British Law Firm Draws Fire For Porn Copyright Letters

LONDON — A British law firm has angered local residents by sending out notices of copyright infringement that accuse the users of downloading hardcore gay porn.

The firm in question is called Davenport Lyons. According to online sources, the firm has distinguished itself – for better or for worse – by becoming the de facto "copyright cop" of the United Kingdom.

Tech blog Ars Technica noted that Davenport Lyons has made headlines over the past year by sending out scores of letters, including notices that tell the owners of WiFi networks that they'll be held responsible for any illegal activity done over their networks. In addition, Davenport Lyons has gone to bat for video game companies pursuing copyright infringement claims.

In this case, the notorious law firm has taken up the standard of a German porn company, Studz, that produced a title called "Army Fuckers." On behalf of Studz, Davenport Lyons has sent out a presettlement letter to an elderly British couple asking that they pay about 500 pounds (roughly $774) or face legal action.

The couple objected to the very notion that they would download any adult content.

"We were offended by the title of the film. We don't do porn — straight or gay — and we can't do downloads," they said. "We have to ask our son even to do an iTunes purchase."

Ars Technica's Jacqui Cheng compared Davenport Lyons' tactics to that of the RIAA in dealing with music copyright infringement.

"This presettlement tactic is extremely similar to one that the RIAA continues to employ here in the U.S., as it attempts to ferret out college students that it suspects are guilty of copyright infringement," she said. "Many of the universities that receive the letters, however, are fighting back against the RIAA's bullying tactics by refusing to forward the letters on to the suspected infringers."

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Missouri AG Announces Age Verification Rule to Take Effect Nov. 30

Newly appointed Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced Friday that the state's recently approved age verification regulation for adult websites will go into effect on Nov. 30.

Aylo, Woodhull Freedom Foundation to Host 'Online Censorship' Event

Aylo and Woodhull Freedom Foundation will co-host a virtual panel addressing online censorship on Sept. 30.

Judge Awards Plaintiffs Over $400K in Attorneys Fees in Derek Hay Civil Case

California Superior Court Judge Gail Killefer has awarded former clients of LA Direct Models over $400,000 in attorneys fees and court costs, to be paid by agency founder Derek Hay.

Former Backpage CEO Carl Ferrer Sentenced to 3 Years Probation, $40,000 Fine

Former Backpage.com CEO Carl Ferrer was sentenced in federal court today to three years' probation and a $40,000 restitution fine for a conspiracy conviction related to money laundering through the defunct website.

Playboy Wins $81 Million Judgment in Chinese Licensing Arbitration

Playboy Inc. was awarded $81 million in damages on Monday by the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, in a licensing dispute with former partner New Handong Investment (Guangdong) Co. Ltd.

GirlsDoPorn Owner Michael Pratt Sentenced to 27 Years

Michael Pratt, former owner of the website GirlsDoPorn, has been sentenced to 27 years in federal prison.

Aylo Fined $5 Million as FTC, Utah Settle Safety Practices Complaint

The Federal Trade Commission and the state of Utah on Wednesday settled a complaint against Aylo, requiring the company to pay a $5 million penalty and implement measures to prevent illegal content from appearing on its sites.

XBIZ Amsterdam 2025 Show Schedule Announced

XBIZ is pleased to announce the release of the full show schedule for XBIZ Amsterdam 2025, set to take place Sept. 2-4.

FSC: Missouri Age Verification Rule Will Not Take Effect August 30

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) announced that Missouri's proposed age verification legislation will not take effect on August 30, as it had originally estimated.

Germany Will Block Payments to AV-Noncompliant Adult Sites as of Dec. 1

Starting Dec. 1, Germany will implement new rules prohibiting financial institutions from providing payment services to adult sites deemed to have inadequate age verification systems and making it easier for the government to target websites mirroring the content of such sites.

Show More