📰 New article from TorrentFreak
Pearson’s Anti-Piracy Vendor Takes Down Best-Selling Author’s Own GitHub Repo
It’s a classic case of automated systems failing spectacularly at being human. Pearson’s anti-piracy vendor, Link-Busters, recently pulled the plug on a GitHub repository hosted by Paul Deitel, a best-selling programming textbook author. The twist? They didn’t take down a pirated copy of his book. They took down the official source code that comes with it.
For weeks, Deitel’s widely referenced code examples for titles like Java SE 8 for Programmers and C++ How to Program were inaccessible. Link-Busters, known for sending billions of DMCA notices, mistakenly flagged the repo as an illegal upload. In reality, it was the essential companion material that students and developers rely on to complete their exercises.
Deitel has filed a counternotice, pointing out the absurdity of the error. He noted that whoever sent the notice clearly didn’t do a “simple bit of research,” causing collateral damage to the very readers the system claims to protect. While most targeted repos did contain unauthorized PDFs, this one was the clear outlier.
GitHub has yet to restore the repo, but under DMCA rules, it must be back online within 10 to 14 business days unless a lawsuit is filed. Given this is a straightforward mistake, expect it to return soon. Just another reminder that when bots handle legal enforcement, even the experts get caught in the crossfire.