A couple of really good summary articles have recently been posted regarding the ongoing Micheal Crook false DMCA claims debacle.
“The Crooks of the World Hurt Copyright, Free Speech”
Jonathan Bailey (10 Zen Monkeys)
Michael Crook claims to be a “friend” of copyright law, but he takes his twisted notion of friendship to a dangerous extreme. On his “Facts vs. Fiction” page, he says that, while he supports free expression, copyright holders have stronger rights than the idiots whining about free speech.
However, his recent abuse of the DMCA has not only jeopardized free speech rights, but also the rights of copyright holders on the Web. In addition to being a blatant attack on the free expression of critical commentary, Crook’s false DMCA filings may make it harder for Webmasters with legitimate copyright issues to resolve them efficiently and effectively.
“EFF, Bloggers, Everyone, Takes On Web Bully”
Jason Lee Miller (WebProNews)
In his misguided desire to become notorious, Michael Crook has become the preeminent villain of the blogosphere, the target of a lawsuit by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a laughing stock, and a fascinating case study into blog-ethics, copyright law on the Internet, the tenets of Fair Use, the reach of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and how its abuse can affect free speech.
It also becomes the diary of a madman.
