FAQ for DBC-SG Crowdfunding Campaign (v2.0, July 2015)Q1. What are all these Copyright Trolls, Speculative Invoicing, DBC business all about?A1: Check out an excellent online video documentary "Between the Lines" from CNA,
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/video/illegal-downloading/1781844.htmlQ2: What is the background of this DBC-SG?A2: See
http://dishonest.biz/forum/index.php/topic,37.msg136.html#msg136Q3: What is the website to the Crowdfunding Campaign?A3:
http://dhz.us/-/dhcfQ4: Tell me more about the DBC-SG Support GroupA4: The DBC-SG Support Group was established on 11 April 2015 to provide assistance and support to the 500+ affected parties (less than 10% are verified).A private support platform was also established on 12 April 2015 where DBC related data/info/intel are shared among the verified affected parties
See:
http://dhz.us/forum/index.php?topic=37.msg169Q5: How can we contact you for more information?A5: You may write to ipresearch70(at)gmail.com
You may also drop by our online Chat platform,
http://dhz.us/-/dbchatQ6: Who are involved in this project?A6: An Exco team was initiated on 16 April 2015 as it became apparent that we need a team to support the Group in order for this effort to be sustainable. Exco team as at 28 April 2015:
- Chairwoman: Dr. T. Green
- Researcher: Caroline
- Indiegogo Team members & Online Chat Moderators: Caroline & Mel
- Others: Foxtrot, KingKong and Trinity
See:
http://dhz.us/forum/index.php?topic=37.msg169#msg169 Q7: How can you be sure that the beneficiaries of the funds go to the Affected Parties?A7: The verification process is outlined here:
http://dhz.us/forum/index.php/topic,37.msg138.html#msg138Q8: Based on the media reports, there are several hundreds of IP addresses that were deemed to be associated with the download of the Dallas Buyers Club movie, so why not let the Singapore Laws deal with it?A8: "(a) National sovereignty - DBC/SSLC have set vague/arbitrary level(s) of compensation, which should be decided by the Court - not foreign companies. Some have brought up statutory backstops. However, it should be noted that these backstops DO NOT OPERATE IN A LEGAL VACUUM. They depend on case law that CANNOT BE UNIFORMLY APPLIED ACROSS DIFFERENT FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES. Therefore, the efficacy of these statutory backstop(s) are UNKNOWN AND UNTESTED, especially because, apart from ODEX 10 years ago, this is a NOVEL LEGAL SITUATION.
(b) Privacy - the High Court should be discouraged from granting leave for pre-action discovery(ies) involving so many parties and so much highly private/personal information. This is one of the key goals - we should, whether affected or not, make a clear stand on this matter."
Q9: What is the target amount set for the crowdfunding campaign?A9: The minimum is now set to $500 as per Indiegogo platform minimum amount. Higher amount raised will enable the team will aid the community in different ways.
Q10: Aid the community in what different ways?A10: Depending on the amount raised, we would be able to help the community in the follow ways:
- i) Below $5,000: Funds will be used for defence legal fees & possibly settlement fees
- ii) Between $5k to $45,000: In addition to the previous, we will engage at least one computer forensic expert witness to identify the flaws in DBC forensic evidence & its chain of custody.
- iii) Between $45k to 50k: In addition to the previous, we will arrange for a public educational workshop on a related IP & IT topics. We may even be able to cover part of the airfare/lodging for overseas fund contributors.
- iv) Above $50k: In addition to the previous, if the fund contributors agree, we will be able to pay it forward by funding the other crowdfunding campaigns of DBC-US, DBC-AU, and DBC-OtherCty cases.
Q11: How will the funds raised be used to support the DBC-SG Support Group?A11: To relieve the distress of both the AP and To-be AP. Relieving of distress of the AP & tbAP is through the availability of this Support Group and
- (i) funds to hire a defence IP lawyer for AP,
- (ii) negotiation for settlement where necessary,
- (iii) for hiring forensic expert to challenge DBC's digital evidence - involving Date, Time, Filename, IP address, Geolocation and a SHA-1 hash code
- (iv) educate AP the importance of IP & IT security.
Q12: I want to contribute but I have financial constraints. Can I contribute in-kind?A12: It is the thought that counts and thank-you for your kind thoughts. You may contribute in-kind. One suggestion is to make a prayer in your own faith for all the stakeholders involved in the DBC-SG Support Group. Singapore is a multi-religion society. Any prayer in any faith is welcome, be it by a Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Catholic, Buddhist, Taoist, ... every prayer counts.
Q13: What if you run away with the fund raised?A13: One should live this life creating virtuous actions and refrain from non-virtuous actions. I have no plan to create non-virtuous action by running away with the money. Moreover, integrity is a value that I cherished a lot and it it is most irrational of me to destroy my integrity by running away with the funds raised be it $20,000 or $20 million.
Remember
David Rasif - a high profile and competent ex-lawyer in Singapore, he cheated his clients of over S$10million.
http://dishonest.biz/forum/index.php/topic,47.0.htmlMany of these criminals do not understand this, while they can run away with lots of money and probably never get caught in this life; these criminals will still have to answer for their crimes in the next life. For atheists who are laughing at me now, keep on laughing because the distress and torment that people like Rasif have inflicted on their immediate family members during the first few months is probably unbearable.
Q14: Will the accounting of the funds be made public or private?A14: It will be made public through this website:
http://goo.gl/fua0gAAdditional tools may be introduced as we progress.
Q15: After reading the FAQ, while I am financially able to contribute $2 to the crowdfunding campaign, I am still unsure that the fund raised will benefit the verified Affected Parties within the DBC-SG Support Group.A15: I understand, thank-you for your consideration and you may contribute in-kind.
Q16: Is there any safeguard in place to ensure that the appointed lawyer will not over charged?A16: I will review the bills with selected DBC-SG Support Group Exco team.
ReferencesSingapore, (2015), "Singapore Statutes Online - 63 - Copyright Act", Retrieved April 14, 2015, from
http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/aol/search/display/view.w3p;ident=3b65c903-dd82-467d-ab99-9fcc1ef79a33;page=0;query=DocId%3A%22e20124e1-6616-4dc5-865f-c83553293ed3%22%20Status%3Ainforce%20Depth%3A0;rec=0TSIH. (2012), "The Speculative Invoicing Handbook, Second Edition", Retrieved April 14, 2015, from goo.gl/6TsNVy
