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Thu, Mar 7th 2013 11:42am

Filed Under:
anonymity, chilling effects, copyright trolls, dietrolldie, fightcopyrighttrolls, first amendment, free speech, john steele, paul duffy, subpoena

Companies:
prenda, prenda law, wordpress

Permalink.

Prenda Law Issues Subpoena For IP Addresses Of Every Visitor To Critic Blogs For The Past Two Years

from the what-are-they-smoking? dept

This is rather incredible. We already wrote about Prenda Law's series of defamation lawsuits against commenters on two key blogs that have been instrumental in exposing their shenanigans: FightCopyrightTrolls and DieTrollDie. While John Steele has dismissed his claim, the other two suits are still moving forward as far as I know. And now it's come out that Prenda Law's Paul Duffy sent a ridiculously broad subpoena to Wordpress demanding every IP address of every visitor who has visited either site since the beginning of 2011. Basically, they're looking for everyone who has ever visited either site:

Our client is requesting all Internet Protocol addresses (including the date and time of that access in Universal Coordinated Time) that accessed the blogs located at dietrolldie.com and fightcopyrighttrolls.com between January 1, 2011 through the present. Please provide this information in an Excel spreadsheet.

The subpoena is from Paul Duffy, so it's a bit ridiculous to claim "our client" since he is the client. This seems like a pretty clear abuse of the subpoena process, though, coming from Prenda Law, whose specialty is doing anything it possibly can to get IP addresses, perhaps it's no surprise. The subpoena was issued in association with the original claim that was filed in state court. The cases have all been removed to federal court, and hopefully the lawyers at Wordpress know better than to just cough up this info like that. Even more ridiculously, Duffy tries to claim that this is an "emergency" so they shouldn't waste any time in handing over the info:

Due to the emergency nature of the requested information, it is imperative that your organization responds to the subpoena immediately. The requested information is perishable and vital to the claims asserted in a complaint alleging widespread and systematic defamation.

What hogwash. They're looking for data going back to January of 2011. If Wordpress has logs going back that far, it's not like they're suddenly going to disappear. And, of course, the "widespread and systematic defamation" claims are already pretty questionable.

It's not difficult to look at this and see a likely attempt at creating chilling effects to try to scare people off from visiting those sites. Considering that Prenda has been collecting all sorts of IP addresses in its various copyright trolling lawsuits, can you imagine what they might do if they can cross reference IP addresses of visitors to those sites with the IP addresses they've already sued over?

129118801 Prenda Law Wordpress Subpoena (PDF)129118801 Prenda Law Wordpress Subpoena (Text)

111 Comments | Leave a Comment

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Ninja (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 10:54am

Good thing I stockpiled popcorn.

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GMacGuffin (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 11:15am

Um, guys... really...
If this case was removed to Fed Court prior to the subpoena, then the Superior Court has no jurisdiction, and it was issued with that knowledge, and that's a big problem. If it was issued prior to removal, then it should have been withdrawn, as now there's no jurisdiction, and that's a big problem.

And ... it demands production 10 days from the date the subpoena issued, seven after service, although by statute,they need to give 20 days ...

"It shall command compliance . . . on a date that is no earlier than 20 days after the issuance, or 15 days after the service, of the deposition subpoena, whichever date is later." CA CCP �2020.410(c)

And why is the Complaint attached? Just to make a point? And what is the sudden urgency that the rules don't matter? Urg! Makes you wanna tear your hair out.

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GMacGuffin (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 11:37am

Aliens
I believe the entire Prenda thing was set up by malevolent Whovian alien beings who must feed on IP addresses to survive.

The lawsuits are all a red herring.

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Zakida Paul (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 11:48am

I think it's cute that they believe IP addresses are a good way to identify people they want to sue.

What utter bell-ends.

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Wally (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 11:51am

While I look forward to meeting some of the members of TechDirt in person, I just wish it were under better circumstances.

;-)

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 11:56am

Re:
They don't want to sue, but are going into the defamation trolling business as copyright trolling is blowing up on them.

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 11:57am

Next thing that will happen is Penda law doing a subpeona for all the IP's of every visitor to have visited techdirt. After all everyone who visited techdirt must be committing copyright infringement and those that left comments on articles about Prenda Law must all be defamation right (sarcasm).

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Zakida Paul (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 11:59am

Re: Re:
Tomayto - tomato

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Zakida Paul (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:00pm

Re:
If you're gonna be one, be a big red one. Post all the abuse about them that you want.

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Simon, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:01pm

Nice
I hadn't actually been to those sites before, but not I'll be going several times a day, just in case they happen to get what they're asking for....

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:05pm

Re: Nice
I've been to those sites last week but did not leave any comments. I wonder if Prenda Law will seek my extradition to the US. Maybe I shall visit these sites again and leave colourful comments lol

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Glen, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:06pm

I see Prenda and I get giddy, as a schoolgirl!!! Their antics are now entering into legend that I can be happy that I was a witness to.

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Allen Harkleroad (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:08pm

I kind of hope so
While I don't think they will go after commentors on TechDirt, I kind of hope they do and screw with me. I have something for these idiots that will surpass their wildest nightmares... ;-)

Is is commenters or commentors? Spell-check is having a dickens of a time with both. LOL

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Jim, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:09pm

Re: Re: Re:
I think you mean Tomato - Tomahto ;)

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Stanley, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:09pm

I cannot wait to hear from Pre(te)nda since I visit both sites on a regular basis. Mostly for articled about Pre(te)nda.

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Allen Harkleroad (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:10pm

Re:
Hey you used my pun, "Pretenda" without my specific assignment of fair use. i'll have to sue you for that. LOL (j/k)

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Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:12pm

Re:
I think it's cute that they believe IP addresses are a good way to identify people they want to sue.

It's not a good way to identify people they want to sue, but it would be an excellent way to figure out what IPs to try to intimidate.

As far as intimidating random people based only on the flimsiest of IP address information, they are quite experienced.

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Tali (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:12pm

Re: Aliens
So should we expect "John Smuth, Esq." to show up in court showing everyone a piece of paper showing that he's recently added counsel?

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Tali (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:13pm

Re: Re: Aliens
I take that back.

Why didn't I realize it sooner. The judge is really the Doctor. That's why he wants everyone in his court on Monday!

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Zakida Paul (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:13pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
Nope I was right the first time :-P

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denismcd, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:17pm

It's an emergency because they know the subpoena and their cases are not going to be around for long.

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Allen Harkleroad (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:18pm

Please Lord
Please, please, please, please., please Lord let them come after me. I need to put a fuck up on some fucktards. It's been a while since that last time and I so need the mental and legal stimulation to just fuck up some idiots. Please, Please, please Lord!

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:21pm

Re: Re:
That Anonymous Coward will be after both of you.

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Allen Harkleroad (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:26pm

Re:
If Pretenda is hinging their success on emergency subpoena's then the lawyer filing them has no clue on the snail speed of such actions. Just goes to show they are idiots.

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This comment has been flagged by the community. Click to show the comment.

out_of_the_blue, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:32pm

The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.
Also the fanboys. It's like watching ankle-biters yap at the TV screen -- even after it's been turned off!

Take a loopy tour of Techdirt.com! You always end up at same place!
http://techdirt.com/
Prenda Law! A staple in the "At The Bench" series. Mike sez (short version): "Wow. Wow. Wow. ... The story is gripping."
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130303/23353022182/prenda-law-sues-critics-defamation .shtml

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:35pm

I have provided translation.

"Due to the emergency nature of the requested information, it is imperative that your organization responds to the subpoena immediately. The requested information is perishable and vital to the claims asserted in a complaint alleging widespread and systematic defamation."

Translation : Our ship is sinking we need more money.

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:35pm

Re: Re:
Pretenda are hoping that by writing the word "emergency" it means that the subpeona will be 100% guaranteed to be given in their favour.

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SirThoreth, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:37pm

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.
Can we just give them out_of_the_blue's address and call it a day?

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:38pm

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.
In other words OOTB comments shows that he is an ankle biter yapping at Mikes articles. Oh what a lovely fanboy OOTB is.

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:41pm

At this point I'm fairly sure the next step for Prenda is to sue every residential internet connection in the US... or possibly THE WORLD.

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:41pm

Is my birthday on Monday (Mar 11), so I wonder what kind of gift I will get, seeing judge deliver a smack down to Steele and his associates would be the greatest gift of all.

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DannyB (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:43pm

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.
If correlation equals causation, then you've got the cause and effect backwards.

The more Mike writes about Prenda, the more you troll here.

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sophisticatedjanedoe (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:45pm

Re: Nice
Are you saying that the scumbags have already achieved their goal, at least partially — to discourage citizens not only to speak out but to seek relevant information?

WordPress does not simply hands out information. While a motion to quash is pending (or after the case is SLAPPed down), they won't cough out anything.

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:54pm

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.
The one good thing about this is that out_of_the_blue will be in the same boat as the rest of us!
Should be interesting to see what troll, gnome, or Morlock the basement-dweller looks like...

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Trails (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:58pm

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.
Hey you're still alive? That's amazing, I thought you were dead.

Well, good for you!

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 12:59pm

They are annoyed because they are being called out on their IP trolling.

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Christopher Smith (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:00pm

Excel spreadsheet?!
On top of everything else, how are the producing parties supposed to aggregate everything into a format with a limit of 64K rows?

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fogbugzd (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:00pm

Re: Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.
>>The more Mike writes about Prenda, the more you troll here.

AC is really Alan Cooper.

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Nigel, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:05pm

Don't worry ootb sooner than later we will figure you who you really are. Your 10 seconds of fame is coming. Trust me.

Now, go fuck off back to fox news.

Nigel

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farbie (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:07pm

Monday, Monday...
Come Monday, will all those ordered to appear exit one after another from a tiny little brightly painted car in front of the Court House?

Seems fitting.

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pissed Off doe, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:08pm

I think world press will give thr troll the big fat middle finger.

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apauld (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:21pm

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.
You think you are that special? I mean, yes you are special; but not at all in the way you think you are.

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Vic, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:25pm

Re:
I love that misspelled "Penda"!!!

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Derek, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:28pm

4,294,967,296 (IPv4)
Next up, Prenda subpoenas the internet for the IP addresses of everyone who's ever used the internet.

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DannyB (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:29pm

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.
> The more I jibe at Mike

From mom's basement I stab at thee!
(hissssssss....)

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rangda (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:30pm

The obvious reply to the "emergency" request is:

Dear Sir(s):

The below list includes all IP's that have visited us within the past 2 years:

1.1.1.1
1.1.1.2
1.1.1.3
...
255.255.255.255

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Vic, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:31pm

It's not difficult to look at this and see a likely attempt at creating chilling effects to try to scare people off from visiting those sites.

Oops... I did not know and instead just went there to read those two sites.

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Just Passin' Thru, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:35pm

Re: Excel spreadsheet?!
Ha ha! My thought exactly! Excel spreadsheets only hold 65536 rows. Prenda Law's behavior has been so remarkably stupid, inept, and apparently illegal so far, that I'm pretty sure that there've been 'way more than 65536 visitors! And now they'll presumably be interested in me :-) OTOH, maybe the subpoena's parties can file their return with 1 entry per Excel spreadsheet or Excel file :-).

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:39pm

Remind me to forward to Prenda the links of the many articles in Techdirt.

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alanbleiweiss (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:39pm

Maybe they should just skip all the individual filing and contact the interwebs directly. That way they can get every IP of every person who ever used the web. Sure would save the expense of filing fees.

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alanbleiweiss (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:42pm

Re: 4,294,967,296 (IPv4)
crap. this is why I really need to read every comment. Because I just said the same damn thing and didn't need to because you beat me to it Derek.

Oh wait. Maybe I should sue you for stealing my thought. Now - who do I hire for this? Prenda et al? Carreon? Ken at the zoo? so many choices...

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AndyD273 (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:47pm

Re: Re:
You'll notice that he uses () in his, which is different than your trademark saying. The moron we keep on staff for such occasions was not sufficiently confused enough to warrant you suing.

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:53pm

Re: Excel spreadsheet?!
Can they even legally demand Excel format? IP logs are not generated in Excel. Assuming they can legally demand the IP logs in the first place, all they could get are the raw files, right?

But the subpoena itself seems overbroad at first glace. The IP of everyone accessing the site for several years? They can't even limit it to the dates and times of the posts in question?

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ArkieGuy (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:54pm

We've got it backwards.
All this time we THOUGHT Prenda was about copyright trolling, but it turns out that they are WAY smarter than that. The copyright trolling and courtroom antics were just bate to get us to laugh at them and make comments to provide them with unbounded "proof" of defamation of "character". Of course, I apparently have a different definition of "character" than they do, but hey... to each his own.

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 1:57pm

Re: Monday, Monday...
Then they'll Yakety Sax their way in and out of several doorways until they get to the musical chairs set up in front of Hizzoner.

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Vidiot (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 2:01pm

Re: Please Lord
Woo, baby... beginning to sound a bit like our buddy Ken Matherne at Global Wildlife Federation!

"I will come to you! My airplane is only 10k an hour � have more cash & Gold in the bank than you can imagine..."

;-}

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Viln (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 2:13pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Tomato - Tomayto - Tomayo - Tomony -- *gasp* ALAN MOONY!

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trollificus (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 2:19pm

Re: Re: Re: Aliens
Does this courtroom fit into a blue British police box?

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Blatant Coward (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 2:27pm

Re: Re: Aliens
Lawsuits are cool!

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trollificus (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 2:30pm

Re:
Maybe they could hire a couple of "security consultants" to come with them to visit the interwebs in its office.

Pudenda Sleazebag Attorney 1: "Nice little internet you've got 'ere mate. be a shame if somefin' 'APPENED to it."

(knocks pen holder off desk)

Goon 1: (cracks knuckles

Pudenda Sleazebag Attorney 2: Or, like, if it was to catch on fire...

(flick lighter ominously)

um so weider....

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Blatant Coward (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 2:30pm

Re: 4,294,967,296 (IPv4)
They better watch out, them guys at 127.0.0.1 are likely to cut ya!

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Jennifer, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 2:40pm

St. Clair County, Illinois
Interesting that the original suit was filed in St. Clair County, Illinois, which is a notorious defendant's judicial hellhole, especially for class action lawsuits. St. Clair County is known as "America's Asbestos Court" because only a tiny percentage of the massive numbers of asbestos claims filed there are filed by plaintiffs who actually reside in St. Clair County. (Neighboring Madison County is not much better.)

These guys look more and more shady with every move.

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DOlz, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 2:42pm

Re: Re: Re:
Then perhaps you need to replace your moron with someone from Prenda (company motto, "Building better morons for a dumber tomorrow).

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 2:43pm

Excel speadsheet? What if you don't run Windows? Are you required to buy a new OS and possibly a new machine to run that new OS you don't want to pollute your company?

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ralph, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 2:47pm

I know we have an adversarial legal system.

But come on.

There is something wrong with the mechanics of our judicial system when an outfit like Prenda has been able to carry on in civil court as they have for as long as they have.

This seems completely dysfunctional, and broken. We need tort reform, badly.

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alanbleiweiss (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 3:16pm

Re: Re:
loved this! totally pictured the scene :-)

Maybe they should subpeona Al Gore to demand getting access to the interwebs office address!

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 3:40pm

Re:
They want time stamps too.

So it you could repeat each IP with each second of the day next to it.

All in an Excel spreadsheet.

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 4:26pm

Re: 4,294,967,296 (IPv4)
FILE *file = fopen("DearestPrenda.txt", "w");

fprintf(file, "Here is the list you requested:\n\n");

for (int a = 0; a <= 255; a++)
for (int b = 0; b <= 255; b++)
for (int c = 0; c <= 255; c++)
for (int d = 0; d <= 255; d++)
fprintf(file, "%d.%d.%d.%d\n", a, b, c, d);

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 4:31pm

Every IP address? Hahaha, have fun. They're working off the assumption that every one of their readers actually comes from America. What're they going to do; strong-arm other countries into extraditing foreign readers? Bet that'd just make out_of_the_asscrack jizz in his molested little pants.

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dudhit (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 4:33pm

Re:
good thing I only visit all these site at work :P

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 4:51pm

Re:
Would be better if it was sent in binary...

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 5:56pm

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.
Someone's mad that now there'll be more copyright heroes to join Evan Stone and Andrew Crossley in the list of people to demand amnesty for.

Isn't it telling when the people propping up your copyright and corporations all happen to be complete scumbags?

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JustMe (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 6:44pm

Ahhhh, drat
When I read the title I was *SO* hoping that Techdirt was included in the list. Maybe if we push it along a bit...

Paul Duffy's action make him sound like an asshat.

That oughta do it. I really want to see what he plans to do with the list, given that he does not appear to have requested the text of the comments. Asshat.

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That Anonymous Coward (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 7:37pm

Re: Re:
Thats MY Intellectual Property.
I demand my nickel.

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That Anonymous Coward (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 7:44pm

According to posts on Dietrolldie.com Wordpress has opted to not answer until the questions about the subpoena are dealt with.

http://dietrolldie.com/2013/03/07/battle-stations-prenda-law-sends-wordpress-an-overly-broa d-subpoena-for-information-on-who-accessed-dtd-fct/comment-page-1/#comment-9729

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Justin Olbrantz (Quantam), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 8:54pm

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.
Another day, another post you can't even pretend to argue with and resort to purely insulting people. Time to come to terms with your own mortality, because you've reached the end of your troll lifespan.

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Hummmm, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 9:15pm

Prenda Law?
I find it ridiculously funny that Prenda law had not secured "prendalaw.wordpress.com", which I just did.

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madasahatter (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 9:22pm

Logic Flaw
Pretenda is assuming that anyone who visits either site is copyright "pirate". As several have pointed out many visitors are not i the US. And some visitors have never downloaded any porn ever.

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 9:30pm

Re: Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.
"You think you are that special? I mean, yes you are special; but not at all in the way you think you are."

OooB is a "special" boy with "special" needs.

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G Thompson (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 9:32pm

Re: Um, guys... really...
There also might be other major other problems with the subpoena

Wordpress (Automattic) might NOT control the domains of either of the two url's.

Though it does look like Automattic was used to register DietrollDie, and therefore that domain MIGHT reside on a host server controlled by Automattic.

FightCopyrightTrolls on the other hand looks like it is totally separated from Wordpress servers on a completely separate host server (ie: WP was just installed - it's a software program when it boils down to it) and if that is the case then Automattic has no ability to provide any IP logs whatsoever.

The other problematic (though more a logistic problem) thing I can see is the requested format of supplied information. Excel (unless they classify CSV files as excel) can not be used here since any log files of IP address's specific to the requested information would far exceed the limitations that Excel has. They could place it all in a huge CSV file but Excel would only read part - though since the format of Excel is specified in request then any information they receive is already suspect to reliability.

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G Thompson (profile), Mar 7th, 2013 @ 9:38pm

Re: Re: 4,294,967,296 (IPv4)
Evil!!!

I like it

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WebHamster, Mar 7th, 2013 @ 11:04pm

"it is imperative that your organization responds to the subpoena immediately" - here's my response:

Go F*** YOURSELF!

:-)

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 8th, 2013 @ 12:38am

Re: Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.
What makes you think that Prenda doesn't already have it? I mean, hell, they need SOME way to keep contact with their supporters, fanboys and bridge cleaners...

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Anonymous Coward, Mar 8th, 2013 @ 2:01am

Re: Re: Re:
I'm sick of all this nickel-and-diming! I demand Eurocents....OR ELSE!!!!

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special-interesting (profile), Mar 8th, 2013 @ 2:31am

Re: Aliens
YeeeeeeEEESSSS!

I once believed that calculus was a concept sent to Earth of destroy the minds of the young. (Register now while the lines are short.)

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
special-interesting (profile), Mar 8th, 2013 @ 2:47am

Re: Re: 4,294,967,296 (IPv4)
Totally evil. I love it. Hope they have it hooked up to the color inkjet printer. (sic)

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
special-interesting (profile), Mar 8th, 2013 @ 3:03am

On the serious side (the one not aching from laughter) how can any law firm subpoena the sources of sites doing legitimate reporting and story discovery (FightCopyrightTrolls and DieTrollDie) using a public forum process. Even if the posts are not reporters themselves they would certainly be legitimate sources.

If these clowns actually had a defamation, or whatever complaint, case they would have to provide specific details for every instance. Is there any precedent for the type of generality described?

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
William L Wilson, Mar 8th, 2013 @ 4:11am

Where's my opportunity to object to your subpoena, Mr. Duffy? Perhaps the folks at DieTrollDie and Fight Copyright Trolls ought to issue a few subpoenas to your bank, *your* ISP, and others.

What an orifice.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, Mar 8th, 2013 @ 4:26am

Stupid man do not wake the sleeping hat-bears - dodge and cover

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Niall (profile), Mar 8th, 2013 @ 4:39am

Re: Re: 4,294,967,296 (IPv4)
What about sending them the entire IPv6 list?

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
special-interesting (profile), Mar 8th, 2013 @ 7:38am

I have to argue against WordPress's policy of storing a clients site's format page only on their home server and the rest of the sites page is hosted elsewhere on a paid for server.

If you look at a DieTrollDie URL request it starts with *.DieTrollDie.com, *.wp.com, (and others) of which any discernig web crusader would of course notice and add them to the block list. The site looks funky without the formatting but who cares anyway? You can miss a lot of content but for general locked down web browsing its cool. (for most)

For sensitive sites vulnerable to an outright information, by hostile legal groups, grab I wold recommend using another forum program of which there are many. Why make yourself vulnerable to such nonsense when you can at least reduce the liability risk. WordPress is slick but it obviously creates extra risk. It is kind of like EA's always online policy but in a much smaller way. I wonder if there is a setting on the WP server site settings that would prevent this type of URL leak. (getting out of my experience so will shut up)

I understand the bandwidth considerations and they are severe so there is no easy solution. It's another privacy issue related to the immaturity of the information age.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
ralph, Mar 8th, 2013 @ 7:58am

Cross-reference the IP addresses?

Please. Many are assigned dynamically and change regularly.

Without the corresponding ISP logs this information is pretty worthless.

We need tort reform. This is a clown show.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
GMacGuffin (profile), Mar 8th, 2013 @ 9:01am

Re: Re: Um, guys... really...
Yo, G: It's true that if it were a wordpress.org driven, then WordPress wouldn't be hosting at all, but would be for wordpress.com.

Re the Excel issue: The subpoenaing party can specify the desired format for the production, but the producing party does not necessarily have to create documents in that format. They just have to produce in the format as kept in the ordinary course of business. (I hope that's tractor-feed printouts, but that's wishful thinking.)

My reaction to that was (again), um, guys... really?... Excel?

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Brent (profile), Mar 8th, 2013 @ 9:12am

If CISPA is approved, this request would be valid, no?

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
sophisticatedjanedoe (profile), Mar 8th, 2013 @ 9:17am

This is the email I received from WordPress this morning:

Hello,

Thank you, we�ve received your response and will take no further action on this subpoena until the judicial process is completed.

Thank you,

WordPress.com

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Rich Steiner, Mar 8th, 2013 @ 9:22am

IP addresses are only marginally useful.
An IP address doesn't always identify an individual.

The entire multinational corporation that I work for shows up under the same European IP address, for example, even though many of us are located in other parts of the world. It drives geolocation attempts based on IP address crazy. :-)

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
sophisticatedjanedoe (profile), Mar 8th, 2013 @ 10:19am

Re: Prenda Law?
They did not even secure antipiracylawgroup.com, which someone (not me) did and redirected it to my site.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
sophisticatedjanedoe (profile), Mar 8th, 2013 @ 10:22am

Re: Re: Um, guys... really...
No, unfortunately not true: my site IS hosted on wordpress.com, though I have been mulling the move for a while.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, Mar 8th, 2013 @ 11:13am

Re: Excel spreadsheet?!
Not to put a damper on this, but 64K was the row limit of Excel 2003. Excel 2007 and 2010 (and I assume 2013/365) have row limits of over a million (1,048,576 in Excel 2010).

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
alanbleiweiss (profile), Mar 8th, 2013 @ 11:29am

Re: Re: Excel spreadsheet?!
I recently received a CSV from a client with 750,000 rows of data in it. Couldn't open in excel because there were too many columns and too much content within some of those that the resulting combined processing power necessary was not within Excel. Maybe it would be on a super-computer. I ended up having to open it up in MS Access. So I guess the issue is whether Hansmeier or his brother the other "technician" would be intelligent enough to know how to do that.

Maybe one of them or their cronies are reading this comment thread and now they know. So if it gets that far, I'll have to send them an invoice for this consulting service.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
DeP, Mar 8th, 2013 @ 12:46pm

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.
This OOTB fella-me-lad really needs to get a life. I suppose he must get some sort of gratification by airing his crackpot anti-this and anti-that troll-ish views at the drop of a hat. Doesn't sound as if he has an original thought in his head. Anyway - must fly now. Run out of troll food.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
That Anonymous Coward (profile), Mar 8th, 2013 @ 9:42pm

Re: Re:
Its not like someone got a shakedown call and then posted on FCT looking for help and then someone posted threats about going after that person by looking over their call logs for that day.

Oh wait...

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
That Anonymous Coward (profile), Mar 8th, 2013 @ 9:43pm

Re: I kind of hope so
Well then come on over to FCT and DTD and join in the fun.
You can see the evil comments I've made that made the big bad legal entity cry.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
That Anonymous Coward (profile), Mar 8th, 2013 @ 9:45pm

Re: Re: Re:
I'm sure you meant to say MY trademarked saying.

There are many AC's but only 1 "That Anonymous Coward".

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
That Anonymous Coward (profile), Mar 8th, 2013 @ 9:47pm

Re:
Make sure you wave and say Hi to us evil people.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
That Anonymous Coward (profile), Mar 8th, 2013 @ 9:50pm

Re: Logic Flaw
1 - I want my nickel.
2 - They want to cause more fear in their targets.
3 - They want to scare those of us who speak out.
4 - They hope that they can show the court this long list and make it appear that kajillions of people saw all of the defamatory remarks so they can demand more.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, Mar 9th, 2013 @ 7:02pm

why bother waste time cross referencing when now you have an entirely new treasure trove of IP addresses to use for new cases. no more paying 6881 forensics or anyone for that matter.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, Mar 9th, 2013 @ 7:07pm

Re:
the last part would be incorrect. they at least know enough to run geo reports on the IP to remove out of country IPs from the list. they have done so in the past since including foreign IPs would undermine their credibility and also point out their stupidity

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, Mar 9th, 2013 @ 7:09pm

Re: Re: Re:
hey, i was THE first one to coin the name Pretenda Law and to use it, but i don't see anyone giving me a nickel.

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, Mar 9th, 2013 @ 7:19pm

Re: Re: Um, guys... really...
really? total failure here. name server records for both sites list wordpress, so what does that say? you wasted all that time thinking and writing but failed to check the basic things. next time, study harder since you need it

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, Mar 9th, 2013 @ 7:27pm

Re:
cross reference IPs? you really think they want to waste time to compare list for this purpose? it is obvious they want IPs to use them for new porn trolling extortion expeditions

[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

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Wednesday
10:07am:	New York Times Tells Startup It Can't Even Mention The NY Times (18)
9:12am:	So It's Come To This: Seven High School Students Arrested For Throwing... Water Balloons (88)
7:50am:	First Hand Account Of Judicial Smackdown Of Prenda In Minnesota (86)
5:51am:	Quack Professor Releases Dumbest Violent Video Game Theory Ever (37)
3:46am:	How Low Can Drones Go? (56)
Tuesday
11:19pm:	Prenda Gets Some Tiny Bit Of Good News, As It May Get Out Of Two Critical Cases (18)
8:16pm:	Ridiculous Timing: Obama Administration Responds To Spying On AP By Pushing Journalist Shield Law That Wouldn't Matter (33)
5:00pm:	DailyDirt: Weapons In The Sky (9)
4:02pm:	Bad Day For Prenda Continues: Judge Rejects Stay, Adds $1k Per Day For Each Day They Don't Pay Up (53)
3:01pm:	Angry Judge Tells Prenda To Stop Falsifying Alan Cooper's Signature; Calls It Fraud (53)

Prenda Law Issues Subpoena For IP Addresses Of Every Visitor To Critic Blogs For The Past Two Years

from the what-are-they-smoking? dept

Reader Comments (rss)

Um, guys... really...

Aliens

Re:

Re: Re:

Re:

Nice

Re: Nice

I kind of hope so

Re: Re: Re:

Re:

Re:

Re: Aliens

Re: Re: Aliens

Re: Re: Re: Re:

Please Lord

Re: Re:

Re:

The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.

Re: Re:

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.

Re: Nice

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.

Excel spreadsheet?!

Re: Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.

Monday, Monday...

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.

Re:

4,294,967,296 (IPv4)

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.

Re: Excel spreadsheet?!

Re: 4,294,967,296 (IPv4)

Re: Re:

Re: Excel spreadsheet?!

We've got it backwards.

Re: Monday, Monday...

Re: Please Lord

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

Re: Re: Re: Aliens

Re: Re: Aliens

Re:

Re: 4,294,967,296 (IPv4)

St. Clair County, Illinois

Re: Re: Re:

Re: Re:

Re:

Re: 4,294,967,296 (IPv4)

Re:

Re:

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.

Ahhhh, drat

Re: Re:

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.

Prenda Law?

Logic Flaw

Re: Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.

Re: Um, guys... really...

Re: Re: 4,294,967,296 (IPv4)

Re: Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.

Re: Re: Re:

Re: Aliens

Re: Re: 4,294,967,296 (IPv4)

Re: Re: 4,294,967,296 (IPv4)

Re: Re: Um, guys... really...

IP addresses are only marginally useful.

Re: Prenda Law?

Re: Re: Um, guys... really...

Re: Excel spreadsheet?!

Re: Re: Excel spreadsheet?!

Re: The more I jibe at Mike, the more obsessed with Prenda he gets.

Re: Re:

Re: I kind of hope so

Re: Re: Re:

Re:

Re: Logic Flaw