Like a kindly neighborhood store owner who catches a shoplifter in the act and, rather than calling the cops, offers the wannabe thief the opportunity to buy what he was trying to steal, Comcast is reportedly working on copyright alert system that would identify content being illegally shared and say to the downloader, “Hey buddy, you know you can buy that season of Game of Thrones, don’t ya?” [More]
bittorrent
Movie Studios Ask Google To Remove Links To Free Movie About Pirate Bay
By 5.20.13
Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, movie and TV studios can send requests to Google and other search engines requesting the removal of links to illegally shared content to which it holds the copyright. But some studios have apparently been asking Google to remove links to a movie for which none of these studios holds the copyright, and which just happens to be about file-sharing mega-site The Pirate Bay. [More]
BitTorrent Users Try, Unsuccessfully, To Trigger Copyright Alert System
By 4.29.13
The recently launched Copyright Alert System — a joint venture between big-time content creators and the major Internet service providers — is supposed to trigger a series of alerts and warnings when a subscriber of a participating ISP appears to be illegally sharing copyrighted content. But some who put CAS to the test say they were able to share several items without being flagged. [More]
As ‘Six Strikes’ Policy Rolls Out, BitTorrent Users Just Look For Ways To Remain Anonymous
By 3.11.13
After months of delay, the new Copyright Alert System (better known as “Six Strikes” for the six levels of warnings handed out to alleged violators) finally began rolling out to the nation’s largest Internet providers a couple weeks ago. But rather than curb their file-sharing, a number of folks just began looking for ways to not get caught. [More]
After Much Delay, The Anti-Piracy “Six Strikes” Program Is Nearing Launch
By 2.25.13
A program intended to fight online piracy without resorting to prosecution was supposed to go live last year but was repeatedly delayed, most recently by Hurricane Sandy. But the folks running the Copyright Alert System (better known as Six Strikes) say it’s ready to go. [More]
Game Of Thrones Is King Of Pirated TV Shows
By 12.26.12
While there may be various scheming parties vying for the Iron Throne in King’s Landing, HBO’s Game of Thrones is the undisputed champ in the rankings of the 2012’s most-pirated TV shows. [More]
‘Six Strikes’ Anti-Piracy Program Delayed To 2013, This Time Because Of Hurricane Sandy
By 11.29.12
A long-in-the-works anti-piracy program from five major telecom players is probably not something you would think could be affected by a hurricane, but that’s apparently what is keeping the “Six Strikes” program from launching this week. [More]
Porn Companies Sue Verizon For Refusing To Name Alleged BitTorrent Pirates
By 11.27.12
Months after Comcast refused porn companies’ requests to hand over names of Internet customers allegedly involved in illegal file sharing, a trio of porn purveyors are going after Verizon for its denial of such requests. [More]
Anti-Piracy Porn Lawyer: “I’m The Original Copyright Troll”
By 10.15.12
We’ve written quite a bit recently about strong-arm tactics used by lawyers representing the porn industry to squeeze settlements out of alleged file sharers who would rather pay up than have their names publicly linked to downloaded porn. One attorney who has made millions from this practice says he is fully aware that everyone hates him. [More]
Man Accused Of Illegally Downloading Porn Countersues For Defamation
By 7.24.12
We’ve written quite a bit in recent months about porn company lawyers who have tried to bully alleged copyright violators into settling out of court lest it become public record that they are accused of downloading movies that predominantly feature the word “anal.” But there are a few people who have been willing to stand up and defend their reputatiion, like the Kentucky man who recently fired back at his accusers with his own lawsuit. [More]
Woman Sues Porn Companies For Threatening To Sue Her Over Alleged Illegal Downloads
By 7.10.12
During the years when the music and movie business began going after people for allegedly downloading copyrighted files, the porn industry did very little, claiming it didn’t have the resources to wage large-scale legal battles. But then someone realized there was money to be made in just threatening people with legal action, and a slew of lawsuits followed. Though many people, even those who claim they are innocent, have just paid up to avoid having their peccadilloes made public, one woman has fired back with a suit of her own. [More]
Judge Sides With Comcast Against “Shakedown” Porn Lawyers
By 6.20.12
Last week, we told you about Comcast’s refusal to comply with subpoenas for lawyers for porn companies who wanted the cable company to identify the customers behind IP addresses believed to have illegally downloaded copyrighted material. Now the judge in the case has sided with the Kabletown crew, quashing those subpoenas. [More]
Comcast Not Cooperating With Lawyers Looking To “Shake Down” BitTorrent Users
By 6.13.12
For several years, a small number of law firms have made an awful lot of money by identifying people it believes have used BitTorrent to download copyrighted porn, then nudging those people into paying up rather than having their names be made public. Comcast has decided it doesn’t want to be a part of such behavior and is refusing to comply with subpoenas in these cases. [More]
Lawsuit: You Can't Charge Me With Downloading Porn Because You Can't Copyright Obscenity
By 2.3.12
For the first several years of the entertainment industry’s crackdown on online piracy, American pornographers did very little to go after the people who filled up gigabyte after gigabyte of hard drive space with bittorrented x-rated material. But in recent years, realizing there is money to be made by merely threatening “John Doe” defendants with making their names and downloading habits public, that has begun to change. But one California woman is fighting back, claiming that the porn she didn’t violate copyright laws because the porn she’s accused of downloading isn’t copyrightable. [More]
RIAA On Illegal Dexter Downloads: "It Wasn't Us"
By 12.21.11
Earlier this week, we told you about how the torrent freaks at TorrentFreak claimed to have discovered that some people at anti-piracy stalwart the Recording Industry Association of America had been illegally using BitTorrent to download copyrighted material, including five full seasons of Showtime hit Dexter. RIAA has since come out with an explanation, one that sounds exactly like the defense used by the very people it has pushed to have prosecuted — “it wasn’t us.” [More]
These Are The Most Pirated Movies
By 10.13.11
Although it’s tough for bean counters to take much joy in their product being massively pirated, there’s little question that popularity with the freeloaders translates to success with paying customers. That’s why it’s not much of a surprise that Avatar, the all-time highest-grossing film, is also the most pirated. [More]
Lawsuit Claims 70-Year-Old Woman Illegally Downloaded Porn
By 7.18.11
“Grandma, what are you doing on the Internet? Oh, downloading porn illegally?” Yeah, that scenario doesn’t seem too likely, but nonetheless, a 70-year-old woman is being told to pay up in a settlement pushed by a Chicago law firm, claiming she and others pirated porn. [More]
23,000 Who Downloaded Stallone Flick Face Lawsuit
By 5.10.11
Hopefully 23,000 users who allegedly illegally downloaded The Expendables really, really enjoyed the movie, because now they’ll be paying for it with fear and loathing brought on by a lawsuit, as well as possibly tons of money. [More]
