The quote below is decidedly "legal" in nature. The meta-question of whether the author is interested in moral guidance or legal advice is immaterial, as the framework within which Snapchat is operating is legal.
> I am under the impression that reverse engineering is still protected under fair use doctrines. Is this the case? How should I respond, if at all?
Speaking as someone who has been involved in an arduous civil matter for the last four years, matmaroon's advice would be well heeded.
I would also like to point out to tlack that prior to having been dragged in to a civil suit four years ago, there was no shortage of people (pseudo legal professionals and otherwise) that were all to happy to shout at me with a similar refrain:
"There's no way they can sue you for that."
"No way a judge will even allow this case."
"This case will be dismissed after the first hearing."
When someone sends you a letter like this, the first decision you have to make is "how much is this thing worth to me". Once you've decided that it's worth fighting for, your best counsel will come from a lawyer, who can help you determine the thing that really matters: how much it's going to cost you.
