Shared Pirated Content for 24 Years – And in the End, the AI Model Snitched on Him

A Dutch user who downloaded pirated content for 24 years received a warning letter from Paramount within 48 hours of downloading an episode of a series, after switching to Starlink. The company, subject to US law, automatically forwarded the warning, bypassing the legal protections in the Netherlands.

A Dutch user named Sam Hichler, who had downloaded pirated content for 24 years without any warning, received a cease-and-desist letter from Paramount within 48 hours of downloading an episode of the series 'Dexter: Resurrection'. The warning was sent through his new internet provider, Elon Musk's Starlink, which is subject to US copyright law. While in the Netherlands a 2021 Supreme Court ruling protects user privacy, Starlink automatically forwards warnings to every subscriber worldwide. The incident serves as a warning to users in Israel, where Starlink is deploying satellite communication infrastructure.

Shared Pirated Content for 24 Years – And in the End, the AI Model Snitched on Him