QUESTION
Should I pay the settlement for illegal download?
Asked on Aug 24th, 2011 on Patents - Oregon
More details to this question:
I have received a settlement letter for apparently downloading a film over a year ago. If I do not pay it says I will go to court, but since it happened a year ago the computer I used back then is gone, and my network was unsecured without a password and still is. So I feel that there is no evidence of me downloading this since any of my neighbors could have done this or any one driving by. Should I pay the settlement or take it to court?
1 ANSWER
It is your call. The damages that they can get may be statutory and attorney's fees if the downloaded video was copyrighted within 90 days of its publication. If not then they would only be entitled to the actual damages or financial harm that they suffered as a result of your downloading. Which could probably be a few bucks. However, I can tell you that you should go to the US copyright office and review the copyright infringement remedies section.
Answered on Aug 24th, 2011 at 7:48 PM