Customers of Major UK ISPs Receive Letters Demanding Cash

[alimac]

Companies that own copyrighted works have the option to monetize them in any way they see fit. For movies this can include releasing them in theaters, licensing to streaming services, or releasing on physical formats such as blu-ray.
None of these avenues are inherently controversial but for some companies another option is attractive; track down people who allegedly downloaded and shared movies online and warn them that they could soon be facing a lawsuit.
In some cases, people will opt to pay a settlement fee, which over hundreds or even many thousands of threats, can amount to a significant new revenue stream for the movie company.
This type of scheme (often labeled ‘copyright trolling’ due to the generation of revenue through strategic litigation) exists in many countries around the world. In the UK, for example, many copyright holders have tested the waters in the past, sometimes with significant controversy. However, those earlier mishaps aren’t deterring US company Voltage Holdings, which recently obtained permission from the High Court to contact alleged pirates in the UK.

Movie Piracy: Customers of Major UK ISPs Receive Letters Demanding Cash * TorrentFreak