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1. 

   pinxit
   

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   Just thought I'd share an interesting 48 hours I've had over at Twitter with a large company attempting to censor a satire of them, under the pretext of copyright.

   The skit involved was extremely mediocre, yet their hyper-sensitive reaction immediately following the decision to ban one of their TV by the ASA for misleading advertising bears all the hallmarks of corporate lashing out at individual satirists and critics.

   It has backfired spectacularly* on the egregious hipster loan sharks and served notice to other mega corporations who want to suppress parody and satirical criticism.

   MailOnLine

   Indy

   Bless ya, the combined Tweeps of Twitter! =]

   *It's now been RT'd over 35k times and been seen and favourited by over half a million! (estimated so far)

   Posted 4 years ago #

2. 

   Not Amused
   

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   Yes, I've followed it !
   Hopefully they will back off now .. well done !

   Posted 4 years ago #

3. 

   godly1966
   

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   Any loan companies that charges 5,853% APR interest are all a bunch of complete WANKERS. I am sure that's not liable. I didn't even mention WONGA. WONGA WANKER it's an easy mistake to make.

   Posted 4 years ago #

4. 

   Wrenfoe
   

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   I'm surprised we got away with this one then...

   http://www.newsbiscuit.com/2013/07/25/wonga-com-offers-to-save-souls/

   Posted 4 years ago #

5. 

   electrelane
   

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   I like the way the Mail had to explain who Hogarth was.

   Posted 4 years ago #

6. 

   Oxbridge
   

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   I'm slow on the uptake and I don't do Twatter, so apologies, are you this BrandySnap character? Many congrats on this one.

   Posted 4 years ago #

7. 

   deceangli
   

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   Never mind Wonga, this Hogarth dude has grounds to sue

   Posted 4 years ago #

8. 

   Squudge
   

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   Well done Pinxit.

   My sad effort at poking the embers didn't even get a single re-tweet.
   Flash aha

   I must admit I feel some sympathy for the lawyers, as they were only doing what they were paid (amply) for. No sympathy for any sock-puppetry finance company that charges APR in the 1000s%

   Posted 4 years ago #

9. 

   throngsman
   

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   If they do sue, you can probably get a payday loan to cover the legal fees.

   Posted 4 years ago #

10. 

    pinxit
    

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    Update! Received a direct message from Wonga and Twitter today. Here's their statement...

    VICTORY!

    Thanks all. =]

    Posted 4 years ago #

11. 

    Not Amused
    

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    Congrats pinx...

    Posted 4 years ago #

12. 

    pinxit
    

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    Thanks NA. Mail has picked up their backdown, still no sign of apology to Twitter users though for the nerve to try and censor on spurious grounds.

    MailOnLine

    A few other perhaps salient points to be made.

    1.) The takedown censorship began just a day after their TV ad had been banned by the ASA.
    2.) A new PR guy took over on the very day I broke the story to Twitter. (Previously he was an anti-payday loans campaigner!?)
    3.) Their egregious legal dept (who they now themselves call 'soulless' and 'heavy handed') Let a junior (intern perhaps?) who is straight out of Law school put his name to the takedown notice. The poor sod is now carrying the can for his masters. That cannot be right.

    Still, onwards and ooopwards ladies and gentlemen!

    Posted 4 years ago #

13. 

    The All New Jeni B
    

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    Hmmmm, a trainee solicitor straight out of law school should never be told to put their name to anything of that nature, and in fact, should spend the two years of their traineeship being told not to get themselves into that sort of situation.

    Sounds like their lawyers (do you know if they're 'in-house' or a firm is retained?) have a lot to answer for, but there should still have been 'the nod' from someone at boardroom level in Wonga before they issued anything.

    Congratulations on your victory Pinxit, stick it to 'The Man'!

    Posted 4 years ago #

14. 

    pinxit
    

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    Thanks Jeni. Are you familiar with Legal Cheek, the online legal satire mag? ( @legalcheek )

    They've run a story about it here.

    Posted 4 years ago #

15. 

    The All New Jeni B
    

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    I am, but haven't popped by for quite a while.

    Thanks for the reminder!

    Posted 4 years ago #

16. 

    Squudge
    

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    Well done Pinxit - a comprehensive victory

    All we need now is Babs Streisand's agents to sue Wonga for their whimsical portrait on that Open Wonga link.

    Posted 4 years ago #

17. 

    Titus
    

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    "Are you familiar with Legal Cheek, the online legal satire mag?"

    I wasn't, but I am now, and thank you!

    I love this, which is superb NewsBiscuit style:

    http://www.legalcheek.com/2013/12/the-something-must-be-done-act-2014/

    Posted 4 years ago #

18. 

    editor
    

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    Well done Pinxit/Brandy Snap! A lot of shouting coming from the offices of the Wonga PR department right now...

    Posted 4 years ago #

19. 

    pinxit
    

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    Thanks all - and thanks Nice Admin Ed. It was a pretty mediocre skit, but, as someone kindly pointed out, it stung them. =]

    Posted 4 years ago #

20. 

    ianslat
    

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    Good result.

    I assume Wonga advertise on Twitter do they?

    Posted 4 years ago #

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