Overlawyered: Chronicling The High Cost Of Our Legal System

Publication: we’ll come after those who read multiple stories online

The North Country Gazette does not put its articles behind a paywall, but insists that visitors not read more than one unless they subscribe. According to BoingBoing, a notice on the site (now apparently taken down, or at least inaccessible to many visitors) contained the following menacing wording:

A subscription is required at North Country Gazette. We allow only one free read per visitor. We are currently gathering IPs and computer info on persistent intruders who refuse to buy subscription and are engaging in theft of services. We have engaged an attorney who will be doing a bulk subpoena demand on each ISP involved… and will then pursue individual legal actions.

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8 Comments

  • Attractive nuisance.

    Bob

  • One of the comments points out that this is a blog run by a June Maxam, who is apparently a very well known troll. A local law enforcement officer describes her thus,
    “Look, that woman says a lot of things, yeah she’s a real talker, but it comes down to a lonely old lady with something screwy upstairs sitting in front of a computer, with few friends, making enemies.”

    • By KDP

  • Streisand effect anyone?

    • By Rliyen

  • Squeeze that turnip, baby!

    • By mojo

  • A similar notice is there at the bottom of the stories.
    “A subscription is needed for your future access to The North Country Gazette. To subscribe, see the ad to the right. You are entitled to read only one article for free. If you wish to read more, a subscription is required. Please don’t be dishonest, don’t abuse the privilege”

    • By gasman

  • From the looks of this things, “The North Country Gazette” is a “publication” the way the “Chesapeake Weekly Review of Literature and the Arts” was a “newspaper”.

    I like the part about how “Verizon Droid” is an ISP…

  • I have set up a similar practice at the local 7-11, where I have been suing people who read magazines and then put them back.

    • By Chris

  • Laugher of the Day…

    I got a good giggle out of this story via Overlawyered: The North Country Gazette does not put its articles behind a paywall, but insists that visitors not read more than one unless they subscribe. According to BoingBoing, a notice……