter?
Many owners of copyrighted works are filing lawsuits against people who download or share their products online. The most common way they do this is by tracking the downloading on the internet and obtaining the IP address of someone infringing their copyright. This IP address allows the copyright owner to determine who your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is. They will contact your ISP and have them send you a letter regarding the copyright infringement.
Most ISPs will send these letters to their customers rather than handling the dispute themselves or ignoring the complaint. ISPs like Comcast, Time Warner, Verizon, and Charter have found themselves in the middle of these disputes, and usually find the best course of action is to inform their customer of the complaint and remove themselves from the dispute.
Is this legitimate?
Yes it is. Modern technology has made it very easy to download and share media like movies and music, but that does not lessen the copyright protection that the owners of that media retain and can enforce.
What do I do now?
Your best choice is to contact an attorney who is familiar with intellectual property law and internet issues. The details of every case can be different, and because of that the best response is different for each person. Gavin Law Offices has a team of attorneys experienced in intellectual property matters like this. See our contact info and get in touch with us today.
Still interested in infringement? Check out our blog posts that cover topics such as social media and risky money-making choices.