Ashley Madison turns to copyright law to limit leak spread

Posted By: J

Friday 21st August 2015

Ashley Madison is sending copyright takedown notices to social networks and file-sharing sites in an attempt to prevent dissemination of its stolen database. A site created to allow Ashley Madison users to check if their data was leaked has been disabled following legal threats from the firm, reports the Independent. Meanwhile, lawyers are in two minds over whether the data breach will result in a flood of claims against the company. A case in the US involving a women suing parent company Avid Life because she paid $19 to have her details deleted only to find they were not has received considerable interest and may turn into a class action suit. However, some experts say those whose personal details were released would simply become more notorious if they filed claims and courts would be reluctant to grant anonymity for potential embarrassment. Meanwhile, the first divorce case in Britain to stem from hacked information on the adultery website Ashley Madison has begun. Nigel Shepherd, a partner at Mills & Reeve, said that a married woman had contacted him for advice after discovering her partner's details among the leaked accounts. Finally, the Independent points that the safety of homosexuals in countries where gay sex remains illegal has been compromised by the leaks. Adulterers in countries such as Saudi Arabia fear for their lives also, as it is punishable by death.

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