The founder of the Drudge Report settled a lawsuit with "copyright troll" Righthaven, LLC, on February 17. Righthaven has become infamous over the past year by filing an estimated 239 lawsuits against various website operators. In those lawsuits, Righthaven has asserted claims of copyright infringement based on the re-posting of copyrighted material in a manner that is common with online media outlets. "Righthaven is considered by many online and new media players to be a scourge on the industry, though it appears from court papers that its process nevertheless may be technically proper," says Andrew Martin, a technology and new media attorney with Scott and Scott, LLP. "However, Righthaven has been filing suit against a large number of "mom and pop" sites, often collecting settlements averaging an estimated $5,000 per suit, using an interpretation of copyright law that does not take into account Internet norms. Essentially, it smells like copyright abuse." For more information, please contact Mr. Martin at 800-596-6176 or amartin@scottandscottllp.com.
About the author
Andrew Martin:
As an associate attorney with extensive prior experience advising information technology start-ups, Andrew’s practice focuses on finding solutions for his clients’ intellectual property issues. Due to his extensive experience in the software and technology industries, Andrew understands both the practical and legal issues involved in IP licensing agreements and disputes. In addition to licensing, Andrew helps his clients find new ways to use existing technologies to assist his clients in areas such as data privacy compliance. Andrew uses his diverse background which includes founding a record label and working for a world-wide concert promoter when counseling the firm’s entertainment clients.
Get in touch: amartin@scottandscottllp.com | 800.596.6176