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Video Professor Sues His Own Customers

Click here to see who is being sued and why.

Background

• Video Professor is best known for touting "free" computer training CDs via infomercials

• Video Professor receives mixed consumer reviews (link 1, link 2)

• Most of the reviews appearing on infomercialratings.com and infomercialscams.com are negative

• On July 20, 2007, we received this letter and this letter from the president of Video Professor, Bettye Harrison

• On September 6, 2007, our Nevada office was served with a court ordered subpoena and two checks for $40.81 each. The checks are supposed to cover expenses for time and resources (link 1, link 2, link 3, link 4)

• Video Professor attorney Gregory C. Smith, Esq. is the name listed on the subpoena

• A judge has given permission for the subpoena to be served

• The subpoena demands all consumer comments about Video Professor, including any identifying information (IP addresses, physical addresses, names, emails, phone, etc.)

• Video professor claims that certain customers have violated trademark and defamation laws by criticizing their services

What does this mean?

• If you have submitted ANY review about Video Professor, be it negative or positive, we may be ordered to give them your private information

• Once your identity is revealed, you could be forced to defend against Video Professor's lawsuit in federal court in Denver

Interesting Info

• A direct quote from the Video Professor website reads, "Any company can say good things about its own product, but the real proof of product quality is when customers speak out about its excellence."

• Ironically, Video Professor is suing its own customers, despite the aforementioned quote

What will we do?

• We will stand up to Video Professor and assert the right of ALL customers to express their opinions anonymously

• A letter has been issued to Video Professor with our intent

• Customers may choose to have their own lawyers oppose the subpoena; such lawyers are requested to contact our pro bono lawyers at Public Citizen:

News Reports & Blogs

Public Citizen: Video Professor' Has No Legal Basis for Unmasking Identities of Anonymous Web Critics (Read Release)

Public Citizen: Video Professor sues anonymous griping posters, demands their identities (Read Blog Post)

The Denver Post: Video Professor wants the book thrown at anonymous critics (Read Article | Watch it)

Wired: Video Professor Sues The Internet (Read Article)

Techdirt: Video Professor Sues Anonymous Critics (Read Article)

InfomercialBlog: Video Professor Subpoena (Read Blog Post)

Valleywag: Lawsuits: Learn to handle lawsuits with Video Professor (Read Blog Post)

Ars Technica: Video Professor upset by criticism, sues 100 anonymous critics (Read Article)

Slashdot: Video Professor Sues 100 Anonymous Critics (Read Article)

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