It seems to me that an important distinction is being made in today's news reports. Townsend is claiming to be acting as a vigilante, and has cited the Internet Watch Foundation as one of the organizations whose efforts he is working on behalf of as a vigilante. They have now publicly denounced him.

Not surprisingly, just as we have seen here, his closest colleagues in the music industry are attempting to circle the wagons on his behalf. But the denunciation by the organization he claimed to be working on behalf of is pretty damning.