Smug ISPs and Pirate Bay court case
Meanwhile, several other firms seem to be feeling rather smug in their decision to avoid working with the firm in the first place.
According to ISPreview, Talk Talk's director of strategy and regulation, Andrew Heaney, said the firm has never handed over any customer details to ACS:Law or any other legal firm hunting down people who have shared copyright material.
"It's a stark reminder of the dangers of giving out customer details to third parties in trying to combat filesharing. While we do not condone illegal filesharing, we have consistently argued for better ways of combating copyright theft. Handing over customer details to law firms to seek ‘compensation' based on accusations from rightsholders is not the answer," he reportedly said.
Heaney is said to believe that the current approach "isn't working" and has not cooperated so far because of the possibility of false accusations being made against its subscribers.
Meanwhile, Trefor Davies, CTO for Timico UK told the website: "£636,758.22 is apparently the amount of money ACS:Law claims to have made out of hounding broadband subscribers for payment for ‘alleged' copyright infringement."
Davies reportedly believes the firm could have raked in £191,027.47 from these ‘unsavoury antics' based on commission of 30 percent.
"It is easy to see why ACS:Law wanted to keep going after its victims...I wonder whether the firm will survive," he reportedly added.
Meanwhile due to its coincidental timing, the court case starring the founders of The Pirate Bay file sharing website is attracting extra attention. They have started an appeal against a year's stay in prison and multi million pound damages, according to the BBC.
The website quartet, Fredrik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, Peter Sunde and Carl Lundstroem were found guilty of copyright infringement in April 2009.
The trial in Sweden is set to drag on until mid October as the founders try to dodge a spell in jail they have yet to serve. The court case has previously been heralded a landmark victory for the film and music industry, while Warner Bros, EMI, Columbia Pictures and Sony Music Entertainment have all reportedly benefitted from damages payments already.
