Piracy

Kim Dotcom, the founder of the controversial file-sharing site Megaupload, has launched a new cloud storage-style website. Unfortunately for Dotcom and his supporters, the new site is running into some early technical difficulties. Megaupload, you ... may remember, allowed its 150 million active users to upload and download all kinds of digital files. Authorities took Dotcom to court, however, arguing he should have done more to prevent Megaupload visitors from illegally sharing copyright-protected material. As a result, Megaupload was forced offline. "Mega" Too Popular for Own Good ... (view more)

For years the office of the United States Trade Representative, in addition to US-based copyright protection agencies like the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), have insisted that ... Russia do more to protect American intellectual property (IP). Now, it appears the Russian government is finally prepared to work with the United States to help protect American IP. The new agreement, known as the "Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Action Plan," is connected to Russia's recent entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO). Trade ... (view more)

A recent spin-off of the notorious The Pirate Bay website has been blocked by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the United Kingdom. Its owners are upset because, unlike The Pirate Bay, the new site is reportedly not breaking any laws. 'The Promo ... Bay' is the name of the website spun-off from the Sweden-based ' The Pirate Bay ' file sharing website which for years has allegedly facilitated the illegal sharing of copyright-protected media files. Blocked Site Gave Indie Artists a Voice The Promo Bay, however, was created to help promote the work of indie musicians, artists, and filmmakers. ... (view more)

The first program designed to crack down on copyright infringement among American web users has had its launch date delayed. Those behind the program say the effects of Hurricane Sandy have made the delay necessary. The program's development is ... being overseen by the Center for Copyright Information (CCI), a partnership of major music and movie producers and five of the United States' largest Internet providers. Together, they believe they can reduce online piracy without relying on government legislation. Some content producers, particularly those in the adult entertainment industry, still ... (view more)

A German court has found that a mother and father are not responsible for the extensive filesharing activity of their 13-year-old son. The finding could set a precedent for other such court cases around the world. Back in 2007 record producers found ... that more than 1,100 of their copyright-protected songs were downloaded by a single IP (Internet Protocol) address. Further investigation revealed that the downloading had been the work of a single 13-year-old boy. A search of his computer turned up several filesharing programs, including 'Morpheus' and 'Bearshare.' (Source: computerworld.com ) ... (view more)

Despite the threat of deportation to the United States for trial, the man who started the controversial Megaupload filesharing service says he is working on a replacement. Kim Dotcom also says his new filesharing service will work in a way that will ... keep him safe from the long arm of the law. Megaupload allowed users to store files online, and also to access and download the files through either a private or public link. Not surprisingly, many people used the service to share copyrighted files, such as digital music and movies, without paying for them -- clearly a case of copyright ... (view more)

US-based Internet firms will begin an anti-piracy partnership with major copyright holders by the end of 2012. However, it's a purely voluntary operation and customers thought to be pirating will get warnings before suffering any consequences. ... Several countries around the world, most notably France, have introduced "three strikes" legislation, under which customers suspected of illegally sharing copyrighted material get two warnings before having their Internet suspended or cut off altogether. These controversial laws have faced legal challenges. Critics argue it's unfair to punish people ... (view more)

On top of an existing jail term, one of the co-founders of The Pirate Bay website is facing even more legal trouble in his native Sweden. Meanwhile, Google has taken additional steps to make The Pirate Bay website less visible. Gottfrid Svartholm is ... one of four men convicted of copyright-related offenses linked to The Pirate Bay. Although it doesn't host any content, the website allows users to search for torrent files, which can then be used to share copyright protected data files. Svartholm Charged with Piracy, Hacking Prosecutors said The Pirate Bay site owners profited from illegal ... (view more)

For months the trial of Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom has drawn worldwide attention to New Zealand, where Dotcom faces charges associated with the illegal distribution of copyright materials. Now, The Pirate Bay co-founder Gottfried Svartholm has ... been arrested in Cambodia at the request of the Swedish government. It was in 2003 that Svartholm and Fredrik Neji established the website The Pirate Bay. Their goal: to enable computer users all over the world to share large files, including movies, TV shows, and software programs -- many of them copyrighted. Decade-Long Struggle Ends with Arrest ... (view more)

The man behind the controversial Megaupload site has been given permission to remain in his native New Zealand for the moment. A local court has ruled that American officials must divulge full details of the evidence against site owner Kim Dotcom ... before he can be extradited. The Megaupload site came under fire because it allowed users to upload files and share them with others. As with many such sites, a high proportion of these files appeared to be copyright-protected material shared without permission. Difficult for Prosecutors to Convict In similar cases, it has been difficult to convict ... (view more)