Spamigation
Spamigation is mass
file sharing, and DirecTV, which once filed large numbers of lawsuits against users of smart cards.[2]
Because of the costs of mounting a legal defense, almost all defendants in these cases tend to settle.[3] The RIAA then uses the money from these settlements to "file more suits."[3]
Spamigation is similar to a strategic lawsuit against public participation ("SLAPP"), which is filed by a large organization, or in some cases an individual plaintiff, to intimidate and silence a less powerful critic by so severely burdening them with the cost of a legal defense that they abandon their criticism. Spamigation differs in that it aims at stopping an economic activity, in the case of the RIAA's lawsuits the copying of copyrighted material.[1]
See also
- Abuse of process
- Chilling effect
- Frivolous litigation
- Paper terrorism
- Pseudolaw
- Strategic lawsuit against public participation
- Vexatious litigation
References
- ^ a b Spamigation and How to Fight It by Dana Blankenhorn, accessed 8-25-06.
- ^ Will DirecTV Sue You Next? CBS News, Oct. 10, 2003, accessed Aug. 25, 2006.
- ^ a b Illegal downloads create unlikely defendants: Music industry seeks to protect copyrights by Amy H. Trang, The Courier-Journal, July 31, 2006, accessed Aug. 25, 2006.