Google Fiber Sends Automated Piracy ‘Fines’ to Subscribers

[shamu726]

Google Fiber is forwarding copyright infringement notices to its subscribers including controversial and automated piracy fines. Through these notices, rightsholders demand settlements of up to hundreds of dollars. Google's decision to forward these emails is surprising, as the company generally has a good track record of protecting consumer interests.

Every month Google receives dozens of millions of DMCA takedown requests from copyright holders, most of which are directed at its search engine.

However, with Google Fiber being rolled out in more cities, notices targeting allegedly pirating Internet subscribers are becoming more common as well.

These include regular takedown notices but also the more controversial settlement demands sent by companies such as Rightscorp and CEG TEK.

Instead of merely alerting subscribers that their connections have been used to share copyright infringing material, these notices serve as automated fines, offering subscribers settlements ranging from $20 to $300.

The scheme uses the standard DMCA takedown process which means that the copyright holder doesn’t have to go to court or even know who the recipient is. In fact, the affected subscriber is often not the person who shared the pirated file.

To protect customers against these practices many ISPs including Comcast, Verizon and AT&T have chosen not to forward settlement demands. However, information received by TF shows that Google does take part.

Over the past week we have seen settlement demands from Rightscorp and CEG TEK which were sent to Google Fiber customers. In an email, Google forwards the notice with an additional warning that repeated violations may result in a permanent disconnection.

“Repeated violations of our Terms of Service may result in remedial action being taken against your Google Fiber account, up to and including possible termination of your service,” Google Fiber writes.

Below Google’s message is the notification with the settlement demand, which in this example was sent on behalf of music licensing outfit BMG. In the notice, the subscriber is warned over possible legal action if the dispute is not settled.

“BMG will pursue every available remedy including injunctions and recovery of attorney’s fees, costs and any and all other damages which are incurred by BMG as a result of any action that is commenced against you,” the notice reads.

Facing such threatening language many subscribers are inclined to pay up, which led some to accuse the senders of harassment and abuse. In addition, several legal experts have spoken out against this use of the DMCA takedown process.

Mitch Stoltz, staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) previously told us that Internet providers should carefully review what they’re forwarding to their users. Under U.S. law they are not required to forward DMCA notices and forwarding these automated fines may not be in the best interest of consumers.

“In the U.S., ISPs don’t have any legal obligation to forward infringement notices in their entirety. An ISP that cares about protecting its customers from abuse should strip out demands for money before forwarding infringement notices. Many do this,” Stoltz said.

According to Stoltz these settlement demands are often misleading or inaccurate, suggesting that account holders are responsible for all use of their Internet connections.

“The problem with notices demanding money from ISP subscribers is that they’re often misleading. They often give the impression that the person whose name is on the ISP bill is legally responsible for all infringement that might happen on the Internet connection, which is simply not true,” he notes.

While Google is certainly not the only ISP that forwards these notices it is the biggest name involved. TF asked Google why they have decided to forward the notices in their entirely but unfortunately the company did not respond to our request for comment.

Source: TorrentFreak

[steven36]

Shame on Google , but really by forwarding notices there complying with DMCA to cover there own butts ...That's not sending out warning via 6 strikes program . I never got it what do you expect even if ISP don't send out warnings don't mean copyright trolls cant send you a email or letter and your isp give them your personal info anyways . So you go on p2p and you know most all isps log and these trolls are watching just fire up peerblock and you will see its full of it and you are unprotected you don't even use a vpn or try to change ips in you're torrent client . And when you get caught at it you want to cry about it and you made no effort to protect yourself . I don't fell sorry for reckless people like this . Its not 2008 any more were you could get away with what ever you wanted . Its 2015 people need to get with the program . :lol:

[mastershake]

bs, well i know i will never use google fiber now.

[steven36]

Well if you live in the USA were it's available unless you live in a major city it's most likely never going be available in your area no ways . Most places are lucky to have 2 high speed ones to chose from that's your cable provider and your phone provider in really rural areas only your phone provider will have DSL . Google Fiber is like the AOL of the new New Millennium. It never will even exist in most places because its a big monopoly with ISPS in the USA . And most of the big providers do the same thing Google is doing and/or sending out warnings. Were you been since 2012 since 6 strikes was invented ? Even before 6 strikes , copyright trolls sued people through there isps . ;)

[majormalfunction]

Chance of myself or 99% of the US seeing Google fiber is slim to nil, just like the highly-publicized Comcast 2gb fiber or AT&T 1gb fiber. It's all akin to "Ignore the man behind the curtain" in the Wizard of Oz. Oddly enough, I did some research on Google Fiber deployment in a S.E. US major city, and virtually all of the promised rollout is in very economically-challenged areas. Nothing at all in the region of that metro that is turning into Silicon Valley East or similar areas. I finally saw a google fiber ip address show up in a bit torrent swarm over the weekend. Speed was *not* impressive at all. I don't think but a verrrrry few of us will ever have to deal with google DCMA notices at all any time soon.

[edwardecl]

Don't see what the fuss is about, Google will get these demands regardless if they forward the onto the customer or not.

At least they are being transparent about it and you are free to put them in the bin, or choose another method of downloading things.

[steven36]

Don't see what the fuss is about, Google will get these demands regardless if they forward the onto the customer or not. At least they are being transparent about it and you are free to put them in the bin, or choose another method of downloading things.

That's not being transparent being transparent would be do a report about how many DMCA they receive without disclosing who they was for ,By USA law there not required to send these notices .The ISP that send out warnings they volunteered to do 6 strikes . Its not a law because all isps don't do it . Its not like the UK yet were they passed laws all ISPS must block certain websites . Google is acting on there own free will. they don't have to do this.