Does anyone know anyone who uses fastrack, directconnect and/or gnutella through any one of the following ISPs – Digiweb, Smart Telecom, Irish Broadband, NTL, Eircom and Imagine – and who is likely to be affected by the recent decision in the Irish courts to force the ISPs to reveal the identity of those suspected of illegal music sharing.

A large number of people have been caught in what has been a six-month operation by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) – but 23 are facing prosecution. One of them had 37,500 songs on his PC.

If you can help, it would be much appreciated. If you do know someone, could you forward them my email address? Thanks in advance for your help.

This information is for an Irish newspaper and an article due to be published this Sunday. Please email me at: removed until credentials are given and verefied

I've been doing p2p forum stuff for years now, and I cannot even begin to recall how many similar posts have been based on almost exactly the same point... but normally the New York Times or some other crap industrial organ...

HOW DO WE, ANY OF US, KNOW THAT YOU AND YOUR INTENTIONS ARE LEGIT ?

This is a fair question and I am confident that there will follow many other posts from those who can also recall scams of this nature...

If my immediate response to you now is incorrect and/or unfair, apologies...

But, my recommendation to any and all, until further provenance is provided, is to STAY AWAY from ANY contact with you.

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Fair enough if "any and all" want to take Ursula's ill-judged and offensive advice and have nothing to do with my request for help but all I can do is stress that, yes, I am a journalist working for a Dublin-based newspaper and I am working on a story to do with the subject matter I posted about. I'm not sure how or why such an approach would be a 'scam', or how such a scam would even work, let alone why on earth anyone would want to pose as a journalist to make a scam work. From my own experience of posting on forums for help with whatever story I am working on, posting my phone number etc just attracts spam etc. All I'm looking for is anyone who wants to be interviewed about file-sharing in the context of the latest IRMA court result. And ideally, I would like to talk to anyone in Ireland who is likely to be affected. It's not rocket science!

I reiterate...

I and others in the p2p community have seen hundreds of posts similar to yours.
My response is neither ill-judged nor intended to be offensive.
It is intended to be protective.

And, I assure you that the following comment is also not meant in an offensive manner, but if you were even slightly further down the investigative trail you would certainly be aware of the points I initially raised re: individuals posing as journalists and soliciting "info and sources for articles."

Further, as I am alone here, for the moment (in terms of 'moderating' duties) I did consider placing all posts from you into a temporary status of " moderator review before posting"....
This I did not do to you as I considered it to be excessive. I still do.

I do hope that you will continue to monitor this thread of yours and that soon other of the moderators here who also have both the years and the memories will enter the fray and assure you that my reaction to your posts is balanced, respectful and validly doubtful.

Cheers for now...

I can verify that the above poster is accessing the network through a proxy
operated by Associated Newspapers Limited.

Please identify yourself and your specific newspaper and people will be willing
to be interviewed. Also, please post links to information on the subject you
wish to discuss so the members here can inform themselves about these
events. It may come as no surprise to you that record industry maneuverings
in Ireland are underreported elsewhere, given their proven mastery at media
manipulation.

The caution advised by ursula is sound. There is a history of shenanigans on
the part of the record industry, and in particular by it's cartel "associations".
Many professional and experienced reporters have been manipulated into
becoming unwitting advocates and accomplices in industry propaganda
without becoming aware of their handlers' true intent. In short, check your
pockets carefully every time you deal with them to make sure they haven't
put their brand on your journalistic credentials.

I have split this conversation into it's own thread. The thread it was started in
had died over four years ago and is no longer current.

Hello all,
As Ireland is now in the E.U. , you might find this interesting,as a proposed change in intellectual copyright is on the cards,from prosecuting companies to prosecuting individuals.
Backroom Changes May Be Coming for IPRED2 | IPRED2: Will it Make You a Copy Criminal?
I also appreciate that to tell if anyone is 'Bone Fide ' is very difficult !
so all requests like this are worth being very careful with.
All the best,
N2
Movement on IPRED2 in Brussels and Beyond | IPRED2: Will it Make You a Copy Criminal? is also worth a look.

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