Over the weekend we received a politely threatening email from a firm of Taiwan-based lawyers asking us to remove the story entitled 'New Slim PlayStation 3 Pix Torn Down', which we we ran on May 14th.
Not only were we asked to remove the entire web page in question - which included comment from analysts on the potential for a new, slim, PS3 - we were also asked to keep the request from the lawyers, acting on behalf of an unnamed client, hushed up.
We're comfortable enough removing images from the story as they could have been obtained illegally. We are not, however, going to be gagged in our reporting of threats made against us on behalf of an unnamed company via its lawyers.
In fact, the whole thing looks to have backfired on both attorney and client (which, until we are told otherwise, we assume to be a Chinese or Taiwanese fabrication plant). In the original story, we said: "these images could be more indicative of a newer, cheaper, console. Of course, they could also be the idle fakery of someone who appears to love truly ugly machines."
It appears now that the latter is false: nobody hires lawyers to defend the confidentiality of Internet-posted fake photos. Unless the images did indicate some form of existing, alternative PS3 design, nobody threatens a website for reporting on such images.
We are obviously now trying to discover whether the images in question are of an ancient prototype PlayStation 3 or of a new PS3 Slim or something else entirely.
The text of the legal threat reads:
"Dear Sirs,
As appointed by our client, we hereby inform you that the web pages on your website (as attached hereto) contain some of our client's confidential documents and photos, which were highly possibly illegally released and posted.
We are investigating this violation and will bring all necessary legal actions regarding this matter. In order to protect the confidential information and prevent you from further legal issues and infringements, please immediately remove those pages and keep our request confidential. Thank you for your cooperation.
Your cooperation is deeply appreciated.
Very truly yours
James Lan
For the firm
Attorney-at-law
Li Mo & Associates"
http://news.spong.com/article/17968/PS3_Slim_Confirmed_Lawyers_Demand_SPOnG_Removes_Pix
