At least 23,000 to be sued for downloading 'Expendables'

In what will become the largest unauthorized torrent downloading lawsuit in U.S. history, the U.S. Copyright Group is expected to sue 23,000 file sharers for downloading the Sylvester Stallone hit film "The Expendables."

A federal judge has given the Group the rights to subpoena ISPs to find the identity of those who downloaded the film, which means that 23,000 number may be a lowball figure.

Subpoenas will begin being sent out on Thursday.

Under the U.S. Copyright Act, damages allowed per infringement are $150,000 and the group will ask for that in each case.

Of course, they will also offer a settlement payment of $3000. If every accused downloader settles, the lawyers will make a cool $69 million.

The Group finds the IPs by starting downloads of active torrents and capturing the IP addresses of peers that are sharing.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 10 May 2011 12:35

oneguy

Isnt this movie hella old? Are people really still sharing this one?

10.5.2011 14:47 #1

NeoandGeo

So they commit an illegal act in order to catch someone else? The hell?

10.5.2011 15:19 #2

jookycola

My buddy put a copy of the R5 torrent on my laptop, I was too busy to even watch it. By time i got around to watching it the Blu-Ray was out so I just went and bought it and watched it then. Does that make me such an A-hole? I saw it in Theaters AND bought the damn BD. Who cares if I watch a blotchy .avi of it on my computer in the time in between? You got my money anyway.

10.5.2011 16:03 #3

xaznboitx

some of the torrents are fake anyway

10.5.2011 17:50 #4

biglo30

So there doing bait car in the form of movies now lol. They put an illegal copy of their own movie out there for people to download just to sue them for even more money??? Damn this world is messed up.

10.5.2011 18:15 #5

Smacks

I don't think they are putting out the bait they are just downloading like everyone else and recording all the ip's of all the peers. Not really sure but that's what it sounds like. I think I heard about this Expendables lawsuit awhile back. Seems like they have been planning this for quite some time. I won't be surprised if we see a lot more of this.

10.5.2011 20:19 #6

Satviewer2000

With all these lawsuits going on, I really don't understand why people still use torrents? I tried it a couple of times, but went back to other sources shortly afterwards. Only lazy people use torrents.

10.5.2011 22:56 #7

KillerBug

Torrents are not dangerous if you know what you are doing and take some basic precautions...but most people just say, "It wouldn't happen to me"...and then they go online with no protection at all.

Of course, the method they are using to detect people isn't exactly bulletproof. They often have false positives that are really bad; like detecting that an IP only used by a laser printer has been downloading...that has actually happened. Actually, some people have been sued for stuff like this without even owning a PC/Smartphone/Etc...so you know there are a lot of holes in the process.

If I had downloaded the DivX of this movie, I might have bought it...but I didn't download the DivX.

10.5.2011 23:04 #8

Mrguss

A developing cases shows that while tracking down the subscriber behind an IP address, it�s also possible to arrest and prosecute someone completely different:
http://bit.ly/lPtiei

Film companies pay snoops to troll BitTorrent sites:
http://goo.gl/fb/ZO5ne

If You�re a Target: know your rights and options.
https://www.eff.org/pages/frequently-asked-questions-subpoena-targets

+4000

10.5.2011 23:49 #9

TBandit

Don't like watching the terrible quality and rather go watch it in theaters or rent.

11.5.2011 02:09 #10

KillerBug

Originally posted by TBandit: Don't like watching the terrible quality and rather go watch it in theaters or rent. If I didn't want to watch terrible movies, I wouldn't watch anything from Hollywood...oh, you said "terrible quality"...not "terrible script and acting"...nevermind.

11.5.2011 05:24 #11

mystic

with products like black ice to change your ip address and other ones on the market how will they ever get this through the courts look I'm all for paying for good movies but what about an area with out video rentals and the lack of good movies look some of thease people are the same ones who rent from netflicks or redbox and they copy the dvds I know they wait 30 days after the sales for dvds how about just lowering the cost like the 5$ bin at wali-world they sell even the bad movies but they sell and hollywood wood make money instead of charging $20-$30 per dvd and in this economy its a sad time to watch ...just lower the cost they cost what $1 to burn with the case and cover... $4 profit thats really good.. and if it was good they would sell

11.5.2011 07:09 #12

xboxdvl2

i got the expendables.did come accross a few fakes on the internet.they even try to sue me i will be getting legal aid and spend the next 10 years fighting them.even if i lose ive wasted 10years of there time and it will take another 15 years (at least)for them to get $150000 out of me anyway.btw im in australia so chances are the judge would throw it out in the first 30seconds anyway.

married to my car and computer.both of them have problems.

11.5.2011 08:16 #13

dEwMe

Originally posted by KillerBug: If I didn't want to watch terrible movies, I wouldn't watch anything from Hollywood...oh, you said "terrible quality"...not "terrible script and acting"...nevermind. ROFL! +1!

Just my $0.02,

dEwMe

11.5.2011 14:37 #14

1nsan3

Originally posted by biglo30: So there doing bait car in the form of movies now lol. They put an illegal copy of their own movie out there for people to download just to sue them for even more money??? Damn this world is messed up. they own the movie so its not illegal for them lol.

For Sale:

Parachute, Used Once, never opened small stain.
Best Offer!

11.5.2011 20:13 #15

xboxdvl2

Originally posted by 1nsan3: Originally posted by biglo30: So there doing bait car in the form of movies now lol. They put an illegal copy of their own movie out there for people to download just to sue them for even more money??? Damn this world is messed up. they own the movie so its not illegal for them lol. it could be considered illegal as it would be entrapment.if they own the copyright to the movie and give someone a free copy then it shouldnt be illegal as you got the movie off the copyright holder.

give you all an example: (in court) i said to riaa prosecuter:"how do you know i downloaded the movie"
riaa"cause you downloaded it off us"
me"do you own the copyright"
riaa"yes"
me"how did i steal something you own and gave to me for free"
at this point the riaa will be confused and the judge will hopefully throw it out.

married to my car and computer.both of them have problems.

12.5.2011 00:27 #16

lupine25

I guess they think this movie wasn't expendable. ::drumroll....crash!:: My apologies to the entire Internet for the lame joke, but I have nothing better to do at work. :)

12.5.2011 13:17 #17

ChappyTTV

Originally posted by Mrguss: A developing cases shows that while tracking down the subscriber behind an IP address, it�s also possible to arrest and prosecute someone completely different:
http://bit.ly/lPtiei

Film companies pay snoops to troll BitTorrent sites:
http://goo.gl/fb/ZO5ne

If You�re a Target: know your rights and options.
https://www.eff.org/pages/frequently-asked-questions-subpoena-targets Good post Mrguss, thanks for helping other users who may not know this info, or know where to go for help.
I did, but it's good to see others here ready to help with solid info instead of useless blathering about how it's their "right" to do this, or try justifying it somehow.
I d'load torrents sometimes, but I also know it's not within my "rights", I know it's illegal & it is stealing, & I don't make any lame excuses in vain attempts to justify it either.

15.5.2011 16:51 #18

AfterDawn: News