MediaDefender is a company aimed at stopping the illegal distribution of copyrighted material over the internet on peer-to-peer networks. Their tactics are controversial using methods that tie up users computers and bandwidth, like flooding P2P networks with fake decoy files.
They also record users that contribute coyrighted material and market to users of P2P networks.
In July 2007, it was reported that Miivi.com, a video sharing site set up by MediaDefender, was created to trap uploaders of copyrighted material. MediaDefender claimed it was an internal test site working on a project that involved video. After the allegation was re-posted by other bloggers Miivi.com was shut down.
Throughout 2007, MediaDefender suffered information leaks. Emails contained information contradicting previous statements from the company and linking it to involvement in projects that had before been denied.
Media outlets have suggested that the emails may confirm that MiiVi.com was indeed a site created to trap copyright infringers, one email suggesting that the Miivi client program would be used to turn user's computers into drones for MediaDefenders spoofing activities on eMule.
Emails also revealed instruction from the MediaDefender founder to have a developer attempt to eliminate information about Miivi from Wikipedia's entry about the company.
In May 2008 a denial of service attack originating from MediaDefender IP addresses was launched against Revision3, an internet television network which distributes content legally and the incident came under investigation by the FBI.
