Looking for Publishing Law specialist, re ScoobyNet Story eBook
30 October 2008, 02:56 PM
#1
Looking for Publishing Law specialist, re ScoobyNet Story eBook
Hi All
Reference this thread :
https://www.scoobynet.com/non-scooby...scoobynet.html
A while ago I announced in this thread, I was releasing an ebook about the story behind scoobynet.
Having got the majority of it written, I sent a draft to my lawyers, who promptly fell about laughing, and telling me I was in legal hot water if I released it.
I then suggested changing the names, and adding a disclaimer that any reference to people living or dead, places or circumstances is purely coincidential, and that this is a work of complete fiction.
But they said it was still dodgy.
Does anyone know of a specialist in this field I can talk to?
There have been a number of expose books released, so it must be doable.
Any help appreciated.
It was great fun writing it, and I don't want to tone it down, as I can't wait for everyone to have the full facts.
Any advice appreciated.
Cheers
simon
Reference this thread :
https://www.scoobynet.com/non-scooby...scoobynet.html
A while ago I announced in this thread, I was releasing an ebook about the story behind scoobynet.
Having got the majority of it written, I sent a draft to my lawyers, who promptly fell about laughing, and telling me I was in legal hot water if I released it.
I then suggested changing the names, and adding a disclaimer that any reference to people living or dead, places or circumstances is purely coincidential, and that this is a work of complete fiction.
But they said it was still dodgy.
Does anyone know of a specialist in this field I can talk to?
There have been a number of expose books released, so it must be doable.
Any help appreciated.
It was great fun writing it, and I don't want to tone it down, as I can't wait for everyone to have the full facts.
Any advice appreciated.
Cheers
simon
30 October 2008, 03:03 PM
#2
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,207
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Release it under a fake name and claim that it was stolen from your hardrive. Release it from a country that you canot be sued in and claim that any copy in the UK is unauthorised and pirated ? Remember that most lawyers are completely full of rubbish and don't know anything. Provided the information is true , that you have found your info in a legal manner and that it does not directly break data protection you can say what ever you like.
30 October 2008, 03:49 PM
#4
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: There is only one God - Elvis!
Posts: 8,328
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What a bloody PC world we are living in nowadays, its getting, no its as bad the the USA now, move or breath wrong and sue 'em mentality that we live in today.
I'm sorry you've put this much work in only to have it knocked back at the final hurdle.
Good luck and hope to see it soon
I'm sorry you've put this much work in only to have it knocked back at the final hurdle.
Good luck and hope to see it soon
30 October 2008, 03:50 PM
#5
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 908
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Have you considered consulting a Literary Agent?
All the books we have had published have been checked over by the legal teams employed either by the Literary Agent or the Publisher.
Regards,
Robin
All the books we have had published have been checked over by the legal teams employed either by the Literary Agent or the Publisher.
Regards,
Robin
Trending Topics
30 October 2008, 06:15 PM
#11
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Zed Ess Won Hay Tee
Posts: 21,611
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Release it under a fake name and claim that it was stolen from your hardrive. Release it from a country that you canot be sued in and claim that any copy in the UK is unauthorised and pirated ? Remember that most lawyers are completely full of rubbish and don't know anything. Provided the information is true , that you have found your info in a legal manner and that it does not directly break data protection you can say what ever you like.
31 October 2008, 01:11 AM
#19
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 12,329
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi All
I sent a draft to my lawyers, who promptly fell about laughing, and telling me I was in legal hot water if I released it.
I then suggested changing the names, and adding a disclaimer that any reference to people living or dead, places or circumstances is purely coincidential, and that this is a work of complete fiction.
But they said it was still dodgy.
so it must be doable.
It was great fun writing it, and I don't want to tone it down, as I can't wait for everyone to have the full facts.
Any advice appreciated.
Cheers
simon
I sent a draft to my lawyers, who promptly fell about laughing, and telling me I was in legal hot water if I released it.
I then suggested changing the names, and adding a disclaimer that any reference to people living or dead, places or circumstances is purely coincidential, and that this is a work of complete fiction.
But they said it was still dodgy.
so it must be doable.
It was great fun writing it, and I don't want to tone it down, as I can't wait for everyone to have the full facts.
Any advice appreciated.
Cheers
simon
Touche
Now you know how a vast number of us feel Simon, when you peddle out
the "there is no such thing as free speech" quote when some of us want to
tell things as we have seen them or name & shame!
lol did your solicitors, dare you to publish, and tell you that you could say
the things you wanted if you were prepared to put up 10K and potentially
be sued?
Joking aside
Anything is possible Simon if your prepared to pay.
To be honest, i,d approach an independent publisher, who in all fairness will
either have a better understanding of the reality of things publishing wise,
or at best would have some in house lawyers, who would deal with this
type of thing on a daily basis.
mart
btw are the first 10 chapters going to name / thank the 89,668 members for there contribution to the book/board? after all without there participation, you wouldnt have got to where you are today
Mart
31 October 2008, 01:35 AM
#20
Thanks a lot guys.
Unfortunately the whole 'if its true, its fine' argument doesn't necessarily work. You have to be able to prove it. And even if you can also prove it, you have to be able to pay the legal costs to fight the case, and always with a chance you'll lose.
I've had a number of arguments with the legal guys about it, and argued that there are loads of books out there exposing people, but I think the deal is, those books sell in the millions of copies, and as such are worth the financial risk of the court action.
Anyway, I'm not giving up just yet!
-
LOL. The big difference.
*I* would be taking the risk. Not asking someone else to.
The irony, however, was not lost on me! As I've always said, I'd absolutely love for everyone to be able to post whatever they wanted (and my true views on all this are in the book as well) but the world is unfortunately, not like that..
Unfortunately the whole 'if its true, its fine' argument doesn't necessarily work. You have to be able to prove it. And even if you can also prove it, you have to be able to pay the legal costs to fight the case, and always with a chance you'll lose.
I've had a number of arguments with the legal guys about it, and argued that there are loads of books out there exposing people, but I think the deal is, those books sell in the millions of copies, and as such are worth the financial risk of the court action.
Anyway, I'm not giving up just yet!
-
Now you know how a vast number of us feel Simon, when you peddle out
the "there is no such thing as free speech" quote when some of us want to
tell things as we have seen them or name & shame!
lol did your solicitors, dare you to publish, and tell you that you could say
the things you wanted if you were prepared to put up 10K and potentially
be sued?
the "there is no such thing as free speech" quote when some of us want to
tell things as we have seen them or name & shame!
lol did your solicitors, dare you to publish, and tell you that you could say
the things you wanted if you were prepared to put up 10K and potentially
be sued?
*I* would be taking the risk. Not asking someone else to.
The irony, however, was not lost on me! As I've always said, I'd absolutely love for everyone to be able to post whatever they wanted (and my true views on all this are in the book as well) but the world is unfortunately, not like that..
31 October 2008, 09:22 AM
#21
Scooby Senior
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: RIP - Tam the bam & Andy the Jock
Posts: 14,333
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This topic is defamation (libel/slander) and is based on, what is perceived to be, a defamatory statement. The SN book would fall into "a defamatory statement" ie a publication of material which tends to lower the plaintiff in the estimation of (stand by)... right thinking members of general society!
So to say it "as it is" will leave you (webmiester) open (in tort law) to legal proceedings.
Then there is "Innuendo" which is where the words used wouldn't be considered as defamatory in their own right, but when combined with the intrinsic facts known to most scoobynetters about the situation would become defamatory!
There are other minor torts regarding this but the two above pretty much seal the deal.
Defences are justification, fair comment and comment and fact. The problem here is that with "justification" the burden is on the defendant to prove the statement was true rather than the plaintiff, and that needs to be watertight!
Or in short, may be best not bothering
So to say it "as it is" will leave you (webmiester) open (in tort law) to legal proceedings.
Then there is "Innuendo" which is where the words used wouldn't be considered as defamatory in their own right, but when combined with the intrinsic facts known to most scoobynetters about the situation would become defamatory!
There are other minor torts regarding this but the two above pretty much seal the deal.
Defences are justification, fair comment and comment and fact. The problem here is that with "justification" the burden is on the defendant to prove the statement was true rather than the plaintiff, and that needs to be watertight!
Or in short, may be best not bothering
31 October 2008, 09:49 AM
#22
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Nobbering about...
Posts: 16,067
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This topic is defamation (libel/slander) and is based on, what is perceived to be, a defamatory statement. The SN book would fall into "a defamatory statement" ie a publication of material which tends to lower the plaintiff in the estimation of (stand by)... right thinking members of general society!
So to say it "as it is" will leave you (webmiester) open (in tort law) to legal proceedings.
Then there is "Innuendo" which is where the words used wouldn't be considered as defamatory in their own right, but when combined with the intrinsic facts known to most scoobynetters about the situation would become defamatory!
There are other minor torts regarding this but the two above pretty much seal the deal.
Defences are justification, fair comment and comment and fact. The problem here is that with "justification" the burden is on the defendant to prove the statement was true rather than the plaintiff, and that needs to be watertight!
Or in short, may be best not bothering
So to say it "as it is" will leave you (webmiester) open (in tort law) to legal proceedings.
Then there is "Innuendo" which is where the words used wouldn't be considered as defamatory in their own right, but when combined with the intrinsic facts known to most scoobynetters about the situation would become defamatory!
There are other minor torts regarding this but the two above pretty much seal the deal.
Defences are justification, fair comment and comment and fact. The problem here is that with "justification" the burden is on the defendant to prove the statement was true rather than the plaintiff, and that needs to be watertight!
Or in short, may be best not bothering
31 October 2008, 10:10 AM
#24
Scooby Senior
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: RIP - Tam the bam & Andy the Jock
Posts: 14,333
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
01 November 2008, 12:48 PM
#30
I guess the most important thing to do, is to make sure the files are securely protected against people downloading them without my permission.
But i think I'm ok...
as I've kept them really safe at ftp://ifonlyitwerethatsimple.com/
username : iamsotired
password : ofpc
But i think I'm ok...
as I've kept them really safe at ftp://ifonlyitwerethatsimple.com/
username : iamsotired
password : ofpc