Coupons, Copyright, Fraud
An interesting legal battle is shaping up over this lawsuit for copyright infringment. The question prompts a really fun debate, but I wonder why copyright is being implicated at all - why not go after the guy for ordinary fraud and conspiracy type claims?
The issue is this: a company called coupons.com provides online, printable store coupons. The technology providing them is supposed to limit the number of coupons that can be downloaded. A fellow in California figured out that erasing some of the files in the software that ennables the downloading would allow the user to print unlimited numbers of the coupons - and potentially many more than the store intended to privide. Coupons.com calls this copyright infringement. The man says he didn’t copy or alter anything, he merely erased free-standing files from his own computer.
Unless the EFF or some other rights group steps up to help the legal defense, this case is likely to settle long before a court has a chance to issue an opinion on this question.
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