Nexicon auto-generates DMCA notices to a suspected illegal file-sharer's ISP which is then forwarded with an e-mail link for the "GetAmnesty" website.Copyright holders have a new weapon at their disposal with word that Nexicon, a Malibu, CA-based anti-piracy services and technology company, has developed an automated copyright infringement identification and settlement system. Set to debut perhaps as early as next week, the service will allow copyright holders to examine some 19.6 billion file transmissions from the likes of such P2P and file-sharing services as BitTorrent, eDonkey, Gnutella, Ares, KaZaA, and newsgroups each day. How It Works
From the Nexicon website:
Accused illegal file-sharers are allowed to settle the whole matter out of court without having to deal with pesky laws, lawyers, or judges. The settlement fee includes payment to the copyright holder as well as an administrative fee instantly payable by Visa, MasterCard, PayPal or electronic check. For those unfamiliar with GetAmnesty, its site reads like an uncomfortable joke.
I'm sure loss of an Internet connection or the pain of a "bad conscience" has lured many a pirate to the site. Interestingly enough, reports say that the settlement fee will only be enough to cover the retail price of the file and nothing more in an attempt to turn illegal file-sharers into paying customers. “We’re not looking to break the bank and sue individuals. We understand that these folks are the fans of these musicians," says Nexicon. "The content owners want to embrace the fans and want to connect with the fans. They just want to be compensated for the work that they have produced.” In a slightly more eerie approach, Nexicon will also allow copyright holders the ability to contact pirates and let them know when an artist they illegally downloaded is playing a concert near them or releasing a new album. jared@zeropaid.com |
 
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I think what it will do is basically spit out a bunch of unsupportable charges. If you're in a BitTorrent swarm, for example, how can u make a person pay for downloading or uploading a fraction of a song? Its silly.
@Tronix
You're right, its not illegal to download only upload - i.e. distribute - copyrighted material. It truly seems to be an illegal shakedown scheme.
If you target me for copyright infringement for distributing my own work on P2P, I know exactly how to spread bad news about their service. If anyone receives a DMCA notice for downloading/uploading any of my work, I want to hear about it (and forward the notice to me of course)
Yeah, this will go over REALLY swell.
NetRange: 216.117.128.0 - 216.117.191.255
Correct me if i'm wrong, but I believe this belongs to the extortionists. Of course, they could have other ranges, i'll need to sniff around.
@TronixA it will probably read headers and find out the posting host witch probably can be spoofed or you can get a anonymous server.
That's not entirely out of the question; however, it is more likely Nexicon just does the following:
1) monitor P2P, file-sharing services and newsgroups for ip addresses
2) for each IP address found, try downloading some media files from the computer at the address using each of the popular P2P protocols (the article mentions Ares, Limewire, Kazaa and BitTorrent)
3) if successful, check whether any of the downloaded files are copyrighted.
4) If so, send the user's isp a DMCA notice.
This would be trivial to automate.
Use PearGuardian.