File Sharing in Germany - 800 euro penalty

mccristo

Hey Guys,

Looking for a bit of advice here, my wife's parents received a letter in the post from a law firm claiming that she had downloaded an episode of the walking dead and that she had used p2p software to distribute it. I believe the file had been shared from a laptop we took with us when we went to visit them in Germany and subsequently uploaded when we connected to their wifi.

Really, her parents have done nothing wrong and we don't live in Germany. We're unsure how to proceed here, it seems very unfair that my wife's parents should have to pay for file sharing that they were unaware of.

1. Do any of you have any experience of this in Germany?
2. If we were to settle with this 800 euros are we liable to be chased for more later?

Any help would be massively appreciated, we're pulling our hair out here

NiftyDigits

All the info you need is here.

You'll need to send them a modified UE. Basically a document stating that you didn't do it and will secure your WiFi to ensure that it doesn't happen again.

Jemma-T

The person/s named in the latter (the OP's in-laws) should be the ones replying so the OP will have to do any letters for them.

Personally, I'd simply deny it and point out the IP address is not [if they have alleged such] that of their home computer and any alleged 'sharing' may have happened via an unsecured wi-fi network and furthermore the 'sharing' claim is completely denied.

I certainly would never pay but in this case I would feel obliged -obviously- to resolve the matter because there is literally (and legally) no fault by the home owner (the in-laws).

mccristo

Thanks for the replies.

I wish it was than simple Jem-T, by German law it's their fault as its their connection regardless of whether their IP has been spoofed or they have been hacked. It's ludicrous and unfair.

We're sending a modified UE stating that it wasn't her, she has no idea what files were download but she promises to never allow it to happen again. 800 euros is a figure that people can pay which leads me to believe it is a firm eeking every penny from moral grey land.