he MPAA has filed (PDF) seven more lawsuits in their ongoing efforts to "thwart illegal file swapping on major pirate networks." The targets are various high-traffic web sites that facilitate piracy using services like BitTorrent, eDonkey, and USENET. The MPAA hopes that shutting down these web sites will make it more difficult for the "pirate networks" to accumulate and distribute copyrighted material.
Popular sites Torrentspy and Isohunt are among those listed in the press release as piracy perpetrators presently under scrutiny. According to the MPAA, these sites provide illegal access to tens of thousands of copyrighted works, and facilitate millions of illegal downloads.
The latest legal assault is unique in that it also includes the first MPAA lawsuits against web sites like NZB-Zone.com and BinNews.com that help users orchestrate USENET piracy. According to MPAA executive vice president and director of worldwide anti-piracy operations John G. Malcom, the MPAA is now vigorously pursuing legal action against web site operators that aid and promote piracy on the Internet:
Website operators who abuse technology to facilitate infringements of copyrighted works by millions of people are not anonymous - they can and will be stopped. Disabling these powerful networks of illegal file distribution is a significant step in stemming the tide of piracy on the Internet."
In the past year, the MPAA has shut down about 75 separate Torrent and eDonkey sites. Last week, they successfully toppled the Razorback2 eDonkey server, which was one of the largest in the world with over 1 million simultaneous users at any given time. The MPAA's approach is clear: target the front-ends if the backend network is untouchable.
not torrentspy! lol doesn't matter anyways, there will be always another one to step up the throne this is a war they cannot win, only suppress it for a while.
As Reported Everywhere, MPAA issued a press release that thay are now suing isoHunt.com, TorrentBox.com, and a number of other BitTorrent, eDonkey and Newsgroup indexing sites. I still have yet to receive a formal cease and desist letter directly from MPAA Legal, but all seems to indicate this is for real and it's only a matter of time.
This is somewhat a followup to the series of MPAA letters we've received a year ago.
At this point, it is still uncertain what they are actually suing us for, considering we have a thorough copyright policy outlining our stance and takedown procedures. It is sad that despite our best efforts in cooperating with copyright owners, in both disabling copyright infringing links to their works everyday while for others, helping them distribute their works globally and cheaply using P2P technologies, it is still not enough for the MPAA. Have they ever learned from the VCR or Napster? When will corporations stop fighting technology and learn to embrace it to benefit all of us?
To this end, us, isoHunt.com and TorrentBox.com, are forming a coalition together with other P2P operators being sued and yet to be sued, and if possible with the help of the EFF, we will fight for the right for technological progress and the legality of the search engine itself. It is too early right now to say what we need for help from you, but if the MPAA will not back down, I'm sure we are going to need your help. And no, we will not go the way of LokiTorrent or Suprnova.
Anyways, nobody panic, and let the torrents flow. If you like to talk to us live and chat with other fellows in the community, come chat on IRC on #isoHunt on P2P-IRC (SSL enabled on port 7000, you need a client like mIRC ). We'll update as we learn more.
UPDATE 26/02: Of all the P2P sites being sued I am in contact with, none of us have received anything directly from MPAA yet regarding their pending lawsuits. And so far we are not aware of any US court cases that has actually been filed yet against us.
UPDATE 28/02: It's official now, lawsuits have been filed against us and all the sites as mentioned in MPAA's press release. I have to say I am impressed by the depth of their legal research, evidently their lawyers have been watching us for at least a year, since we exchanged letters last year. However, their core accusation is false. We do NOT operate this search engine and other P2P services for the express object of infringing MPAA's copyrights, there are many other torrents of content we index that are not owned by the MPAA, copyrighted or non-copyrighted. We would comply with DMCA takedown requests, given sufficient identification. Which they did not.
We are looking for legal representation and working with the EFF. We will fight this, but we need your help. First, we need money. Estimated legal fees will be at least $20,000 per month. I will be opening a legal defense fund, you will see it on the frontpage here when it's up. Other than your financial support, which you have our best thanks, we also need media attention. Give us as much buzz as possible, or we will get buried in MPAA's "burn the pirates" campaign. We need to get our side of the story out, that we are willing to work with the MPAA and turn P2P into the new VCR. I have asked in a poll in the past, on how much is a TV episode download worth? Most of your responses varied between $0, with commercial, to $2. And I'm already working with a TV show producer who sees the potential of this. Why can't the MPAA?
So, if you know any news reporter, be it local or national, online or on dead paper, we are happy to talk! Please send all media inquiries to <media a-t isohunt.com>.
