Acording to the MediaSentry website:
"SafeNet offers a tightly integrated suite of anti-piracy and digital distribution solutions through its MediaSentry Services™ offering. Leveraging the MediaSentry Services platform, SafeNet helps clients detect and deter unauthorized distribution of copyrighted content and prosecute those who engage in media and software piracy online. SafeNet also offers a full suite of solutions that provide enabling infrastructure to support the successful growth of digital promotion and distribution. All of our services can be deployed as individual components or bundled together for use in an integrated solution"
According to The Wired Magazine article:
They are caught up in the counter suit that was filed by Tanya Andersen, who had been defending herself against a debilitating RIAA lawsuit for about two years before the RIAA dropped its case, has launched a big time offensive against her former accusers, filing suit today against Atlantic Recording Corporation, Priority Records, Capitol Records, UMG Recordings, and BMG Music, the RIAA, MediaSentry, and Settlement Support Center.
Andersen's Complaint (on Internet Law and Regulation ) calls out the labels, their legal prosecution/lobbying arm (the RIAA), and the oft-maligned software it uses to find alleged infringers (MediaSentry). It claims the RIAA's methods are criminal, and that their lawyers are needlessly vicious in pursuing defendants.
From Andersen's Complaint:
"Recently it has been discovered that as a part of this secret enterprise MediaSentry has for years conducted illegal, flawed and negligent investigations of many thousands of private United States citizens. These illegal investigations are then used as the sole basis for pursuit of tens of thousands of lawsuits throughout the US."
Andersen has counter-sued the RIAA before, but this seems to be more about the RIAA's alleged infringer identification tactics being illegal from the get-go. It remains to be seen whether a company posing as a user to monitor data shared by other users on a network is breaking the law, but the RIAA's cookie could be about to crumble. Andersen seems prepared to take her case as far as she can.
I say more power to her!! It is far time that someone stands up to their organization. They have used scare tactics and mob antics for long enough!
