On top of everything else Meryl Dorey does, Meryl has today been revealed by Facebook as being the false copyright claimant behind recent removals of content from the
Stop The AVN Facebook page.
An email from Facebook admins confirms what SAVN Administrators suspected all along:
-----Original Message-----
From: ip+jgimsrn@support.facebook.com
[mailto:ip+jgimsrn@support.facebook.com]
Sent: Saturday, 5 February 2011 8:52 AM
To: <redacted>
Subject: Re: Copyright Counter Complaint: #254415615
Hi <redacted>,
Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. Please note that we removed the content in question because we received a proper notice of copyright infringement compliant with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act,
17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3). If you would like to submit an official counter notice under the DMCA, please indicate that in your response. Without a counter notice, we will be unable to restore this content. Also keep in mind that if you upload additional content that infringes on the rights of a third party, your account may be terminated.
A copy of the original notice that we received is provided below:
[Name: Meryl Dorey
Email: meryl@avn.org.au
Ah. So that's that settled then. Meryl is the false claimant that's been causing Facebook to suspend content on the SAVN website. Since January, screenshots of the AVN's Facebook page - outlining examples from the AVN of idiocy, lies, innumeracy, ignorance, belligerence and outright stupidity - have been vanishing from the SAVN group. Shortly afterwards, the posters of that content have been receiving takedown notices.
Thing is, though, Facebook's takedown procedure allows for counter-claims, and allows the defending party to request the name of the original claimant. This is how we got the text of the complaint. Speaking of which:
[Name: Meryl Dorey
Email: meryl@avn.org.au
Description of copyrighted work
This group regularly takes screenshots from our page which is located at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Australian-Vaccination-Network/55142201924.
They have never asked for permission and our group members have been threatened and harassed by this group via the use of these screenshots. I have asked Facebook if this is against your terms but have not had an answer. I am reporting their screenshots all the same since I do believe that we hold the copyright as do the people who originally made the posts.
Location on fb network
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1628549128155&set=o.76305414878
How Copyright infringed
Both myself and one of the other AVN Facebook Page moderators wrote this text. We did not nor would we ever give permission to the person who posted this screenshot to use our writing.
Since this is in contravention to Facebook's terms and conditions, I would appreciate the removal of this screenshot from the SAVN page.
Additional Info
As I said, this screenshot was taken directly from our page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Australian-Vaccination-Network/55142201924. It is being used explicitly for the purposes of harassing and attacking our membership. SAVN was set up to force our volunteer-run support group to close down and the use of these screenshots is part of their method of operation.]
Of course, what Meryl seems ignorant of is that, first of all, she does not own the copyright to posts made by persons other than herself and secondly, American and Australian copyright law both allow for fair use under provisions for criticism, parody, research or news reporting.
She really ought to know this, but then again she's been pulled up for copyright abuse herself, as this article from the Sydney Morning Herald outlines. Perhaps she really is that ignorant of how copyright works?
That would be rather odd for someone who is an "editor" of a slick magazine publication, and who has been running a non-profit for a large number of years. It really would be a massive display of incompetence.
No, I think that Meryl is just lashing out at SAVN in any way she can, in a final desperate attempt to deflect criticism. I think she has an inkling that she doesn't really have a case, but is hoping that maybe she'll get away with it. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Now that counter-claims have been filed, Meryl must file legal action within the next ten days or so, otherwise the content will be reinstated, and Meryl will receive a black mark as a vexatious reporter.
Which would be just fine with me. Meryl is just wasting time in the lead-up to her February 14th appeal at the Administrative Decisions Tribunal.
You'll also note that the complaint itself contains outright fabrications. SAVN does not engage in threats or harassment, and the AVN is not volunteer-run since Meryl pays herself an "editors fee" as stealth payment out of AVN funds.
SAVN will be at the ADT for the event. If you're a supporter, come and join us afterwards for some drinks and a spot of lunch. The SAVN Facebook group has all the details.
And for good measure, let's just post a screenshot here. In this one, Meryl's AVN page not only hosts AIDS denial, but also actively supports it. Like we're surprised. Meryl if you'd like to file a copyright claim on this one, feel free to email meryldoreyisamendaciousclown@mycolleaguesareidiots.com and we'll do our level best to tell you where to go.
Update 7/2/2011: Reasonable Hank reports Dorey is still issuing false DMCA claims. Better be ready to file a court action, Meryl, otherwise you're going to get kicked from Facebook as a vexatious complainant. And then who'll delete dissent from the AVN Wall?