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Fake AI law firms are sending fake DMCA threats to generate fake SEO gains

arstechnica.com

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Re: Fake AI law firms are sending fake DMCA threats to generate fake SEO gains

#41

Post by Capricorn2481 »

antonvs wrote: post #13
gentleman11 wrote: post #2

The root problem is that the legal system is completely inaccessible and non-existent to individuals or small companies. Even to medium companies. Only mega corps and law firms can afford to use the legal system. Even big tech often avoids it because of the expense, but if they do use it, they’re going to win, 99.9% of the time because of their war chests So, people are semi defenceless when these things come up, and…

> completely inaccessible and non-existent to individuals or small companies. Even to medium companies. Only mega corps and law firms can afford to use the legal system. For individuals you have a point, but for small and medium companies this seems like an exaggeration. I've worked for several startups. The smallest was one that I co-founded with no outside funding - we maxed out at five employees, three of whom wer…

Aren't trademarks and patents exactly the type of thing that would need to be argued in court and therefore cost more money than most startups have?

Re: Fake AI law firms are sending fake DMCA threats to generate fake SEO gains

#42

Post by olliej »

gentleman11 wrote: post #2

The root problem is that the legal system is completely inaccessible and non-existent to individuals or small companies. Even to medium companies. Only mega corps and law firms can afford to use the legal system. Even big tech often avoids it because of the expense, but if they do use it, they’re going to win, 99.9% of the time because of their war chests So, people are semi defenceless when these things come up, and…

The issue is that defending this generally requires paying a lawyer, and filing fraudulent DMCA claims is free, and comes with no requirement to pay the legal fees of the recipient if the claim is false

Re: Fake AI law firms are sending fake DMCA threats to generate fake SEO gains

#43

Post by bigiain »

seabass-labrax wrote: post #19
bainganbharta wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

That's a needlessly harsh judgement! To use an analogy, one should reasonably be able to attend a forensics conference without ending up as a forensics case themselves. Also, generative AI isn't just for creating fakes.

Some of the best advice ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-7o9xYp7eE

Never talk to cops.

Re: Fake AI law firms are sending fake DMCA threats to generate fake SEO gains

#44

Post by Cheer2171 »

gentleman11 wrote: post #2

The root problem is that the legal system is completely inaccessible and non-existent to individuals or small companies. Even to medium companies. Only mega corps and law firms can afford to use the legal system. Even big tech often avoids it because of the expense, but if they do use it, they’re going to win, 99.9% of the time because of their war chests So, people are semi defenceless when these things come up, and…

I've sued several businesses and individuals in small claims court (in California) including two multinationals on the S&P 500. I have no formal legal training, only what every open source dev learns through licensing. The court bureaucracy was about as hard for me to learn than learning how to convert an out of state drivers license to my new state. Finding a process server was the hardest part. You write your account of what happened in colloquial English, you attach evidence, you show up before a judge and they decide.

You don't actually need a lawyer to respond to bogus charges. Legal trolls make their money assuming most people settle or don't show up. Just submit your evidence, show up in court, and if it is bogus, it will be clear.

Re: Fake AI law firms are sending fake DMCA threats to generate fake SEO gains

#45

Post by nanocode »

themoonisachees wrote: post #35
seabass-labrax wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a needlessly harsh judgement! To use an analogy, one should reasonably be able to attend a forensics conference without ending up as a forensics case themselves. Also, generative AI isn't just for creating fakes.

Harsh judgement maybe but to me paying $500 for tickets to a convention about anything is drinking the kool-aid about that thing.

I don't know about all conferences, but in my line of work most conferences cost up to $2000 or even more (for example "late tickets" to a conference I'm attending in June cost $3000). I guess enough people (or rather, employers) consider it valuable enough to pay this price.

Re: Fake AI law firms are sending fake DMCA threats to generate fake SEO gains

#46

Post by dclowd9901 »

gentleman11 wrote: post #2

The root problem is that the legal system is completely inaccessible and non-existent to individuals or small companies. Even to medium companies. Only mega corps and law firms can afford to use the legal system. Even big tech often avoids it because of the expense, but if they do use it, they’re going to win, 99.9% of the time because of their war chests So, people are semi defenceless when these things come up, and…

You can chill people, but abuse them? That depends on if you’re actually willing to file an injunction.

I see a letter like this, I’ll wait for them to file an injunction.

Re: Fake AI law firms are sending fake DMCA threats to generate fake SEO gains

#47

Post by rchaud »

add-sub-mul-div wrote: post #18

I wonder if there's something common between crypto and AI leading to the cloud of grift and predation around the ecosystems and common uses of the respective technologies. Or if this is where society is at now and it will happen with any new technology regardless.

> something common between crypto and AI leading to the cloud of grift and predation

Yes, the relentless drumbeat of 'this is the next Internet' hype. With blockchain it was 'money of the future'. Both are things that pique popular interest, but both fail to deliver what the hype promises. What people want is AGI, what they get are LLMs.

Re: Fake AI law firms are sending fake DMCA threats to generate fake SEO gains

#49

Post by kstrauser »

ryandrake wrote: post #12
icedchai wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sadly, many folks will assume an "official" sounding message or call is actually legitimate. Especially if it's from someone calling themselves a lawyer. Next the AI law firms will be requesting payment in iTunes gift cards...

I think there is a belief (right or wrong) among a lot of lay-people and non-lawyers that the legal system is an opaque minefield of "gotchas" where if you don't file form 27B/6 within 30 days, with a specific magical incantation X written on it, and then appear before a judge and speak magical incantation Y, then gotcha! you lose! So any time something looks even remotely official, people panic and wonder which mine…

In addition, there’s the knowledge that what happens next is likely to be expensive, no matter how it resolves. A letter from a lawyer? There goes a rent payment.

Re: Fake AI law firms are sending fake DMCA threats to generate fake SEO gains

#50

Post by cmeacham98 »

datascienced wrote: post #9
lupire wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's no legal threat here. It's all fake.

You need to pay a lawyer to find that out!

Shouldn't a simple search of the relevant state's bar registry be sufficient to realize the lawyer is fake?

I guess you'd have to at least suspect the letter was fake to try that, so you might miss it if that's not even on your radar.

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