Anti-Piracy Firm Offering ISPs Money For Outing File-Sharers 132
mytrip points out news that an anti-piracy firm called Nexicon has been offering financial incentives to ISPs in exchange for having the ISPs police their own networks for copyright infringement. Nexicon would offer their services (for a fee) to help the ISPs pinpoint users who are illegally sharing files, and then give the users an option to "settle" through their "Get Amnesty" website. The revenue generated by such settlements would then be shared with the ISPs. Jerry Scroggin, owner of a smaller ISP in Louisiana, is still skeptical, saying, "I would still wind up losing customers. I would also have to pay Nexicon for this ... I have to survive in this economy but I don't have the big marketing dollars that bigger ISPs have. I have to fund 401(K)s and find ways not to lay off people. Giving free rein to the RIAA is not part of my business model."
Re:they pitch an interesting plan (Score:5, Funny)
"(or extorting, threatening to sue and selling "protection") your customers has never been an effective business model. "
Tell that to the real Mafia.
if my ISP did this (Score:2, Funny)
Send them E-MAIL (Score:1, Funny)
I really hope they do get rid of Piracy. When pirates are seizing oil tankers, killing crew, and demanding millions from companies things are out of hand. I really feel for the crew of ships off of Somalia. Oh, wait, we are talking about "copyright violations" -- has anyone been hurt or demanded millions by holding a copy of Metalica hostage?
Please send e-mails to this site and request that they do help get rid of true piracy but when talking about their business model, not refer to it as piracy: info@nexiconinc.com and press@nexiconinc.com
Short Term Gains! Sell Out Your Customers! (Score:5, Funny)
They may not be your customers for long, but we will pay your Tuesday for a customer sell-out today!
Re:Huh, madness (Score:4, Funny)
I've got a few customers I wish I could do that to.
Unfortunately, that is probably a crime. Especially since I'm not an ISP, so I'd have to crack their wireless router.