Re: [Fsfe-uk] FAST bullying tactics in schools

[Joe Llywelyn Griffith Blakesley]

FAST is a strange organisation whose leaflets are full of very weird
(often
totally nonsensical) stuff (sometimes unrelated to copyright violation)
some of which is probably slanderous/unlawful in some way.  I phoned them
once and they're very shifty and seemed to have no idea what they actually
do or why nyone would want to phone them.

I always assumed they weren't a genuine anti-copyright-violation
organisation but some kind of front for some other activity, but they may
`just' be a run-of-the-mill copyright-related extortion and protection
racket (targetting users and copyright holders)--not that that is not
illegal in itself.  People must be pretty stupid to give them any money,
though, but I guess I should stop understimating the power of human
stupidity.

I'm not sure why you would want to tell them if someone was breaking the
law (as opposed to the copyright holder and the police).  Although some
copyright holders (e.g.: Microsoft) seem to want to encourage people
copying their products illegally as part of their business model.  I did
report someone to MS once and they didn't care even though it was quite a
large violation.

Does anyone know if FACT actually have the backing of any software
companies, just out of interest?

Yours,
Joe Ll. G. Blakesley

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