Chapter 8 – A warning to the commenters

@gottiewrites 23/08/14

Well, well, well. What do we have here, then? It looks like one of my little anonymices is not such a mouse after all. More like a giant, stinking rat.

Someone posted an alleged ‘cease and desist’ letter from some Hollywood law firm in the comments on my last chapter.

Anonymous To the owner of ‘gottiewrites’-

We are writing on behalf of RBC, who have filed for a permanent injunction against your website for unsubstantiated claims about the cast members of their TV show Loch & Ness. If the account and all associated uploads aren’t deleted within 48 hours, you will be liable for prosecution on grounds of libel and slander.

Please confirm within ten business days that you agree to comply with our request, or further action will be taken. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter. Though we recognise your enthusiasm for the TV show and associated cast members, we ask that you respect our desire to protect the integrity of our client’s intellectual property rights.

Yours sincerely,

Marcus Feinstein

I was horrified. It felt like someone had broken into my home. I couldn’t understand how they’d found me, or why they were targeting me in particular. But then I started to wonder if the letter was entirely legitimate.

I rang up the law firm mentioned and asked to speak to Mr Feinstein, but the receptionist told me that he didn’t work there any longer, and certainly hadn’t sent out any letters connected to copyright law.

I was very confused, obviously, so I did some research and found that Mr Feinstein’s name was still listed on the law firm’s website as an associate. Someone must have looked up the name of a random lawyer to use in this forged letter, not realising that Mr Feinstein had actually left the firm.

Bold of you to assume that I wouldn’t check. What kind of academic do you take me for? I have Google and a modicum of intelligence. I’m not going to accept any random claim that you guys throw at me.

Lazy work all round. I have no idea what your agenda is, anonyrat, but I will be checking all comments in future to see if you come here again. I’ve worked too hard on this essay to delete it just because of some baiter who has a fangirl grudge.

I certainly will not be removing this, even if a real lawyer does request it. I don’t believe I’ve broken any laws that would require that. If anyone has a background in law and wants to confirm that for me so that I can get a solid night’s sleep, I would really appreciate it.

– gottie

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