We were looking through the Freakonomics blog this morning when we came across this post from Dec 18th, concerning Harper Collins contacting the ISPs of customers thought to be sharing of illegal copies of the book Freakonomics. The post had a link to a letter that a customer received after illegally downloading the book.

Cablevision does not seem to have disclosed the identity of the customer, but this does raise quite a few privacy concerns. Has anyone here received a letter like this one? Is this a better tactic than the ones the RIAA use? Same?

The Freakonomics blog seems to be in favor of the letter. “I am impressed that HarperCollins is devoting resources to a problem that, as time goes by, may become substantial,” wrote Stephen J. Dubner. Was this the correct way for Harper Collins to address the problem? How about Cablevision? It’s certainly eerie.—MEGHANN MARCO

This is What Happens If You Illegally Download “Freakonomics [Freakonomics Blog]

Full Letter Inside