AfterDawn: News

isoHunt guilty of inducing copyright infringement

A U.S. federal court has ruled against torrent indexer isoHunt today, ruling the site is guilty of inducing copyright infringement. Claiming the case is so similar to that of Napster and Grokster in the 1990s, the case will not get a full trial and was given summary judgment.

The case, which began in 2006 when Columbia, Disney, Tristar, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal and Warner Bros issued a complaint against the site and owner Gary Fung, seems to be finally over, with the site seemingly going the way of Mininova, which removed all illegal torrents in November, at least in the U.S. It should continue to run full steam in Canada.



The ruling says Fung ran the site with “purposeful, culpable expression and conduct, aimed at promoting infringing uses of the websites.”

In their case, the defendants pointed out many cases in which users of the site were encouraged to pirate, including torrent categories such as "top 20 movies," or the ‘Box Office Movies’ section of the site which encouraged users to upload the top 20 highest-grossing movies of all time.

Staff and moderators of the site's official forum were also shown giving advice on how to download copyright films, how to rip DVDs, and how to use PeerGuardian to block IP addresses from the MPAA and other groups.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 25 Dec 2009 18:54

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• 17 comments

• OmriSama

  I hope they won't shut them down.

  25.12.2009 19:05 #1

• VENOM79

  and if they do hopefully the mr fung will start two more torrent site in its place. i will never buy a movie,song or 360 game until i think the cost of such item is reasonable

  25.12.2009 20:46 #2

• DXR88

  Quote:how to rip DVDs, and how to use PeerGuardian to block IP addresses from the MPAA and other groups.
  
  whatch out AD thell cone after you too.

  26.12.2009 01:08 #3

• fgamer

  I know..I wouldn't be surprised if after going after all the major torrent sites they'd come after this one, just for the discussions taking place etc. But this site doesn't promote piracy it discusses it and guides you through for educational purposes : )

  26.12.2009 04:21 #4

• beanos66

  Originally posted by fgamer: I know..I wouldn't be surprised if after going after all the major torrent sites they'd come after this one, just for the discussions taking place etc. But this site doesn't promote piracy it discusses it and guides you through for educational purposes : )A serious point right up to the :) now you stuffed it for the rest of us :D

  26.12.2009 08:20 #5

• LissenUp

  Originally posted by VENOM79: and if they do hopefully the mr fung will start two more torrent site in its place. i will never buy a movie,song or 360 game until i think the cost of such item is reasonableI agree about hoping Fung starting 2 more because Isohunt is my favorite and always has been. So sad if it's killed. On a positive note, TPB is still around and torrentz.com rocks at finding torrents.
  
  On a separate note.........."Your perception" of a "reasonable cost" is probably ridiculous, disproportionate and impractical...........I'm guessing. <20.00 for a blu-ray new release is a great deal, and worth it considering what they used to be and that most Blu-rays are only 3-4 bucks more than regular DVDs so I only hope you aren't going to be one of those lame excuse users who always say "if Hollywood didn't put out crap, I'd pay for the stuff"....................all of whom are saying that still like/enjoy the movies that they previously labeled as "crap". Hypocracy at its finest.
  
  Point being......movies and MOVIES ONLY are now reasonably priced (since T-giving). Music however, I agree.....I'd pay 15 cents a song and that would be fair.

  26.12.2009 17:30 #6

• ZippyDSM

  Next in the news the net is banned for copy right infringement and life is destroyed to protect children!

  28.12.2009 02:07 #7

• DXR88

  Originally posted by Lissenup: On a separate note.........."Your perception" of a "reasonable cost" is probably ridiculous, disproportionate and impractical...........I'm guessing. <20.00 for a blu-ray new release is a great deal, and worth it considering what they used to be and that most Blu-rays are only 3-4 bucks more than regular DVDs so I only hope you aren't going to be one of those lame excuse users who always say "if Hollywood didn't put out crap, I'd pay for the stuff"....................all of whom are saying that still like/enjoy the movies that they previously labeled as "crap". Hypocracy at its finest.i don't mind buying music or movies, i dont like paying the MPAA $14 bucks and the artist and directors $1.00. the same goes with the music the Artist should always get the lagest cut its there hard eaned money(unless there those no talent RIAA yes men). i dont like paying those greedy ass backstabbers that sit there and do nothing.

  28.12.2009 15:22 #8

• VENOM79

  20 dollars for a blu ray is too much .15 cents for a song is ok but i wont pay, not when i could download it,but ur right the crap they put out i wouldent pay but i would pirate , i think i would pay for games,movies or even songs when bill gates or robert de niro roll up next to me in a honda, then you know the items are now being sold with in reason

  28.12.2009 17:37 #9

• keith1993

  I suppose this will help get more users onto his other site....

  29.12.2009 08:53 #10

• brazendp3

  whats really screwed up are thos poor people that got knocked for downloading music or programs etc, some guy recently was fined like 80k for a couple hundred songs. wtf is that about? if anything i could accept being fined going rate for whatever you downloaded but the ammounts they hit people with are nonsense. i personally dl music, and if its any good i will go out and buy the album to support the artist, if its crap it gets tossed out. and i agree with dxr88, the lions share of the money should go to the author/creator/musician/actor/director and not the people that dont do anything but push paper around a desk, when a cd costs 22$ and the artist only gets .85c of it i dont feel bad for ripping it from the net.

  31.12.2009 03:03 #11

• Necrosaro

  You can listen to music FREE on the radio, but they get pissed off if you want to download and put it on your ipod.

  7.1.2010 09:14 #12

• scum101

  err.. last time I turned on the radio there was nothing worth listening to.. same old boring tossers the riaa wants to force down our ears.
  
  xfm Manchester do a pretty good job at showcasing new and unsigned talent.. check them out on a Sunday night. These days I listen to cd's in the bath.. nice downloaded burned cd's or rips off my vast vinyl collection.. gathered when music was actually relevant and had something to say.
  
  I should change my sig to
  
  "ever feel like you have been cheated?" - John Lydon
  
  BTW: .. PIL have reformed and are going out on the road this year.. Try to see them if you can. Last time I went to see pill was in 1984 and they were something else. Lets see what Johnny has to say about greed and the music business shall we?
  

  Yes, we give you 100% free, no strings attached email! Just send us your address and we will send you as much free email as you could ever wish for

  7.1.2010 09:22 #13

• chrialex

  Satellite radio ran through the computer to capture the audio, with the right setup will give you great additions to your library... ;-)

  7.1.2010 10:34 #14

• maitland

  noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!
  
  (isohunt was my favorite)
  
  ::sobs::

  8.1.2010 01:37 #15

• Mez

  Maybe they will move to the Ukraine with TPB and the big D. The media mafia is bringing on the heat!

  8.1.2010 15:46 #16

• gmontalc

  Originally posted by VENOM79: ... when bill gates or robert de niro roll up next to me in a honda, then you know the items are now being sold with in reasonThis one is funny,...lol, yeah, perhaps ...
  
  This is YOU
  
  
  
  This is THEY (the greedy bastards)
  
  

  8.1.2010 18:54 #17