The David Lace Productions and David Lace Theater Websites have been shut down, after they made no response to a July federal court injunction ordering them to stop streaming media onsite without signing licensing deals with Acacia Media Research Corp.
"We will do whatever is necessary within the law to stop the unauthorized use of our technology," said Acacia vice president Robert Berman, who said they would move likewise against others who haven't responded to the July 16 injunction. "It is not fair for our licensees that are paying royalties for us to allow others to continue to use our technologies for free."
Acacia claims a series of patents that cover streaming media online, and has pursued an aggressive campaign to compel various adult Internet and other companies to license with them or face court actions. They also expect actions similar to the Lace site shutdowns against others who haven't responded to the July injunction.
A group of adult Internet companies has been fighting Acacia's claim to the patents, forming the Internet Media Protective Association to exchange information and, down the road, act as a newer but more proactive trade association on issues unrelated to the Acacia patent claims.
IMPA co-founder Spike Goldberg of Homegrown Media said he learned of the Lace site shutdowns August 26, but admitted Acacia was only exercising their rights under the law. But it also doesn't mean IMPA or its individual members involved in the Acacia question think Acacia has "won" something, Goldberg said.
"It was a default judgment with no trying of fact," he said of the Lace issue. "This is what happens when somebody doesn't respond to a summons. Acacia can say that this was a decision based on the fact but it was based on the fact that somebody didn't show up. We're fighting them, we're in this through discovery. We are still in court, there are still 20 or so companies that are still fighting them. And we do look forward to our day in court."
