Warp schrieb:
> 
>   Some random person is browsing the internet, and clicks on a link. The link
> happens to point to, let's say, a youtube video which contains an entire
> copyrighted song. This person does not realize that he is now illegally
> downloading a copyrighted song. (It could be, for example, that the song
> is being used as background music for some animation or whatever.) Then
> one of these copyright vigilante companies resolves his address and sends
> him an email demanding he pay 450 euros, or he will get sued for ten times
> that amount (a very common and extremely effective scare tactic).

At least in Germany, there's an easy tactics against this:

- /Do/ comply with the request to sign a written statement that you will 
not download this video again (which, formally, is the /main/ demand). 
This will prevent them from sueing you for the copyright infringement, 
with the big money label attached.

- Do /not/ concede to have infringed copyright; just inform them that 
you agree to comply with their main demand if it makes them happy.

- Do /not/ pay the 450 euros (which, formally, are to cover their 
expenses so far to uncover your alleged infringement and send you this 
letter), arguing that you consider this demand unsubstantiated (a) 
qualitatively and (b) quantitatively. Thus, if they do want the money 
from you, they'll still have to take it to court, but with the copyright 
infringement out of the way and a much smaller price tag, while still 
leaving them with the burden of having to prove that you actually 
infringed copyright; even if the price tag would still be high enough to 
file a lawsuit (which more often than not it won't be), they're likely 
not to sue, because it's comparatively risky business for them and won't 
pay off on average.

- If you really want to piss them off, send them 1 euro for their 
expenses :-) (again, make sure to not concede anything).

>   The internet has not killed music, but music might well kill the internet.

I don't think that there is /anything/ that can kill the internet. It 
may be forced to evolve, but that's all.

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