Further Action By Anime Studios
In early August 2008, seven months after the High Court ruling, Showgate (previously Toshiba Entertainment), Geneon Entertainment, Sunrise, Gonzo and TV Tokyo initiated their own legal actions against downloaders. Like Odex, they were represented by Rajah & Tann and sent out letters of demand for payment to SingNet, StarHub and Pacific Internet subscribers asking users to "enter discussions" with the studios' solicitors within seven days. Showgate, which supported Odex in its appeal against Pacific Internet, consulted Odex before beginning its legal actions. Settlements were reported to range between S$5,000 and S$6,000 per person, and in August 2008, BayTSP was reported to be in contractual talks with other anime studios to track downloaders in Singapore.
Three months later, the anime studios filed a writ of summons with the Subordinate Courts against four "heavy downloaders". The hearing is likely to begin in 2009 or 2010, and legal fees could range from S$50,000 to S$80,000. The suits are closely watched by the public, as a ruling in favour of the studios could result in a flood of lawsuits against downloaders of other pirated media, such as movies and games.
Read more about this topic: Odex's Actions Against File-sharing
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