MPAA files lawsuits against BT, eD2K and NZB sites

MPAA files lawsuits against BT, eD2K and NZB sites
The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) again filed an array of lawsuits aimed at bringing down sites that can help thousands of Internet users find copyrighted movies online. In total, 7 lawsuits were filed against BitTorrent sites, eDonkey2000 indexing sites and Newsgroup NZB indexing sites. Of course, the first thing that strikes as odd, is the targeting of Newsgroup NZB sites, since Newsgroups have been considered an immune resource.

NZB files exist to simplify the locating of files on Newsgroups without having to manually search through groups and headers to find what you need. The sites targeted are SOHunt, TorrentSpy, NiteShadow.com, BTHub.com and TorrentBox.com, Ed2k-It.com, NZB-Zone.com, BinNews.com and DVDRs.net. Isohunt.com, BTHub.com and TorrentBox.com all owned by one individual



Another couple of interesting cases here are TorrentSpy and ISOHunt, because they are search engines. The legality of hosting torrent files instead of pirated material still has never been fully tested, but both these sites don't even host torrent files. They search other sites torrent archives and display search results, just like how any search engine works.

Source:
Slyck

Written by: James Delahunty @ 27 Feb 2006 7:55
Advertisement - News comments available below the ad
  • 72 comments

  • hursty

    one word

    shite!!!

    the end is near

    hehe

    27.2.2006 08:08 #1

  • Rotary

    ummm? interesting!

    27.2.2006 08:09 #2

  • mystic

    move the servers to france they like p2ps ......screw the american fascest pigs from hollywood...
    really when have they gotten pasted their proft margens long enough to see what we arnt going to the movies because they sucX.....

    27.2.2006 08:14 #3

  • Rotary

    going underground - THE JAM

    27.2.2006 08:19 #4

  • ronoc007

    bugger bugerr hopefully the french will prevail and piss america off even more

    he he \\\\\\:)

    27.2.2006 08:21 #5

  • coolbrz

    I'm glad I don't use those sites listed. But when I see my sites listed for a law suite, I might back off for a while. :)

    27.2.2006 09:32 #6

  • borhan9

    This will never stop even though they keep attacking sites for P2P and Torrent sites, theres always another one that pops up amazingly :)

    27.2.2006 10:04 #7

  • noprobalo

    Speaking as an American that has been relatively anti-French government, I have given them full kudos for what they are doing for file sharing and people's rights in that field.


    Viva partage de dossier!

    --"long live file sharing" ;p

    27.2.2006 10:17 #8

  • philipman

    That is one good thing about France, I have never used those sites but it is still sad. There will allways be more to take there places.

    27.2.2006 15:44 #9

  • fnloser

    this is the thing though, everyone spouts off " there will always be a new site" but there wont, ppl will be too scared and the quality of new sites just keeps getting worse. there will be nothing soon and everyone will have to revert to the old skool and download all the headers to a newsgroup and search through the rubble. then, then what is next? if they can take down nzb sites news servers are next, inevitably.

    27.2.2006 17:50 #10

  • Alien13

    Well this sucks, i like some of those torrent sites :)

    ohh, and Dela "The sites targeted are SOHunt"
    just a little mistake no biggie :Þ

    27.2.2006 22:35 #11

  • umug

    @ Alien13 http://isohunt.com/

    ;)

    28.2.2006 00:07 #12

  • Alien13

    Yup thats it, was just missing the I, but that could have been Slycks fault ;)

    28.2.2006 01:24 #13

  • skakidd

    dumasses they have to sue google then cuz if you type
    starwars episode 3 torrent in google you can get links to the exact same torrent sites as with isohunt/torrentspy/ all of them. why not sue rapidshare i recently downloaded fun with dick and jane from rapidshare and they are actually hosting files. fuckin fruit cakes.

    28.2.2006 06:32 #14

  • Rotary

    hehehe...

    28.2.2006 06:36 #15

  • Rikoshay

    Dang, I'm gonna have to back off of those search sites for a while. Too bad as well, TorrentSpy is a pretty good site, aside from all the ads and such.

    28.2.2006 07:00 #16

  • firefae

    Yet again the MPAA wastes another dollar fighting a losing battle, perhaps if the movie industry knocked out decent films, instead of utter pigswill like legally blonde 2 & american pie 3 we would avtually want to own the original....anyway I just had a thought, aren't the " originals " of the film just COPIES of a master?.....and they call us pirates.

    28.2.2006 08:59 #17

  • Rotary

    true

    but i spose that the legal bit...

    28.2.2006 09:26 #18

  • smith1571

    The originals that the movie industry copies are owned by the movie industry. So they cant be "pirates". They put all the hard work and money into making great films. and crappy ones as well. but how can you blame them for protected there product? because of these sites we might not get the big budget movie we all like Ex King Kong.

    28.2.2006 12:03 #19

  • esrever

    Quote:The sites targeted are SOHunt, TorrentSpy, NiteShadow.com, BTHub.com and TorrentBox.com, Ed2k-It.com, NZB-Zone.com, BinNews.com and DVDRs.net. Isohunt.com, BTHub.com and TorrentBox.com all owned by one individual.Well congratulations, MPAA. You have now THREATED, not eliminated, about .001 of torrent sites out there. How much more of your precious dollar will you waste before you get your heads out of your asses? Leave torrent spy and isohunt alone. That would be like suing the executive of google for owning "pirated" material.

    28.2.2006 13:24 #20

  • hot_ice

    MPAA fools, what do they hope to accomplish with this, they only delay the inevitable mouahhahahahahahahhahaha

    Resistance is futile MPAA, you will be outdone.

    28.2.2006 13:24 #21

  • iccee

    Next they will just start suing people for KNOWING about sites. This actually is going a little far to attack a search engine. Oh well...maybe they can lose enough money on this to back off and let what will, be.

    28.2.2006 15:27 #22

  • smith1571

    what makes everone think there losing money in these law suits. im sure it will create more profits by forcing these sites to shut down rather than sitting back and doing nothing.

    28.2.2006 16:38 #23

  • johnodd4

    i look at this as a good thing because edonkey is crap anyways but i find it funny that they can sue them because of there site being a search engine well then shut down warez.com and directdl.com there search engines to this is just bull ****

    28.2.2006 22:44 #24

  • firefae

    It seems to me that, the only time the MPAA wants the law changing is when there's a danger of it loosing money. I wonder if I made a home video and someone decided to copy it " illegally " I'm sure the MPAA wouldn't be to bothered about my copyright being infringed unless it was one of those internet vids that took the world by storm and started to make serious money. Then I bet their GREED Antenna would pick up the signal...and another thing why are pirates always classed as terrorists, we don't kidnap people and behead them on TV or any other terrosit activity. Talk about us being a scapegoat, I bet the head of the MPAA has a few " illegal " copies roaming around his home and I bet his kids PC's are crammed with " Pirated stuff "

    But as the old saying goes " one law for the rich and one law for the poor "

    ;)

    28.2.2006 23:07 #25

  • metazoul

    we must all show a little backbone. Dont allow the state to intimidate you. Stand up for your freedoms. either that or stay on your scared little butts and watch will your liberty and freedoms are eroded. we the people are on the verge of breaking the bond the rich and powerful place upon us. Stand tall, stand together and fight in any way you can.

    1.3.2006 04:44 #26

  • ferpo

    How do you get pee out of a pool? Once it is there you'd have to drain it, clean it and refill it, then let no one use it....
    Video Rental stores make money from renting their movies. When will they get shut down? No profit thing.
    The answer is very clear: The studio etc. should not make DVD/CDs at all. Who would be the biggest loser then?

    1.3.2006 06:12 #27

  • MightyOne

    MPPA = Motion Picture Association of America ?

    I stand correct !

    I always thought it stood for Most Pathetic American A-Holes

    1.3.2006 11:16 #28

  • MightyOne

    MPAA = Motion Picture Association of America ?

    I stand corrected !

    I always thought it stood for Most Pathetic American A-Holes

    1.3.2006 11:18 #29

  • borhan9

    @metazoul
    Quote:we must all show a little backbone. Dont allow the state to intimidate you. Stand up for your freedoms. either that or stay on your scared little butts and watch will your liberty and freedoms are eroded. we the people are on the verge of breaking the bond the rich and powerful place upon us. Stand tall, stand together and fight in any way you can.Now thats really kewl u should b a speech writter :)

    1.3.2006 11:22 #30

  • ZippyDSM

    eh I dont download enough US copyright stuff to worry about them comming after me,Mmm I wodner if I downlaod the unamericanized version of DOOGAL if they would try and come after me its not like thier releaseing the ture british version here int eh states *L*

    1.3.2006 14:01 #31

  • mastace

    This has to be a joke. They keep wasting money suing people and it will never work. Do they realize that anyone can email a movie to a friend, or file transfer it on aim, yahoo, msn. Or i can just burn u a copy and mail u one for 5 cents wow lets keep filing lawsuits that we never collect on. Sony put itself into utter collapse a few years ago trying to make that magic cd u cant copy. These people need to get a life are u really going to ruin someones life over a movie or song. Its pathetic, there was a time when art was created just for the act of artistic expression, then america came along and turned everything into a profit. Thats why 9 out of 10 movies today suck and 9 out of ten songs. Because people are drawn not because they are artistic, only because they can make a dollar. Im a musician and dj and once my cd is released is free for u to share its art and its supposed to inspire, make u think a little bit and maybe make your day a little better. Middle fingers up to everyone creating money collection inspired movies and music. I hope u dont make a dollar and it gets shared worldwide.

    1.3.2006 14:45 #32

  • gooses

    jesus christ, the MPAA and RIAA really piss me off with all their anti-p2p stuff and what not...

    1.3.2006 16:39 #33

  • Tokijin

    This still does nothing to private trackers. The problem is old white men who can't spell piracy are batting a youger, ever-changing nemesis they don't understand. Why is it the people who file law suits are the people who don't know anything about BitTorrent or downloading? The head of the MPAA probably couldn't figure out BitTorrent if his life depended on it. That puts him right below my six year old nephew on the computer literacy scale. It's always the same thing be it the MPAA, RIAA, or politicians condemning video game violence: old white men who don't use the products are suing and pushing for legislation against things they don't understand. They wonder why the hackers and pirates are always one step ahead, because they don't understand their enemy. Simple as that. I think the MPAA should be forced to match every dollar they spend on legal fees with a charitable donation to cancer research. At least that way somebody would benefit from this charade.

    1.3.2006 20:18 #34

  • xhardc0re

    How is suing a SEARCH ENGINE site even legal? Wouldn't that be a violation of free speech? That's the equivalent of suing a major American newspaper for running a story about how someone found a website where they could download 'copyrighted' movies, how they did it, step-by-step. That's free speech, protected by the U.S. Constitution. A search engine only lists results from the Internet. It does not house, nor carry, any pirated material by itself.
    Is the MPAA going to sue Google for listing the search results of E2k sites? How far are these monsters going to go?

    1.3.2006 20:19 #35

  • hot_ice

    This is utterly ridiculous. They have gone too far. What's next, I can't record my favourite episode on television because it would break copyright laws!!

    This is walrus feces at best and I am sure its unconstitutional.

    1.3.2006 21:00 #36

  • ZippyDSM

    xhardc0re
    Xten or whoever managed not only to sue Google for its image search thumb nail it did of its site but they WON,its like a news program on TV gettign sued and lsoeing for reporting the truth..oh wait didnt that happen to CBS? j/k *rolls off chair and dies laughing*

    I have a brain...I think......

    I aint the brightest bulb around but I can feel my way in the dark...LOL

    I fuzzy braind mew =0_o=

    2.3.2006 01:17 #37

  • Wesmosis

    Emule is the best P2P proggy I've used
    in my country we don't have movie theater, so almost we downloaded the DVD rips from emule and we trading those rips between us, but I rip alot of Original DVDs

    4.3.2006 12:35 #38

  • nightfly

    Suppossedly the new HDTV shows and equipment are designed to prevent recording and time shifting of tv programs; they want to control when you are allowed to watch their shows and all those commercials. I haven't bought any of it yet for that reason. Anybody know of a way around it?

    4.3.2006 12:52 #39

  • ZippyDSM

    Emule works no better or no worse than ED2K if you know how to set them up and run them they both can fast and worthwhile,at least this is what I have found out by buggin pll that know how to altho I forget all the lil tips and trick...hell I am lucky to remember some windose tricks(and no not BCOD on command either...altho I have acouple USB devices that if you use them in a certain way I can bring up XPs BCOD )-o),and thier is a ED2K lite that has a free password on it the erlease might have bugs in it but the password works on the normal release *L*

    4.3.2006 14:45 #40

  • isepiq

    Quote:xhardc0re
    Xten or whoever managed not only to sue Google for its image search thumb nail it did of its site but they WON,its like a news program on TV gettign sued and lsoeing for reporting the truth..oh wait didnt that happen to CBS? j/k *rolls off chair and dies laughing    ------------------------------------------------------
    NBC got caught putting explosives on an SUV so it would explode when they tested it for safety.

    CBS got caught reporting fake/counterfeight papers as genuine.

    ABC got caught saying that the Christians 'Bible' said Jesus was born in Nazareth, which turned out to be an outright lie.

    9.3.2006 05:52 #41

  • webwise

    A search engine is illegal for showing illegal sites? Probably in the good old USA. To Republican freedom I have only two words to say, that we had in Europe in the 30s and 40s. ZEIG HEIL!

    9.3.2006 06:49 #42

  • JimMrBass

    This is something I will never understand. Our illustrious Senators and Congressmen allowed us to copy VCR tapes and CD's for our personal use. Now they say we can not copy DVD, then why in hell did they allow us to copy anything in the first place. The industry and the Legislators set a precedent and I personally hope they try to stop some smart laywer, because I think they will get it shoved right up thier ASS.

    9.3.2006 07:34 #43

  • ritam2001

    What they NEED to do instead of suing the daylights out of everyone is to rethink their pricing models.

    If DVD's were priced were more attractively, then the whole piracy issue would be most effectively eliminated. If for example movies costed $5/each, then I am 100% sure that the vast majority of people would stop pirating.

    Something along the lines of iTunes for movies ("iMovies"?) would be great.

    9.3.2006 08:15 #44

  • max777

    This is like filing a lawsuit against Al Gore for inventing the internet.

    9.3.2006 09:26 #45

  • ZippyDSM

    I could make a commnet aobut MR gores kissing up to the arabs but I dont know much about it if it was a 100% non suporting terroist group he kissed ass to then thats fine with me we have gone a bit beyond normal things but if he did it to the sudis..ggaaaaaaa >< the "dmes" are elistests that dont know WTF thier doing the the "reps" are makeing money off the selling of the US while Nero dubwa plays his fiddle....BTW I ahve been a meber of the green part sicne the last acouple elections *L*

    ggaa I went soo fing off topic ><

    9.3.2006 10:00 #46

  • Jay1Dk

    Isn't it time they sued Google, Yahoo, and every other search engine on the net, then?
    Looks like the greedy bastards at MPAA got some work cut out for them.
    Hey - did the thought of raising standard and quality and lowering prices on product ever strike "the industry"?
    Who wants to pay full price for some bullshit CD with fillertracks or go see an american movie at some multiplex, let alone own it on DVD these days?





    9.3.2006 11:39 #47

  • dnic

    Did Al Gore invent the Internet!

    9.3.2006 12:09 #48

  • Tokijin

    No the Pentagon did as a research project back in the 70's.

    9.3.2006 12:31 #49

  • max777

    Actually Google gets sued quite a bit. I think an adult site is suing for displaying thumbnails of their copyrighted pictures. In any case, we really need updated laws.

    9.3.2006 12:40 #50

  • LaserHobo

    What doesn't make sense to me, is how anyone could possibly be mad when google, or any other search engine for that matter, shows people a thumbnail of copyrighted pictures. It only gives that particular site more advertising. If it was removed all together, how would anyone even know about it?

    Do a web search instead of images?
    Well thats not a reasonable answer, because these people will be searching images with or without that site being shown. Wouldn't it be more beneficial for those sites to at least get some adversing rather than none?

    I just can't understand some people, how they can just go off sueing everyone when things dont go as they'd like them to. It is just rediculous, pure and simple.

    9.3.2006 13:31 #51

  • dvdsndict

    MAN Not Isohunt!
    I love that site. Shitty.

    9.3.2006 13:46 #52

  • movierfun

    Well folks no matter what the MPPA does theres always
    some fella out there that can bypass any codes or tricks they come up with.They can sue to their hearts content but they can't stop us from copying music or movies.

    9.3.2006 15:07 #53

  • Tashammer

    Think +ve , collect enough money to hire some crap eating lawyers then sue whoever formed the MPAA, RIAA for being assholes and being vexatious litigants. Notice though how the members of RIAA & MPAA have the buffer between them and their own arses on the line.

    9.3.2006 20:22 #54

  • Lencar

    What are the odds something will come of this?
    Or is this just another fruitless attempt at bringing down these sites. Is it even worth it it for these companies to spend the money, when even if they win and these sites get terminated another site will come up out of the ground tomorrow. And then the next day and so on and so on.

    10.3.2006 05:55 #55

  • hx900

    I can't believe the greed of these jerkoffs. A new DVD or CD costs these companies about 78 cents apiece to produce, yet they charge the consumers $20. or more. You'd think it would click in their heads that if maybe they sold their products for realistic prices, say maybe $4.00, that people would buy rather than take the time to copy anything. As it is now, you could make a dozen copies and give them away, and they would still make money on the original. Instead, they'd rather spend more on lawyers to fight a battle they're never going to win. It's pathetic!

    10.3.2006 06:05 #56

  • Lencar

    Well said, its a losing battle because someone somewhere will always find a way to beat the system.
    The sooner they realize that the better off they'll be.

    10.3.2006 07:43 #57

  • Gehnma

    The fact is... in my eyes, if they wanted to stop at least camera pirating of films in theatres, they could come up with a screen that does'nt film... I mean they have that spray you can put on your license plate to avert pictures to be taken, why not a coating that stops video pirating. They know they could do it, but instead of acctually trying to stop whats being done, they want to use communist scare tactics on the individule.

    10.3.2006 09:00 #58

  • billyt007

    I would like to reply to Tokijin about the white guys. I think he is introducing predjustice into this discussion. My brother if you check the brothers very seldom purchase anything. They expect to get it for free that is why all their movies are three times have more protection than the regular white guys. And I also agee with ritam that all the people that create movies were not so greedy and make the price of the DVD'S at $5.00 it would not be worth the time or trouble to copy and they would still make a large profit on thier product.......

    10.3.2006 10:13 #59

  • gorpin03

    I would agree with everything stated about the DVD's being competetively priced. It's funny how this kind of thing happens. The laws of supply and demand were stretched only so far. Supply was obviously not a factor, dvd companies have gagillions of resources. But they price the hell ouf of the product. Demand is a factor and these companies think that we'll pay an arm and a leg for anything... forget it.

    Shutting down, and attacking these sites through forceful tactics like lawsuits is ridiculous. This idea is almost as bad as Microsoft's new Vista data rights protection crap.
    http://news.com.com/Hollywood,%20Microsoft%20align%20on%20new%20Windows/2100-1025_3-5844393.html?part=rss&tag=5844393&subj=news

    10.3.2006 11:44 #60

  • karenmc

    afterdawn better be careful you'll be getting sued for all these anarchistic messages lol. but seriously its getting rediculous i have 2 kids and if we go to cinema it costs me at least £20(uk money) which is about $40 (us money)just to see 1 movie i cant even take in my own drinks or sweets i have to buy the cinema stuff ok i do sneak stuff in but thats besides the point. for that money i could buy 4 pirated dvd's and watch them at my leisure.by the way i use edk a lot.

    11.3.2006 01:13 #61

  • doomedxx

    Quote:
    ------------------------------------------------------
    Shutting down, and attacking these sites through forceful tactics like lawsuits is ridiculous. This idea is almost as bad as Microsoft's new Vista data rights protection crap.
    http://news.com.com/Hollywood,%20Microsoft%20align%20on%20new%20Windows/2100-1025_3-5844393.html?part=rss&tag=5844393&subj=news by gorpin03
    -----------------------------------------------------

    i agree, things would just be easyer if things where cheaper and that new microsoft version isnt going to be vary populer, no one is going to want to buy it. almost everyone i know has done some kind of pirating and even doing that i think u can by pass that version just by reformating your computer with an older version atleast i think u would be able to

    11.3.2006 03:48 #62

  • njoldman

    It's Always about the MONEY!!!!!!Nothing else matters to the cocaine sniffing fat cats.

    11.3.2006 06:33 #63

  • hx900

    Wow, I just read the news bit (thanks gorpin) about Microsoft's Vista OS. It's sad that Microsoft is selling out just too appease Hollywood. I wonder how well this will go over if Dell and HP sales start to fall through the floor because consumers don't want to buy new computers with such restrictions built into the operation systems. What I really can't understand is why Hollywood and major electronics companies keep trying to screw the very consumers that support them. It's like that whole DivX thing initiated by Circut City's CEO about ten years ago.

    11.3.2006 07:16 #64

  • gorpin03

    njoldman (Newbie) 11 March 2006 11:33 _
    It's Always about the MONEY!!!!!!Nothing else matters to the cocaine sniffing fat cats.

    Yeah, no doubt, it's sick. I read somewhere recently that there was a world record for billionaires this year. Some astronomical figure... I think it was 793. People don't see that money isn't everything. Nevermind that though, I don't want to get away from the subject.

    11.3.2006 08:33 #65

  • gleeok

    Has any singular person ever been sued by the MPAA for simply downloading files through BitTorrent?

    13.3.2006 21:08 #66

  • wetsparks

    No gleeok nobody has ever been sued for downloading a movie or music, they have been sued for uploading the content for others to download. the RIAA and MPAA at least got that part right to get the suplyer even if they did get everything else wrong.

    15.3.2006 09:57 #67

  • 4thletter

    dnic (Newbie) 9 March 2006 17:09 _
    Did Al Gore invent the Internet!
    Tokijin (AfterDawn Addict) 9 March 2006 17:31 _
    No the Pentagon did as a research project back in the 70's.

    NOOOO Sir Timothy "Tim" John Berners-Lee (UK) Invented the Internet in 1980 at CERN which later connected with MIT. Networks have been around awhile longer (Non-HTTP) which is what the Pentagon were running in the 70's.

    29.7.2006 17:45 #68

  • nostra666

    A lot of people are saying we need legislation to update the laws; I portend exactly the opposite.
    The internet has always been a free exchange vehicle. It should be beyond any government's ability to regulate in any way shape or form. There are many laws on the books to regulate the individuals' use of the Internet. Laws governing pedophiles and file sharing [under theft statutes]- but if these laws were to be enforced AS WRITTEN, the MPAA and all the other mega-interests would be up s*** creek without a paddle.
    When a law is universally ignored, a government will not build more prisons to accomodate the lawbreakers; they change the law.
    Imagine the MPAA being forced to prosecute every single case of alleged copyright infringement without their current scattershot approach of going after the servers and facilitators?
    They'd quickly seek some sort of compromise solution just as they did when CDs and VHS came to the fore. There was no intermediary available for legal action except the manufacturers of the copying media.
    If some brave court took the argument of some sharp attorney that the Internet is a worldwide commodity, owned by no one and no government and thus non-regulatable on any level, the MPAA and the other leeches would be forced to seek a compromise.
    We need fewer laws, we need more laws declared unconstitutional; but as long as our current form of government, Republicans in particular [but politicians in general] derive their power from the leech corporations there will be no law written to benefit the common good.
    And we just keep voting them back into office.

    See any solution there?

    12.9.2006 20:10 #69

  • craftyzan

    The way Bill Gates and the Gang are going, they are just BENDING OVER for the open source crowd....

    14.9.2006 04:16 #70

  • wg1

    Despite the fact that binnews doesn't store any files on their site, or that there currently exist numerous websites offering basically the same service, as of this week - all video (movie and tv) categories have been removed from binnews per the agreement/settlement they reached in court.

    Categories for everything else are still there.

    Now you can be penalized for having a search site unless you have deep enough pockets to battle the *real* pirates .. the MPAA

    20.4.2007 06:31 #71

  • billyt007

    It botheres me when I see alot of people blaming republicans and some democrates about laws. It is true that alot of our congressman never even finished hight school and alot of them are in office because of popularlity instead of what they know. Remember the voting in high school for the prom queen and king? Even alot of these people approx 123 have crimnal records in fact one man there to day in office took a bribe of 100,000 and got caught but reelected and now is in charge of government finances, great huh! So why don't we all stick to the facts that if black or white business that are gready would wake up and make a reasonable profit people would not steal their products because it would not be worth it.

    20.4.2007 10:35 #72

© 2024 AfterDawn Oy

Hosted by
Powered by UpCloud