# articles

feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179433
title: ‘Royalty-Free’ Music Supplied By YouTube Results in Mass Video Demonetization
uri: Royalty-Free-Music-Supplied-By-YouTube-Results-in-Mass-Video-Dem
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/aQDhAm8tDkA/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/72389cbc.sadyoutube.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/sadyoutube.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-117196"/></figure></div>



<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/MattLowneFilms">Matt Lowne</a> is a very popular YouTuber with a passion for the simulation game <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerbal_Space_Program">Kerbal Space Program</a>. Since 2013 he&#8217;s amassed close to 56 million views but late last week, his video world was turned upside down.</p>



<p>In common with many YouTubers, Matt didn&#8217;t want any copyright issues on his channel. So, to play things safely, he obtained the track &#8216;<a href="https://youtu.be/VF9_dCo6JT4">Dreams</a>&#8216; by Joakim Karud from YouTube&#8217;s very own <a href="https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/">audio library</a> for use in his intro. Unfortunately, this strategy of obtaining supposedly risk-free music from a legitimate source still managed to backfire.</p>



<p>Very early last Friday, Matt says he received a &#8220;massive barrage&#8221; of emails from YouTube, targeting &#8220;pretty much all&#8221; of his KSP videos. The emails said that Matt&#8217;s videos &#8220;may have content owned or licensed by SonyATV, PeerMusic, Warner Chappell, Audiam and LatinAutor.&#8221;</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/9eb1af17.image-158.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-158.png" alt="" class="wp-image-179443"/><figcaption><em>Some of the YouTube demonetization <a href="https://twitter.com/Matt_Lowne/status/1195377135516602374">emails</a></em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>A clearly exasperated Matt took to YouTube, noting that any ads that now show up on his videos &#8220;split up the revenue between all the companies listed&#8221; in the emails, with Matt himself &#8220;allowed to keep what&#8217;s left of that.&#8221; He doesn&#8217;t know what that amount might be, because he says there&#8217;s just no way of knowing.</p>



<p>After highlighting the vague use of the word &#8220;may&#8221; in YouTube&#8217;s emails to him, Matt then went on to describe the real &#8220;kick in the gut&#8221;, which revolves around the track itself.</p>



<p>&#8216;Dreams&#8217; composer Joakim Karud <a href="http://www.joakimkarud.com/use-my-music/">allows anyone</a> to use his music on YouTube, even commercially, for free. And the fact that Matt downloaded the track from YouTube&#8217;s own library was the icing on this particularly bitter cake. </p>



<p>&#8220;So I guess this library can&#8217;t be trusted at all,&#8221; says Matt. &#8220;YouTube might just remove songs from it after the fact and then shrug off any consequences for videos that use that music as you know, shit happens.&#8221;</p>



<p>Matt said he had to time out to manually protest the automated claims against his account but he says his overtures were immediately rejected, &#8220;almost like it&#8217;s an automated bot or something.&#8221; But things get worse from there.</p>



<p>After contesting each claim and having all of those rejected, Matt says the only option left is to appeal every single one. However, if an appeal is lost, the video in question will be removed completely and a strike will be placed against his account.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s three strikes and you&#8217;re out on YouTube, so this is not an attractive option for Matt if the music companies somehow win the fight. So, instead, Matt is appealing against just one of the complaints in the hope that he can make some progress without putting his entire account at risk. </p>



<p>Matt says he won&#8217;t be able to risk putting any music in his videos in future, because even with the best intentions, a &#8220;billion-dollar corporation&#8221; can simply decide that they &#8220;would like to start benefiting off your blood, sweat and tears.&#8221;</p>



<p>Worryingly, searches online show that not only are other people affected by similar mass complaints, but there may &#8211; <em>may</em> &#8211; be an explanation for what is going on here.</p>



<p>&#8220;SonyATV &amp; Warner Chappell have claimed 24 of my videos because the royalty free song Dreams by Joakim Karud (from the OFFICIAL YOUTUBE AUDIO LIBRARY BTW) uses a sample from Kenny Burrell Quartet&#8217;s &#8216;Weaver of Dream&#8217;,&#8221; a Twitter user <a href="https://twitter.com/Th3Jez/status/1195793057620221952">wrote</a> on Saturday. </p>



<p>Sure enough, if one turns to the WhoSampled archive, <a href="https://www.whosampled.com/sample/682940/Joakim-Karud-Dreams-Kenny-Burrell-Weaver-of-Dreams/">Dreams is listed</a> as having sampled Weaver of Dreams, a track from 1956 to which Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC and Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. <a href="https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/3694874/Kenny+Burrell/Weaver+of+Dreams">own the copyrights</a>.</p>



<p>If the trend of claims against &#8216;Dreams&#8217; continues, there is potential for huge upheaval on YouTube and elsewhere. Countless thousands of videos use the track and as a result it has become very well-known. Sadly, people trying to claim it as their own is <a href="https://twitter.com/joakimkarud/status/916926031189168128?lang=en">nothing new</a> but fingers crossed, common sense will sort out the present issues.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube aligncenter wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="My channel got Copyright-claimed I guess" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dcjVJ3Cznec?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179479
title: Karl Pilkington Shares a Pirated Copy of His Own TV-Show
uri: Karl-Pilkington-Shares-a-Pirated-Copy-of-His-Own-TV-Show
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/2xv59QAKlQc/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/ce5724ca.sickofit1.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/sickofit1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179488"/></figure></div>



<p>UK entertainment giant Sky is widely known for taking a hard line on everything piracy related. </p>



<p>In recent years the company has chased vendors of pirate subscriptions and hardware, both in and outside of court.</p>



<p>These efforts are meant to signal to the public that piracy, streaming piracy in particular, will not be tolerated. However, this message has apparently not hit home with one of the company&#8217;s own stars, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Pilkington">Karl Pilkington</a>.</p>



<p>Pilkington is an actor, comedian, and presenter who is widely known for &#8220;An Idiot Abroad,&#8221; the Sky 1 travel series with a comedic twist. He also worked with Sky on the documentary &#8220;The Moaning of Life&#8221; and more recently he ventured into the sitcom arena with the series &#8220;Sick of It&#8221;, again at Sky.</p>



<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sick_of_It_(TV_series)">Sick of It</a> is about to premiere its second season and to give his 1.5+ million fans on Facebook something to get in the mood, Pilkington recently decided to share an episode of the show from last year.</p>



<p>That usually isn&#8217;t a problem. However, Sky doesn&#8217;t share the show for free and only offers it on-demand but that didn&#8217;t prove to be too much of a hurdle for the show&#8217;s co-writer, who found a freely accessible streaming copy on Vimeo.</p>



<p>&#8220;For anyone who hasn&#8217;t seen it yet. Here&#8217;s an episode. Series 2 soon,&#8221; Pilkington <a href="https://www.facebook.com/1435737693304473/photos/p.2228725920672309/2228725920672309/">wrote</a>.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/573c92b7.karlp.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/karlp.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179482" width="579" height="448"/></figure></div>



<p>This clearly isn&#8217;t an official release. The tags on the video reveal that this copy was sourced from a &#8216;scene&#8217; group, PLUTONiUM in this case, and reuploaded to Vimeo by someone named Gary. The same person also shared a copy of the first episode through the same account. </p>



<p>This means that Pilkington is effectively sharing a pirated copy of his own show with over a million people. And since Sky holds at least some of the rights, that&#8217;s not supposed to happen. </p>



<p>The &#8216;mistake&#8217; didn&#8217;t go unnoticed. Commenters on Facebook highlighted that it was a pirate release and the same was pointed out on <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Piracy/comments/dy5quj/karl_pilkington_just_shared_a_pirated_episode_of/">Reddit</a>, where many appreciated the unusual move.</p>



<p>The question is, of course, whether this is indeed a mistake or some kind of PR stunt. Giving over a million people a free teaser may draw in some extra eyeballs and if that&#8217;s picked up by the news, it means even more exposure. </p>



<p>However, when we look closer at Pilkington&#8217;s previous engagement on Facebook we started to notice a trend. Apparently, he&#8217;s keeping a close eye on the comments. When someone said that she wasn&#8217;t familiar with Sick of It, but would like to watch it, Pilkington kindly shared a link. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/a30902d5.pinker.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/pinker.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179484"/></figure></div>



<p>And that wasn&#8217;t the first time either. The show&#8217;s co-writer has been doing this for weeks, sharing the same link to everyone who shows interest. In particular, those who don&#8217;t have access to it.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/f8e52e67.pink2-1.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/pink2-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179485"/></figure></div>



<p>To us, it appears that Pilkington means no harm and simply wants to get people to see his show. That makes sense. As a creator, you want people to enjoy what you&#8217;ve made. The fact that he&#8217;s sharing a pirated copy may not have even entered his mind.</p>



<p>Whether Sky will like this is another question of course. At the time of writing all links are still online, but it wouldn&#8217;t be a massive surprise if they are soon taken down. Technically, Pilkington is now a repeat infringer so he could even lose his Facebook account. </p>



<p>Unless he takes action before Sky does, of course.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179469
title: Pirate IPTV: Spanish Police Target €1m Supplier, 12 People Arrested
uri: Pirate-IPTV-Spanish-Police-Target-1m-Supplier-12-People-Arrested
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/2bjMMrCzrg0/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/a7c0897c.iptv.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/iptv.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-135034" width="265" height="175"/></figure></div>



<p>Raids, shutdowns, legal action, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/iptv-supplier-omniverse-agrees-to-pay-50-million-in-piracy-damages-191113/">settlements</a>, and even technical issues have caused many sellers of &#8216;pirate&#8217; IPTV to shut down in recent months.</p>



<p>The end to the problem for broadcasters, however, seems as far away as ever, with large numbers of providers and sellers managing to service the illicit market, despite <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/xtream-codes-iptv-system-targeted-in-massive-police-operation/">serious setbacks</a>.</p>



<p>Hoping to make a dent in the supply chain, police in Spain say they have carried out an operation to &#8220;dismantle&#8221; a service that sourced raw TV streams and distributed them, supplied VOD content, and then sold packages to clients.</p>



<p>The investigation began in 2017 when officers of the Central Cybercrime Unit became aware of a Facebook page where access to pirate TV was being offered.</p>



<p>Investigators determined that those behind the operation were capturing channels broadcast by the major TV outfits and uploading them to servers operated by different companies abroad. At the same time, they operated a sales and marketing division, to sell their product to the public.</p>



<p>In total, 12 people were identified as suspects, with four people said to have been in charge of capturing the broadcast signals and distributing them, managing access to content, attracting customers, and collecting the cash through various platforms.</p>



<p>The remaining eight were considered resellers of the services. These individuals obtained access to the main platform from the four operators at a reduced cost in order to market these subscriptions to their own customers in Spain and overseas. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/030e0b23.image-159.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-159.png" alt="" class="wp-image-179496" width="650" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-159.png 637w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-159-200x150.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 637px) 100vw, 637px" /><figcaption>Image credit: Policia Nacional</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>The two-year investigation came to head last Friday when the 12 suspects were arrested when raids were carried out on addresses in Madrid, Toledo, Alicante, Murcia, Gran Canaria, Tenerife and other locations.</p>



<p>Seven websites and two social media profiles were shut down and 86 decoders, 15 hard drives, 10 computers, NAS drives, 17 mobile phones, a &#8216;high-end&#8217; vehicle and more than 22,000 euros in cash were seized.</p>



<p>According to police, the as-yet-unnamed service generated an estimated 1,000,000 euros for its operators who are now charged with various offenses including intellectual property crimes, belonging to a criminal organization, and money laundering.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube aligncenter wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="Policía Nacional 12 detenidos por comerciar con canales de TV" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LTCZZuRbYko?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div><figcaption><em>Police raids across Spain</em></figcaption></figure>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179512
title: Police Arrest Three in Prolonged Movie2K Piracy Investigation
uri: Police-Arrest-Three-in-Prolonged-Movie2K-Piracy-Investigation
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/ilWVKbE11LM/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/5dc98fb3.movie2klogo.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/movie2klogo.jpg" alt="" width="259" height="227"/></figure></div>



<p>Way back in 2013, Movie2K was not only one of the most-visited pirate sites, but also one of the most popular platforms on the entire Internet.</p>



<p>Offering all of the latest movies and TV shows in a convenient interface, during February that year Movie2K was the 240th most popular site in the world.</p>



<p>In Germany, where the site was particularly well-received, it was the 19th most popular site, period, pulling more traffic than Twitter, Amazon, Apple and PayPal. Understandably, the site attracted plenty of anti-piracy attention but suddenly, at the end of May 2013, the site <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/movie2k-disappears-without-warning-130529/">shut down</a> without warning.</p>



<p>In its wake appeared Movie4K, a site that bore more than a passing resemblance to its similarly-named predecessor, but it now appears that the authorities in Germany had not simply forgotten about Movie2K or bringing those behind it to justice.</p>



<p>According to the Attorney General&#8217;s Office in Dresden, two men aged 44 and 37 were arrested last Thursday in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Bavaria. The men are suspected former operators of Movie2K.</p>



<p>The men are reported to have distributed 880,000 copies of movies and TV shows between the fall of 2008 when Movie2K was founded and May 2013 when it closed down. They are also suspected of operating the streaming site Stream2K.com.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/14ab4efa.movie2kFP.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/movie2kFP.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-66954" width="587" height="479" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/movie2kFP.jpg 490w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/movie2kFP-300x245.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 587px) 100vw, 587px" /><figcaption><em>Movie2K before its closure</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>A spokesperson for the Prosecutor General&#8217;s Office told <a href="https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/koblenz/Portal-fuer-Raubkopien-Mutmassliche-Betreiber-von-movie2k,illegale-kino-plattform-100.html">SWR</a> that the man from Rhineland-Palatinate had been living there for some time and that extensive evidence had been seized including computer equipment, cell phones, cash and documents.</p>



<p>Investigators claim that the suspects generated &#8220;several million euros&#8221; from advertising and other methods via Movie2K, which stepped in to become one of the world&#8217;s largest illegal streaming portals after the demise of Kino.to. That site was shut down following one of the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/kino-to-raided-in-massive-police-operation-admins-arrested-110608/">most significant</a> anti-piracy operations in history.</p>



<p>The Attorney General&#8217;s Office further revealed that a third man was arrested in Berlin last week. He is described as a 37-year-old real estate entrepreneur who was detained under suspicion of money laundering offenses.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s claimed that the individual worked with the former operators of Movie2K in the fall of 2013, managing some of the revenues generated by the men by making financial investments and obtaining real estate in Saxony, Brandenburg and Berlin. </p>



<p>The numbers under discussion are significant, with the authorities claiming that the alleged money-launderer received more than 5.1 million euros from the other suspects through a Dutch mailbox company alone by mid-2016.</p>



<p>The home and business addresses of the defendants were searched with the support of officials of the Land Office of Criminal Investigation Berlin and the Criminal Investigation Police Bamberg.</p>



<p>As highlighted by <a href="https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/koblenz/Portal-fuer-Raubkopien-Mutmassliche-Betreiber-von-movie2k,illegale-kino-plattform-100.html">Tarnkappe</a>, the Prosecutor General&#8217;s Office was previously involved in the case brought against Kino.to. It&#8217;s suspected that there were links between that now-defunct site and the operators of Movie2K.</p>



<p> </p>



<p> </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179464
title: Cox Knew About Pirating Subscribers, Court Concludes
uri: Cox-Knew-About-Pirating-Subscribers-Court-Concludes
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/XD6B47X3Jr4/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/f71707b4.coxcomms.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/coxcomms.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-128587"/></figure></div>



<p>Last year Cox <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cox-pays-substantial-settlement-to-end-repeat-infringer-piracy-lawsuit-180827/">settled</a> its piracy liability lawsuit with music rights company BMG.</p>



<p>While the company hoped that this would be the end of its copyright woes, the next legal battle was already being prepared. </p>



<p>This time, the ISP was up against <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/record-labels-file-billion-dollar-piracy-lawsuit-against-isp-cox-180802/">53 music companies</a>, including Capitol Records, Warner Bros, and Sony Music.</p>



<p>The rightsholders complained that Cox categorically failed to terminate repeat copyright infringers and that it substantially profited from this ongoing ‘piracy’ activity. All at the expense of the music companies and other rightsholders.</p>



<p>A year later the case is heading <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cox-and-music-companies-battle-over-piracy-evidence-ahead-of-trial-191109/">to trial</a> where Cox will have to defend itself once again. However, not before some final issues are resolved. </p>



<p>In August, both Cox and the music companies <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cox-attacks-proof-in-piracy-liability-case-requests-summary-judgment-190910/">requested summary judgments</a> on several crucial issues. Among other things, the ISP requested a ruling that it&#8217;s not vicariously liable for copyright infringement. </p>



<p>This week US District Court Judge Liam O&#8217;Grady ruled on the requests. He decided to deny most, stating that these issues will be resolved at trial. The Judge did, however, issue a ruling on whether Cox had &#8220;knowledge&#8221; of the allegedly pirating customers. </p>



<p>The music companies asked to have this issue resolved before trial. It is a crucial question, as it determines whether the ISP can be held contributorily liable for pirating subscribers or not. </p>



<p>Cox first argued that the notices failed to identify many copyrighted works. For example, in some cases, the music companies only identified one song from a torrent that contained more works. In addition, the notices only highlighted infringements of sound recordings, not the compositions. </p>



<p>The court, however, waved away this defense and concluded that the notices are certainly specific enough when it comes to specific sound recordings. They include a title, timestamp, date, notice id, IP-address, and hash, among other things. </p>



<p>&#8220;Based on the level of detail included in the notices directed at Cox and its subscribers, there is no doubt that Defendants had more than just &#8216;generalized knowledge&#8217; of infringement,&#8221; Judge O&#8217;Grady writes.</p>



<p>&#8220;Thus, the Court finds as a matter of law that there is no genuine issue of fact regarding the sufficiency of the RIAA notices in this case, and that they can support the knowledge element of a contributory infringement claim,&#8221; he adds. </p>



<p>The second question is whether these notices, which the RIAA sent, can lead to the conclusion that Cox had knowledge of the infringements in a legal sense. The ISP denied this, but according to the court, it&#8217;s clear that the notices are sufficient.</p>



<p>&#8220;It would be farcical to argue that Cox had no knowledge of the hundreds of thousands of notices it received indicating infringement for the works in suit,&#8221; Judge O&#8217;Grady writes. </p>



<p>&#8220;The notices were sent to an email address Cox created for the very purpose of receiving this information, and were processed by a corporate department dedicated to abuse and security for Cox.&#8221;</p>



<p>Finally, Cox also argued that it can&#8217;t be liable for alleged infringements that occurred through business subscribers, as it can&#8217;t identify individual users of these businesses. However, the court ruled that there is no ground to exclude business subscribers at this point. </p>



<p>All in all, it is clear that Cox had specific enough knowledge of pirating subscribers to hold it contributorily liable. However, to do so, a jury must also conclude that the ISP contributed to or induced the infringements. That will be decided at trial. </p>



<p>In addition to the &#8220;knowledge&#8221; question, Judge O&#8217;Grady also ruled that the music companies own or control the exclusive rights to all works that are part of the case, something Cox contested. </p>



<p>With these issues &#8216;resolved&#8217; the case is yet another step close to trial, which is currently scheduled to take place next month.</p>



<p><em>&#8212;</em></p>



<p><em>A copy of US District Court Judge Liam O&#8217;Grady&#8217;s memorandum opinion and order is <a href="media/63849be7.coxsummaryorder.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/coxsummaryorder.pdf">available here (pdf)</a>.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179552
title: Gears Reloaded: FBI Just Took Everything, Says Pirate IPTV Boss OMI IN A HELLCAT
uri: Gears-Reloaded-FBI-Just-Took-Everything-Says-Pirate-IPTV-Boss-OMI-IN
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/5xpFVBfA8WA/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/21cc8203.image-161.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-161.png" alt="" class="wp-image-179560" width="287" height="158"/><figcaption><em>OMI with custom &#8216;Reloaded&#8217; bling</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>It is not uncommon for anti-piracy groups to state that some &#8216;pirates&#8217; make a lot of money. </p>



<p>However, whenever that is the case, there&#8217;s a tendency for most in the piracy world to maintain a low profile. </p>



<p>Take that position, multiply it by a million. You&#8217;re now just halfway to the crazy world of YouTube sensation <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIXdDyP0vUfFowI9n9M2WFg">OMI IN A HELLCAT</a>.</p>



<p>Regularly seen on his channel adding yet another supercar to his huge collection (a recent addition was a <a href="https://youtu.be/ogdOMArMDws">McLaren 720s Spider</a>), OMI &#8211; real name Omar Carrasquillo &#8211;  is the founder and owner of &#8216;pirate&#8217; IPTV service Gears Reloaded. </p>



<p>There&#8217;s no suggestion that all of OMI&#8217;s <em>rumored</em> $50m fortune came from piracy (he reportedly owns real estate, a restaurant, and several other businesses) but it seems highly likely that the Gears Reloaded gig is well and truly over.</p>



<p>Starting early yesterday, users of the Gears Reloaded IPTV service reported rare downtime. The website connected to the service displays a message indicating &#8216;down for maintenance&#8217; but according to OMI himself, that&#8217;s only part of the story.</p>



<p>&#8220;This ain&#8217;t clickbait. This ain&#8217;t fake, this is not fake. This is 100% real,&#8221; OMI said in a noticeably subdued live Q&amp;A with his fans a couple of hours ago, streamed from a friend&#8217;s house in Philadelphia. </p>



<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m gonna let you guys know exactly&#8230;and by the way, the FBI is in here [the channel] watching right now as we speak. What i&#8217;m gonna need you guys to do for me, i&#8217;m gonna need you to buy that merch when it drops,&#8221; the persistent entrepreneur began.</p>



<p>&#8220;Pretty much they seized all my cars. One thing they didn&#8217;t seize was the things I was able to sell a few weeks ago, even a few days ago before this shit happened. A few cars and shit.</p>



<p>&#8220;When I tell you they took &#8216;everything&#8217;, they took every SD card, every camera, every television in my house &#8211; HOUSES. They took every car. They took ALL my Hellcats. They only thing they didn&#8217;t take was my dick because it&#8217;s attached to my balls.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube aligncenter wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="OMI IN A HELLCAT SHOWS OFF HIS CAR COLLECTION" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QsakM0l9OH0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div><figcaption><em>Car collection, now seized</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Describing himself for the benefit of newcomers, OMI insisted that his wealth isn&#8217;t the result of selling drugs. He began as an app developer for Kodi, one that &#8220;got hacked early on.&#8221; He then answered the million-dollar question &#8211; what happened with the FBI?</p>



<p>&#8220;It was pretty much IPTV and taxes and shit and hiring the wrong CPA [accountant]. This is really important for you guys, make sure your taxes are paid for,&#8221; he said.</p>



<p>That &#8220;taxes and shit&#8221; is apparently a reference to pending tax evasion and money laundering charges following a two-year IRS investigation. This is particularly interesting when one considers that OMI has regularly and persistently described pirate IPTV as legal.</p>



<p>&#8220;I hit a great area and exploited it and they just didn&#8217;t like it. I made a ton of money but at the same time a lot of the money I made super-legit,&#8221; he told the Q&amp;A.</p>



<p>&#8220;I felt that what I was doing wasn&#8217;t illegal. Streaming is totally legal, it&#8217;s just the way they&#8217;re trying to word it, it&#8217;s a little different. But streaming isn&#8217;t illegal. It was never live television, it was always delayed television and there&#8217;s no laws against it. There&#8217;s no laws against it.</p>



<p>&#8220;This is Napster 2.0. This wasn&#8217;t killing anybody. If anything I saved hundreds of thousands of people [with] cheaper cable. IPTV is not illegal in the US. It isn&#8217;t. It isn&#8217;t. It&#8217;s illegal in other countries but it&#8217;s not illegal in the US.</p>



<p>&#8220;The [Copyright Act] has nothing to do with streaming and when they seize those servers and they realize there&#8217;s nothing being stored on these servers, you have nothing on me. Streaming is not illegal. I saw a window, I saw an opportunity, I exploited the fuck out of it. That&#8217;s all it is.&#8221;</p>



<p>In earlier videos, OMI said that he previously made lots of money from hosting services, including Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto servers. He also talked about selling huge numbers of Firesticks. Generally, it&#8217;s difficult to find a video where the amount of money he&#8217;s made isn&#8217;t either the sole topic of conversation or at least heavily featured.</p>



<p>But according to OMI, that might be more difficult in the future.</p>



<p>&#8220;[My friend] had to lend me a phone because I don&#8217;t have a phone. They seized millions of dollars out of all my accounts. They took all the cash I had laying around,&#8221; he says. &#8220;They took all my jewelry [<a href="https://youtu.be/8hcUwueKRKs">a recent video</a> has OMI apparently buying $300K&#8217;s worth], kids&#8217; things, they took Xboxes, they took computers, laptops, cellphones. They didn&#8217;t even leave drones.&#8221;</p>



<p>Having previously watched a good number of OMI&#8217;s videos, his optimism and positivity have always shone through. That wasn&#8217;t the case during this Q&amp;A. By his own estimation, he&#8217;s going to prison &#8220;for a few years&#8221; although he says he&#8217;ll also take the rap for those who worked with him.</p>



<p>Another particular point of interest is that OMI insists that entertainment companies never sued him.</p>



<p>&#8220;I could&#8217;ve dealt with the MPA or the NFL suing me, that never happened. They never gave me fair warning, which by law they have to. Especially when it comes down to a crime like this, when it comes down to &#8216;copyright infringement&#8217;. They were supposed to hit me with a seize operation, or a cease and desist.</p>



<p>&#8220;They never hit me with that. I would&#8217;ve took it right down,&#8221; he adds.</p>



<p></p>



<p>However, OMI also admits that he had been receiving takedown notices issued from the UK on behalf of &#8220;the European leagues&#8221;, which seems like a reference to either Premier League or UEFA blocking efforts. He also acknowledges receiving notices from Sky, HBO, and similar &#8220;fucking stupid channels.&#8221;</p>



<p>If there is a point where a defendant in a serious criminal case should stop talking and consult a lawyer, OMI doesn&#8217;t seem to know where that point is. He told viewers that the FBI is accusing him of &#8220;stealing channels&#8221; but he insists he always paid for his &#8211; before capturing them and distributing them to his customers.</p>



<p>&#8220;I paid for my channels. I did things the old school way. I used capture cards. I take full responsibility so anybody on my team and shit, I pretty much hope you guys don&#8217;t ever go to jail now,&#8221; he explained.</p>



<p>According to OMI, he knew an investigation was underway since an associate he names as &#8216;Hector Fuentes&#8217; was a CI (an informant).</p>



<p>&#8220;So he used to come around and shit, with a little wire on and could see the wire through his fucking shirt and would say dumb shit to see how far it would get him. The mother-fucker was a confidential informant. The whole time, he was putting people in jail for a long time,&#8221; OMI claimed.</p>



<p>Considering this was a Q&amp;A streamed live on YouTube, things then got dark, very dark indeed. OMI says that after being detained by the FBI and being run to the station, all he could think of was killing himself, live on YouTube.</p>



<p><em>&#8220;I&#8217;m gonna go on live&#8230;.and i&#8217;m going to kill myself. I&#8217;m gonna go on live, express how I feel and then shoot myself on live.&#8221;</em></p>



<p>Thankfully, for everyone&#8217;s sake, that didn&#8217;t happen.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube aligncenter wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="OMI IN A HELLCAT CABLE TV PIRATE GEARS TV RELOADED TV" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XcNEa-kIRTQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div><figcaption><em>OMI laying everything out there a few months ago</em></figcaption></figure>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179565
title: UK Man Admits to Selling £400,000 in Pirate Streaming Subscriptions
uri: UK-Man-Admits-to-Selling-400-000-in-Pirate-Streaming-Subscriptions
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/gLaL3d2i0hE/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/fdb4ba62.streamingkey.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/streamingkey.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-125426"/></figure></div>



<p>Pirate streaming services remain widely appealing to a broad audience. At a fraction of the cost of regular subscriptions, they open the door to all sorts of entertainment. </p>



<p>This practice is a thorn in the side of rights holders, who are increasingly cracking down on this business. In the UK, anti-piracy group <a href="https://www.fact-uk.org.uk/">FACT</a> has been leading the charge.</p>



<p>The group&#8217;s referrals have resulted in several successful convictions, which often include prison sentences. This morning, Steven Underwood, another FACT target, faced justice before the Truro Magistrates Court.</p>



<p>FACT suspected the man of selling pirate subscriptions and in January, the&nbsp;Police Regional Organised Crime Unit entered his home with a search warrant. They seized his phone and laptop, among other things, which later confirmed his involvement. </p>



<p>A follow-up investigation revealed that Underwood sold roughly £400,000 worth of subscriptions. That&#8217;s a substantial amount, but the yearly profits are likely much lower. The service may have been running for years already and the man likely had to pay a supplier as well. </p>



<p>The subscriptions provided access to a wide variety of content, including that of  Sky, BT, and the Premier League. </p>



<p>While these types of cases can be drawn out, the seller admitted both copyright and fraud charges, FACT informs TorrentFreak. Following this guilty plea, the court&#8217;s main decision is to determine the appropriate conviction.</p>



<p>As is common with these announcements, details are scarce. The name of the streaming service or what it offered exactly is unknown. FACT CEO  Kieron Sharp is, however, using the opportunity to warn other vendors. </p>



<p>“We are constantly working to remove sellers of illegal streaming subscriptions from the market and bring them to justice. The message is clear &#8211; if you are tempted to sell access to content that is not licensed or owned by you, you risk facing a criminal conviction,&#8221; Sharp says.</p>



<p>The sentencing of Underwood is scheduled to take place next month. He faces a maximum prison sentence of up to&nbsp;two years for the copyright offense, and ten years for fraud.</p>



<p>That said, history has shown that actual sentences depend on a variety of factors which can vary quite a bit. </p>



<p>This summer, FACT boasted that the mastermind behind the Dreambox service was sentenced to <a href="https://www.fact-uk.org.uk/three-sellers-of-illegal-streaming-devices-jailed-for-a-total-of-17-years-for-defrauding-premier-league/">seven years and four months</a> of jail time. A few weeks later, however, a seller of&nbsp;pirate streaming devices was<a href="https://www.fact-uk.org.uk/london-retailer-convicted-of-fraud-and-copyright-offences/"> handed a sentence</a> of 300 hours unpaid community service. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179618
title: DISH Sues Multiple ‘Pirate’ TV Streaming Sites
uri: DISH-Sues-Multiple-Pirate-TV-Streaming-Sites
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/v342GmN95e4/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/62b29e54.dishc.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/dishc.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-160937" width="260" height="160"/></figure></div>



<p>When it comes to tackling &#8216;pirate&#8217; sites and services, US broadcaster DISH Network is one of the most active litigants in the United States.</p>



<p>The company has <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/tvaddons-and-dish-network-settle-copyright-infringement-lawsuit-180826/">targeted</a> Kodi add-on repository TVAddons, Kodi <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/court-orders-zemtv-kodi-addon-developer-to-pay-650000-piracy-damages-181025/">add-on developers</a>, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/?s=dish+iptv">IPTV suppliers</a>, IPTV resellers, and players in the satellite card-sharing space.</p>



<p>This week the company filed a new lawsuit in a Texas district court targeting the operators of 15 domains that allegedly stream DISH content to the public without appropriate licensing.</p>



<p>DISH&#8217;s complaint says that 15 &#8216;Doe&#8217; defendants are behind the websites Freetvall.net, Freetvall.xyz, Freetvall.me, Freetvall.live, Livetvcafe.com, Livetvcafe.net, Livetvcafe.me, Time4tv.com, Time4tv.net, Time4tv.me, Cricket-tv.net, Crickettv.me, Tv4embed.com, and A1livetv.com.</p>



<p>Checks against the domains indicate that the Freetvall domains are connected to the same platform, currently operating at Freetvall.xyz. The site is a goldmine of free embedded TV channels, not only from DISH, but from broadcasters around the world including Sky and ESPN, to name just two.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/4480c50b.image-164.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-164.png" alt="" class="wp-image-179642"/><figcaption><em>Freetvall.xyz</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>The second batch of &#8216;Livetvcafe&#8217; domains appear to redirect to the same website,  Livetvcafe.me. It bears a striking similarity to the site located at Freetvall.xyz albeit with slight variations in content. Cricket-tv.net and Crickettv.me triggered malware warnings in our tests, so were skipped.</p>



<p>In respect of streaming, A1livetv is currently non-functioning, likewise Cricket-tv.net and Cricket-tv.me. TV4embed.com currently offers no video content but does display a notice stating the following:</p>



<p>&#8220;DMCA: This site only contains links and embeds to TV channels from 3rd party sites which are freely available on all Internet. We are not affiliated in any way with the broadcasted channels nor responsible for their content. All content is copyright of their respective owners.&#8221;</p>



<p>Despite the seemingly hopeful position of this apparent disclaimer, the above statement is precisely what DISH considers to be infringing when it comes to these platforms.</p>



<p>&#8220;Upon information and belief, Defendants search the Internet for unauthorized sources of the Protected Channels and identify links to that content. Defendants then upload these links for the Protected Channels onto the Free TV Websites,&#8221; the broadcaster&#8217;s complaint reads.</p>



<p>It appears that DISH has been working since September 2013 to have all of these sites taken down. The company says it directly sent the platforms &#8220;at least&#8221; 49 notices of infringement demanding that they cease their activities but none were responded to.</p>



<p>DISH also sent the same number of notices to the sites&#8217; hosts, at least some of which were passed on to the defendants. However, even when the service providers acted to remove content, DISH says it faced &#8220;interference&#8221;, such as the defendants switching hosts or links to content.</p>



<p>As a result, DISH says that the defendants have &#8220;actual knowledge&#8221; that the transmission of its channels infringes the broadcaster&#8217;s exclusive rights so are therefore liable for inducing and materially contributing to copyright infringement.</p>



<p>The company is demanding a permanent injunction against the defendants and anyone working in concert with them from &#8220;transmitting, streaming, distributing, publicly performing, linking to, hosting, promoting, advertising or displaying&#8221; any of DISH&#8217;s protected content in the United States, and/or inducing others in respect of the same.</p>



<p>DISH is also demanding statutory damages of up to $150,000 for each of 112 or more registered works and profits attributable to the infringement of any unregistered works. In addition to attorneys&#8217; fees, the broadcaster also wants to seize all of the domains listed in the lawsuit.</p>



<p><em>A copy of DISH&#8217;s complaint can be found <a href="media/145687a3.rk-L.L.C.-v.-DOES-1-15-dba-Freetvall-et-al-complaint-191121-.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/4-19-cv-04563-DISH-Network-L.L.C.-v.-DOES-1-15-dba-Freetvall-et-al-complaint-191121-.pdf">here</a> (pdf)</em>.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179637
title: French Court Orders ISPs to Block Torrent Sites and File-Hosters
uri: French-Court-Orders-ISPs-to-Block-Torrent-Sites-and-File-Hosters
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/sGacMgoVcjA/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/01e43770.franceflag.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/franceflag.png" alt="" class="wp-image-131983"/></figure></div>



<p>Pirate site-blocking has become a prime measure for the entertainment industries to target pirate sites on the Internet.</p>



<p>The practice has been around for over a decade and has gradually expanded to&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/nearly-4000-pirate-sites-are-blocked-by-isps-around-the-world-190210/">more than 30 countries</a>&nbsp;around the world.</p>



<p>This is also true in France, where The Pirate Bay was one of the first targets five years ago, but not the last. Several site-blocking applications followed, mostly on behalf of the local anti-piracy group La Société Civile des Producteurs Phonographiques, or SCPP as it’s more commonly known. </p>



<p>The organization, which represents over 2,000 music companies, including Warner, Universal, and Sony, is also behind the most recent blocking efforts.</p>



<p>In three separate orders, a Paris court recently ordered Internet providers  Bouygues, Free, Orange, SFR, and SFR Fibre, to prevent customers from accessing piracy-linked websites. </p>



<p>The first order is targeted at six relatively small file-hosting services: Nippyspace.com, Nippyshare.com, Yolobit.com, Nippybox.com, Nippyfile.com, and Nippydrive.com. The sites in question all share the same simple design.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/9fb437a2.nippy.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/nippy.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179689"/></figure></div>



<p>The term file-hoster or cyberlocker can have a broad meaning. In this case, the sites also provided a search function, which makes pirated content easier to find. Also, Zippyshare is no stranger to the music industry, as the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/bulletproof-hosting-is-an-emerging-piracy-threat-riaa-warns-181004/">RIAA previously listed it </a>as a &#8216;notorious&#8217; pirate site. </p>



<p>While SCPP didn&#8217;t respond to our request for comment, the Finnish anti-piracy group TTVK notes that the ruling is unique, as it&#8217;s the first court order that requires ISPs to block a file-hosting service in Europe. </p>



<p>&#8220;The decision of the French court confirms the view that blocking orders should be available for all pirated content services, regardless of the technology,&#8221; TTVK  Executive Director Jaana Pihkala&nbsp;says.  </p>



<p>The other two orders, which were released on the same day, target the torrent sites Torlock.com, Toros.co, Bittorrent.am, Seedpeer.me, Yggserver.net and Yggtorrent.ch, as well as the linking site 2DDL.vg.</p>



<p>Interestingly, <a href="https://www.nextinpact.com/">NextInpact</a> notes that the court suggested that the use of the word &#8220;BitTorrent&#8221; assumes bad intent, as the file-sharing protocol is often associated with piracy. This is rather broad, as there are also many legitimate BitTorrent services. </p>



<p>The orders (<a href="media/f94a7303.odonnance-1.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/odonnance-1.pdf">1</a>, <a href="media/fea79fe0.ordonnance-2.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/ordonnance-2.pdf">2</a>, and <a href="media/da6e7e2d.ordonance-3.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/ordonance-3.pdf">3</a>) are valid for 18 months.&nbsp;The Internet providers will have to pay the blocking costs themselves but did not oppose the orders in court. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179585
title: Open Source LibreTorrent Client Kicked Out By Google Play
uri: Open-Source-LibreTorrent-Client-Kicked-Out-By-Google-Play
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/T9bSloyAAUo/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/4b14a484.googleplay.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/googleplay.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-148493"/></figure></div>



<p>Broadly speaking, torrent clients come in two flavors; closed source (such as uTorrent or BitTorrent Mainline) or open-source, such as qBittorrent or BiglyBT, for example.</p>



<p>Many experienced torrent users often favor the latter, since the code of open-source clients is not only open to scrutiny but can give others the ability to learn about or further develop software. So of course, it&#8217;s never great when something bad happens to an open-source project.</p>



<p>Yaroslav Pronin, a student and Russia-based <a href="https://gitlab.com/proninyaroslav">developer</a> of Android torrent client LibreTorrent, is an advocate of <a href="https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html">Free Software</a>. He informs TF that he began work on his tool in 2016 because he believed there wasn&#8217;t a &#8220;complete freedom&#8221; torrent client available for the platform.</p>



<p>Pronin says that he was also motivated by the fact that BitTorrent has been under pressure, with sites blocked both in Russia and overseas due to copyright issues.</p>



<p>&#8220;A Free Software torrent client is an important step in supporting BitTorrent technology for the free (as in Freedom) exchange of information between people,&#8221; he explains.</p>



<p>As a result, Pronin went down the <a href="https://gitlab.com/proninyaroslav/libretorrent">open-source route</a> (GNU GPLv3) for LibreTorrent and gathered a decent-sized following. But despite all his good intentions, he still found his software deleted from Google Play recently for a somewhat unusual reason.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/24f2cc75.image-163.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-163.png" alt="" class="wp-image-179606"/><figcaption><em>LibreTorrent on Google Play before the deletion</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>What happened behind the scenes here is something of a mystery. Pronin says that he first became aware of an issue in early October when Google advised him that his software had been marked as &#8216;spam&#8217;, which indicates the client is considered &#8220;non-original&#8221; content. </p>



<p>&#8220;It was the morning of October 8, 2019, when I read the e-mail from Google that LibreTorrent was deleted. They wrote the reason: &#8216;Violation of Spam policy&#8217;,&#8221; Pronin explains.</p>



<p>&#8220;I was shocked, because I didn&#8217;t violate anything of the kind. Therefore, I turned to Google with the first appeal, so that they could clarify the situation, and also figure out that I didn&#8217;t violate the spam policy.&#8221;</p>



<p>It turned out that Google wasn&#8217;t interested in reconsidering its position.</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p><em>Status of app LibreTorrent (org.proninyaroslav.libretorrent): Suspended from Google Play due to policy violation.</em></p><p><em>I’ve reviewed your appeal request and found that your app still violates Google Play Policy. During review, we found that your app violates the policy for Spam. We don’t allow apps that spam users or Google Play, such as apps that are duplicative and low-quality.</em></p></blockquote>



<p>&#8220;As I can think, this was due to the fact that there were many LibreTorrent clones on Google Play and Google just uninstalled all the apps without understanding the essence of what was happening,&#8221; he says, commenting on the app&#8217;s deletion from Google Play.</p>



<p>Pronin informs TorrentFreak that thus far, Google has only responded to him once, informing him of the reason for deletion. He says he sent information confirming him as the developer of the original LibreTorrent but that achieved nothing.</p>



<p>&#8220;I filed an appeal, but in response I was told that they can not help in any way and the only option is to rename the application and lay it out again,&#8221; he explains.</p>



<p>Completely renaming an app and losing an established brand seems a draconian measure to force on a developer. Sadly, it may be that other developers who took LibreTorrent&#8217;s source and decided to abuse it may be to blame.</p>



<p>&#8220;Since 2016, a lot of LibreTorrent clones have appeared on Google Play. I understand that LibreTorrent is open source, but those who published these clones on Google Play didn&#8217;t modify the source code,&#8221; he says.</p>



<p>&#8220;They only added ads and changed the name of the application. Yes, there were authoring developments based on LibreTorrent, but there are much fewer of them than clones with advertising. Most of the clones were removed last year at my request, but they appear again and again. </p>



<p>&#8220;Google just decided that LibreTorrent is an application with non-original content, as many LibreTorrent clones are located on Google Play. It&#8217;s also possible that the author of one of the clones filed a complaint for the removal of the original LibreTorrent. We can only guess about it.&#8221;</p>



<p>Pronin is understandably upset and disappointed with Google. He says that the company has made no effort to understand the situation yet, meanwhile, leaves up actually malicious software for download until someone complains.</p>



<p>More importantly for him, however, is that with the removal of LibreTorrent, fewer people overall will learn about Free Software. He acknowledges that Google services are both non-free and have privacy problems but getting the Free Software message out to as many people as possible was one of his key goals.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s also a shame since after a year in development, LibreTorrent 2.0 is almost ready for launch. The source code has been rewritten to increase stability and there are around 20 new features, including an updated UI.</p>



<p>Whether Google will eventually relent remains to be seen but in the meantime, anyone wanting to download LibreTorrent can do so <a href="https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.proninyaroslav.libretorrent/">here</a> and <a href="https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/libretorrent-t3483550">here</a>.</p>



<p><br></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179538
title: Microsoft Leaves Anti-Piracy Group After it Scolded EFF’s New Board Chair
uri: Microsoft-Leaves-Anti-Piracy-Group-After-it-Scolded-EFF-s-New-Board
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/bYzSQG8zsJI/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/80b44733.windowspiratemicrosoft.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/windowspiratemicrosoft.png" alt="" class="wp-image-143278"/></figure></div>



<p>In recent years <a href="https://creativefuture.org/">CreativeFuture</a> has been one of the most vocal anti-piracy groups. </p>



<p>The coalition is made up of more than 550 organizations as well as hundreds of thousands of individual creators. </p>



<p>The group lobbies lawmakers and leads the charge when it comes to many anti-piracy discussions. Its message is loud and clear: piracy is terrible and Google is enemy number one.</p>



<p>In recent years CreativeFuture has repeatedly pitted itself against major technology companies which it believes don&#8217;t do enough to curb piracy. In this often hostile ecosystem, it found one sole tech giant at its side, Microsoft. </p>



<p>&#8220;In an era of creative decimation perpetrated by the world&#8217;s biggest technology companies, one of their very biggest&nbsp;made a point of joining us to stand up for copyright,&#8221; CreativeFuture noted in a recent mailing. &nbsp; </p>



<p>While that sounds positive, the reason for the email isn&#8217;t good. The anti-piracy coalition explains that Microsoft is the first member to ever leave the group. While the company hasn&#8217;t publicly explained its motives, CreativeFuture knows why. </p>



<p>According to the mailing, Microsoft wasn&#8217;t happy with <a href="https://creativefuture.org/pamela-samuelson/">an article</a> the group wrote about Pamela Samuelson, the <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/09/new-chair-effs-board-directors-renowned-legal-expert-pamela-samuelson">new Board Chair at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)</a>.</p>



<p>CreativeFuture and EFF often find themselves at odds and the former has repeatedly criticized the digital rights group. In its most recent article, CreativeFuture highlights what it calls Samuelson&#8217;s &#8220;miserable copyright record.&#8221;</p>



<p>This apparently went a step too far for Microsoft. While the company probably hoped to keep its disagreement out of public view, CreativeFuture decided otherwise, going on the attack. </p>



<p>&#8220;Confused and hurt, we did some digging, and discovered that Samuelson and Microsoft have a long history together, going at least as far back as 2005, when Microsoft gifted a whopping $1 million to the Samuelson Law, Technology &amp; Public Policy Clinic at UC Berkeley,&#8221; CreativeFuture <a href="media/fe8888ad.cffull.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/cffull.jpg">writes</a>.</p>



<p>In addition, the coalition points out that Samuelson published a paper&nbsp;defending Microsoft in a lawsuit against AT&amp;T, while the tech company continued to support the Samuelson Clinic.</p>



<p>CreativeFuture says that it &#8220;gets it&#8221; and that Samuelson may be a &#8220;lovely person with a kind and tender heart.&#8221; However, it notes that by backing her, the company is turning its back &#8220;on the core copyright industries,&#8221; including many software developers. </p>



<p>&#8220;As one of the world&#8217;s most innovative companies, Microsoft, you should know better than anyone that copyright is the&nbsp;fuel of innovation&nbsp;in this country, the assurance that innovators will be compensated&nbsp;for doing their important work. </p>



<p>&#8220;From this perspective, your relationship with Pamela Samuelson is ultimately a kind of self-sabotage, an attack on the very values that have helped your company thrive,&#8221; CreativeFuture adds.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/00407488.CFletter.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/CFletter.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179626"/></figure></div>



<p>CreativeFuture says it&#8217;s sad to see Microsoft go. It will continue its anti-piracy quest and hopes that the tech giant will one day rejoin. However, considering its scathing letter, that&#8217;s very unlikely. </p>



<p>We don&#8217;t know Microsoft&#8217;s exact reasons for leaving. Perhaps the arguments against Samuelson weren&#8217;t the problem as much as the fact that it was made personal. Personal attacks can be quite effective and fuel most of the online discourse today, but they may not fit Microsoft&#8217;s image. </p>



<p>That said, it may also be that Microsoft no longer sees fit to support CreativeFuture, as it has interests and allies on the other side as well. That&#8217;s certainly not uncommon and happens on both sides of the copyright/technology divide.</p>



<p>For example, when we researched an unrelated article, we noticed that Netflix has left the <a href="https://internetassociation.org/our-members/">Internet Association</a>, which is critical of stringent copyright legislation. While no reason was mentioned, Netflix&#8217;s departure took place late last year, just a few weeks before it joined the Motion Picture Association.</p>



<p>Whatever Microsoft&#8217;s precise motives are, the company can be assured that CreativeFuture will keep a close eye on its copyright track record going forward.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179686
title: Millions in Crypto & Cash Seized in Movie Piracy Investigation
uri: Millions-in-Crypto-Cash-Seized-in-Movie-Piracy-Investigation
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/tEhWzpAbrEs/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/4b0dceca.bitcoin1.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/bitcoin1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-69038" width="254" height="230"/></figure></div>



<p>When New Zealand, alleged movie piracy, cash seizures, and a US-based investigation feature in the same sentence, what follows is usually information pertaining to Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom.</p>



<p>It transpires, however, that there are other pretty big players on the radars of authorities in both countries.</p>



<p>Back in June, software programmer Jaron David McIvor received an unwelcome visit from police in New Zealand who were investigating a movie piracy case in the United States. It took at least two visits but Ivor ultimately ended up handing over $1.1 million in cash and the keys to his cryptocurrency accounts containing almost $6.7 million.</p>



<p>The case, which has just been made public by <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&amp;objectid=12286896">NZHerald</a>, centers around alleged money laundering. According to Detective Senior Sergeant Keith Kay, the head of the Asset Recovery Unit in Waikato, McIvor helped to create a movie piracy site in the United States from which he received an estimated $2m.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s reported that the money was deposited into various bank accounts from wire transfers, Stripe, and PayPal. It was the latter who identified &#8220;suspicious activity&#8221; on an account linked to McIvor and subsequently reported the matter to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the United States.</p>



<p>Since the funds were allegedly generated from crimes that took place in the United States, moving the funds into New Zealand was sufficient to trigger a money-laundering investigation and the seizure of the funds earlier this year.</p>



<p>The name of the pirate platform allegedly co-founded by McIvor has not been named. However, police have confirmed that other individuals are under investigation in the United States, Canada, and Vietnam.</p>



<p>The seizures that began in June in New Zealand came just a month after <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/us-govt-seizes-millions-in-cash-crypto-in-movie-piracy-case-190514/">news broke</a> in the United States that authorities had seized around $4 million worth of cash and cryptocurrency there as part of an investigation into alleged movie piracy.</p>



<p>The two cases are not currently being linked by authorities but they share some similarities. Both involve an alleged pirate movie site in the US, both received a PayPal referral for suspicious activity, and both resulted in the seizure of large volumes of cash and cryptocurrency.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179701
title: Private Internet Access to Be Acquired by Kape
uri: Private-Internet-Access-to-Be-Acquired-by-Kape
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/8__f5gk2_tE/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/95cf1402.pia1.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/pia1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-112870"/></figure></div>



<p>Private Internet Access, commonly known as <a href="https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/">PIA</a>, is one of the largest VPN providers in the world. </p>



<p>In recent years it&#8217;s become a well-established brand that has had its no-logging policy tested in court, with success. </p>



<p>This week the company announced that some changes are afoot. PIA&#8217;s parent organization LTMI Holdings is in the process of a merger acquisition by the publicly traded  <a href="https://www.kape.com/about-us.html">Kape Technologies</a>, which also owns the Cyberghost and Zenmate VPN services. </p>



<p>As part of the planned deal, Kape will pay $95.5 million. Part of this will be paid in cash, Vox <a href="https://www.voxmarkets.co.uk/articles/kape-technologies-to-acquire-digital-privacy-firm-for-95-5-million-86f2ebc/">reports</a>, and Kape is also planning to pay the $32.1 million in existing debt PIA has on the books.</p>



<p>With the planned merger acquisition Kape hopes to become a dominant force in the VPN industry. </p>



<p>“In one acquisition, I believe we have positioned Kape to fast become one of the leading digital privacy service providers in the world, empowering consumers to manage their own data and digital security,” Kape&#8217;s CEO Ido Erlichman comments.</p>



<p>PIA&#8217;s CEO Ted Kim is also pleased with the deal and notes that it will help to improve the digital privacy and security of PIA&#8217;s subscribers worldwide. </p>



<p>There are no changes planned in the short term. The Private Internet Access name will remain in use for now, just as Cyberghost and Zenmate are still using their original brands. However, the acquisition has <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/PrivateInternetAccess/">raised questions</a> among some users. </p>



<p>Some have pointed at Kape&#8217;s history. The company had previously operated under the name Crossrider and was active in the advertising space. Among other things, it installed toolbars with ‘potentially unwanted software.’ While the company has since switched to a focus on cybersecurity, this past has made some people suspicious. </p>



<p>In an article addressing some of the questions, PIA assured its subscribers that its course is not going to change. According to Chief Communications Officer, Christel Dahlskjaer, privacy and security remain the top priority.</p>



<p>&#8220;From day one, we have been clear that&nbsp;your privacy is our policy&nbsp;and that the Private Internet Access VPN and our other privacy products exist to bring&nbsp;power to the people.</p>



<p>&#8220;The people are our stakeholders, and it is to you all, collectively, that we must remain accountable,&#8221; Dahlskjaer adds. She points out that PIA worked with Kape&#8217;s to establish a shared <a href="http://investors.kape.com/about-us">mission and guiding principles</a>, which reflects the core values.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s inevitable that any corporate deal in the VPN industry will be watched closely and that&#8217;s a good thing. VPN providers rely on trust and should be judged by their actions. The company that protects its customers the best way it can, will ultimately be the most successful. </p>



<p>PIA believes that, by teaming up with Kape, it has the best shot at achieving this goal and asks users to give it the time to prove itself.</p>



<p><em>&#8212;</em>&#8211;</p>



<p><em>Disclaimer: PIA is one of our sponsors. This article was written independently, as all of our articles are. We generally don&#8217;t report on VPN business news but felt that it was good to mention this development.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179311
title: Nintendo Wipes ‘Piracy Enabling’ URLs from Google with Anti-Circumvention Notices
uri: Nintendo-Wipes-Piracy-Enabling-URLs-from-Google-with-Anti-Circum
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/FSJlNBAABD8/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/d2a6a1cc.nintendodongle.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/nintendodongle.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179513" width="272" height="230"/></figure></div>



<p>As one of the most iconic gaming manufacturers in the world, Nintendo has been fighting piracy for many years.</p>



<p>The company has an in-house anti-piracy division that signals the latest threats to steer enforcement actions in the right direction. </p>



<p>This has resulted in high-profile lawsuits <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/nintendo-wins-12-million-from-pirate-rom-site-operators-181112/">against ROM sites </a>as well as site blocking efforts. For example, earlier this year the company obtained an injunction from the UK High Court which ordered local ISPs to <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/nintendo-wins-blocking-injunction-against-four-piracy-enabling-sites-190911/">block sites that enable Nintendo Switch piracy</a>.</p>



<p>This included the homes of the infamous Team-Xecutor, as well as sites that sell R4i flashcard adaptors which allow Switch owners to load custom firmware.</p>



<p>The problem for Nintendo is that this blockade is limited to the UK. However, in recent months the company has used another strategy to limit the availability of these sites worldwide, with minimal effort. Instead of going to court, it went to Google. </p>



<p>The gaming company has sent hundreds of takedown notices to the search engine, targeting thousands of URLs. These requests are not standard copyright takedowns. Instead, Nintendo flags the sites for violating the DMCA&#8217;s anti-circumvention provision.</p>



<p>This includes many pages from Team-Xecuter&#8217;s site, which offers software to jailbreak the Switch console and bypass other protection measures. </p>



<p>&#8220;Nintendo&#8217;s technological protection measures (&#8216;TPMs&#8217;) ensure that only official copies of its game software can be played on Nintendo&#8217;s video game systems,&#8221; Nintendo writes.   </p>



<p>&#8220;The circumvention devices, products or components offered at the reported links bypass Nintendo&#8217;s TPMs so that users can play unauthorized copies of Nintendo&#8217;s game files that are offered unlawfully via the Internet,&#8221; the notice adds. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/ed9835a2.xecut1.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/xecut1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179524" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/xecut1.jpg 551w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/xecut1-500x210.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 551px) 100vw, 551px" /><figcaption>Some of the URLs</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>Nintendo notes that some of the URLs offer circumvention devices and tools directly, but it also highlights pages that &#8220;<a href="https://www.lumendatabase.org/notices/19462062">promote and direct</a>&#8221; visitors to resellers of the circumvention components.</p>



<p>While Team-Xecuter is one of the main targets, Nintendo is also going after legitimate stores that offer R4i and R4S dongles. This includes <a href="https://www.lumendatabase.org/notices/19528838">Newegg</a>, a well-known electronics retailer based in California. </p>



<p>At the time of writing, Newegg no longer lists any R4i dongles on its .com site but the Canadian version still has some, including <a href="https://www.newegg.ca/p/01M-067U-00010">the one below</a>. Nintendo also asked Google to remove this page, but for now, it&#8217;s still listed in the search results.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/978a05bc.newegg.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/newegg.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179522"/></figure></div>



<p>The same isn&#8217;t true for many other pages. Most well-ranked Team-Xecuter URLs, including the homepage, have been removed from Google. The same is true for other sites such as usachipss.com, mod-switch.com, mlgames.net, and funnyplaying.com.  </p>



<p>Whether the site operators agree with the takedowns or not, they are generally irreversible. Google says that unlike regular DMCA copyright takedowns, there is no counternotice process.  The DMCA doesn’t prescribe a takedown and counter-notification scheme for DRM circumvention. </p>



<p>While Google has voluntarily chosen to take the URLs offline, it is not required to offer a counter-notice option. This puts targeted sites at a severe disadvantage. </p>



<p>This means that for rightsholders this takedown route can be quite effective. Just a few weeks ago we showed that the RIAA <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/riaa-delists-youtube-rippers-from-google-using-rare-anti-circumvention-notices-191108/">uses the same grounds</a> to remove the URLs of YouTube download platforms, and even <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/scammers-hit-pirate-game-sites-with-irreversible-google-takedowns-181130/">scammers</a> have previously used the anti-circumvention route as well.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179723
title: Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week on BitTorrent – 11/25/19
uri: Top-10-Most-Pirated-Movies-of-The-Week-on-BitTorrent-11-25-19
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/4dk4jywFb7o/
content:
<p><img class="alignright wp-image-179726" src="media/dcdcf9a7.gemin.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/gemin.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" />This week we have four newcomers in our chart.</p>
<p>Gemini Man is the most downloaded movie.</p>
<p>The data for our weekly download chart is estimated by TorrentFreak, and is for informational and educational reference only. All the movies in the list are Web-DL/Webrip/HDRip/BDrip/DVDrip unless stated otherwise.</p>
<p><a href="http://torrentfreak.com/category/dvdrip/feed/"><strong>RSS feed</strong></a> for the articles of the recent weekly movie download charts.</p>
<h5>This week&#8217;s most downloaded movies are:</h5>
<table class="css hover">
<thead>
<tr>
<th width="12%"><strong>Movie Rank</strong></th>
<th width="15%"><strong>Rank <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-pirated-movies-of-the-week-on-bittorrent-11-18-19/">last week</a></strong></th>
<th><strong>Movie name</strong></th>
<th width="18%"><strong>IMDb Rating / Trailer</strong></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tfoot>
<tr>
<td colspan="4">Most downloaded movies via torrents</td>
</tr>
</tfoot>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>1</strong></td>
<td>(3)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1025100/">Gemini Man</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1025100/">5.7</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbyJignbSj0">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>2</strong></td>
<td>(1)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6189022/">Angel Has Fallen</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6189022/">6.5</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isVtXH7n9lI">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>3</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1206885/">Rambo: Last Blood</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1206885/">6.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km_L0v3C0ms">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>4</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7131622/">Once Upon a Time &#8230; in Hollywood</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7131622/">7.9</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELeMaP8EPAA">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td>(2)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7286456/">Joker</a> (Subbed HDRip)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7286456/">8.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAGVQLHvwOY">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7349950/">It Chapter Two</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7349950/">6.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taE3PwurhYM">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td>(4)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7547410/">Dora and the Lost City of Gold</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7547410/">6.0</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUTtJjV852c">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7798634/">Ready or Not</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7798634/">7.0</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtYTwUxhAoI">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>9</strong></td>
<td>(5)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6105098/">The Lion King</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6105098/">7.1</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Raf9bVk75s8">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>10</strong></td>
<td>(9)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8096832/">Lady and the Tramp</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8096832/">6.5</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2ZDDU34gYw">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179719
title: MPA & Roadshow-Led Coalition File Major Pirate Site-Blocking Application
uri: MPA-Roadshow-Led-Coalition-File-Major-Pirate-Site-Blocking-Applicati
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/srDallLKnTo/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/e49204f7.deniedblocked.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/deniedblocked.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-143825"/></figure></div>



<p>Despite a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/uk-pirate-site-blocking-requests-have-stopped-for-now-190715/">clear decrease</a> in momentum in the UK in recent times, site-blocking remains a favored anti-piracy tool in many countries around the world.</p>



<p>Companies exploiting the Australian market seem convinced that the practice is good for business, as a brand new blocking application filed at the Federal Court shows. First reported by <a href="https://www.computerworld.com.au/article/668996/roadshow-netflix-seek-block-open-source-popcorn-time-app/">ComputerWorld</a>, it features a broad coalition of movie, TV show, and anime companies, all of whom have previous blocking experience in Australia.</p>



<p>To keep the &#8216;feel&#8217; of the application as local as possible, it&#8217;s no surprise that Roadshow Films is the lead applicant, despite having just one movie (The Lego Movie) listed in court documents. The remaining 11 include Disney, Paramount, Columbia, Universal, Warner and Netflix, plus Hong Kong-based broadcaster <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/broadcaster-wins-streaming-piracy-blocking-case-in-australia-180921/">Television Broadcasts Limited</a> and anime distributor Madman Anime.</p>



<p>With the companies involved having trod the blocking injunction path many times before, the application itself now takes a very familiar form. It demands that 50 local ISPs including Telstra, Optus, TPG and Vodafone block a wide range of &#8216;pirate&#8217; sites. In terms of content, however, this is one of the broadest applications yet.</p>



<p>In Australia legal-speak, pirate sites of all kinds are referred to as &#8220;Target Online Locations&#8221; (TOL), of which there are 87 (identified by their domains) in the current application. </p>



<p>There are several categories of &#8216;TOL&#8217; &#8211; streaming platforms, download platforms, linking sites (including torrent sites), sites that offer software that allows streaming or downloads, those that provide subtitles for copyright works, plus sites that offer proxy access to pirate sites.</p>



<p>Some notable inclusions are the community-resurrected KickassTorrents site operating from <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/kickasstorrents-brought-back-to-life-by-original-staffers-161216/">Katcr.co</a>, plus some less than authentic Kickass clones operating from around half a dozen additional URLs.</p>



<p>The same goes for a range of domains trading on the SolarMovie, YIFY and YTS brands, without being connected to the original sites. In fact, many domains listed in the application follow this copycat theme, including those featuring 123movies, Primewire, CouchTuner, Putlocker, WatchFree, ProjectFreeTV, and YesMovies-style wording.</p>



<p>An interesting addition is that of getpopcorntime.is. This isn&#8217;t the original Popcorn Time app download site but does offer a variant of the software that can be used to gain access to movies and TV shows. However, the domain itself doesn&#8217;t offer any infringing content, or any links to the same.</p>



<p>Subtitle download sites, including TVSubtitles.net and MSubs.net, are included in the application. These types of platforms were previously the topic of debate in a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/australian-court-orders-isps-to-block-181-pirate-domains-including-subtitle-sites-181220/">previous application</a> but the court eventually conceded they can indeed be blocked.</p>



<p>In a sign of how far the net is now being cast (most of the major pirate sites are already blocked in Australia), this application also features Russian torrent giant Rutor.info and China-focused btbtdy.me. Both of these sites have plenty of alternative domains so blocking just these two is unlikely to achieve much.</p>



<p>Finally, no blocking application would be complete without an effort to block all the &#8216;proxy&#8217; sites that have the sole purpose of facilitating access to sites blocked as a result of previous injunctions. The problem in respect of these proxies seems to be considerable, with at least 13 of the 87 domains in this application falling into that category.</p>



<p>&#8212;</p>



<p><em>The full list of domains requested for blocking is as follows:</em></p>



<p><em>Proxyportal.org, proxyportal.ws, mrunlock.space, nocensor.casa, nocensor.fun, unblockproject.icu, unblockproject.info, 123unblock.fun, 123unblock.icu, prox4you.pro, prox4you.info, unblocked.to, prostylex.org, torrents.io, katcr.co, katcr.to, kikass.to, kat.sx, kickass.sx, kickass1.to, kat.ag, ibit.to, onionplay.eu, onionplaynetwork.xyz, onionplay.co, p30download.com, torrentquest.com, rutor.info, btbtdy.me, lookmovie.ag, 037hdd.com, cuevana3.co, exsite24.pl, downduck.com, downloadha.com, emotionvideo-tv.com, movieon21.xyz, modufree.net, j20.hitjjal.com, phim33.com, tfp.is, tvsubtitles.net, msubs.net, dytt8.net, ttdytt.net, fast-torrent.ru, heroturko.net, imovies.cc, imovies.ge, getpopcorntime.is, toxicwap.com, english-films.com, topeuropix.net, topeuropix.com, poseidonhd.co, anakbnet.com, moviesjoy.net, filmlicious.net, proxybit.pro, 123movies.love, 1primewire.com, movies.cab, putlocker.digital, solarmoviefree.net, solarmovie.net, yifyddl.movie, yify.yt, yify-films.net, yifytorrentz.net, yifymovietorrent.com, ytsdownload.com, movie4k.ag, fmovies.org, 5movies.cloud, couchtuner2.com, couchtuner123.com, couchtuner.watch, couchtuner0.com, 1watchfree.me, putlockerstoworld2.com, putlocker.actor,  zmz2019.com, m4ufree.tv, them4ufree.info, projectfreetv.xyz, yesmovies.gg, yesmovies.ai, yesmovies.cloud, 99kubo.tv, cayphim.net, dramacool.video, gimy.tv, kenh88.com, yeuphimmoi.com, Anime-sharing.com, Tokyotosho.info, animetosho.org, animebam.net, animebam.se, animelon.com, animejolt.com, project-gxs.com, eyeonanime.tv, animehd47.com, animereborn.io</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179462
title: Music Companies Don’t Want Copyright Profs to Be Heard in Piracy Case
uri: Music-Companies-Don-t-Want-Copyright-Profs-to-Be-Heard-in-Piracy-Cas
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/VC83Ukid6uU/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/426331c9.copyright.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/copyright.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179649"/></figure></div>



<p>Earlier this year, several major music companies&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/music-companies-sue-charter-for-turning-a-blind-eye-to-piracy-190326/">sued Charter Communications</a>, one of the largest Internet providers in the US with&nbsp;22 million subscribers.</p>



<p>Helped by the RIAA, Capitol Records, Warner Bros, Sony Music, and others accused Charter of deliberately turning a blind eye to its pirating subscribers.</p>



<p>Due to the wider implications the case may have, it&#8217;s followed closely by industry groups and legal experts. Two weeks ago, a group of <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/copyright-professors-back-isp-charter-to-avoid-dangerous-piracy-liability-precedent-191112/">23 copyright law professors</a> decided to step in, asking the court to hear their opinions which are outlined in a so-called amicus curiae brief.</p>



<p>The professors specifically object to a recent recommendation by a Colorado magistrate judge, which advised not to dismiss the vicarious liability claims for copyright infringement. </p>



<p>According to the judge, Charter’s failure to take other action in response to copyright infringement notices acted as a &#8216;draw&#8217; to current and prospective subscribers, who would want to use the service in order to pirate.</p>



<p>This argument puts all ISPs at &#8220;unprecedented&#8221; risk, the professors warned in response. The same is true for Internet subscribers, who may face more privacy-invasive monitoring policies or lose their Internet access based on one-sided warnings.</p>



<p>While Charter is certainly pleased with the support, the music companies aren&#8217;t. A few days ago they asked the court not to accept the brief from the professors, suggesting that they may not be neutral and don&#8217;t bring anything new to the table.</p>



<p>The music companies first point out that the professors are not &#8220;disinterested&#8221; parties. Some of them may, directly or indirectly, have a vested interest in the outcome of the case. </p>



<p>&#8220;For example, one of the Proposed Amici is the Chairperson of the Board of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (&#8216;EFF&#8217;), a nonprofit digital rights group that often advocates against the interests of copyright owners,&#8221; the music companies write. </p>



<p>&#8220;At a minimum, the Proposed Amici should be required to disclose any employment, consultancy, or other relationships with defendants and other parties that may have interests in the outcome of this action,&#8221; they add.  </p>



<p>According to the rightsholders, Charter is capable enough to make the same arguments itself. In fact, many of the arguments made by the professors are similar to those the ISP already brought up, they say. </p>



<p>Finally, the music companies point out that several of the arguments raised by the copyright professors are not directly related to copyright law. Instead, they relate to the appropriate federal pleading standards, which isn&#8217;t their expertise.  </p>



<p>&#8220;Copyright professors are not professors of civil procedure, they do not<br>study the intricacies of federal pleading standards, and they offer no specialized insight into the implications of Twombly, Iqbal, and the like. </p>



<p>&#8220;Accordingly, the Proposed Amici offer only a weak and redundant opinion on a subject about which the Court and the parties are well-versed,&#8221; the music companies add.   </p>



<p>All in all, it&#8217;s clear that the music companies don&#8217;t want the copyright professors to have their say. It&#8217;s now up to the Colorado Federal Court to decide whether they can or not. After that, it must decide if the magistrate judge&#8217;s recommendations will be adopted.</p>



<p><em>&#8212;</em></p>



<p><em>A copy of the music companies&#8217; submission is <a href="media/f4cdea7f.amiciresponse.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/amiciresponse.pdf">available here (pdf)</a>.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179782
title: TekSavvy Appeals First Canadian Pirate Site Blockade
uri: TekSavvy-Appeals-First-Canadian-Pirate-Site-Blockade
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/q25Kqw6BceI/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/a2cf27d4.canada.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/canada.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-60888"/></figure></div>



<p>Two weeks ago Canada&#8217;s Federal Court approved the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/federal-court-approves-first-pirate-site-blockade-in-canada-191118/">first pirate site blockade</a> in the country. </p>



<p>Following a complaint from major media companies Rogers, Bell and TVA, the Court ordered several major ISPs to block access to domains and IP-addresses of the pirate IPTV service GoldTV. </p>



<p>While the service in question has a relatively modest number of users, the order paves the way for additional site blocking requests that may target traditional pirate sites as well.</p>



<p>This is exactly what major rightsholders have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/telecoms-regulator-denies-canadian-pirate-site-blocking-application-181002/">extensively lobbied for</a> in the past. After a request for a national pirate site blocking scheme was denied last year, the media companies have now accomplished this goal through the courts. </p>



<p>Most Internet providers, which include Bell and Rogers as well, haven&#8217;t objected to the request. However, there&#8217;s one that&#8217;s pushing back. According to TekSavvy, site blocking will do more harm than good and the company filed an official appeal yesterday. </p>



<p>&#8220;We are very concerned about what the federal court&#8217;s new site-blocking regime means for the open Internet as a whole,&#8221; says Andy Kaplan-Myrth  TekSavvy&#8217;s vice-president of regulatory affairs. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/5d8b721a.appeal.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/appeal.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179790" width="529" height="392"/></figure></div>



<p>TekSavvy argues that the Federal Court reached the wrong conclusion and asked for the order to be set aside. One of the problems, according to the ISP, is that the Court heavily relied on a UK ruling, instead of merely following Canadian law. </p>



<p>The ISP further highlights that it runs counter to Canada&#8217;s Net Neutrality principles.</p>



<p>&#8220;[The order] is based on foreign law, and it clearly violates Network Neutrality, without giving any serious consideration to that fundamental principle of communications law in Canada,&#8221; Kaplan-Myrth tells TorrentFreak. </p>



<p>&#8220;If it is allowed to stand, this site-blocking order will be just the first of many, undermining the open Internet to protect the profits and business models of a handful of powerful media conglomerates,&#8221; he adds.</p>



<p>TekSavvy is the only ISP to file an appeal but, outside court, there has been strong opposition from others. Canadian law professor Michael Geist, for example, has <a href="http://www.michaelgeist.ca/2019/11/fools-gold-why-a-federal-court-judge-was-wrong-to-issue-a-website-blocking-order-against-goldtv/">criticized</a> the ruling, arguing that the Government should weigh in on such a crucial matter.</p>



<p>&#8220;In reviewing the GoldTV ruling, it is obvious that site blocking raises so many issues that it requires a government policy decision, not a single judge making a myriad of policy calls,&#8221; Geist noted.</p>



<p>Meanwhile, the Federal Court&#8217;s order has already resulted in the first blocks. Several people are reporting that their ISPs have started to roll out the restrictions already. This includes <a href="https://twitter.com/BenKlass/status/1199089952102989825">Rogers</a>, Fido, <a href="https://twitter.com/joshnet/status/1199125775355695105">Bell Aliant</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/fanCRTCProfling/status/1199125160663629824">SaskTel</a>. </p>



<p>It&#8217;s clear that rightsholders are pleased with the blocking ruling, so they are expected to fiercely defend it at the Federal Court of Appeal. Given the controversy around the site-blocking topic, it would be no surprise if other interested parties will have their say in court as well.</p>



<p><em> &nbsp;&#8212;</em></p>



<p><em>A copy of TekSavvy&#8217;s Notice of Appeal, filed at the Canadian Federal Court of Appeal, is <a href="media/4b560596.Notice-of-Appeal-Issued-2019.11.25.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/Notice-of-Appeal-Issued-2019.11.25.pdf">available here (pdf)</a>.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179780
title: Movie Pirate Pleads Guilty, Faces Five Years in Prison, Forfeits Millions of Dollars
uri: Movie-Pirate-Pleads-Guilty-Faces-Five-Years-in-Prison-Forfeits-Milli
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/6013Mp7vZBo/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/b48c012a.usdoj.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/usdoj.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-91397" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/usdoj.jpg 190w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/usdoj-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 190px) 100vw, 190px" /></figure></div>



<p>In October 2013, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents received information from PayPal concerning two &#8216;pirate&#8217; websites, Noobroom.com and Noobroom7.com.</p>



<p>For a fee, the sites allowed subscribers to stream movies and TV shows, which was of particular interest to the MPAA. Their investigation concluded that the platforms distributed works in breach of their members&#8217; copyrights.</p>



<p>In July the following year, the MPAA sent a cease-and-desist notice to Noobroom but within days, the site shifted its users to a new site, SuperChillin.com. The MPAA determined that the platforms &#8211; plus another pair named as Movietv.co and SitPlay.com &#8211; were operated by Oregon resident Talon White.</p>



<p>With White under suspicion of copyright and money laundering offenses, last November a magistrate judge in Oregon <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/us-govt-seizes-millions-in-cash-crypto-in-movie-piracy-case-190514/">approved</a> a search and seizure warrant targeting millions in cash and cryptocurrency.</p>



<p>On Monday, the Department of Justice revealed that after netting more than $8 million from his piracy activities, Talon had pleaded guilty to one count each of criminal copyright infringement and tax evasion.</p>



<p>According to the Department of Justice, White underreported his income by more than $4.4 million from 2013 through 2017, resulting in a willful underpayment of $1.9 million in taxes.  </p>



<p>The penalties faced by White are severe. On top of a potential five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years&#8217; supervised release on each of the two charges, the financial implications are already massive.</p>



<p>White has entered into a plea agreement which will see him forfeit $3.9 million seized from his bank accounts, $35,000 in cash, cryptocurrency worth around $424,000, plus his home in Oregon, currently valued at $415,000.</p>



<p>On top, he must pay $669,557 in restitution to the MPAA and $3,392,708 in restitution, which includes penalties and interest, to the IRS.</p>



<p>White will be sentenced on February 21, 2020, before U.S. District Court Judge Ann L. Aiken. In the meantime, however, the case raises additional interest in at least two other directions.</p>



<p>A case <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/millions-in-crypto-cash-seized-in-movie-piracy-investigation-191124/">revealed</a> at the weekend in New Zealand appears to have some similarities with White&#8217;s. Both involve a pirate movie site in the US, both received a PayPal referral for suspicious activity, and both resulted in the seizure of large volumes of cash and cryptocurrency. </p>



<p>Finally, the involvement of the IRS in a criminal copyright infringement case raises questions about what lies ahead for Gears Reloaded founder Omar Carrasquillo, aka YouTube OMI IN A HELLCAT.</p>



<p>Last week, he <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/gears-reloaded-fbi-took-everything-says-iptv-boss-omi-in-a-hellcat-191121/">reported</a> that he&#8217;d been raided by several FBI officers and a single IRS agent who seized &#8220;pretty much everything&#8221;, including millions of dollars, a huge car collection, and a large collection of jewelry. Ever since he&#8217;s been posting videos on the topic, one of which included a brief glimpse of a purported search a seizure warrant issued by a court in Pennsylvania.</p>



<p>Carrasquillo insists that what he did in respect of IPTV isn&#8217;t a crime in the United States but concedes that he didn&#8217;t pay his taxes in a timely manner and he&#8217;s learned his lesson. He hopes that the money seized will cover his back taxes but still expects to spend some time in prison.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179740
title: BREIN Wins Court Case Against Prolific Torrent and Usenet Uploader
uri: BREIN-Wins-Court-Case-Against-Prolific-Torrent-and-Usenet-Uploader
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/TGlKaSlvpFw/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/e5f2ec44.upload.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/upload.png" alt="" class="wp-image-114664"/></figure></div>



<p>Dutch anti-piracy group <a href="https://stichtingbrein.nl/">BREIN</a> has targeted operators and uploaders of pirate sites for more than a decade. </p>



<p>The group frequently approaches alleged wrongdoers with a proposal to settle the matter privately, but it doesn&#8217;t shy away from going to court if needed. </p>



<p>This is what happened to a prolific uploader of torrents and Usenet files. The man was connected to Place2home, a piracy community that was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/brein-shuts-down-usenet-indexing-community-settles-with-operators-180831/">dismantled </a>by BREIN last year. At the time, several operators settled the matter privately, but the uploader didn&#8217;t.</p>



<p>This prompted BREIN to take the man to court where he stood accused of sharing hundreds of gigabytes of pirated films and series. These were uploaded using aliases including &#8220;Starlight&#8221; and &#8220;Serie-Team.&#8221;</p>



<p>According to Dutch court records, the man was also active as an operator of both Place2home.org and Place2home.net, which offered Usenet and torrent files respectively. </p>



<p>In his defense, the man, whose name is abbreviated to &#8220;Van S,&#8221; admitted that he uploaded files. However, he denies that this happened on the scale and with the volume BREIN claimed. According to &#8216;Van S,&#8217; his role was minimal as others were posting under the same aliases.</p>



<p>After reviewing the available evidence, the Utrecht Court sided with BREIN. It concluded that &#8220;Van S&#8221; was more than &#8220;an occasional&#8221; uploader and that he was also involved in operating the sites. </p>



<p>Part of the evidence comes from a WhatsApp chat log where &#8216;Van S,&#8217; using the &#8220;Starlight&#8221; alias, admits to uploading movies and TV-series totaling 500 gigabytes in February of last year. The same chat also shows that he was well aware of the infringing nature of these files.</p>



<p>Based on this and other evidence the Court concludes that &#8216;Van S&#8217; shared infringing content on a large scale between 2013 and 2018. In addition, he facilitated copyright infringement through his role as sysop of the two Place2home sites.</p>



<p>The verdict doesn&#8217;t cover any damages, but &#8216;Van S&#8217; is ordered to pay BREIN&#8217;s legal fees, which total over €13,000. In addition, the man is required to remove his uploads and provide information about others who were involved with Place2home. The latter is important, as it may lead to additional suspects.</p>



<p>Failing to comply with the order will come at a high price. The Court notes that &#8216;Van S&#8217; must pay a penalty of €5,000 per day that he doesn&#8217;t come forward, with a maximum of €150,000.</p>



<p>BREIN director Tim Kuik is happy with the outcome. The verdict shows that, in addition to uploaders, site operators can be held responsible as well. This is in line with the EU Court of Justice&#8217;s ruling in The Pirate Bay case, Kuik informs TorrentFreak. </p>



<p>The Place2home bust itself has also proven to be useful in the broader scheme of things. According to BREIN, it revealed that people higher up the chain were involved as well. This includes reseller Newsconnection, which offered subscriptions to Usenet provider XSnews. </p>



<p>&#8220;According to statements of uploaders who already settled, the sites were financed by people up the chain,&#8221; Kuik tells TorrentFreak. </p>



<p>These uploaders also shared internal communication which backed this up. That includes WhatsApp conversations, which also appeared as evidence in the most recent court case.</p>



<p>&#8220;To us, it is evident that the various players on the commercial Usenet market are colluding to optimize the availability of popular content on Usenet. This is completely different from the original Usenet,&#8221; Kuik notes. </p>



<p>BREIN believes that Usenet resellers and providers profit from piracy, and not just indirectly. In some cases, they are financing pirate sites as well, in order to keep their businesses profitable. With information from people such as &#8216;Van S,&#8217; BREIN hopes to document these connections.</p>



<p>&#8220;We believe that the money makers on Usenet who are pretending to be ignorant are in fact are fully aware of what pays the bills: access to unauthorized content. They are facilitating it and financing it,&#8221; Kuik says. &nbsp;</p>



<p><em>&#8212;</em></p>



<p><em>A copy of the verdict from the Utrecht Court is</em><a href="media/48b1fafc.vonnis-zaaknr-nl19.4173.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/vonnis-zaaknr-nl19.4173.pdf"><em> available here, in Dutch (pdf)</em></a><em>.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179753
title: Telegram Faces Anti-Piracy Referral to US Over Cryptocurrency Plans
uri: Telegram-Faces-Anti-Piracy-Referral-to-US-Over-Cryptocurrency-Plans
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/zNBPVYC4DYI/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/f7af8c3c.telegram-1.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/telegram-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177800"/></figure></div>



<p>Telegram was founded in 2013 by brothers Nikolai and Pavel Durov, who previously launched Russian social network VK (vKontakte).</p>



<p>The messaging service has grown from strength to strength and currently has around 300 million users. However, <a href="https://telegram.org/">Telegram</a> is increasingly associated with the spread of copyright-infringing material, as highlighted in October by the RIAA.</p>



<p>&#8220;Telegram offers many user-created channels which are dedicated to the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted recordings, with some channels focused on particular genres or artists,” the RIAA <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/riaa-reports-telegram-to-us-govt-over-piracy-concerns-191002/">wrote</a> in its submission to the USTR.</p>



<p>While one submission to US authorities is problematic, Telegram could soon face a few more coming from Russia itself, where a court order exists to prevent ISPs from providing access to the service. The threat comes from the Internet Copyright Protection Association (AZAPI) which represents copyright holders including some of the largest book publishers.</p>



<p>AZAPI says it has identified at least 170 Telegram channels that help to distribute pirated content to an audience of several million users. A letter reportedly sent by AZAPI to Telegram (obtained by local news outlet <a href="https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/4170703">Kommersant</a>) has the anti-piracy outfit complaining that most channels, and indeed Telegram itself, are not responding to copyright complaints.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s a position shared by Aleksey Byrdin, Director General of the Internet Video Association.</p>



<p>&#8220;Since 2016, we have repeatedly encountered the absolute neglect of the Telegram administration to the claims of copyright holders on audiovisual content,” Byrdin says.</p>



<p>As a result, AZAPI wants Telegram to introduce digital fingerprinting technology to assist with the identification and removal of allegedly infringing content. However, the whole matter is being further complicated by Telegram&#8217;s cryptocurrency business plans.</p>



<p>According to AZAPI, Telegram&#8217;s upcoming TON Blockchain network (and its token &#8216;gram&#8217;) &#8220;will be an ideal tool for monetizing counterfeit content on an anonymous basis.&#8221;</p>



<p>As a result, if anti-piracy measures aren&#8217;t taken, AZAPI says it will be left with no choice but to file complaints with the US Chamber of Commerce, the SEC, the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) and the American Book Publishers Association.</p>



<p>Whether any such referrals can deepen the quagmire Telegram already finds itself in the US is another matter, however.</p>



<p>On October 11, the SEC <a href="https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2019-212">announced</a> that it had &#8220;filed an emergency action and obtained a temporary restraining order against two offshore entities conducting an alleged unregistered, ongoing digital token offering in the U.S. and overseas that has raised more than $1.7 billion of investor funds.&#8221;</p>



<p>The two companies &#8211; Telegram Group and TON issuer &#8211; <a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/16325310/37/securities-and-exchange-commission-v-telegram-group-inc/">filed a response</a> to the SEC just a day later, requesting that the court throw out the SEC&#8217;s case.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179883
title: Gears Reloaded / OMI IN A HELLCAT IPTV Raid: Eye Witnesses Appear on TV
uri: Gears-Reloaded-OMI-IN-A-HELLCAT-IPTV-Raid-Eye-Witnesses-Appear-on-T
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/FYiO4GQsLlo/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/21cc8203.image-161.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-161.png" alt="" width="255" height="140"/></figure></div>



<p>If US-based anti-piracy groups needed a recognizable local icon to rival the flamboyance of Kim Dotcom, last week they appeared to get one.</p>



<p>Omar Carrasquillo &#8211; better known by his YouTube name OMI IN A HELLCAT &#8211; is the founder of &#8216;pirate&#8217; IPTV service Gears Reloaded. Unlike his counterparts behind similar platforms, however, OMI never hid the fact that he was running one of the most recognizable brands in the business.</p>



<p>OMI&#8217;s wealth, which included a huge house, the most blingy of jewelry, and a supercar collection to die for, was paraded all over his YouTube channel for everyone to see. But last week it came to an abrupt end. Gears Reloaded unexpectedly closed down and hours later <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/gears-reloaded-fbi-took-everything-says-iptv-boss-omi-in-a-hellcat-191121/">OMI claimed he&#8217;d been raided by the FBI and IRS</a>, allegedly for copyright infringement and tax offenses.</p>



<p>When compared to any of OMI&#8217;s previous videos, his demeanor made it clear that something catastrophic had happened. Nevertheless, in the absence of any confirmation by the FBI, some people complained that the whole thing was an elaborate fake designed to generate clicks.</p>



<p>Today, following a TV report from Fox 29, any notion that the raid existed only in OMI&#8217;s imagination has been dispelled. In the segment, a Fox 29 reporter is seen knocking on OMI&#8217;s front door, a home that was previously owned by former Philadelphia Phillies shortstop, Jimmy Rollins.</p>



<p>While the TV crew appears to have received no answer, the channel did manage to speak with some of OMI&#8217;s neighbors who confirmed what the YouTuber had been saying all along.</p>



<p>&#8220;[The FBI] had like bullet-proof vests on and they had guns drawn and they were very slowly approaching the house next door,&#8221; said neighbor Liz Ware.</p>



<p>In respect of OMI&#8217;s supercar collection, which some doubters claimed were either still sitting outside or had even been moved by OMI for effect, another neighbor who saw the whole thing recalled what happened.</p>



<p>&#8220;They loaded them off one by one through the course of about four or five hours,&#8221; said witness John Ware, who appears to be OMI&#8217;s next-door neighbor. &#8220;They took all the cars. Probably thirty of them.&#8221;</p>



<p>Other than OMI&#8217;s claims, that the case against him revolves around Gears Reloaded and tax issues, there is still no official confirmation of the allegations against him.</p>



<p>Last week the FBI refused to confirm or deny any operation and after prompting by Fox 29 yesterday, still declined to comment. It&#8217;s believed, however, that OMI is yet to be charged.</p>



<p>Interestingly, in a <a href="https://youtu.be/j4UhQKEYSMs">video</a> posted to YouTube a few hours ago by OMI himself, which shows part of the Fox 29 report, the YouTuber said that just a few weeks ago his people asked the IRS &#8220;if they were after him&#8221; and he was told they were not. However, he&#8217;s certainly not happy with the way his accounts were prepared by his tax advisor.</p>



<p>&#8220;Back in September when I prepared my taxes, it just didn&#8217;t look right. I&#8217;m a 100% sure of this, I have 100% proof. I&#8217;m not just saying it, it just didn&#8217;t look right. My CPA [Certified Public Accountant] &#8230;she had access to all my bank accounts. She was only filing the 1099 [forms] that I received and shit didn&#8217;t look right,&#8221; OMI says.</p>



<p>&#8220;I [said] &#8216;i&#8217;m making more money than what you&#8217;re filing&#8217;. Thank God I didn&#8217;t sign them because that would&#8217;ve been hiding money, that would&#8217;ve been way worse, way worse. We contacted the IRS to see if they were after me, the IRS sent back a letter to my CPA and said no, they weren&#8217;t after me.&#8221;</p>



<p>OMI says that if he hadn&#8217;t been raided last week, there would be a payment plan in place by now, with around $2 million paid upfront in taxes and the rest paid in installments. Clearly, however, time had already run out and according to OMI, the assessment that streaming is something that won&#8217;t be acted on probably doesn&#8217;t stand anymore.</p>



<p>&#8220;To all the other streaming services out there, this is proof that this is not considered a great area,&#8221; he adds.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179896
title: Pirate IPTV Services Generate Nearly €1 Billion Per Year, EU Study Shows
uri: Pirate-IPTV-Services-Generate-Nearly-1-Billion-Per-Year-EU-Study-S
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/1ihk7OMeG0o/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/f7938e16.euipo.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/euipo.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179902"/></figure></div>



<p>Increasingly, people are canceling their expensive cable subscriptions, opting to use cheaper Internet TV instead.</p>



<p>While there are plenty of legal options available, there’s also a broad offer of easy-to-use set-top boxes, sites, and apps that are specifically configured to deliver pirated content.</p>



<p>There are some free alternatives, but high-quality pirate IPTV services are often sold through a monthly or yearly subscription. This has created an industry that’s worth a lot of money. According to a new report from the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), nearly €1 billion in Europe alone. </p>



<p>This is the result of an in-depth study of the IPTV ecosystem published by the <a href="https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/en">EUIPO</a> this week. The research reveals the prevalence of IPTV piracy, who the main players are, how they operate, and what business models are used. </p>



<p>EUIPO looked at hundreds of allegedly illegal IPTV services and combined this with data from the Eurostat household survey data. Based on these figures, it estimates that pirate IPTV services generated €941.7 million annual unlawful revenue in the EU during 2018.</p>



<p>The research further finds that IPTV piracy is a problem across all EU member states. On average, 3.1% of the EU population access these unauthorized services. This translates to a customer base of 13.7 million users.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="media/a967779f.countryiptv.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/countryiptv.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179905"/></figure>



<p>However, the scale of the problem varies from country to country. The Netherlands and Sweden have the highest percentage of pirate IPTV users, with 8.9% and 8.5% respectively.  In Romania and Bulgaria, it&#8217;s far less common with 0.7% and 1.3% respectively.</p>



<p>The average subscriber pays a little over five euros per month for a subscription, with rates varying across Europe. Most revenue is generated in the UK, France, and Germany. Together these three countries deliver more than half of the total income, €532 million. </p>



<p>These statistics show that IPTV piracy is a major problem. EUIPO acknowledges this and provides a detailed overview of various actors in the ecosystem, as well as the legal remedies and enforcement options that are available. </p>



<p>EUIPO&#8217;s definition of IPTV appears to be quite broad, as cyberlockers and the BitTorrent-powered Popcorn Time are mentioned as well. In general, however, most traditional IPTV services rely on direct streaming feeds and playlists.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/0ac8571e.iptvdeliver3.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/iptvdeliver3.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179910"/></figure></div>



<p>Regarding enforcement, EUIPO points out that EU law provides the means to go after developers, operators, and vendors of infringing services. Through civil and criminal actions against the alleged offenders, for example, or website blocking injunctions. </p>



<p>In addition, facilitators could technically face legal problems as well. This includes blogs and YouTube channels that show people how to configure pirate devices, for example.  </p>



<p>&#8220;Depending on the level of involvement in the provision of illegal services, the facilitator can be co-liable for IPR infringement and can be prosecuted for aiding and abetting,&#8221; EUIPO notes. </p>



<p>Whether individual IPTV users can be easily targeted remains an open question. According to EUIPO, requiring operators of illegal IPTV services to disclose information on their users could be incompatible with EU data protection law.</p>



<p>The study is the most elaborate research into the illegal IPTV market to date. While it doesn&#8217;t arrive at any concrete recommendations, EUIPO&#8217;s Executive Director, Christian Archambeau, believes that understanding the ecosystem will help to raise awareness.</p>



<p>&#8220;This is a market area in which infringing business models change quickly as they adapt to new technology and business opportunities. This research clarifies the technology used, the complex supply chains and legal issues.</p>



<p>&#8220;It also casts much-needed light on a hidden area of an everyday activity, which is being exploited by organized crime, and should help raise awareness among EU citizens,&#8221; Archambeau adds.</p>



<p>In addition to the IPTV study, EUIPO also released new data on the use of pirated content in EU countries. This reveals that there was a 15% decrease from 2017 to 2018. Music piracy, in particular, dropped very fast, 32% on average across the EU</p>



<p><em>&#8212;</em>&#8211;</p>



<p><em>A copy of </em>the report titled &#8220;Illegal IPTV in the European Union&#8221; <a href="media/04b9a06e.2019_Illegal_IPTV_in_the_European_Union_Full_en.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/2019_Illegal_IPTV_in_the_European_Union_Full_en.pdf">is available here (pdf)</a>.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179881
title: Court of Appeal Denies Kim Dotcom Access to Illegal Spy Recordings
uri: Court-of-Appeal-Denies-Kim-Dotcom-Access-to-Illegal-Spy-Recordings
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/6sxH_RFVwQo/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/66633aca.dotcom-laptop.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/dotcom-laptop.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-76556" width="257" height="188"/></figure></div>



<p>In the months leading up to the now infamous raid on Kim Dotcom’s New Zealand mansion and his cloud storage site Megaupload, the entrepreneur and his associates were under surveillance.</p>



<p>Between December 2011 and March 2012, New Zealand authorities used the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) spy agency to snoop on the private communications of Kim and former wife Mona Dotcom, plus Megaupload co-defendant Bram van der Kolk.</p>



<p>Since the GCSB is forbidden from conducting surveillance on New Zealand citizens or permanent residents in the country, the spying carried out against Dotcom was illegal. The GCSB admitted liability and will at some point pay damages, but Dotcom also demanded access to the recordings.</p>



<p>In 2017, however, the High Court <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/kim-dotcom-denied-access-to-illegally-obtained-spy-recordings-170720/">rejected</a> Dotcom&#8217;s access request, stating that the release of the intercepted communications would not take place. Citing security concerns, the Court said that the public interest in not disclosing the information outweighed the benefits of disclosure.</p>



<p>This denial triggered a claim by Dotcom to the Court of Appeal. The result of that process is now in and it&#8217;s more bad news for the Megaupload founder.</p>



<p>&#8220;The intercepted communications are relevant, and there is a public interest in them being disclosed so they may be put to use in and for purposes of this proceeding. Natural justice and open justice are the two dimensions to the public interest in favor of disclosure,&#8221; a Court of Appeal statement reads.</p>



<p>However, the Court believes that disclosure is not absolutely necessary for justice to be done in this particular case. Furthermore, it must also weigh the broader public interest and potential fallout that could harm national security, if the GCSB&#8217;s methods are compromised.</p>



<p>&#8220;The GCSB has admitted liability; what is in issue is the quantum of damages for dignitary losses. Summaries of information already disclosed will permit a fair trial in this case. The GCSB&#8217;s claim that disclosure would harm national security and international relations is well-founded. The balancing exercise favors non-disclosure,&#8221; the Court concludes.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179728
title: Planned .Org Registry Sale Puts The Pirate Bay at Risk
uri: Planned-Org-Registry-Sale-Puts-The-Pirate-Bay-at-Risk
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/LpFk9QDLWD8/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/d4dd039c.thepirate-e1470829181981.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/thepirate-e1470829181981.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-116122"/></figure></div>



<p>There are plenty of options for copyright holders to frustrate the operations of pirate sites, but one of the most effective is to attack their domain names.</p>



<p>In recent years, various entertainment industry groups have called on the domain name industry to help out on this front.</p>



<p>As a result, the MPAA signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/inside-the-mpaas-piracy-deal-with-the-donuts-domain-registry-160210/">landmark agreement</a>&nbsp;with the Donuts registry under which the movie industry group acts as a “trusted notifier” of “pirate” domains. A similar deal was later announced&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/mpaa-signs-anti-piracy-deal-with-large-domain-registry-160413/">with the Radix</a>&nbsp;registry.</p>



<p>Not all registrars and registries are welcoming these types of voluntary actions. The Public Interest Registry (<a href="https://thenew.org/org-people/">PIR</a>), which oversees the registrations of .org domains, was previously asked by the RIAA to suspend The Pirate Bay&#8217;s domain name. However, the organization chose <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/riaa-fails-take-pirate-bay-domain-now-160606/">not to do so</a>. </p>



<p>Many registrars and registries don&#8217;t like the idea of acting as &#8220;content police.&#8221; Instead, they prefer these matters to be handled through the courts instead. This is one of the main reasons why The Pirate Bay, after more than 15 years, is still accessible on its .org domain. </p>



<p>Ironically, the infamous torrent site moved to over a dozen other domains in the past, fearing a .org domain seizure. However, while many other the other domains were suspended or taken by court order, thepiratebay.org stands tall.</p>



<p>The question is whether things will remain this way, as PIR is in the process of being sold to private equity firm Ethos Capital. At the moment, PIR is part of the Internet Society, which is critical of stringent copyright policies, but its new owner may see things differently. </p>



<p>Possible policy changes are also a concern many organizations and groups have. A few days ago, EFF, Wikimedia, Internet Archive, Creative Commons, Demand Progress, and several others, <a href="https://savedotorg.org/">sent a letter</a> to Internet Society President Andrew  Sullivan, urging him to stop the sale. </p>



<p>The groups are concerned that Ethos may raise domain name prices and that it will implement rights protection mechanisms. In addition, they caution that domain names could be suspended for alleged illegal activity, without any judicial oversight. </p>



<p>Ethos will have &#8220;the power to implement processes to suspend domain names based on accusations of &#8216;activity contrary to applicable law&#8217;,&#8221; the letter reads. </p>



<p>The organizations are concerned that this will put NGOs at risk. However, the same issues are very relevant for The Pirate Bay as well. After all, that will be one of the prime candidates for a voluntary domain name suspension. </p>



<p>Thus far there is no indication that Ethos has any plans to do so. However, if we look closely at the company we do notice something worth sharing. Erik Brooks, the founder and CEO of Ethos Capital, <a href="https://domainnamewire.com/2019/11/13/the-interesting-connection-between-the-org-deal-and-icann/">served (or serves)</a> on the board of the Donuts registry.</p>



<p>Yes, that&#8217;s the same Donuts the MPAA has an agreement with to suspend copyright-infringing domains. Brooks joined the board after that deal was struck, but it&#8217;s an interesting observation nonetheless. </p>



<p>TorrentFreak reached out to both the Internet Society and Ethos Capital for further details but at the time of writing, we have yet to hear back.</p>



<p>We doubt that The Pirate Bay is worried about any of this. While it may become more likely that they&#8217;ll lose their original .org domain sometime in the future, the site always has alternatives ready. We have little doubt that they still have a few lined up, just in case.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179929
title: ‘Pirate’ IPTV Reseller Boom Media Wants $250,000 in Donations to Fight Lawsuit
uri: Pirate-IPTV-Reseller-Boom-Media-Wants-250-000-in-Donations-to-F
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/veg5M4kgBg8/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/a7c0897c.iptv.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/iptv.jpg" alt="" width="269" height="178"/></figure></div>



<p>Until recently, Boom Media was one of the most active and recognizable &#8216;pirate&#8217; IPTV reseller brands available to the public.</p>



<p>Operating in the United States under the name Boom Media LLC, the company acted as a reseller for IPTV subscription services including MFG TV, Beast TV, Nitro TV, Murica Streams, Epic IPTV, Vader Streams, and OK2.</p>



<p>As <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-iptv-reseller-boom-media-sued-in-the-united-states-191102/">reported</a> early November, this attracted the unwanted attention of DISH Network and partner NagraStar, who teamed up to sue Boom Media LLC and son and mother team John and Debra Henderson.</p>



<p>The broadcaster claimed that the Boom Media service, which was allegedly operated from John&#8217;s home, received payments from customers via accounts operated by mother Debra. This operation, DISH said, resulted in willful violations of the company&#8217;s rights under the Federal Communications Act.</p>



<p>While some of DISH&#8217;s similar lawsuits have dragged on for some time in court, there&#8217;s evidence to suggest that in addition to obtaining cash settlements from targets such as Boom, the broadcaster views such litigation as a stepping-stone to further litigation against their associates. And, of course, more settlements.  </p>



<p>John Henderson certainly believes this is the case. In an expletive-ridden video posted to YouTube this week, he says that DISH and NagraStar want to break him down in their hunt for information on others involved in the IPTV supply and consumption chain.</p>



<p>He says he&#8217;s not comfortable with that at all so he wants to take the fight to DISH in order to prevent that from happening. But of course, that will take money &#8211; lots of money &#8211; and he wants that to be donated by former customers and other interested parties.</p>



<p>&#8220;I set up a GoFundMe to help me pay for legal fees. The point of that is i&#8217;m gonna take this shit to a trial by jury, that&#8217;s my intent. So basically, the lawyer just to start is $15,000,&#8221; he says.</p>



<p>&#8220;The basic point is in order for me to get any kind of settlement, I have to turn over information on fucking everything, everything I&#8217;ve ever known, and I&#8217;m just not comfortable doing that. Yeah, so you bought [subscriptions to IPTV services through Boom] but they have the right to subpoena Google and PayPal.&#8221;</p>



<p>The $15,000 to get started is, well, just that. The GoFundMe currently has a target of $250,000 but whether that sizeable amount will cover the costs of lengthy litigation is up for debate. Nevertheless, Henderson says that by biting back, he can stop DISH from getting his customers&#8217; details and sending them demands for cash settlements for alleged piracy.</p>



<p>&#8220;What they&#8217;ve done with these cookie-cutter lawsuits is that they&#8217;ve turned them into a stream of revenue for themselves. This isn&#8217;t really about fucking lawsuits and protecting anything at this point, it&#8217;s about getting information to send you a fucking letter demanding $3,500, which is what they&#8217;ve been doing with everyone.</p>



<p>&#8220;Everyone has settled, no one has taken them to trial, so it&#8217;s going to be interesting to see how it unfolds,&#8221; he says.</p>



<p>Henderson acknowledges that the legal process is going to cost &#8220;a shit-load of money&#8221; but if people don&#8217;t want to support him, &#8220;that&#8217;s fine&#8221;. However, he warns that these types of cases can set a precedent and handing over the information is something he wants to avoid, to protect everyone in the supply and consumption chain.</p>



<p>&#8220;I think I have some valid points why they shouldn&#8217;t be able to get that information at all. That&#8217;s really all there is to it, I&#8217;m asking for support. I think resellers across the fucking globe should be jumping on this because whatever happens to me, does affect you because now they can say &#8216;we got this from Boom Media&#8217;, this is the way it worked out, now you must settle,&#8221; he adds.</p>



<p>Henderson believes that IPTV providers themselves should also take an interest in a successful outcome to the case because if resellers are no longer a legal target, they won&#8217;t have any reason to give up information on their suppliers.</p>



<p>&#8220;The only reason that people are getting snitched on is because resellers are pussies, I mean that&#8217;s just the way it is,&#8221; he claims.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/382d94bc.image-168.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-168.png" alt="" class="wp-image-179933" width="650"/><figcaption><em>Boom Media: We need $250,000 to fight DISH lawsuit</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>&#8220;I have [the GoFundMe] up for $250,000. I know that when TVAddons was going through this, that&#8217;s pretty much how it went. They just bled them dry,&#8221;  Henderson says.</p>



<p>While TVAddons did have a huge <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/tvaddons-and-dish-network-settle-copyright-infringement-lawsuit-180826/">legal dispute</a> with DISH that undoubtedly cost founder Adam Lackman a lot of money, Lackman insists that he never handed over his users&#8217; data to DISH. That suggests there may be a way out of Henderson&#8217;s situation without compromising his suppliers and former customers but only time will tell if a jury trial can deliver the type of victory that avoids that.</p>



<p>If it even gets that far, that is.</p>



<p>While a quarter of a million dollars is a significant sum, Henderson fully expects to face tactics designed to break his ability to fight back. Already he claims that DISH is attempting to get a gag order to prevent him from telling the world &#8220;what garbage they are for suing an innocent woman, my mother, knowing goddamn well she had nothing to do with anything.&#8221;</p>



<p>Until he gets served with a gag order, however, he&#8217;s not shutting up at all, he insists. Meanwhile, he says that DISH is generating money from a &#8220;stupid tax&#8221;, a reference to all the IPTV and IKS (Internet Key Sharing) users to whom DISH sends letters and receives settlements in return.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/83a94052.image-169.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-169.png" alt="" class="wp-image-179941" width="650"/><figcaption><em>The fundraiser&#8217;s goals</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>&#8220;They [DISH] want everything from me. They want my soul, they want all the information, they want me to roll on everyone, which isn&#8217;t even really possible but I&#8217;m not gonna do it,&#8221; Henderson <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcyW8zhZIhU">adds</a>.</p>



<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m fully prepared to go to war over this shit but I&#8217;m gonna need financial help. Obviously, everyone knows I&#8217;m out of business, that&#8217;s the way it is. I&#8217;m not a millionaire, I&#8217;m not a billionaire, I&#8217;m barely a thousandaire.&#8221;</p>



<p>Henderson doesn&#8217;t provide any proof, but claims that Vader Streams &#8211; a pirate IPTV provider that was targeted by the MPA-backed Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vader-streams-was-shut-down-by-ace-must-pay-10m-damages-190821/">earlier this year</a>, &#8220;snitched on everyone, they snitched and they rolled over and they gave up everything.&#8221; Prior to the settlement agreement, Vader <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vader-large-pirate-iptv-service-shuts-down-promises-to-protect-customers-190503/">said</a> it would not compromise customers.</p>



<p>Henderson says he doesn&#8217;t want to go down the disclosure route but DISH is on record wanting Boom Media to do just that. In addition to a permanent injunction against the company, it wants Boom&#8217;s domain name plus &#8220;all hard copy and electronic records” regarding persons involved in the entire “Rebroadcasting Scheme”.</p>



<p>At the time of writing, <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/legal-fee039s-to-fight-dish-network-lawsuit">the GoFundMe</a> has raised $700 of its $250,000 target.</p>



<p><em>The original complaint against Boom Media can be found <a href="media/24f1ca09.5-19-cv-01310-Dish-v-Henderson-Boom-Media-complaint-191024.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/5-19-cv-01310-Dish-v-Henderson-Boom-Media-complaint-191024.pdf">here</a> (pdf)</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179851
title: SET TV Operator and Manager Must Pay Millions in Piracy Damages
uri: SET-TV-Operator-and-Manager-Must-Pay-Millions-in-Piracy-Damages
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/8Ulk3YVDUdg/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/12fdf7b4.settv.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/settv.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-154559"/></figure></div>



<p>The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), the anti-piracy alliance featuring several Hollywood studios, Amazon, Netflix and other entertainment outfits, has declared war on pirate streaming services. </p>



<p>The alliance is the driving force behind several lawsuits including the one filed against <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/netflix-amazon-and-hollywood-sue-set-tv-over-iptv-piracy-180422/">Florida-based IPTV service SET TV</a> early last year.</p>



<p>At the time, SET TV was a popular software-based IPTV service that was also sold pre-loaded with set-top boxes. While it was marketed as a legal service, ACE members framed it as little more than a pirate tool, allowing buyers to stream copyright-infringing content.</p>



<p>“Defendants market and sell subscriptions to ‘Setvnow,’ a software application that Defendants urge their customers to use as a tool for the mass infringement of Plaintiffs’ copyrighted motion pictures and television shows,” the complaint read.</p>



<p>Soon after the lawsuit was filed the IPTV service went offline, leaving its 180,000 subscribers behind. But that didn’t mean the case against SET TV, its owner Jason Labossiere, and employee Nelson Johnson, was over. ACE pressed on, hoping to get a judgment in its favor.</p>



<p>Without any of the defendants putting up a defense, ACE booked its first victory a few months ago. The media companies submitted a motion for a default judgment against the company SET Broadcast, LLC, which the court granted.</p>



<p>ACE celebrated the victory in public, but the matter wasn&#8217;t completely closed. The anti-piracy alliance managed to secure a judgment against the company, but not the two employees. To address that, the copyright holders went back to the court requesting another default judgment. </p>



<p>This week the U.S. District Court for Central California granted their request.  SET TV owner Jason Labossiere and employee Nelson Johnson,  who both failed to put up a defense, were found guilty of willful copyright infringement.  </p>



<p>The rightsholders demanded the maximum in statutory damages of $150,000 for each of the 51 infringed works. The Court deemed this appropriate. The mentioned works were just a small sample so the actual damages &#8220;would likely be astronomically higher.&#8221;  </p>



<p>As a result, Labossiere and Johnson must pay $7,650,000 in damages. The two are jointly and severally liable, meaning that both can be required to pay the full amount if the other is unable to.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/a369ecc9.setordered.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/setordered.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179862"/></figure></div>



<p>In addition to the damages, the Court also issued a permanent injunction to prevent any future copyright infringement. Among other things, the men are prohibited from operating the Set TV Now service, as well as any website, system, software, or service that is substantially similar.</p>



<p>With judgments against all defendants, the most recent order effectively ends the SET TV lawsuit. However, it&#8217;s certainly not the end of ACE&#8217;s legal campaigns.</p>



<p><em>&#8212;</em></p>



<p><em>A copy of the default judgment granted by U.S. District Court Judge Michael Fitzgerald, is available <a href="media/3bd0ff57.setdefaultorder1.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/setdefaultorder1.pdf">here (pdf)</a>.</em></p>



<p><br><br></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179732
title: South Africa Faces US Trade Sanctions over Online Piracy
uri: South-Africa-Faces-US-Trade-Sanctions-over-Online-Piracy
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/7D12c6ULkms/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/e805fd6d.southafricaflag.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/southafricaflag.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179864" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/southafricaflag.jpg 274w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/southafricaflag-200x150.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 274px) 100vw, 274px" /></figure></div>



<p>The entertainment industry is a major driver of the US economy, good for millions of jobs and billions in revenue.</p>



<p>To protect this industry the US Government is keeping a close eye on copyright policies around the world. </p>



<p>This often happens following referrals from industry groups. For example, earlier this year the US Trade Representative (USTR) was asked to take a close look at South Africa&#8217;s copyright track record.</p>



<p>This request came from the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA). This coalition of prominent rightsholder groups, including the MPA and RIAA, informed the USTR that it&#8217;s not happy with how South Africa addresses copyright issues.  </p>



<p>In its submission the IIPA called for trade sanctions, recommending that the U.S. Government should suspend South Africa’s&nbsp;<a href="https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/266/~/generalized-system-of-preferences-%28gsp%29">GSP trade benefits</a>. According to the group, the country doesn’t do enough to protect the interests of copyright holders. </p>



<p>&#8220;South Africa does not meet the GSP eligibility criteria primarily due to its weak copyright law and enforcement regime,&#8221; the IIPA noted. </p>



<p>The USTR took the matter seriously and recently launched an <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/11/19/2019-24947/generalized-system-of-preferences-gsp-notice-regarding-a-hearing-for-country-practice-reviews-of">official review</a> of South Africa&#8217;s intellectual property rights protections, asking the public for input. If these protections are not deemed to be &#8220;adequate and effective&#8221; the country faces trade sanctions. </p>



<p>&#8220;USTR has accepted a petition filed by the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA). The petition alleges that the Government of South Africa does not provide adequate and effective copyright protection for U.S. copyrighted works,&#8221; the USTR announced. </p>



<p>In recent years, copyright issues have already been on the political agenda in South Africa. Lawmakers have been working on a new copyright bill, which is close to being signed into law. However, according to the IIPA, this hasn&#8217;t delivered any progress. On the contrary.</p>



<p>&#8220;This legislation will move South Africa further away from international norms by failing to establish a clear legal framework to provide adequate and effective protection of copyrighted material, especially in the digital environment,&#8221; the IIPA noted.</p>



<p>The group strives for modern copyright laws and enforcement regimes around the world and notes that the African country falls short. Among other things, the IIPA would like South Africa to appoint special cybercrime inspectors and develop a cybercrime security hub, recognizing copyright as a top priority.</p>



<p>While the US Government can&#8217;t write South Africa&#8217;s laws directly, trade sanctions might just help motivate the local Government to take action in the interest of US companies. That would certainly not be the first time. </p>



<p>In 2017 the US Government sanctioned Ukraine following a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/ukraine-faces-call-us-trade-sanctions-over-online-piracy-170918/">similar referral </a>from the IIPA. This triggered a wave of copyright-related actions in the country, after which President Trump decided to lift the sanctions <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-ukraine-thailand/trump-reinstates-duty-free-trade-for-some-ukrainian-goods-suspends-it-for-some-thai-goods-idUSKBN1X42K2">last month</a>.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179776
title: EBook Piracy Case Plaintiff Vents Frustrations, Judge Responds
uri: EBook-Piracy-Case-Plaintiff-Vents-Frustrations-Judge-Responds
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/SQ5MPtX2rrs/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/24879ea8.3geINt6a_400x400.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/3geINt6a_400x400.jpg" alt="" width="261" height="261"/></figure></div>



<p>In March, US-based author John Van Stry&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/former-pirate-party-leader-asks-to-be-sued-over-ebook-site-has-wish-granted-190401/">filed</a>&nbsp;a copyright infringement lawsuit against Travis McCrea, the operator of eBook download platform eBook.bike. </p>



<p>To say early progress in the case was disorganized is something of an understatement. With a relatively inexperienced McCrea opting to defend himself, things were never likely to go particularly smoothly.</p>



<p>Nevertheless, in September things appeared to get <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/travis-mccreas-answer-to-ebook-bike-piracy-lawsuit-cites-dmca-religious-defenses-190928/">back on track</a>, with McCrea eventually filing an answer to the complaint, pushing matters on to the next stage. Since then, however, the plaintiff and his attorney have grown increasingly frustrated with McCrea&#8217;s alleged conduct and tactics.</p>



<p>Back in August during a scheduling conference, the court indicated a desire to keep costs as low as possible during the discovery process, to the benefit of both plaintiff and defendant. According to a motion to compel discovery filed by the plaintiff this week, however, McCrea is allegedly frustrating the discovery process.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant has been acting at cross-purposes with the Court; bringing all progress in the case to a standstill by providing no response to discovery requests, much less any discovery; delaying by habitually requiring weeks and numerous emails from Plaintiff before Defendant responds to simple inquiries, such as indicating whether Defendant received the discovery requests,&#8221; the motion reads.</p>



<p>What follows is a laundry list of complaints, too numerous to cover here in detail. In summary, however, there are many accusations that McCrea promised to do things he subsequently didn&#8217;t, including missing deadlines, failing to communicate properly, if at all, and generally bogging the process down.</p>



<p>Van Stry&#8217;s attorney further accuses McCrea of &#8220;needlessly&#8221; driving up costs by &#8220;propounding discovery that Defendant never collected, and proposing a settlement requiring Plaintiff’s counsel to draft an agreement quickly, and then ignoring communications from Plaintiff regarding the same once drafted.&#8221;</p>



<p>In respect of the settlement, McCrea is said to have proposed terms that suited Van Stry and a draft was drawn up and sent to McCrea in advance of the required date of October 11, 2019. On October 9, counsel for the plaintiff reached out to McCrea to confirm receipt of the agreement and asked when a reply could be expected.</p>



<p>After McCrea&#8217;s own deadline passed without communication, on October 15 Van Stry&#8217;s legal team set a deadline of their own &#8211; October 18. McCrea reportedly got in touch on the day but then requested an amendment to the agreement, which was accepted and redrafted within hours.</p>



<p>A new deadline of October 21 passed without communication so on October 23, counsel for the plaintiff asked McCrea, &#8220;If there is some impediment to executing the agreement, please let us know.&#8221; According to the filing, a response to that statement was never received.</p>



<p>&#8220;Plaintiff can only speculate why Mr. McCrea would propose a settlement, making Plaintiff’s counsel scramble in order to achieve the objective after Plaintiff agreed to the settlement, and then ignore communication regarding the same, but such speculation by Plaintiff leads only to harmful motives on Mr. McCrea’s part,&#8221; the motion reads.</p>



<p>According to counsel for Van Stry, McCrea &#8220;is simply failing to prioritize&#8221; the litigation he&#8217;s involved in. McCrea is reportedly moving house but the plaintiff believes that the case is &#8220;at least on par&#8221; with the former Pirate Party leader&#8217;s commitments in respect of moving and working.</p>



<p>To highlight that McCrea isn&#8217;t taking things seriously, Van Stry&#8217;s team indicate they have been watching McCrea&#8217;s Reddit activity, noting that he&#8217;s had time to post &#8220;over 100 times&#8221; on the platform during October and November but not deal with the lawsuit efficiently.</p>



<p>In closing, the author&#8217;s attorney asks the court to set McCrea a quick deadline to deliver his discovery responses.</p>



<p>&#8220;Plaintiff is asking the Court to recognize Mr. McCrea’s behavior as unacceptable, and asking that Mr. McCrea be given a tight and strict deadline to fully respond to the interrogatories and RFPs or face consequences,&#8221; the motion concludes.</p>



<p>The response from the court was swift. Two days later an order appeared on the docket ordering McCrea to take action or face the consequences.</p>



<p>&#8220;Because of the apparent lack of progress in the discovery process in this case and the impending deadlines for the close of discovery and the filing of dispositive motions, the defendant is ordered to respond to the motion by 5:00 pm, Central (U.S.) Time, on December 2, 2019,&#8221; Judge Bryson writes.</p>



<p>&#8220;In the absence of a response from the defendant by that time, the motion will be treated as unopposed, and the Court will take action based on the allegations in the motion.&#8221;</p>



<p><em>The motion to compel and subsequent order can be found <a href="media/a5d00fd7.McCrea-et-al-2-19-cv-00104-Motion-to-Compel-Discovery-191123.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/Stry-v-McCrea-et-al-2-19-cv-00104-Motion-to-Compel-Discovery-191123.pdf">here</a> and <a href="media/31f6a86d.-et-al-2-19-cv-00104-Motion-to-Compel-Discovery-Order-191125.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/Stry-v-McCrea-et-al-2-19-cv-00104-Motion-to-Compel-Discovery-Order-191125.pdf">here</a> (pdf)</em>  <br></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179870
title: Pirate Bay Replaced Its Iconic Logo to Get Some Extra Revenue
uri: Pirate-Bay-Replaced-Its-Iconic-Logo-to-Get-Some-Extra-Revenue
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/nzl4--4j2Qc/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/9dd69e0d.tpb-piratebay-thepiratebay-logo.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/tpb-piratebay-thepiratebay-logo.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-142141"/></figure></div>



<p>To many people, the Pirate Bay logo is the icon of free entertainment. For more than 15 years, the site has been the goto place for pirate content. </p>



<p>Although the site has faced regular downtime and connectivity issues in recent years, it remains online today. </p>



<p>In recent weeks, however, we noticed that The Pirate Bay&#8217;s logo was regularly replaced with something else. This isn&#8217;t entirely new, as the site often used to swap the iconic pirate ship graphic to <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/the-pirate-bays-rebellious-history-in-doodles-180429/">send a message</a>.  </p>



<p>The more recent changes are noteworthy though, as they are &#8211; at least in part &#8211; used to generate revenue. </p>



<p>The Pirate Bay never displayed standard ads on the site&#8217;s homepage. And while there are still no network ads, TPB has swapped its logo several times to promote the &#8220;Pirate Bay approved&#8221; VPN provider AzireVPN, as shown below. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/6b11a704.azitpb.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/azitpb.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179961"/></figure></div>



<p>The VPN provider confirmed to TorrentFreak that The Pirate Bay asked to join its affiliate program, which it uses to generate some extra revenue. In addition to the homepage banner that appeared several times, there&#8217;s a &#8220;VPN&#8221; link to AzireVPN on all TPB pages as well.</p>



<p>Another new logo that showed up recently promotes the file-hosting service TMP.ninja. It&#8217;s not clear whether this is an advertisement, or perhaps a promotion for a &#8216;friend,&#8217; but there must be a good reason to show the banner. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/a8e28a77.tmptpb3.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/tmptpb3.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179962"/></figure></div>



<p>We reached out to TMP.ninja to find out more but, at the time of writing, we have yet to hear back. As with the VPN,  TMP.ninja also has a sitewide link on the site, under the &#8220;filehosting&#8221; tag. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/6e8d97d2.tpblinks.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/tpblinks.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179963"/></figure></div>



<p>Finally, there&#8217;s The Pirate Bay&#8217;s promotion of the blockchain project Hex, which describes itself as the first high-interest savings account on the blockchain. Like most crypto projects it&#8217;s not without controversy. However, TPB believes it can get something out of it. </p>



<p>The torrent site currently displays a Hex.win banner on its homepage which comes with a referral link. This means that TPB gets a 20% bonus minted for everyone who signs up through the site. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/fcbf10b5.hexwin.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/hexwin.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179991"/></figure></div>



<p>It&#8217;s unclear whether the logo swaps are a temporary thing or if they will happen more frequently in the future. Over the past few weeks, the &#8216;promo&#8217; logos have been appearing on an off, with Hex being the most recent addition.</p>



<p>In any case, people shouldn&#8217;t be surprised to see a slightly different look when they access the TPB homepage.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179993
title: Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week on BitTorrent – 12/02/19
uri: Top-10-Most-Pirated-Movies-of-The-Week-on-BitTorrent-12-02-19
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/JTfRnV8KX-I/
content:
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-179997" src="media/dee05b18.oncehol.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/oncehol.jpg" alt="" width="295" height="207" />This week we have three newcomers in our chart.</p>
<p>Gemini Man is the most downloaded movie.</p>
<p>The data for our weekly download chart is estimated by TorrentFreak, and is for informational and educational reference only. All the movies in the list are Web-DL/Webrip/HDRip/BDrip/DVDrip unless stated otherwise.</p>
<p><a href="http://torrentfreak.com/category/dvdrip/feed/"><strong>RSS feed</strong></a> for the articles of the recent weekly movie download charts.</p>
<h5>This week&#8217;s most downloaded movies are:</h5>
<table class="css hover">
<thead>
<tr>
<th width="12%"><strong>Movie Rank</strong></th>
<th width="15%"><strong>Rank <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-pirated-movies-of-the-week-on-bittorrent-11-25-19/">last week</a></strong></th>
<th><strong>Movie name</strong></th>
<th width="18%"><strong>IMDb Rating / Trailer</strong></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tfoot>
<tr>
<td colspan="4">Most downloaded movies via torrents</td>
</tr>
</tfoot>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>1</strong></td>
<td>(4)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7131622/">Once Upon a Time &#8230; in Hollywood</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7131622/">7.9</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELeMaP8EPAA">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>2</strong></td>
<td>(3)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1206885/">Rambo: Last Blood</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1206885/">6.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km_L0v3C0ms">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>3</strong></td>
<td>(1)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1025100/">Gemini Man</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1025100/">5.7</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbyJignbSj0">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>4</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1302006/">The Irishman</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1302006/">8.4</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS3aHkkfuEI">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td>(2)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6189022/">Angel Has Fallen</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6189022/">6.5</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isVtXH7n9lI">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td>(6)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7349950/">It Chapter Two</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7349950/">6.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taE3PwurhYM">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td>(5)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7286456/">Joker</a> (Subbed HDRip)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7286456/">8.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAGVQLHvwOY">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5503686/">Hustlers</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5503686/">6.5</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDv-TwjQ_o4">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>9</strong></td>
<td>(8)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7798634/">Ready or Not</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7798634/">7.0</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtYTwUxhAoI">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>10</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6324278/">Abominable</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6324278/">7.0</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrgVtuDRBjM">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179985
title: Premier League Piracy Case Ends In ‘Record Damages’, Suspended Sentences
uri: Premier-League-Piracy-Case-Ends-In-Record-Damages-Suspended-Sen
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/Mv5bfo9miEs/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/413852f6.oldball.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/oldball.jpg" alt=""/></figure></div>



<p>With the rise of convenient web-based live streaming, in recent years the Premier League has found itself on the front lines of anti-piracy enforcement.</p>



<p>While a significant proportion of its actions are targeted at illicit offerings available in the UK, the Premier League doesn&#8217;t shy away from tackling those who offer live games in other areas of the world too.</p>



<p>The group, which operates top-tier football in England, says it launched an investigation which was taken on by Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation in 2015. That developed into a covert investigation in Hong Kong during 2017 targeting individuals behind various websites operating under the banner Expat.tv.</p>



<p>The trail eventually led back to an operation in Thailand which offered pirate streams and preloaded set-top boxes across southeast Asia including Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia.</p>



<p>Raids were subsequently carried out by Thailand’s DSI at five locations including a residential address in Bangkok on May 11, 2017. Two British men were arrested and a Thai woman was detained at a later date.</p>



<p>One of the men subsequently skipped bail but the remaining pair faced charges, including copyright infringement, relating to the unlicensed distribution of Premier League content and running a major &#8216;piracy network&#8217; across Asia. Both pleaded guilty and have now been sentenced.</p>



<p>The Premier League reports the pair have paid damages to them totaling THB 15 million (around £385,000) which, according to the League, is one of the highest damages awards for copyright infringement ever paid in Thailand.</p>



<p>This is an addition to funds of almost THB 7 million (£180,000) that were seized by the state, THB 3 million (£76,800) in fines, plus suspended prison sentences totaling 3.5 years.</p>



<p>&#8220;This is one of the most substantial compensations for piracy-related crimes in Thailand and is a stark warning to anyone involved in the illegal supply of Premier League streams,&#8221; says Premier League Director of Legal Services Kevin Plumb.&nbsp;</p>



<p>&#8220;Attitudes towards, and acceptance of, these types of operators in Asia is changing, which is good news for fans who watch Premier League content through legitimate channels.&#8221;</p>



<p>This latest success for the Premier League can be added to the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/premier-league-claims-victories-with-multi-faceted-anti-piracy-approach-190909/">growing list</a> of anti-piracy victories reported by the football group in recent times which include <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/premier-league-uefa-obtain-court-orders-to-block-piracy-in-2019-20-190729/">dynamic blocking injunctions</a> and dealing with the sprawling problem of premium <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/three-pirate-tv-device-sellers-jailed-for-a-total-of-17-years-190321/">IPTV services</a>.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179952
title: Cox Can Use ‘Copyright Alert System’ Evidence in Piracy Case, Court Rules
uri: Cox-Can-Use-Copyright-Alert-System-Evidence-in-Piracy-Case-Cour
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/U4OgArV_P9I/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/f71707b4.coxcomms.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/coxcomms.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-128587"/></figure></div>



<p>The so-called ‘Six-Strikes’ <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/mpaa-riaa-team-up-with-isps-to-curb-piracy-110707/">Copyright Alert System</a> was once praised as an excellent tool to address online piracy.</p>



<p>Under the agreement, which included the major rightsholder groups MPA and RIAA, several large Internet providers in the US sent copyright infringement warnings to pirating customers.</p>



<p>After repeated alerts, these subscribers would face a variety of ‘mitigation’ measures but their accounts would not be terminated. Although rightsholders and ISPs appeared happy with the deal, it was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/the-us-six-strikes-anti-piracy-scheme-is-dead-170128/">shut down</a> nearly three years ago.</p>



<p>Instead of cooperating with ISPs, several RIAA members then took another approach by filing lawsuits against Internet providers for not doing enough to curb piracy. This also <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/record-labels-file-billion-dollar-piracy-lawsuit-against-isp-cox-180802/">happened to Cox</a>, which was sued for failing to disconnect repeat infringers.</p>



<p>The lawsuit between several music companies and Cox is scheduled to go to trial later this month. Interestingly, the ISP is now planning to use the aforementioned Copyright Alert System (CAS) as evidence in its favor.</p>



<p>Cox was asked to participate in the voluntary anti-piracy scheme years ago but chose not to do so. According to the company, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cox-targets-pirates-with-10-strikes-program-130408/">its own &#8220;strike&#8221; policy</a> was already functioning well and perhaps even better than the industry-approved alternative. </p>



<p>This line of reasoning is also relevant for the ongoing legal dispute, Cox believes. The RIAA members disagreed and previously asked the court to exclude it from the trial. However, according to a recent ruling from Judge Liam O&#8217;Grady, the ISP is permitted to use it in its favor.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendants are permitted to put on evidence about the Copyright Alert System as well as its own graduated response system, the Cox Abuse Ticket System,&#8221; O&#8217;Grady writes.</p>



<p>In addition, Cox is also allowed to present evidence about the policies at other ISPs, as identified in related reports, as long as it is relevant to the case. </p>



<p>This is a clear setback for the music labels which argued that the policies and actions of other ISPs and the CAS are irrelevant. It doesn&#8217;t matter whether Cox&#8217;s own anti-piracy system was reasonable or effective in comparison with other providers, they said. </p>



<p>The court disagreed, however, but it also brought some bad news for Cox. </p>



<p>The ISP planned to <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cox-and-music-companies-battle-over-piracy-evidence-ahead-of-trial-191109/">cite internal research</a> to suggest that 96% of subscribers stopped receiving notices after the 5th warning. This was concluded in 2010 and resulted in the ISP’s belief that its “graduated response” system was effective.</p>



<p>According to the music companies these conclusions, of which the underlying data is no longer available, were based on a &#8220;mess of misleading calculations.&#8221; As such, they wanted it excluded from the trial. </p>



<p>Judge O&#8217;Grady agreed with the music companies. After reviewing the arguments from both sides, he concludes that there is no adequate foundation for the information presented in the “96% Stop By 5 Notices” evidence. </p>



<p>&#8220;Defendants have had ample time to produce such a foundation, and failed to do so. Discrepancies in numbers and figures as detailed in Plaintiffs’ briefs raise an alarming number of questions that demand the underlying data be produced, not just the emails Defendants offer in support,&#8221; O&#8217;Grady writes. </p>



<p>With these and various other motions dealt with, the trial will soon get underway.  While some boundaries have been set, there is still plenty left to argue over.  </p>



<p><em>&#8212;</em></p>



<p><em>A copy of U.S. District Court Judge Liam O&#8217;Grady&#8217;s order is available <a href="media/75bdc65c.liminorders.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/liminorders.pdf">here (pdf)</a>.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180034
title: Europol Seizes Over 30,000 Copyright Infringing Domains, But Which Ones?
uri: Europol-Seizes-Over-30-000-Copyright-Infringing-Domains-But-Which-One
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/cE6be_03JDo/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/95b4e78e.europol.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/europol.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-180051" width="250" height="250"/></figure></div>



<p>In 2010, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security began their first rounds of domain name seizures.</p>



<p>Under the flag of “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_In_Our_Sites">Operation In Our Sites</a>” the authorities shut down a dozen file-sharing and streaming sites, as well as many sites that sold counterfeit goods. </p>



<p>The action had a massive impact at the time. It resulted in several high profile arrests, including those of several NinjaVideo operators. However, they were not without controversy either. </p>



<p>Several sites that were accused of piracy fought back. As a result, U.S. authorities had to <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/u-s-returns-seized-domains-to-streaming-links-site-after-18-months-120830/">return the domain name</a> of sports streaming site Rojadirecta after a few months. And years later, the DoJ also <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/feds-drop-case-against-torrent-site-return-domain-after-5-years-151204/">dropped its case</a> against torrent search engine Torrent-Finder.</p>



<p>Despite this rocky start, Operation In Our Sites continued. In fact, the number of seizures only increased and by 2012 the campaign expanded internationally as well, with Europe joining in. </p>



<p>Over the past years, the number of targeted domains continued to grow. Last year, the US National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center said it took down over a million domains in just a year. An unprecedented number, but one that didn&#8217;t draw any major headlines.</p>



<p>Yesterday Europol announced its latest efforts. With help from international law enforcement agencies, it seized 30,506 domain names. According to the organization, these domains distributed counterfeit and pirated items.</p>



<p>Among other things, the sites reportedly offered pirated movies, illegal television streaming, music, software, counterfeit pharmaceuticals and other illicit goods. In addition, officials also arrested three individuals while freezing more than €150,000 from various bank accounts and online payment providers. </p>



<p>While these numbers are impressive, today&#8217;s Operation In Our Sites doesn&#8217;t have the media impact it had in the early days. Of course, there are news outfits rehashing Europol&#8217;s <a href="https://www.europol.europa.eu/newsroom/news/30-506-internet-domain-names-shut-down-for-intellectual-property-infringement">press release</a>, noting that thousands of pirate sites have been taken offline, but that&#8217;s about it. </p>



<p>What stands out most is that, in recent years, we haven&#8217;t been able to spot any pirate sites that were affected by such seizures. This, despite the fact that well over a million domains were seized. </p>



<p>There&#8217;s no separate breakdown for the number of pirate and counterfeit domains. We assume that the majority of the affected domain names were linked to counterfeiting instead of piracy, but still, both categories are mentioned.</p>



<p>The lack of visible impact stands in major contrast to the first year when only a few dozen domains were targeted. At the time, that lead to months of news coverage, lawsuits, and even questions from high profile politicians, including <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/us-senator-worries-domain-seizures-may-stifle-free-speech-110203/">US Senator Ron Wyden</a>.</p>



<p>TorrentFreak reached out to Europol to find out what the most recent piracy targets were, but at the time of writing, we have yet to hear back. It&#8217;s clear, however, that Operation In Our Sites hasn&#8217;t targeted any major pirate sites in recent years. </p>



<p>The big question is why. How does Europol pick its targets? And if it&#8217;s so easy to seize tens of thousands of domains, why do these major enforcement agencies only focus on smaller sites?</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180082
title: Russia Blocks Shutterstock Domain, Restricting Access to Legitimate Copyrighted Content
uri: Russia-Blocks-Shutterstock-Domain-Restricting-Access-to-Legitimate-Co
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/Ja1SjJ1SNNc/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/b1b33e9f.pageblocked.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/pageblocked.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-147564" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/pageblocked.jpg 275w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/pageblocked-200x150.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 275px) 100vw, 275px" /></figure></div>



<p>Many countries around the world have systems in place to block access to copyright-infringing content and even entire sites.</p>



<p>Russia&#8217;s system is particularly streamlined and has resulted in large volumes of pirate sites being rendered inaccessible to the country&#8217;s citizens.</p>



<p>However, Russia&#8217;s blocking system isn&#8217;t only used to protect rightsholders. It&#8217;s regularly used to prevent access to terrorism-related material and other content considered dangerous to the public or even insulting to the state.</p>



<p>On November 28, 2019,  US-based stock footage site Shutterstock appeared on Russia&#8217;s registry of banned domains. Authority for the blocking was granted by the Prosecutor General&#8217;s Office on November 13, 2019, and as shown in the image below, covers one domain and two IP addresses.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/e0831f40.image-170.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-170.png" alt="" class="wp-image-180085" width="650"/><figcaption><em>Source: <a href="https://reestr.rublacklist.net/record/1923489/">RUBlacklist.net</a></em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>At first view, one might consider this to be a copyright infringement issue. However, those who visit the URL detailed at the top of the notice will find what appears to be an image of a Russian flag placed in the middle of a pile of excrement. Russian authorities do not take kindly to their national symbols depicted in such a fashion and have laws in place to prevent it.</p>



<p>As a result, Russian ISPs are now blocking two Shutterstock-related IP addresses (one in Germany, one in the Netherlands) which are both operated by cloud company Akamai. Whether other sites using the same IP addresses are also being affected is currently unclear.</p>



<p>For good measure, Russia is also targeting the image.shutterstock.com domain. As highlighted by Russian digital rights group <a href="https://roskomsvoboda.org/52861/">Roskomsvoboda</a>, which first reported the news, this is particularly problematic since rather than tackling just a single URL, a whole HTTPS subdomain is in the register.</p>



<p>While overblocking is never welcome, the great irony here is that while the Russian blacklist is often used to protect the rights of content creators, it is now effectively restricting their ability to do legitimate business in Russia via Shutterstock. Whether the company will remove the image to resolve the matter remains to be seen.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180037
title: Greece Jails First Pirate Site Operator For Five Years
uri: Greece-Jails-First-Pirate-Site-Operator-For-Five-Years
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/9df7AutMRio/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/54706ba5.jail.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/jail.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-70302" width="267" height="178"/></figure></div>



<p>For almost a decade, an anti-piracy group in Greece has been trying to bring the elusive operator of pirate sites to justice.</p>



<p>EPOE protects the rights of entertainment industry companies including those in the film and television sectors. It filed criminal prosecutions against the alleged operator of the site Greekstars four times since 2009 but the processes were never straightforward.</p>



<p>According to <a href="https://www.epoe.org/">EPOE</a>, each time a complaint was filed, the operator closed down his site and then reappeared under new domain names, which were variations on the original Greekstar branding. The final criminal action was filed way back in 2012 but has taken years to come to a conclusion. Now, however, it is all over.</p>



<p>After a legal process of years, in November an Athens court rejected the defendant&#8217;s protests of innocence, including that he was simply a user of the sites in question and had been wrongly accused.</p>



<p>The court found the man guilty of criminal copyright infringement and sentenced him to five years in prison for running sites including Greekstars.net and Greekstars.co. He had previously been found guilty of running a pirate site located at Greekstars.biz. All of the sites linked to pirated content hosted on other platforms.</p>



<p>This is the first time that an individual has been sent to prison for running a pirate site in Greece, a landmark event according to EPOE spokesperson Theodoros Petsinis.</p>



<p>&#8220;This convicted criminal had been sued four times by us. Each time a lawsuit was filed and the investigation was initiated, he would change his domain name, that is, the name of the website, and continue illegal distribution,&#8221; Petsinis <a href="https://sputniknews.gr/texnologia/201911225332980-proti-katadiki-gia-ilektroniki-peirateia-stin-ellada-I-apofasi-pou-allazei-ta-dedomena-sto-internet/">told</a> local media. &#8220;Identical content with another website name. He has been elusive for four years sharing movies, music, books and video games.&#8221;</p>



<p>According to Petsinis, the presiding judges decided not to levy a fine as part of the man&#8217;s punishment due to &#8220;mitigating factors&#8221;, including that fining someone already in prison would be &#8220;meaningless&#8221;.</p>



<p>While this first prison sentence is a key moment for Greece&#8217;s entertainment companies, the problem of piracy in the country is far from solved. EPOE believes there are between 40 and 50 sites active in the country, with around five attracting the most traffic.</p>



<p>The anti-piracy group previously entered a request for <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/greek-isps-ordered-to-block-38-domains-including-the-pirate-bay-181109/">38 domains to be blocked by ISPs</a> but Petsinis complains that most of the sites simply changed their domains, effectively out-maneuvering the action. And, despite the efforts, Greece remains under the scrutiny of the United States for not doing enough to counter copyright infringement.</p>



<p>In its latest Special 301 Report <em>(<a href="media/e884b4ba.2019_Special_301_Report.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/2019_Special_301_Report.pdf">pdf</a>)</em>, the USTR opted to keep Greece on the &#8216;Watch List&#8217;. It accused the government itself of using unlicensed software while conducting ineffective IP investigations and prosecutions. The USTR also criticized the country for having &#8220;persistent problems with criminal enforcement delays&#8221;, which could certainly apply to the Greekstars case.</p>



<p>However, with this five-year prison sentence, Greece does seem to have addressed the complaints from the US that the scale of sentences for persistent large-scale copyright infringers is &#8220;insufficient&#8221;.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179568
title: EU Study Shows Online Piracy is Complex and Not Easy to Grasp
uri: EU-Study-Shows-Online-Piracy-is-Complex-and-Not-Easy-to-Grasp
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/6DMQsq39tEA/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/f7938e16.euipo.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/euipo.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-179902"/></figure></div>



<p>Research released by the <a href="https://euipo.europa.eu/">EUIPO</a> last week revealed that pirate IPTV services generate nearly €1 million in revenue per year. That&#8217;s in Europe alone. </p>



<p>The figure confirmed that piracy remains a massive problem, but a second study also delivered some more positive news. From 2017 to 2018, access to pirated content across Europe dropped by more than 15 percent. </p>



<p>This headline figure was undoubtedly welcomed by copyright holders, but the broader report deserves more in-depth analysis. </p>



<p>For starters, the study only covers part of the piracy landscape. It is based on data provided by the piracy tracking company MUSO which solely looks at website visits. This means that apps, streaming devices, and IPTV services are not included. </p>



<p>This may shed a different light on the piracy drop, as these untracked piracy channels have grown explosively in recent years. According to some, these streaming tools are the largest piracy threat at the moment. As such, it&#8217;s entirely possible that overall piracy levels didn&#8217;t drop, or could even have grown. </p>



<p>When we asked EUIPO about this caveat, it informed us that MUSO&#8217;s data, together with that from the European Audiovisual Observatory and Eurostat, was chosen to get the most complete picture possible.</p>



<p>&#8220;The MUSO database was chosen as a source of data to enable us to get as full a picture as possible of online copyright infringement in the EU to which the methodology could be applied,&#8221; EUIPO informed us. &nbsp; </p>



<p>That makes sense, as the newer piracy tools are simply harder to track, so there may simply be no data available.</p>



<p>While EUIPO&#8217;s &#8216;picture&#8217; only covers part of the piracy landscape, it is very detailed and suitable for comparisons over time, based on a wide variety of variables. This provided some interesting insights, especially when it comes to regional differences.</p>



<p>For example, total piracy, specified by the number of site visits per user per month, is by far the highest in Latvia and Lithuania. The relative piracy volume there is more than six times as high as in Finland, as can be seen below.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/df1f935e.totalpiracy2018.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/totalpiracy2018.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-180087"/><figcaption> Total piracy by country and content type, 2018  <br> </figcaption></figure></div>



<p>The logical conclusion would be that piracy is far more prevalent in countries on the left. However, caution is warranted, as this only covers site-based piracy. </p>



<p>Last week, the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-iptv-services-generate-nearly-e1-billion-per-year-eu-study-shows-191128/">other EUIPO study showed</a> that IPTV piracy is below average in Latvia, while it&#8217;s high in this report. On the other hand, site-based piracy is below-average in Spain, where IPTV piracy is thriving. And we haven&#8217;t even considered streaming boxes and apps.</p>



<p>One major difference between site-based piracy and IPTV piracy is that the latter usually requires a subscription. In other words, people have to pay to pirate. That may, at least in part, be due to regional differences, as countries differ in their average income per person.</p>



<p>The money element was also considered in the EUIPO study. Following statistical analyses, the researchers found that a lower income per capita is linked to more piracy. Again, this is solely based on website visits. </p>



<p>&#8220;Among the socio-economic factors, the level of income per capita and the extent of inequality seem to have the greatest impact on consumption of pirated content: high per capita income and a low degree of income inequality are associated with lower levels of illicit consumption,&#8221; the report concludes.  </p>



<p>The link between income and piracy is not counterintuitive. That&#8217;s also true for the link that was found between social acceptance of piracy and piracy volume. What is surprising, however, is that awareness of legal services and piracy is absent for some content. </p>



<p>EUIPO found that more awareness of legal TV services was linked to more TV piracy. For music, a similar trend was found, albeit not statistically significant. More awareness of legal movie services, on the other hand, was linked to less piracy, as expected.</p>



<p>&#8220;It appears that the relationship between legal offer and piracy is a complex one and merits further investigation,&#8221; EUIPO concludes. </p>



<p>Overall the EUIPO study provides some interesting views on the piracy landscape in the EU. While it only covers site-based traffic, it&#8217;s clear that piracy habits differ greatly from country to country, and that they&#8217;re not always easy to grasp.</p>



<p><em>&#8212;</em></p>



<p><em>A copy of the report titled: &#8220;Online copyright infringement in the European Union&#8221; is available <a href="media/422d28f9.online_copyright_infringement_in_eu_en.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/online_copyright_infringement_in_eu_en.pdf">here (pdf)</a>.</em><br></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180107
title: Meet the Guy Behind the Libgen Torrent Seeding Movement
uri: Meet-the-Guy-Behind-the-Libgen-Torrent-Seeding-Movement
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/U0kw7iWSnmM/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/38bc74d1.libgen2.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/libgen2.png" alt="" class="wp-image-159558" width="273" height="130"/></figure></div>



<p>Whenever Library Genesis (Libgen) or Sci-Hub hit the headlines, what tends to follow is a fracturing of opinion on where these sites sit in the piracy landscape.</p>



<p>Both are best known for their massive archives of scientific articles and research papers. They are also notable for their absolute commitment to the spread of knowledge for the betterment of society as a whole. This means that even some otherwise staunch opponents of piracy pause for thought.</p>



<p>While huge publishing companies want them gone, support for these platforms among the knowledge-thirsty can be robust. Just over a week ago, the passion for keeping Libgen alive became evident in a Reddit <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/seedboxes/comments/e129yi/charitable_seeding_for_nonprofit_scientific/">thread</a> (posted by a user known as &#8216;shrine&#8217;) titled &#8216;Charitable seeding for nonprofit scientific torrents&#8217; </p>



<p>&#8220;Libgen is a 33 terabyte scientific library with 2.4 million free books covering science, engineering, and medicine,&#8221; &#8216;shrine&#8217; began.</p>



<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s the largest free library in the world, servicing tens of thousands of scientists and medical professionals around the world who live in developing countries that can&#8217;t afford to buy books and scientific journals. There&#8217;s almost nothing else like this on Earth &#8211; they&#8217;re using torrents to fulfill World Health Organization and U.N. charters.&#8221;</p>



<p>However, the torrents used by Libgen were not in good shape so &#8216;shrine&#8217; began a movement to boost the quality of their swarms. The project was quickly spotted and then supported by two companies (Seedbox.io and UltraSeedbox.com) that offer &#8216;seedboxes&#8217;, effectively server-based torrent clients with plenty of storage space and bandwidth available &#8211; perfect for giving swarms a boost.</p>



<p>The project gained plenty of traction and as a <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/seedboxes/comments/e3yl23/charitable_seeding_update_10_terabytes_and_900000/?user_id=22687125">follow-up thread</a> details, considerable success. Today we catch up with &#8216;shrine&#8217; for some history, background information, and an interesting status report.</p>



<p>&#8220;Ironically this all started when I saw the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/sci-hub-libgen-blocked-by-austrian-isps-following-elsevier-complaint-191111/">TorrentFreak article</a> about [Libgen] mirrors getting taken down.  I immediately decided I wanted to find a way to preserve and protect the collection,&#8221; &#8216;shrine&#8217; says.</p>



<p>&#8220;I started out, but realized that the Plex server in my living room wouldn’t be enough to back up the largest free library in the world. That’s when I wrote my plea to <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/comments/dxe9jm/lets_talk_about_datahoarding_thats_actually/">/r/datahoarder</a> hoping for a few guys to help out. Once the project exploded my role since then has been coordinating the hundreds of seed donations <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hqT7dVe8u09eatT93V2xvth-fUfNDxjE9SGT-KjLCj0/edit?usp=sharing">out of my Google Doc</a> and answering as many questions as I can.&#8221;</p>



<p>Shrine is completely unconnected to the Libgen site but says he&#8217;s been a user for years. Before his project began he didn&#8217;t have a clear idea of how the site operated or what it took to keep it online but he&#8217;s now focused on two primary goals &#8211; back up Libgen and distribute the data so that people can find new ways to utilize it.</p>



<p>&#8220;The collection we’re seeding now is 32TB (18%) of [Libgen&#8217;s] total collection, so it’s just the first step in preserving the project,&#8221; he says, pointing to <a href="http://libgen.lc/stat.php">Libgen&#8217;s stats page</a>. </p>



<p>We asked &#8216;shrine&#8217; if any stats on swarm strengths were taken when the project began, so a comparison can be made today. He told us that an index for the collection didn&#8217;t even exist a week ago, so planning and coordination was difficult. However, some stats are available.</p>



<p>&#8220;The first thing I did was find a way to scrape the torrents to motivate seeders and track progress. I started collecting data on November 30th using a <a href="https://gitlab.com/dessalines/torrents.csv">very cool open source indexer</a> on GitLab,&#8221; he reveals.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="media/5cf30ada.libgen_progress.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/libgen_progress.png" alt="" class="wp-image-180152" width="650"/><figcaption><em>Project data (Nov 30 to Dec 4)</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>While the previously-mentioned seedbox suppliers provided a huge boost to the project, there are plenty of anonymous donors and supporters behind the scenes too, even people who had no previous experience of using BitTorrent.</p>



<p>&#8220;I am overjoyed with the outpour of support. I have PMs from people who’ve never torrented before, have 1GB to spare, and want to know the best torrent client,&#8221; &#8216;shrine&#8217; notes.</p>



<p>&#8220;Scientists in the Reddit threads are sharing stories of how LibGen made their research possible. Unnamed cloud providers have pledged 100TB allocation on their servers. The response has been overwhelmingly positive from everyone.&#8221;</p>



<p>Although &#8216;shrine&#8217; regularly uses the term &#8220;we&#8221; in respect of seeding, he points out that he&#8217;s the project evangelist and there&#8217;s &#8220;nothing but Linux ISOs&#8221; on his own server. Nevertheless, the project has now turned into a movement, one that could have a profound effect on the overall free availability of scientific research.</p>



<p>&#8220;I only know there is no way to take the books back once they’ve been seeded. It’s a permanent library card for the world,&#8221; &#8216;shrine&#8217; concludes.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180100
title: IPTV Service Easily Circumvents First Canadian Piracy Blockade
uri: IPTV-Service-Easily-Circumvents-First-Canadian-Piracy-Blockade
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/4RDBlZnocoE/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/a2cf27d4.canada.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/canada.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-60888" width="250" height="185"/></figure></div>



<p>Last month Canada’s Federal Court approved the&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/federal-court-approves-first-pirate-site-blockade-in-canada-191118/">first piracy blockade</a>&nbsp;in the country.</p>



<p>Following a complaint from major media companies Rogers, Bell and TVA, the Court ordered several major ISPs to block access to domains and IP-addresses of the pirate IPTV service GoldTV.</p>



<p>A few days after the order was issued the first blockades were active. These prevent GoldTV customers from accessing the IPTV portal directly, as intended. As we&#8217;ve seen in the past, however, not everyone affected is giving up that easily. </p>



<p>Faced with the blocking error, many users went looking for alternatives. Through various public forums, people asked for advice, which was never far away. At the same time, it appears that GoldTV&#8217;s operators also took action.</p>



<p>Instead of relying on the blocked domains, GoldTV is now accessible through a new portal, using a fresh domain name. Instead of the edge.tm URL, several resellers are now publicly directing users to the beex.me domain, which isn&#8217;t blocked, yet. </p>



<p>Whether that will last is doubtful, as rightsholders are also keeping a close eye on these changes. They previously added edge.tm to the complaint when GoldTV switched, and are likely to add the new domain to the blocklist as well. </p>



<p>The Federal Court order allows the rightsholders to request ISPs to update their blocklists. To do so, they have to file an affidavit. Internet providers then have ten business days to file any objections. If there are none, the Court may grant the requested update without any hearings.</p>



<p>This means that, in theory, this cat-and-mouse game can continue for months. This is similar to what we have seen with site blocking efforts in other countries. However, there are other workarounds being discussed as well.</p>



<p>IPTV Global Server, which describes itself as a GoldTV reseller, has created a <a href="http://iptvglobalserver.com/courtruling.html">detailed circumvention guide for customers</a>. Aside from updating the URL, the company points out that switching to a VPN is a more permanent solution. </p>



<p>&#8220;As evident in the court case itself, bypassing this block is not difficult, and simply requires you to use a VPN when accessing Gold (Global) services. Alternatively the host can change the portal URL at anytime to bypass the block,&#8221; Global writes.</p>



<p>The reseller links to two VPN services which it has &#8220;partnered&#8221; with and provides affiliate links, which help the company to bring in some extra revenue as well.  </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/6e661234.iptvglobal.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/iptvglobal.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-180121"/></figure></div>



<p>While Global&#8217;s guide is useful to blocked GoldTV users, the company&#8217;s decision to create a URL that directly links to the latest access portal could potentially result in its own domain name being blocked as well. </p>



<p>The court order allows any (sub)domain to be added to the blocklists, as long as its sole or predominant use is to facilitate access to GoldTV&#8217;s services. While a generic VPN wouldn&#8217;t immediately fit that category, a dedicated &#8216;circumvention&#8217; guide likely would. </p>



<p>At the time of writing it&#8217;s unclear whether any of the rightsholders have already submitted proposed additions to the blocklist.</p>



<p>What is clear, however, is that the blocking case is far from over. Last week, Internet provider TekSavvy <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/teksavvy-appeals-first-canadian-pirate-site-blockade-191126/">filed an appeal</a>. Among other things, the company argued that the Court&#8217;s order undermines the open Internet to &#8220;protect the profits and business models of a handful of powerful media conglomerates.&#8221;</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180181
title: The Pirate Bay Moves to a Brand New Onion Domain
uri: The-Pirate-Bay-Moves-to-a-Brand-New-Onion-Domain
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/hunEwAqOpT8/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/1a30604c.tpb3.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/tpb3.png" alt="" class="wp-image-106334"/></figure></div>



<p>The Pirate Bay has been operating one of its original domains &#8211; thepiratebay.org &#8211; for well over 15 years. During that same period, it has also burned through countless others due to anti-piracy action all around the globe.</p>



<p>The Pirate Bay is also one of the most blocked platforms on the planet for the same reason, something that has led to the creation of hundreds of proxy sites, set up to facilitate access to the index, regardless of which official domain is in use.</p>



<p>Last evening the operator of a site that <a href="https://avoidcensorship.org/">indexes links</a> to some of these proxies told TorrentFreak that their owners had noticed that The Pirate Bay&#8217;s Onion site had been down for several hours, which is unusual. After further investigation, it was discovered that the site had switched from the extremely messy uj3wazyk5u4hnvtk.onion to <a href="http://piratebayztemzmv.onion/">piratebayztemzmv.onion</a>.</p>



<p>Accessible via the Tor browser, for example, Onion domains grant access to the so-called &#8216;dark web&#8217;, which is a fancy way of describing sites and services that aren&#8217;t visible using a normal search engine or accessible by regular means. In the case of TPB,  being hidden inside the Tor network also provides extra security for the raid and lawsuit-prone index.</p>



<p>While there has been no official announcement from TPB&#8217;s operators about the Onion domain switch, the new address can now be seen when hovering over the &#8216;Tor&#8217; link on the site. Exactly why the site&#8217;s operators made the change isn&#8217;t entirely clear, however.</p>



<p>The new Onion domain is certainly easier to read than the old one, but still not easy to remember. That being said, it is an improvement over its predecessor and now is probably a very good time to get everyone familiar with it.</p>



<p>As reported <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/planned-org-registry-sale-puts-the-pirate-bay-at-risk-191129/">here</a> recently, the Internet Society is in the process of selling the Public Interest Registry which currently controls The Pirate Bay&#8217;s .org domain. As a result, there are concerns that the new owners may throw the infamous domain overboard on copyright grounds.</p>



<p>If that does indeed happen, the Onion domain will certainly come in handy, as will the hundreds of pre-existing proxy sites currently doing a dance around dozens of blockades, all around the world.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180137
title: Anti-Virus Vendors Flag uTorrent and BitTorrent as a “Threat” Again
uri: Anti-Virus-Vendors-Flag-uTorrent-and-BitTorrent-as-a-Threat-Agai
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/L1s_DVu7Mrk/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/355733e7.puautorrent.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/puautorrent.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-180227"/></figure></div>



<p>After the TRON acquisition, uTorrent and BitTorrent&#8217;s social media channels have been predominantly &#8216;crypto&#8217; oriented.</p>



<p>The core audience of the file-sharing clients, which still consists of millions of users, remains mostly interested in downloading and sharing files though. </p>



<p>This is something <a href="https://www.utorrent.com/">uTorrent</a> still does well and the same is true for the BitTorrent Mainline client. However, new users of these clients have repeatedly been warned not to use the software by several leading anti-virus vendors. </p>



<p>In the past BitTorrent Inc. classified such warnings as false positives which it could resolve relatively easily. While that may be true, it appears that the problem is rather persistent and likely more structural than some would think. </p>



<p>After alarmed users reported the issue in uTorrent&#8217;s forums this week, we decided to scan the latest release for potential threats. According to VirusTotal, <a href="https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/6dc89df370e5425a0197173ee7aefef430a1e79fbe9008a572a66ee1199c00f4/detection">nine separate anti-virus vendors</a> currently flag the software as problematic. </p>



<p>This includes the popular Windows Defender, which labels the torrent client as a severe threat. While that sounds scary, the detailed description shows that it may include “Potentially Unwanted Software,” a term commonly used for adware.</p>



<p>This is not the first time uTorrent has had this problem. Microsoft has flagged the torrent client in the past as well, as the dedicated <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/threats/malware-encyclopedia-description?Name=PUA:Win32/Utorrent">Utorrent threat page</a> shows as well. This flag was later removed, presumably after the software was updated, but now they are back in full force. </p>



<p>Other anti-virus tools that warn users against uTorrent include Comodo, drWeb, Eset and Sophos, as the list below shows. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/b0e375ea.detectut.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/detectut.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-180223"/></figure></div>



<p>It’s unclear what has triggered the recent warnings. According to VirusTotal, two anti-virus companies mention “Web Companion” as the problem. This likely points to Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware software, which is sometimes bundled with uTorrent.</p>



<p>The warnings are not limited to the uTorrent desktop client either. The BitTorrent Mainline client, which shares most of its code with uTorrent, is also flagged as harmful by <a href="https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/2318d04134e8306cc3017750543722c62d53b8c481bc8e1012eee71d10900cc2/detection">eight anti-virus tools</a> and uTorrent web <a href="https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/b32a522ecdc712ec9656db1f6cd7fd0b661a0d29ef39703a0839f945b71dd35c/detection">by four</a>.</p>



<p>When similar issues occurred early last year, uTorrent parent company BitTorrent Inc. informed us that a &#8220;false positive&#8221; was triggered by one of their releases. However, if these are indeed false positives, they are recurring ones.</p>



<p>We reached out to the company for a comment on our findings, but at the time of writing, we have yet to hear back. </p>



<p>Any uTorrent users who receive the warning should proceed at their own risk. When we installed the most recent uTorrent we didn&#8217;t spot anything nefarious being installed but, in the past, we have noticed that the client was bundled with adware. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180131
title: WinRAR Nukes Pirate Keygen But is a “Good Guy” Towards Regular Users
uri: WinRAR-Nukes-Pirate-Keygen-But-is-a-Good-Guy-Towards-Regular-Use
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/iyQoxaGcPUo/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/e897564a.image-173.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-173.png" alt="" class="wp-image-180206" width="239" height="228"/></figure></div>



<p>There&#8217;s a high probability that most people reading this article will be familiar with the image on the right.</p>



<p>That&#8217;s because in computing terms, data compression tool <a href="https://www.win-rar.com/">WinRAR</a> has been around for what seems like forever. </p>



<p>Indeed, with its 25th birthday coming up next April, WinRAR launched before many of its users were even born. Nevertheless, it has stood the tests of time and according to the latest estimates, now has around 500 million users.</p>



<p>Indeed, the company told us this week that WinRAR is the third most installed software in the world behind Chrome and Acrobat Reader. The reason for that, at least in part, is the company&#8217;s liberal business model.</p>



<p>Perhaps the most curious thing about this ubiquitous tool is that while WinRAR gives the impression of being free, technically it is paid software. Users get a 40-day period to trial the tool and then, if they like it, they can <a href="https://shop.win-rar.com/16/purl-shop-2183-1-n?x-source=31-buybutton-startpage">part with cash</a> in order to obtain a license.</p>



<p>However, WinRAR never times out and relies completely on users&#8217; inclination to pay for something that doesn&#8217;t need to be paid for to retain functionality. As a result, WinRAR has huge numbers of pirate users yet the company does pretty much nothing to stop them.</p>



<p>Those who do pay for a license get rid of a &#8216;nag&#8217; screen and gain a couple of features that most people don&#8217;t need. But for pirates (and the tool is massively popular with pirates), an unlicensed WinRAR still does what it&#8217;s supposed to, i.e unpacking all those pesky compressed pirate releases.</p>



<p>Of course, there are people out there who would still rather not pay a penny to use a piece of software that is essentially free to use. So, in order to obtain a &#8216;license&#8217; and get rid of the nag screen, they use a piece of software called a &#8216;keygen&#8217; that generates one for them.</p>



<p>The company behind WinRAR doesn&#8217;t seem to care too much about casual piracy but it is bothered about keygens. This week we spotted a lawyer for the company Win.rar GmbH filing a complaint with code repository Github targeting such a tool.</p>



<p>&#8220;We have put in a licensing generation system that is impossible to decrypt (until now that is). This system works by our employees generating a unique .key file and the end user putting it in their WinRAR installation directory so in that way the product activates,&#8221; the notice states.</p>



<p>&#8220;It violates our technological measures by the repo holding the source code and the compiled application to a custom-created keygen which is built to bypass our licensing generation system and allows end users to create their own unique .key files for no charge which therefore bypasses our technological measures.&#8221;</p>



<p>The format of the DMCA notice is part of a growing trend. It doesn&#8217;t claim that the keygen copies WinRAR&#8217;s code but instead states that it violates the company&#8217;s rights by breaching the anti-circumvention provisions of the DMCA. As such, the notice cannot be easily countered.</p>



<p>&#8220;This GitHub repository violates a section of 17 U.S.C. § 1201 which is a part of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act,&#8221; the <a href="https://github.com/github/dmca/commit/528d7b6ded5c3567e9d103985cd73046129d297e">notice</a> adds.</p>



<p>&#8220;Since 17 U.S.C. § 1201 doesn&#8217;t have a counter-notification process if GitHub does not provide one then appealing of this notice is improbable. GitHub is legally not required to provide an appeals system for anti-circumvention cases.&#8221;</p>



<p>Github didn&#8217;t waste any time taking the repository down but before it disappeared, this is what it looked like. Notice the Chinese text at the top, which is of special interest.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/dba4b600.image-171.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-171.png" alt="" class="wp-image-180135" width="650"/></figure></div>



<p>The author of the tool identifies as Double Sine or DoubleLabyrinth, hailing from Tianjin University in China. He or she seems to have created the keygen as a technical challenge but there is some irony to be found in the coder&#8217;s location.</p>



<p>Since 2015, WinRAR has provided a completely free version of WinRAR for regular users in China. This, the company said, was to thank people for sticking with WinRAR over the years.</p>



<p>&#8220;We are proud to announce that after years of hard work, we now finally provide a completely free Simplified Chinese version of WinRAR to individual users in China,&#8221; a <a href="http://www.winrar.com.cn/about.htm">note</a> on the local website reads.</p>



<p>&#8220;You can now officially download and use WinRAR completely free of charge from winrar.com.cn, without searching or downloading cracked products, or looking for illegal versions, or downloading from unsafe websites at risk of security.&#8221;</p>



<p>Speaking with TorrentFreak, a representative from WinRAR&#8217;s marketing team couldn&#8217;t immediately elaborate on the specifics of the DMCA notice but noted that people shouldn&#8217;t really have a need to pirate its product.</p>



<p>&#8220;Indeed this is an interesting case, as we also don&#8217;t see the necessity of using a pirated version of WinRAR instead of our trial version. We know that our licensing policy for end customers is not as strict as with other software publishers, but for us it is still important that WinRAR is being used, even if the trial period might be over,&#8221; the representative said.</p>



<p>&#8220;From a legal perspective, everybody should buy at the end of the trial, but we still think that at least uncompressing content should be still possible as unrar.exe is open source anyway.&#8221;</p>



<p>The company also highlighted the existence of cartoons and memes on the Internet which relate to WinRAR&#8217;s indefinite trial, noting that &#8220;we like all of them and it meets our sense of humor.&#8221;</p>



<p>Perhaps more importantly, however, the company understands the importance of maintaining the positive image it&#8217;s earned by not persecuting users who use the product beyond its trial period. Going after them isn&#8217;t on the agenda but they would prefer people not to go down the piracy route.</p>



<p>&#8220;[I]n the field of private users we have always been the &#8216;good guys&#8217; by not starting legal actions against every private user using it beyond the trial period, thus we also don&#8217;t understand the need of pirated license keys for WinRAR,&#8221; the company concludes.</p>



<p>Rival open source tools such as <a href="https://www.7-zip.org/">7-Zip</a> offer similar functionality for free, no keygens needed or nag screens in sight. But, for the majority of users, WinRAR remains the tool of choice, even after a quarter of a century. It&#8217;s a remarkable achievement backed up by an intriguing business model.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180039
title: Digital Marketing Agency Agrees to Stop Linking to Piracy Apps
uri: Digital-Marketing-Agency-Agrees-to-Stop-Linking-to-Piracy-Apps
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/uyG-GVT4fJ4/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/3d5a45b0.pirateflag.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/pirateflag.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-175547"/></figure></div>



<p>Earlier this year, a group of companies including the makers of films such as “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” “London Has Fallen,” and “Hunter Killer,” <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/movie-companies-target-showbox-pirate-sites-in-us-court-190414/">went after</a> the operators of various websites.</p>



<p>In a lawsuit filed at a U.S. District Court in Hawaii, the movie companies accused several defendants of operating websites that promoted or linked to piracy apps including ShowBox and Popcorn Time. </p>



<p>The apps, which are used by millions of people, all provide access to a library of streamable movies and TV-shows. These are published without permission, the rightsholders pointed out, which results in massive piracy.</p>



<p>“Plaintiffs bring this action to stop the massive piracy of their motion pictures brought on by the software application Show Box,” the 58-page complaint began.</p>



<p>The lawsuit targeted several defendants, who were all suspected of having ties to one or more piracy-related sites. One of these stood out in particular &#8211; digital marketing agency&nbsp;<a href="https://pebblebridge.org/">Pebble Bridge</a> &#8211; which is an Indian LLP with a listed &#8216;office&#8217; address in New York. </p>



<p>The company in question was allegedly connected to sites such as  showboxforipad.com, showbox.fun, and show-box.pro. The company was also listed as the owner of terrariumtv.life, moviebox.software and mobrdo.mobi.</p>



<p>In addition, the movie companies pointed out that an IP-address associated with Pebble Bridge was found sharing a copy of &#8220;London Has Fallen&#8221; via BitTorrent.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/0384eb7a.pebblehash.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/pebblehash.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-180144"/></figure></div>



<p>After the complaint was filed, several of the mentioned sites stopped linking to any of the pirate apps. While Pebble Bridge didn&#8217;t respond to the allegations in court, it did start negotiations with the movie companies behind the scenes. </p>



<p>A few days ago, this resulted in a consent judgment where the digital marketing agency, represented by two of its partners, admitted that it was indeed behind the mentioned sites. In addition, the company also took the blame for sharing a movie on BitTorrent.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant Pebblebridge Technologies, LLP admits to describing and providing links to the Show Box app as described in paragraphs 45-88 of the Complaint and reproducing copies of the motion picture London Has Fallen as alleged in paragraph 207 of the Complaint,&#8221; the consent judgment reads.  </p>



<p>The judgment, which all parties agreed on, also includes a permanent injunction prohibiting Pebble Bridge and its partners from promoting or distributing any piracy apps going forward.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant Pebblebridge Technologies, LLP, its designated partners Udatala Vinay Kumar and Mangilipudi Vishnudath Reddy, and those under its control are hereby permanently enjoined from promoting and or distributing movie piracy applications,&#8221; it reads.</p>



<p>This specifically includes apps such as ShowBox, Popcorn Time, CotoMovies, MediaBox HD, Cinemabox, Moviebox, Terrarium, and Mobdro, as well as any software that&#8217;s affiliated with YIFY, YTS, RARBG, Torrentz2, NYAA.si, LimeTorrents, Zooqle; EZTV, and TorrentDownloads.  </p>



<p>Interestingly, the consent judgment doesn&#8217;t include a settlement amount. It is possible that the parties agreed to deal with this outside of court, but it&#8217;s not part of the court order. The same is true for a separate and similar consent judgment that was signed by a Pebble Bridge employee. </p>



<p>This week&#8217;s orders are not the first in this case. Previously a Pakistani man  agreed to pay a settlement <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/showbox-site-owner-settles-piracy-case-for-150000-180930/">of $150,000</a> for operating another ShowBox site, ‘latestshowboxapp.com&#8217;.  </p>



<p><em>&#8212;</em></p>



<p><em>A copy of the consent judgment against Pebble Bridge, signed by Hawaii District Court Judge Leslie Kobayashi, is<a href="media/7a9748a2.pebble.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/pebble.pdf"> available here (pdf)</a>.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179508
title: Google Sees DMCA Anti-Circumvention Notices Skyrocket
uri: Google-Sees-DMCA-Anti-Circumvention-Notices-Skyrocket
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/kBL8WXeEZF8/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/fb5bd049.deletemini.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/deletemini.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-150938"/></figure></div>



<p>A few weeks ago, we reported that the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/riaa-delists-youtube-rippers-from-google-using-rare-anti-circumvention-notices-191108/">RIAA targeted several YouTube converters and downloaders</a> by sending relatively rare takedown requests to Google.</p>



<p>Instead of the usual DMCA copyright notices, the music group asked the search engine to remove various URLs for alleged violations of the DMCA’s anti-circumvention provision.</p>



<p>This proved to be quite effective. After taking down the many links to FLVTO, 2Conv, Y2Mate, and Yout, the RIAA expanded its scope to other streamrippers. In total, the music group targeted hundreds of URLs in a few dozen notices.</p>



<p>And the RIAA is not alone. Other copyright holders are using the anti-circumvention route as well. This includes game companies such as <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/nintendo-wipes-piracy-enabling-urls-from-google-with-anti-circumvention-notices-191123/">Nintendo</a> and Rockstar Games, as well as Netflix.</p>



<p>One upside for rightsholders is that there&#8217;s no official counter-notification option. This means that affected sites can&#8217;t easily complain when they are mistakenly targeted. However, there&#8217;s another major benefit as well. </p>



<p>Some sites that don&#8217;t infringe any copyrights directly, can be seen as anti-circumvention tools. This gives rightsholders an extra option to remove URLs. To illustrate this, we only have to look at the RIAA&#8217;s recent takedown efforts. </p>



<p>When the music group sent a standard DMCA takedown request to Google for<a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/19546320"> several streamripper URLs in November</a>, the search engine didn&#8217;t take these offline. However, a similar DMCA circumvention notice that was sent a few days later <a href="https://www.lumendatabase.org/notices/19652174">was successful</a>. </p>



<p>This may be why there has been quite an increase in these anti-circumvention notices lately. While Google doesn&#8217;t list these by default in its transparency report, we used the <a href="https://www.lumendatabase.org/">Lumen database</a> to find out how many notices were sent this year. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/8410575b.anticir.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/anticir.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-180179"/></figure></div>



<p>At the time of writing, Google has received 6,281 DMCA anti-circumvention notices in 2019.  These notices can contain multiple links, sometimes even hundreds.  The number of notices has increased significantly compared to last year when 2,960 notices came in.  </p>



<p>In 2017 there were even fewer anti-circumvention notices,  921 to be precise.</p>



<p>While today&#8217;s numbers are still very modest, there&#8217;s definitely a visible upward trend that hasn&#8217;t been reported before. This increase is all the more interesting because Google now receives fewer standard copyright takedown notices. </p>



<p>TorrentFreak reached out to the RIAA to hear more about their motivation to use anti-circumvention notices, but the music group declined to comment on the issue.</p>



<p>Considering the effectiveness of their campaign to remove steamrippers from Google&#8217;s search results, we expect the efforts to continue. And when more rightsholders discover this option, we expect the number of anti-circumvention notices to grow further still.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180109
title: RIAA Shut Down DBR.ee, Now Obtains Subpoenas to Target Replacement
uri: RIAA-Shut-Down-DBR-ee-Now-Obtains-Subpoenas-to-Target-Replacement
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/yh48f9rcEB0/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/11e31c21.dbree.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/dbree.png" alt="" width="262" height="178"/></figure></div>



<p>In May 2019, TF <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/riaa-obtains-subpoena-to-expose-infringing-cloudflare-users-180506/">discovered</a> that the RIAA had obtained a DMCA subpoena which compelled CDN company Cloudflare to reveal the identities of several site operators using its services.</p>



<p>Among the several domains listed was DBR.ee, a file-hosting site that had was utilized by some of its users for hosting pre-release music leaks. This clearly didn&#8217;t sit well with the RIAA and within a month of the subpoena being obtained, DBR.ee <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/dbr-ee-shut-down-by-music-industry-groups-190528/">shut itself down</a>.</p>



<p>Initially it wasn&#8217;t clear if the subpoena and the closure were linked but soon after a message appeared on the site which advised that it had been shut down for copyright infringement following action by the RIAA, IFPI, and Music Canada.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/351db5aa.shutdb5.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/shutdb5.png" alt=""/><figcaption><em>The DBR.ee shutdown notice</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>Early September, however, a new site appeared. Sporting the DBREE name and graphics but located under a different URL (DBREE.co), the site seemed to want to pick up where the original had left off. It&#8217;s not currently known whether the same people are behind the resurrection but the RIAA appears keen to find out.</p>



<p>Late November the RIAA obtained a pair of DMCA subpoenas at a Columbia federal court, one targeting domain registrar Namecheap and the other CDN service Cloudflare. Their aim is to uncover the identities of several site operators, DBREE.co&#8217;s included.</p>



<p>&#8220;The purpose for which this subpoena is sought is to obtain the identity of the individual assigned to these websites who has induced the infringement of, and has directly engaged in the infringement of, our members&#8217; copyrighted sound recordings without their authorization,&#8221; the subpoenas read.</p>



<p>DBREE.co stands accused of infringement on three tracks &#8211; Lover by Taylor Swift, Under the Graveyard by Ozzy Osbourne, and Thailand by Lil Uzi Vert.</p>



<p>FLACC.org, a music release blog that links to content hosted elsewhere, is also accused of infringing copyrights on three tracks from Celine Dion, Ed Sheeran, and Tech N9ne.</p>



<p>Hiphopeasy.xyz, an album, single, and mixtape indexing site, is currently offline. Nevertheless, the RIAA claims it infringed the rights of Post Malone, Travis Scott, and Ed Sheeran. Another platform, identified by the RIAA as operating from Ovzy.xyz and its subdomains, is also inaccessible.</p>



<p>As usual, the subpoenas require Namecheap and Cloudflare to give up every piece of information they hold on the site&#8217;s alleged operators. Both companies are also asked to consider &#8220;the widespread and infringing nature&#8221; of the sites to determine whether they are in breach of terms of service agreements or repeat infringer policies.</p>



<p>Whether Namecheap or Cloudflare have any useful information to hand over to the RIAA remains to be seen but they are both expected to comply.</p>



<p><em>The DMCA subpoenas are available <a href="media/8042372f.19-mc-00204-UNA-RIAA-FLACCD-DBREE-subpeona-cloudflare-191127.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/1-19-mc-00204-UNA-RIAA-FLACCD-DBREE-subpeona-cloudflare-191127.pdf">here</a> and <a href="media/24ed60ab.-19-mc-00203-UNA-RIAA-FLACCD-DBREE-subpoena-namecheap-191127.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/1-19-mc-00203-UNA-RIAA-FLACCD-DBREE-subpoena-namecheap-191127.pdf">here</a> (pdf)</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180197
title: Filmmaker Wins Piracy Lawsuit Against YouTube and Google India
uri: Filmmaker-Wins-Piracy-Lawsuit-Against-YouTube-and-Google-India
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/gsm7XFQpXKk/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/72389cbc.sadyoutube.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/sadyoutube.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-117196"/></figure></div>



<p>Every week, YouTube’s users upload millions of hours of videos. As with any user-generated content site, this also includes copyright-infringing content.</p>



<p>YouTube tackles this problem by processing takedown notices and using its Content-ID system to automatically remove allegedly infringing content. </p>



<p>However, according to copyright holders, this is not good enough. That includes Bollywood filmmaker <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suneel_Darshan">Suneel Darshan</a>, who filed a lawsuit against YouTube and Google India in 2011. Now, eight years later, a local court has ruled in his favor. </p>



<p>A few days ago, the District Court of Gurgaon held that the video platform did indeed infringe on the rights of the filmmaker. The Court issued an injunction preventing YouTube from violating his copyrights going forward and awarded roughly $700 in compensation. </p>



<p>The &#8216;damages&#8217; amount is relatively low, especially after a prolonged legal battle, but Darshan says that he is planning to file a separate case to claim his full losses. A copy of the verdict has not been published online, as far as we know. </p>



<p>According to <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/filmmaker-wins-copyright-case-against-youtube/articleshow/72395412.cms">local</a> media <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/youtube-and-google-lose-copyright-infringement-case-against-suneel-darsha-bollywood-filmmaker/articleshow/72434795.cms">reports</a>, YouTube and Google&#8217;s lawyers argued that the video platform was merely an intermediary, which should not be held directly liable. </p>



<p>In addition, the companies pointed out that they have a functional DMCA takedown policy that allows any copyright holder to request the removal in infringing content by pointing out specific URLs. This is something the filmmaker failed to do. </p>



<p>Darshan and his legal team held that YouTube and Google profited from the  “unauthorized exploitation” of copyrighted works by sharing ad-revenue with the user who uploaded the content. As a result, the filmmaker lost part of his income. </p>



<p>The Court eventually sided with the copyright holder ruling that if Google and YouTube were aware of the content, they could have located the URLs to remove the infringing videos. </p>



<p>While the ruling is a setback for the video platform, the case is likely to be appealed. For now, however, the filmmaker is happy with the victory which he describes as an &#8220;encouraging judgment.&#8221; </p>



<p>That said, the journey towards this victory has been prolonged and difficult. YouTube and Google pushed back hard, Darshan says, <a href="https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/bollywood/suneel-darshan-talks-about-his-battle-with-online-giants-google-and-youtube">quoted</a> by the Free Press Journal.</p>



<p>“We faced many challenges while fighting this case. They made so many claims that it is not their jurisdiction and then they told me that I don&#8217;t hold the right to this content. So I had to prove my ownership, it is like parents proving that it is their child,&#8221; Darshan says.</p>



<p>YouTube hasn&#8217;t commented publicly on the case yet. The company is currently involved in several copyright infringement cases, including two that are with the European Court of Justice, which are expected to have a broad impact. </p>



<p>Similar to the Indian case, the top EU court will <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/can-youtube-be-liable-for-copyright-infringing-videos-eu-court-to-decide-190822/">have to decide</a> whether YouTube can be expected to go beyond responding to takedown notices that detail specific URLs. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180289
title: Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week on BitTorrent – 12/09/19
uri: Top-10-Most-Pirated-Movies-of-The-Week-on-BitTorrent-12-09-19
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/S83UT3kygXs/
content:
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-180292" src="media/f6993b46.adastra.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/adastra.jpg" alt="" width="264" height="199" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/adastra.jpg 264w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/adastra-200x150.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 264px) 100vw, 264px" />This week we have two newcomers in our chart.</p>
<p>Ad Astra is the most downloaded movie.</p>
<p>The data for our weekly download chart is estimated by TorrentFreak, and is for informational and educational reference only. All the movies in the list are Web-DL/Webrip/HDRip/BDrip/DVDrip unless stated otherwise.</p>
<p><a href="http://torrentfreak.com/category/dvdrip/feed/"><strong>RSS feed</strong></a> for the articles of the recent weekly movie download charts.</p>
<h5>This week&#8217;s most downloaded movies are:</h5>
<table class="css hover">
<thead>
<tr>
<th width="12%"><strong>Movie Rank</strong></th>
<th width="15%"><strong>Rank <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-pirated-movies-of-the-week-on-bittorrent-12-02-19/">last week</a></strong></th>
<th><strong>Movie name</strong></th>
<th width="18%"><strong>IMDb Rating / Trailer</strong></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tfoot>
<tr>
<td colspan="4">Most downloaded movies via torrents</td>
</tr>
</tfoot>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>1</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2935510/">Ad Astra</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2935510/">6.9</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK6Syms-X3w">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>2</strong></td>
<td>(1)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7131622/">Once Upon a Time &#8230; in Hollywood</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7131622/">7.9</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELeMaP8EPAA">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>3</strong></td>
<td>(2)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1206885/">Rambo: Last Blood</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1206885/">6.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km_L0v3C0ms">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>4</strong></td>
<td>(4)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1302006/">The Irishman</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1302006/">8.4</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS3aHkkfuEI">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td>(10)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6324278/">Abominable</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6324278/">7.0</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrgVtuDRBjM">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td>(3)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1025100/">Gemini Man</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1025100/">5.7</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbyJignbSj0">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5606664/">Doctor Sleep</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5606664/">7.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOzFZxB-8cw">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td>(6)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7349950/">It Chapter Two</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7349950/">6.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taE3PwurhYM">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>9</strong></td>
<td>(7)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7286456/">Joker</a> (Subbed HDRip)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7286456/">8.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAGVQLHvwOY">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>10</strong></td>
<td>(8)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5503686/">Hustlers</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5503686/">6.5</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDv-TwjQ_o4">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180253
title: The Pirate Bay is Trialing High-Quality Video Streaming Links
uri: The-Pirate-Bay-is-Trialing-High-Quality-Video-Streaming-Links
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/_J5IduLIwQ8/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/9484b25e.tpb-logo.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/tpb-logo.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-67837" width="241" height="215"/></figure></div>



<p>The Pirate Bay is well known for its huge database of magnet links which allow users to download most types of content imaginable.</p>



<p>Over the past few days, however, the platform has been adding a brand new feature that will please those who prefer to access movies and TV shows instantly, rather than waiting for them to download.</p>



<p>As the image below shows, in addition to the familiar magnet and trusted uploader icons displayed alongside video and TV show releases, the site also features a small orange &#8216;B&#8217; graphic. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/46e35c5e.image-175.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-175.png" alt="" class="wp-image-180266"/></figure></div>



<p>In some cases (but currently not all), pressing these buttons when they appear next to a video release diverts users to a new platform called <a href="https://baystream.co">BayStream</a>. Here, the chosen content can be streamed directly in the browser using a YouTube-style player interface.</p>



<p>Loading times appear swift when the content is actually available and as the screenshot below shows, the material appears to be sourced, at least in some cases, from torrent releases.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/17036232.image-176.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-176.png" alt="" class="wp-image-180271" width="650"/><figcaption><em>BayStream.co in-browser video player</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>The new feature appears to be in its early stages of development and in tests doesn&#8217;t always perform as planned. In particular, accessing the &#8216;B&#8217; links using various Pirate Bay &#8216;proxy&#8217; sites can cause them to break with various errors. Nevertheless, when things go to plan (usually when selecting more popular content) the system appears effective.</p>



<p>When one accesses the BayStream homepage directly, without using links found on TPB, what appears is a fairly plain file-hosting upload interface. It claims that files up to 20GB can be uploaded and stored on the platform and at least for now, there&#8217;s no mention of premium accounts or affiliate programs.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/104f8612.image-177.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-177.png" alt="" class="wp-image-180272" width="650"/><figcaption><em>BayStream upload page</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>The big question, perhaps, is whether this is a Pirate Bay-operated platform or one run by outsiders. The familiar &#8216;<a href="https://www.kopimi.com/">Kopimi</a>&#8216; logo at the bottom suggests that it could be someone who supports the &#8216;pirate&#8217; movement but anyone can use the image freely, so that&#8217;s not the best pointer.</p>



<p>Public sources reveal that the site does have other links to Sweden and in some cases entities linked, however loosely, to the Kopimist movement. But again, those don&#8217;t provide solid pointers to the nature or identities of the operators of the site.</p>



<p>The Pirate Bay previously <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/bayfiles-the-pirate-bay-founders-launch-file-hosting-site-110829/">launched</a> its own file-hosting platform, BayFiles, way back in 2011. That disappeared after the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-what-raid-police-never-got-our-servers-150921/">2014 raid</a> on a Stockholm datacenter but was later <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/former-pirate-bay-cyberlocker-bayfiles-makes-a-comeback-180718/">relaunched</a> under new ownership.</p>



<p>The addition of BayStream links to The Pirate Bay isn&#8217;t the first time that the world&#8217;s most famous torrent site has dipped its toes into streaming waters. In 2016, the site <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-transforms-into-the-worlds-biggest-streaming-site-160205/">experimented</a> with &#8216;Stream It!&#8221; links next to all video torrents, playable via a browser plug-in called Torrents-Time.</p>



<p></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180296
title: Helix IPTV: Hackers Threaten to Expose Resellers & Customers
uri: Helix-IPTV-Hackers-Threaten-to-Expose-Resellers-Customers
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/HK_TTQ6jtGo/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/a299d9ae.hackerhacked.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/hackerhacked.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-168637"/></figure></div>



<p>Pirate IPTV providers have become a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-iptv-services-generate-nearly-e1-billion-per-year-eu-study-shows-191128/">pretty big deal</a> in recent years. </p>



<p>Offering cut-price access to otherwise subscription TV channels, PPVs, and video-on-demand archives, customers have flocked to them in their millions.</p>



<p>One popular provider operating in the space is Helix Hosting but if a message that appeared on the service&#8217;s homepage is anything to go by, the Christmas period may become memorable for all the wrong reasons.</p>



<p>The statement, published hours ago on the official Helix Hosting homepage, claimed that Helix had been hacked and was being held to ransom. The implication of the message was typical: Helix should pay up to appease the attackers or face potential damage to their business.</p>



<p>&#8220;Helix Hosting Has Been Hacked &#8211; They have had the option to pay a small amount to protect its customers or have all customer details leaked online putting you all at risk,&#8221; the message read.</p>



<p>&#8220;They have chosen to not accept this offer and would prefer your details to be leaked online.&#8221;</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/19bf387e.image-178.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-178.png" alt="" class="wp-image-180298" width="650"/><figcaption><em>Pay up &#8211; or else</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>The overall threat was to release the personal details of all customers and resellers of Helix but to &#8220;make it fair&#8221;, the proposed leak would also expose &#8220;at the least&#8221; one owner and/or staff member of the service along with their name, address, phone numbers, and IP addresses.</p>



<p>While <em>someone</em> had clearly placed the message on the front page of the site, other areas of the Helix site remained functional for a while. At the time the &#8216;hacked&#8217; notice appeared, Helix&#8217;s app and repo indexes were functioning normally and its web player login page was also accessible.</p>



<p>However, as the minutes passed by, other aspects of the web portal were apparently disabled and the ransom message disappeared too. This morning, however, the &#8216;hacked&#8217; message is back for all to see.</p>



<p>Only time will tell how this episode will end and whether the threats to go nuclear on Helix over its failure to &#8220;pay a small amount&#8221; will be carried out. It&#8217;s also unclear what information Helix holds and what use that information would be to third-parties, even if it was leaked online.</p>



<p>The warning currently on display still mentions a 23:00 deadline to pay the ransom but there is no indication of which day, country, or time zone that refers to. So, depending on the timing, the leak could&#8217;ve happened already, could be about to happen, or may not even happen at all.</p>



<p>That said, giving in to blackmail is a big decision to make, especially when copies of data are easily made leaving attackers in a position to have a second bite at the cherry on a whim. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180330
title: Texas Man Sued for Selling Pirate Boxes Advertised on Facebook
uri: Texas-Man-Sued-for-Selling-Pirate-Boxes-Advertised-on-Facebook
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/1pbkuDvac3M/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/b11f3383.facethumb-e1567519375759.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/facethumb-e1567519375759.png" alt="" class="wp-image-176769"/></figure></div>



<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABS-CBN">ABS-CBN</a>, the largest media and entertainment company in the Philippines, is continuing its legal campaign against piracy.</p>



<p>Over the past several years, the company has singled out dozens of streaming sites that offer access to ‘Pinoy’ content without permission, both in the US and abroad.</p>



<p>While these traditional sites remain a key focus for the company, ABS-CBN is expanding its scope in the US by going after an alleged seller of pirate streaming boxes. </p>



<p>In a complaint filed at a federal court in Texas, the company accuses local resident Anthony Brown of selling and promoting pirate devices through the <a href="https://www.lifeforgreatness.com/">Life for Greatness</a> website. By doing so, the man violates ABS-CBN&#8217;s rights, the company stresses.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant has been engaged in a scheme to, without authorization, sell Pirate Equipment that retransmits ABS-CBN’s programming to his customers as Pirate Services,&#8221; the complaint, filed at the Southern District of Texas Court, reads. </p>



<p>The media company notes that its own investigators purchased pirate equipment from Brown, which was then shipped from within Texas. These orders were likely placed at the Life for Greatness website, which remains online at the time of writing and is operated by &#8216;1700 Cuts Technology.&#8217;</p>



<p>In addition, the complaint notes that the pirate devices were advertised and promoted through various Facebook pages. This includes two personal profiles and a business page for &#8220;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Shopping---Retail/lifeforgreatness-105130147525941/">Lifeforgreatness</a>.&#8221;</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant has used several Facebook.com social media pages to advertise and promote the availability of the Pirate Equipment for sale by<br>Defendant,&#8221; the complaint notes.  </p>



<p>The Facebook pages also remain online today. And indeed, the  Lifeforgreatness account is used to advertise what appear to be pirate streaming boxes and subscriptions. This is in part carried out by utilizing footage that shows the logos of ABS-CBN and other major entertainment outfits.</p>



<p>In a Facebook post, the box vendor <a href="https://www.facebook.com/105130147525941/videos/416846595860431/?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARA3olQbO-TSNRfO4V1oiyKvKTiT-5TSi_E2_c4h8lJpGqcKoYY5hDUPC563jRAoMflPfi27X-Mtd2G-_qto30ek1vWZgT2j2RMANXjJwZK_c5x8aKCtWPEoFC7eJqCFkQ57yV_HbIqLlx9Xe6-SpugSXXyoKk4wpUwXYEwDAg5J7hn_0OV5DxkpIH4fhi3Eh0I8UPbZar5J5FcL7Wi6InuLHluvYm5IK7SC-Vqo309-uoMQr8RLmVs1GHFfpPJIP6ESBpMzHpXcE9vQiKB5xIGdbHKrJXnBK8oYogPdTHYNSAzm_pUZVj5NvMBIEhQheosHNshLoYOKvFbGk6rGDGpP79mBmEeGDRw&amp;__tn__=-R">writes</a> that cable companies overcharge customers each and every day. By switching to one of the advertised boxes, people can cut their bills and still get the same channels, the post adds.</p>



<p>&#8220;The box automatically updates on its own as well as provides content that you are currently paying between $4.99 to $300.00 a month for. The Smart to box have over 500,000 movies, TV shows and Live TV from every country the world including the USA,&#8221; the post adds.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/78d1258c.facebookpirate.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/facebookpirate.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-180341"/></figure></div>



<p>This is not an isolated incident. There are hundreds of similar businesses that (re)sell pirate boxes and subscriptions while advertising them on social media. The defendant, in this case, seems to be a relatively small fish with just a few dozen Facebook likes. </p>



<p>However, that doesn&#8217;t mean that ABS-CBN is holding back when it comes to its demands. </p>



<p>The media company requests hundreds of thousands in damages for providing unauthorized access to its communication signals, which violates the Communications Act. In addition, it asks for $2 million in statutory damages for every trademark infringement.</p>



<p>Interestingly, there is no copyright damages claim. However, the company does want the seller to halt his infringing activities and requests the court to impound the pirate devices.</p>



<p><em>&#8212;</em></p>



<p><em>A copy of the complaint filed by ABS-CBN at the  Southern District of Texas Court is <a href="media/e9667461.abs-cbn-facebook.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/abs-cbn-facebook.pdf">available here (pdf)</a>.</em></p>



<p><br></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180376
title: Google’s Top UK “Where to Watch” Searches Weren’t a Piracy Concern in 2019
uri: Google-s-Top-UK-Where-to-Watch-Searches-Weren-t-a-Piracy-Con
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/4aiW2HSVnBU/
content:
<p style="text-align: right;"><a href="media/8f6c3950.googlepiratebay.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/googlepiratebay.png"><img class=" wp-image-128445 alignright" src="media/8f6c3950.googlepiratebay.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/googlepiratebay.png" alt="" width="237" height="228" /></a></p>
<p>That Google knows every detail of what its users search for is no secret &#8211; after all, the company itself processes all of the requests.</p>
<p>Armed with this data, Google publishes its annual &#8216;<a href="https://trends.google.com/trends/yis/2019/">Year in Search</a>&#8216; report, the latest of which appeared yesterday. From our perspective, there were very few &#8211; if any &#8211; piracy-related aspects to report, something which should be encouraging to rightsholders.</p>
<p>However, after the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-50728830">published</a> its take on Google&#8217;s UK search statistics, noting that several questions in the &#8220;How to&#8221; category were directed at how to watch sports events and TV shows, the Federation Against Copyright Theft took to Twitter to issue a warning.</p>
<p>&#8220;Whether it’s a re-stream on social media, a piracy site, or using a TV-connected device, avoiding official providers to access content is illegal,&#8221; FACT <a href="https://twitter.com/factuk/status/1204702092943863808">wrote</a>, linking to the BBC article.</p>
<p>Of course, it is FACT&#8217;s job to draw attention to such things but we wondered, given that Google is quite specific about the top titles searched for in 2019, whether Google&#8217;s search results were worthy of particular panic. Or, indeed, whether &#8220;where to watch&#8221; searches should always be considered dangerous and piracy related. But first, some background.</p>
<p>Over the past several years, copyright holders and anti-piracy groups have regularly complained that Google and other search engines help people find content online in a way that prioritizes pirated over legitimate content.</p>
<p>That isn&#8217;t the company&#8217;s intention, of course, but there have been numerous instances of pirate sites appearing higher in searches than those offering licensed content. In the UK, Google and various industry players agreed to tackle this and similar issues with the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/search-engines-and-rightsholders-sign-landmark-anti-piracy-deal-170220/">signing</a> of a voluntary anti-piracy agreement back in 2017.</p>
<p>So, when placed alongside these top &#8220;how to&#8221; searches, has it worked?</p>
<p><strong>#1: How to watch Champions League Final</strong></p>
<p>This search clearly related to the match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool from which the latter emerged victorious, two goals to nil. However, the related Google search is particularly interesting since all of the top results showed users how to watch the match for free.</p>
<p>While that might sound like a cause for concern, these results linked exclusively to <em>completely legal streams offered via established broadcasters</em>. Clearly, the incentive to pirate had been mostly eliminated by giving consumers what they want.</p>
<p><strong>#2: How to watch Game of Thrones</strong></p>
<p>As one of the most popular shows in living memory, it&#8217;s no surprise that Game of Thrones appears in Google&#8217;s top search lists for the UK. In past years, this kind of search would&#8217;ve likely displayed &#8216;pirate&#8217; results prominently but that is no longer the case. In our tests we had to go through several pages of Google results with links to either buy the show or articles detailing how to watch the show legally first. Pirate results were not prominent.</p>
<p><strong>#5: How to watch KSI vs. Logan</strong></p>
<p>Given the controversy surrounding this pair of YouTube celebrities, searches on how to watch the fight were bound to score highly. However, a <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=How+to+watch+KSI+vs.+Logan">search</a> for the fight yet again yielded pages and pages of legitimate sources or articles detailing how to access the bout legally.</p>
<p><strong>#10: How to watch Chernobyl</strong></p>
<p>The results displayed following a &#8220;where to watch Chernobyl&#8221; search are very similar to those that are returned following a similar Game of Thrones query. One has to skip through pages and pages of legitimate results to find any pirate sources and, on the way, the emphasis to go legal is clear.</p>
<p>The legal choices, as they appear in Google&#8217;s results, are as follows: YouTube, Google Play, Amazon, NowTV, HBO, Sky, Hulu, iTunes, Showmax, DirectTV, HBONordic, HBOGo, and Verizon. Admittedly, not all of those are available to UK users, but that&#8217;s four pages deep into the results and not one pirate link in sight.</p>
<p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>
<p>While this is a very limited sample, there does appear to have been a notable change in the way that Google displays its results in the UK when faced with a basic query of &#8220;where to watch X&#8221;. There is now a pretty clear bias towards legitimate sources in results presented in the first few pages.</p>
<p>Of course, those that wish to refine their searches to actively seek out pirated content will have more immediate success, that&#8217;s the way searches work. However, it&#8217;s now more difficult to argue that users will be diverted to pirated sources when they&#8217;re seeking out legal options, at least for the samples listed above.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s worth noting, however, that pirate users&#8217; viewing habits are probably shifting. There is now less reliance on search engines and more emphasis on apps and tools that are designed to produce infringing results by default, which is the exact opposite of what Google offers in respect of the above.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180320
title: Most Active Copyright Trolls Have Stopped Filing U.S. Piracy Lawsuits, For Now
uri: Most-Active-Copyright-Trolls-Have-Stopped-Filing-U-S-Piracy-Lawsuits
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/vaa3IJfw8w0/
content:
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-108977" src="media/efd05bc4.trollsign.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/trollsign.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="167" />While most piracy activity has shifted to streaming in recent years, U.S. courts have still been overloaded with BitTorrent related piracy lawsuits.</p>
<p>This phenomenon, often dubbed as copyright trolling, started roughly a decade ago and remains ongoing.</p>
<p>This scheme can be both simple and lucrative. Rightsholders file complaints against “John Does” who are initially only known by an IP-address. They then request a subpoena to obtain the subscriber details and demand a settlement from the account holder.</p>
<p>In recent years, the vast majority of the U.S. lawsuits were filed by two adult entertainment companies; Strike 3 Holdings and Malibu Media. Together, they filed over <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/us-online-piracy-lawsuits-hit-a-record-high-last-year-190104/">3,300 new cases</a> last year, which was an all-time record.</p>
<p>Initially, it appeared that they would continue on the same course this year. During the summer we reported that Strike 3 alone had already filed over a thousand new complaints. However, in recent months that changed drastically.</p>
<p>Looking through the federal court records we noticed that there was a notable absence of new cases from both Strike 3 Holdings and Malibu Media. Instead of filing hundreds of new cases, both companies haven&#8217;t been active for weeks.</p>
<p>Strike 3 filed its latest complaint in early August, more than four months ago. Malibu Media had its latest filing spree in August as well and only submitted seven new complaints after that, most recently in October.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h5>Strike 3&#8217;s latest cases</h5>
<p><center><img class="alignone size-full wp-image-180378" src="media/51805a58.strik3.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/strik3.jpg" alt="" width="660" height="426" /></center>The sudden halt in activity is remarkable, especially since both companies have different legal teams. It&#8217;s also a clear deviation from previous years. However, there&#8217;s no clear explanation for the hiatus, nor do we know how long it will last.</p>
<p>It could be that the companies are awaiting the outcome of certain legal proceedings. For example, in a few cases this year the court <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/us-court-shields-internet-subscribers-from-futile-piracy-complaints-191028/">denied expedited discovery</a>. This makes it impossible for the rightsholders to obtain the personal details of infringers.</p>
<p>Strike 3 has appealed that ruling and may await its outcome before filing any new cases, to prevent wasting filing fees.</p>
<p>In addition, there is the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling from last year in the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/courts-want-something-more-than-an-ip-address-to-catch-pirates-181217/">Cobbler Nevada v. Gonzales</a> case. In that matter, the Court ruled that identifying the registered subscriber of an IP-address is by itself not enough to argue that this person is also the infringer.</p>
<p>This Appeals Court ruling has also proven to be a setback for <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/courts-want-something-more-than-an-ip-address-to-catch-pirates-181217/">both Malibu Media</a> and Strike 3 Holdings.</p>
<p>Whether these legal developments are indeed a factor is unknown. Whatever the reason may be, we can already conclude that the all-time record for file-sharing cases in the U.S. won&#8217;t be broken this year. The current total is still under 2,000, with just three more weeks to go.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180419
title: Apple Hits Encryption Key With DMCA Notice, Panic Shuts Down the Jailbreak Sub-Reddit
uri: Apple-Hits-Encryption-Key-With-DMCA-Notice-Panic-Shuts-Down-the-Jailb
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/d9S3-8Q5Wo0/
content:
<p><a href="media/54706ba5.jail.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/jail.jpg"><br />
<img class=" wp-image-70302 alignright" src="media/54706ba5.jail.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/jail.jpg" alt="" width="251" height="167" /></a>To most users of mobile computing devices such as phones and tablets, they exist to be used however the consumer sees fit. However, the majority are restricted to prevent the adventurous from doing whatever they like with their own hardware.</p>
<p>To bypass these restrictions, users can utilize a so-called jailbreak tool. These unlock the digital handcuffs deployed on a device and grant additional freedoms that aren&#8217;t available as standard. As such, they are popular with modders who enjoy customizing their hardware with new features that otherwise wouldn&#8217;t exist.</p>
<p>Since it is viewed as one of the most restrictive manufacturers, Apple hardware and software face almost continual &#8216;attacks&#8217; from people wanting to jailbreak its devices. There are many communities online dedicated to this scene, including Reddit&#8217;s 462,000-member /r/jailbreak forum.</p>
<p>Yesterday, however, chaos reigned after Reddit&#8217;s legal team received multiple DMCA notices against a number of threads detailing a pair of prominent jailbreak tools &#8211; Checkra1n and UNc0ver.</p>
<p>&#8220;Reddit Legal have removed 5 posts (all release posts) for checkra1n and unc0ver. We don&#8217;t know what exactly was the copyright about. Admins never told us, we just saw their actions in our mod log,&#8221; a moderator <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/jailbreak/comments/e8ye0m/news_apple_just_dmca_s1guza_tweet_for_tweeting_xr/fag8osu/">explained</a>.</p>
<p>Perhaps unsurprisingly, many linked the issues facing /r/jailbreak to an earlier drama on Twitter when an iOS hacker called S1guza published an Apple decryption key that led to his tweet being taken down following a DMCA notice. It took a few hours but the tweet was ultimately reinstated last evening. No specific reasons were given for taking it down, and none were provided for putting it back up.</p>
<p><center></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="ht" dir="ltr">iPhone11,8 17C5053a sepi 9f974f1788e615700fec73006cc2e6b533b0c6c2b8cf653bdbd347bc1897bdd66b11815f036e94c951250c4dda916c00</p>
<p>&mdash; Siguza (@s1guza) <a href="https://twitter.com/s1guza/status/1203550760102969345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2019</a></p></blockquote>
<p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center></p>
<p><a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/19699954?access_token=Qd7PixnHgKmvfEQ1axeIQA">The Twitter takedown was sent</a> by Kilpatrick Townsend &#038; Stockton LLP, a company that has acted on Apple&#8217;s behalf in the past. The notice itself, published on the Lumen Database thanks to Twitter, also provides no useful details as to why the tweet was targeted.</p>
<p><center><a href="media/d9c2114f.apple-dmca.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/apple-dmca.png"><img src="media/d9c2114f.apple-dmca.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/apple-dmca.png" alt="" width="650" height="532" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-180444" /></a></center></p>
<p>Since Apple was behind the takedown on Twitter and the most obvious culprit in respect of the DMCA takedowns on Reddit, many fingers were pointed towards the Cupertino-based company. However, despite the best efforts of the moderators on /r/jailbreak, Reddit&#8217;s admins would not provide the necessary information to identify who filed the DMCA notices or on what grounds.</p>
<p>With uncertainty apparently the order of the day, moderators of the discussion forum took the drastic decision to put their platform into lockdown.</p>
<p>&#8220;Locking down the subreddit to prevent new threads is one of the &#8216;standard&#8217; responses moderators take to show the admins that the mod team isn&#8217;t playing, and that they are serious and ready to remedy the issue,&#8221; a post from the mods reads.</p>
<p>&#8220;Too many DMCA notices eventually end up with a warn and a ban (or just a ban) from the admins to whatever subreddit these notices are being sent to.&#8221;</p>
<p>While the DMCA notices in themselves are clearly the biggest issue here, unlike Twitter and Google, for example, Reddit does not routinely share DMCA notices it receives with an external database such as Lumen. If it did, the additional transparency would perhaps help to shine some light on the topic and prevent heavy self-imposed actions, such as the voluntary lockdown of the jailbreak sub.</p>
<p>Moderators <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/jailbreak/comments/e9asd6/meta_all_posts_removed_by_reddit_legal_are/fahmtdy/">report</a> that Reddit&#8217;s admins were initially unresponsive to requests for information and that a database that tracks DMCA notices sent to Reddit didn&#8217;t provide any helpful details on the sender of the notices.</p>
<p>Last evening, however, one of the affected jailbreak developers &#8216;qwertyoruiopz&#8217;<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/qwertyoruiopz/status/1204829632392040448">announced</a> on Twitter that things were some way to being resolved on Reddit and the sub had been taken out of &#8216;<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/jailbreak/comments/e9asd6/meta_all_posts_removed_by_reddit_legal_are/">lockdown mode</a>&#8216;.</p>
<p>Soon after, a welcome response from Reddit&#8217;s admins was published, effectively signaling the all-clear.</p>
<p><center><a href="media/fe229548.BDoURRk.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/BDoURRk.jpg"><img src="media/fe229548.BDoURRk.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/BDoURRk.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="377" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-180431" /></a></center></p>
<p>While the message was well-received, /r/jailbreak shouldn&#8217;t have been obliged to take such serious action to preserve its existence. The jailbreaking of iOS devices is considered legal in the US and the DMCA notices filed against Reddit clearly caught everyone by surprise. </p>
<p>It remains unknown whether they were indeed sent by Apple so the possibility remains that they were sent by some kind of imposter, trying to unsettle the community. Nevertheless, it is good news that all complaints have been lifted due to the claims being invalid, as per Reddit&#8217;s admins.</p>
<p>Without transparency from Reddit, however, the true nature of what happened is likely to remain a mystery. That being said, the moderators of /r/jailbreak deserve a big pat on the back for taking decisive action, quickly. Things could have really spiraled out of control but by showing good intent early on, things were brought back into line relatively quickly.</p>
<p>Now, let&#8217;s see those notices to determine who sent them, and why.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180439
title: USMCA Trade Deal Keeps DMCA-Style ‘Safe Harbor’ for ISPs
uri: USMCA-Trade-Deal-Keeps-DMCA-Style-Safe-Harbor-for-ISPs
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/HNLjHmKvmq4/
content:
<p><img src="media/eae84aa1.copyright-branded.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/copyright-branded.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="164" class="alignright size-full wp-image-56211" />More than a quarter-century after the United States, Canada, and Mexico approved the NAFTA trade agreement, the North American countries have now signed off on a new trade deal.</p>
<p>The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will accommodate changes in trade that the three countries have witnessed over the years, especially online.</p>
<p>The road to this final deal wasn&#8217;t without obstacles. After agreeing on the text a year ago, new demands and proposed changes were tabled, some of which were included in the <a href="media/f29449aa.l-of-Amendments-to-the-United-States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement.pdf" data-original-source="https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/agreements/FTA/USMCA/Protocol-of-Amendments-to-the-United-States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement.pdf">Protocol of Amendments</a> that was published this week. </p>
<p>The amendments don&#8217;t cover copyright issues, but the previously agreed text certainly does. For example, USMCA will require all countries to have a copyright term that continues for at least 70 years after the creator&#8217;s death.</p>
<p>For Canada, this means that the country’s current copyright term has to be extended by 20 years. This won&#8217;t happen instantly, as the country <a href="http://www.michaelgeist.ca/2019/12/making-the-best-of-a-bad-provision-why-canada-should-work-toward-a-copyright-term-extension-registration-requirement/">negotiated a transition period</a> to consult the public on how to best meet this requirement. However, an extension seems inevitable in the long term. </p>
<p>Another controversial subject that was widely debated by experts and stakeholders is the DMCA-style ‘safe harbor’ text. In the US, ISPs are shielded from copyright infringement liability under the safe harbor provisions of the DMCA, and the new deal would expand this security to Mexico and Canada.</p>
<p>This expansion was welcomed by many large technology companies including Internet providers and hosting platforms. However, many major entertainment industry companies and rightsholder groups were not pleased with the plans, as they have been calling for safe harbor restrictions for years. </p>
<p>US lawmakers also raised concerns. Just a few weeks ago the House Judiciary Committee <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/house-judiciary-committee-doesnt-want-dmca-style-safe-harbor-in-trade-agreements-190921/">urged the US Trade Representative</a> not to include any safe harbor language in trade deals while the Copyright Office is reviewing the effectiveness of the DMCA law.</p>
<p>As the USMCA negotiations reached the final stage, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/nancy-pelosi-pushes-to-remove-legal-protections-for-online-content-in-trade-pact-11575503157">weighed in</a> as well, trying to have safe harbor text removed from the new trade deal. </p>
<p>Despite this pushback, there is no mention of changes to the safe harbor section in the final amendments. This means that they will remain in the USMCA, much to the delight of major Internet companies. </p>
<p>That said, copyright liability protection also comes with obligations. The agreement specifies that ISPs should have legal incentives to work with ISPs to ensure that copyright infringements are properly dealt with.</p>
<p>This framework shall include “legal incentives for Internet Service Providers to cooperate with copyright owners to deter the unauthorized storage and transmission of copyrighted materials or, in the alternative, to take other action to deter the unauthorized storage and transmission of copyrighted materials,” the agreement reads.</p>
<p>The USMCA specifically mentions that ISPs must take down pirated content and implement a repeat infringer policy if they want to apply for safe harbor protection. This is largely modeled after the DMCA law.</p>
<p>The safe harbors for copyright infringement and the takedown requirements don&#8217;t apply to Canada as long as it continues to rely on its current notice-and-notice scheme. However, the country will enjoy safe harbors for other objectionable content, modeled after section 230 of the US Communications Decency Act.</p>
<p>While the three North American countries have reached an agreement, the text still has to be ratified into local law and policy. So it may take some time before it has any effect. </p>
<p>Commenting on the outcome, Canadian copyright professor Micheal Geist <a href="http://www.michaelgeist.ca/2019/12/making-the-best-of-a-bad-provision-why-canada-should-work-toward-a-copyright-term-extension-registration-requirement/">notes</a> that the safe harbor for objectionable content is a win for freedom of expression. The additional 20-year copyright term is a setback, although the negative effects can be limited by requiring rightsholders to register for such an extension.</p>
<p>On the other side, rightsholders are also pleased, at least with parts of the new agreement. </p>
<p>&#8220;The USMCA’s provisions to strengthen copyright protections and enforcement will benefit the U.S. motion picture and television industry and support American jobs,&#8221; MPA Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin says. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180501
title: Fake: DMCA Notice Targeting Apple Jailbreaks on Reddit Was Fraudulent
uri: Fake-DMCA-Notice-Targeting-Apple-Jailbreaks-on-Reddit-Was-Fraudulent
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/4h_9qI-18uk/
content:
<p><a href="media/db1c50a4.reddit-alien.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/reddit-alien.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-100659 alignright" src="media/db1c50a4.reddit-alien.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/reddit-alien.jpg" alt="" width="236" height="236" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/reddit-alien.jpg 180w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/reddit-alien-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 236px) 100vw, 236px" /></a>Earlier this week, black clouds began to form over the passionate iOS jailbreaking community. Tolerated by Apple through gritted teeth due to legal protection under the DMCA, the company took the unusual step of sending a DMCA notice targeting a developer&#8217;s tweet containing an encryption key.</p>
<p>While that tweet was later restored, the takedown came as a complete surprise and the knock-on effect from this unsettling act would set the scene for the company getting blamed for additional similar acts, this time on Reddit.</p>
<p>In the wake of the Twitter action, a moderator of the /r/jailbreak sub-Reddit <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/apple-hits-encryption-key-with-dmca-notice-panic-shuts-down-the-jailbreak-sub-reddit-191212/">revealed</a> that Reddit&#8217;s legal team had removed five posts detailing iOS jailbreak releases checkra1n and unc0ver. All of the posts were deleted by Reddit&#8217;s admins after receiving a DMCA notice, ostensibly sent by Apple.</p>
<p>What followed was an hours-long information blackout, during which /r/jailbreak&#8217;s moderators sought but failed to obtain information from Reddit&#8217;s admins. With a credible fear that more notices could be filed and as a result label /r/jailbreak as a repeat offender under the DMCA, its moderators put the forum into lockdown.</p>
<p>Right from the very beginning there was no clear proof that Apple had sent any DMCA notices to Reddit, despite news headlines blaming the tech company for going to war against jailbreakers. It now transpires that waiting for proof would&#8217;ve been a more prudent option.</p>
<p>As revealed by <a href="https://checkra.in/">checkra1n</a> development team member &#8216;qwertyoruiopz&#8217;, the notice that targeted his project was actually a fake.</p>
<p><center></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Update: The DMCA takedown that took the checka1n post down is fake.</p>
<p>&mdash; qwertyoruiop (@qwertyoruiopz) <a href="https://twitter.com/qwertyoruiopz/status/1205194355537002496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2019</a></p></blockquote>
<p> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center></p>
<p>And, according to fellow developer &#8216;axi0mX&#8217;, the fake notice wasn&#8217;t particularly well constructed either.</p>
<p>&#8220;We reviewed it and confirmed that it was someone impersonating Apple. It was not sent from their law firm, which is Kilpatrick Townsend. There are issues with grammar and spelling,&#8221; he <a href="https://twitter.com/axi0mX/status/1205200756141248512">revealed</a>.</p>
<p>&#8220;This notice was obviously not submitted in good faith, and it was not done by someone authorized to represent Apple. Not cool. They could be sued for damages or face criminal charges for perjury.&#8221;</p>
<p>Being sued for sending a fake notice sounds like a reasonable solution in practice but history tells us, one <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/youtube-settles-lawsuit-with-alleged-dmca-extortion-scammer-for-25000-191016/">particularly notable case</a> aside, that is unlikely to happen. However, it&#8217;s clear that more can be done to mitigate the effects of malicious takedowns, starting with more transparency from Reddit&#8217;s admins.</p>
<p>While the moderators of /r/jailbreak knew about the complaints early on, they were given no information about who sent them or on what basis. This meant that the people against whom the complaints were made weren&#8217;t in a position to counter them, at least with knowledge on their side.</p>
<p>&#8220;My personal take on all this is that this should provide plenty of food of thought about the state of copyright laws in the US. A site like Reddit risks losing legal safe harbor protections if they don&#8217;t immediately act on such notices,&#8221; qwertyoruiopz <a href="https://twitter.com/qwertyoruiopz/status/1205206162356015104">says</a>.</p>
<p>&#8220;Not sharing the notices by default is however very bad policy on Reddit&#8217;s end; I would even call this a vulnerability. It allows for nefarious parties to create false-flag takedowns that spark can infighting and has chilling effects (albeit temporary) on non-infringing content.&#8221;</p>
<p>There can be little doubt that Reddit takes its DMCA obligations very seriously, so it could be argued that taking down the posts in response to a complaint was the safest legal option. However, if a cursory review of the notices by those targeted revealed clear fraud within minutes, there is a very good case for those notices being shared quickly to ensure that the fraudulent notices don&#8217;t have the desired effect.</p>
<p>While Reddit has shown no signs of sharing DMCA notices with the Lumen Database recently, quickly sharing them with those who have allegedly infringed would be a good first step.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180480
title: ‘Copyright Troll’ Bypasses Federal Court To Get ‘Cheap’ Piracy Settlements
uri: Copyright-Troll-Bypasses-Federal-Court-To-Get-Cheap-Piracy
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/JLYJXr320JQ/
content:
<p><img src="media/b9ea03ed.dollars.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/dollars.jpg" alt="" width="280" height="206" class="alignright size-full wp-image-170290" />Earlier this week we reported on a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/most-active-copyright-trolls-stopped-filing-u-s-piracy-lawsuits-for-now-191211/">notable finding</a>. For some reason, the two most active copyright litigants in the US had stopped filing new lawsuits in federal courts. </p>
<p>Instead of seeing hundreds of new cases each month targeting alleged BitTorrent pirates, there were none. </p>
<p>While the reason for this hiatus is unknown, we can now confirm that at least one of the companies hasn&#8217;t halted its efforts at all. Instead, it changed the venue, which isn&#8217;t without controversy. </p>
<p>In the U.S, copyright-related court cases are exclusively a matter of federal law, which is something every first-year law student knows. You can’t bring a copyright suit in state court, period. However, that&#8217;s exactly where Strike 3 has moved. </p>
<p>After filing over 1,000 cases in federal courts earlier this year, the adult entertainment company moved its activities to a Florida state court. In recent weeks, it has filed more than a dozen new cases. </p>
<p>Although these cases relate to copyright infringement, Strike 3 submits them as a complaint for &#8220;a pure bill discovery.&#8221; This essentially means that it asks the court to give it the right to figure out who the defendants are.  </p>
<p>In this case, this means a subpoena directed at ISPs to identify the account holder that&#8217;s linked to the allegedly infringing IP-addresses. This tactic provides the same result as going through a federal court and allows Strike 3 to demand settlements as well. </p>
<p>While the number of cases in state court is relatively modest, these cases target a substantially higher number of defendants per case. That&#8217;s also one of the main advantages. By filing a single case with dozens or hundreds of defendants, the filing fee per defendant is very low. </p>
<p>In federal court, the company generally targets one defendant per complaint, which is far more expensive. And while Strike 3 mentions that it is requesting the information for a subsequent copyright lawsuit, it will likely try to get a settlement first.</p>
<p>Another advantage is that the company doesn&#8217;t have to deal with the federal courts that are increasingly reluctant to grant discovery. Just a few weeks ago, Strike 3 was denied a subpoena, for example. </p>
<p><center><img src="media/0324daf2.strike3-1.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/strike3-1.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="454" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-180527" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/strike3-1.jpg 600w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/strike3-1-200x150.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></center></p>
<p>The question is whether this shortcut is appropriate. While we have seen it being used in Florida a few years ago, it certainly isn&#8217;t common. And this time there is pushback as well. </p>
<p>TorrentFreak spoke to several attorneys who represent defendants in these cases. They believe that Strike 3 is wrong to use the state court for this purpose. However, in several cases, the Miami-Dade County Court has already granted subpoenas against a variety of ISPs, including AT&#038;T and Comcast.</p>
<p>Attorney Jeffrey Antonelli and his firm <a href="https://www.antonelli-law.com/">Antonelli Law</a>&#8216;s local counsel <a href="https://www.klfpa.com/">Steven Robert Kozlowski</a> objected to these subpoenas on behalf of several defendants. In his motion to quash he highlights a variety of problems, including the earlier observation that copyright cases don&#8217;t belong in a state court.</p>
<p>&#8220;This Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over the copyright claims at issue in the lawsuit which the subpoena to Comcast is premised upon. Federal courts have original and exclusive jurisdiction over civil actions arising under federal copyright law,&#8221; the motion reads.</p>
<p>Another problem is that the purpose of the &#8220;pure bill of discovery&#8221; is to obtain facts or information a defendant has. However, the targeted ISPs are not defendants in these cases. </p>
<p>Finally, the motions highlight that the IP-addresses may not even be linked to Florida, where the court is based. Strike 3 should have known this, as they always disclose the location in federal court. However, they may have omitted it on purpose, the defense argues. </p>
<p>&#8220;In fact, Plaintiff’s failure to allege that Defendant has sufficient contacts with the state of Florida or is a Florida resident is likely a purposeful omission as Defendant is not a resident of Florida,&#8221; the motion to quash reads, showing that the IP-address is linked to Minnesota.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/2fbd92f4.quashstate.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/quashstate.jpg" alt="" width="522" height="401" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-180525" /></center></p>
<p>TorrentFreak spoke to Florida-based attorney <a href="https://about.me/cynthiaconlin">Cynthia Conlin</a> who has dealt with these &#8216;trolling&#8217; lawsuits, both in federal and state court. She believes that Strike 3 has moved its efforts to the Miami-Dade County court in an attempt to save costs.</p>
<p>&#8220;The most obvious advantage in filing a multi-doe case is economic. Strike 3 need only pay a single filing fee to obtain identifying information for several dozen defendants, as opposed to $400 for each single-doe federal lawsuit,&#8221; Conlin says. </p>
<p>In federal courts, these cases typically include one defendant. So filing 50 cases would cost $20,000 in filing fees alone. In the recent state court cases, all defendants are grouped in a single case, which is much cheaper.</p>
<p>&#8220;By filing multi-doe suits, Strike 3 is increasing its odds of receiving settlements exponentially. So far it has filed 17 lawsuits in Miami-Dade County, and counting,&#8221; Conlin notes. </p>
<p>While Conlin doesn&#8217;t believe that these cases are allowed in state courts, judges often sign off on the subpoenas since they are not well-versed in copyright litigation. This is a loophole Strike 3 tried to exploit. </p>
<p>&#8220;Strike 3 would not be able to get away with filing a multi-doe lawsuit in federal court. Mass-doe cases have been done before in many federal jurisdictions, and the federal courts will no longer allow them. State court is the only place Strike 3 can get away with it,&#8221; she says. </p>
<p>This isn&#8217;t the first time this maneuver has been carried out. A few other companies have done so and some argue that it&#8217;s a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/anti-piracy-lawyers-find-cheaper-way-to-identify-bittorrent-users-110722/">win-win for all</a>, as it can result in lower settlements as well. </p>
<p>Conlin and other defense attorneys don&#8217;t buy that and will continue to file motions to quash. At the time of writing, the Miami-Dade County Court has yet to rule on these subpoenas.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180562
title: Two Las Vegas Men Plead Guilty in U.S. Criminal Streaming Piracy Case
uri: Two-Las-Vegas-Men-Plead-Guilty-in-U-S-Criminal-Streaming-Piracy-Case
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/MGkHCtllAKA/
content:
<p><img src="media/ec98822a.doj-1.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/doj-1.jpg" alt="" width="297" height="168" class="alignright size-full wp-image-180575" />Earlier this year a federal grand jury <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/eight-men-behind-two-us-pirate-streaming-services-charged-by-grand-jury-190828/">charged eight men for their involvement</a> with the streaming services Jetflicks and iStreamitAll.</p>
<p>The platforms, which were headquartered in Las Vegas, offered a wide range of pirated videos that could be accessed in exchange for a monthly subscription fee. </p>
<p>This week, two of the defendants pleaded guilty. The first is Las Vegas resident Darryl Julius Polo, aka djppimp, who was involved in both services through which he earned over a million dollars in revenue. </p>
<p>In a plea agreement, Polo admits the various counts of criminal copyright infringement and well as a money laundering charge. The copyright offenses carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and money laundering is punishable by up to 20 years incarceration.</p>
<p>Polo both owned and operated iStreamitAll (ISIA) which he launched after being involved with Jetflicks. In a signed statement, he admits that ISIA offered access to 118,479 different TV episodes and 10,980 individual movies.</p>
<p>Between September 2014 and December 2016 the streaming service processed at least 18,551 successful credit and debit card charges. The associated subscription fees ranged from $19.99 per month up to $179.99 per year. </p>
<p>According to the agreed <a href="media/4ecfd19a.polosof.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/polosof.pdf">statement of facts (pdf)</a>, Polo pitched his service to potential clients by pointing out that it offered more content than competing legal services such as Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, and Amazon Prime. </p>
<p>&#8220;In fact, the defendant sent out emails to potential subscribers highlighting ISIA’s huge catalog of works and urging them to cancel Netflix, Hulu, and similar services, and subscribe to ISIA instead,&#8221; it reads.</p>
<p>The various movies and TV-shows were sources from Usenet and torrent sites. Polo had set up an automated system where software including SickRage, Sick Beard, and<br />
SABnzbd scoured the Internet for pirated content which was then stored by the service so it could be streamed to subscribers.</p>
<p>&#8220;These tools allowed the defendant to search for pirated movies and television shows available on some of the most popular torrent sites in the world, such as The<br />
Pirate Bay, RARBG, and TorrentDay, as well as some of the largest Usenet NZB index sites,&#8221; the statement of facts reads.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/14646939.polosof.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/polosof.jpg" alt="" width="578" height="323" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-180572" /></center></p>
<p>The streaming service was not the first piracy operation Polo was involved in. He further admits that he operated the NZB indexer SmackDownOnYou, BoxBusters.TV, Jailbreakingtheipad, and the music piracy site MixtapeUG.</p>
<p>In addition to Polo, 40-year old Luis Angel Villarino from Las Vegas also pleaded guilty. He admits his involvement as a programmer for Jetflicks from December 2016 to at least June 2017. </p>
<p>Villarino agreed to be charged with one count of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement, which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years.</p>
<p>Jetflicks used many of the same sources as the ISIA streaming service. It was tailored towards TV-show content and listed thousands of shows that could be accessed through a subscription. Both services worked in regular browsers and through various apps, including a Kodi-addon.</p>
<p>According to Villarino&#8217;s signed <a href="media/7c17f86c.villastat.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/villastat.pdf">statement of facts (pdf)</a>, he mostly worked as a programmer to optimize the scripts that fetched the pirated TV-shows.</p>
<p>&#8220;The defendant mostly worked on solving problems with the Jetflicks’ computer scripts that co-defendants Darryl Julius Polo, Peter H. Huber, and Vaillant had written or refined and that were designed to help locate, download, process, store, stream, and make available for downloaded pirated television shows.&#8221;</p>
<p>In exchange for the guilty pleas, both defendants can expect a lower sentencing recommendation. They agree to cooperate fully in any further investigations and may have to provide information on and testify against the remaining six defendants, who go to trial in February 2020. </p>
<p>Polo and Villarino will be sentenced a month later. Both men must pay restitution to their victims while their criminal proceeds will be forfeited. In Polo&#8217;s case, that&#8217;s at least $1 million.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=179197
title: Sky on a Mission to Purge Hundreds of Pirate IPTV Sites From Google
uri: Sky-on-a-Mission-to-Purge-Hundreds-of-Pirate-IPTV-Sites-From-Google
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/VLFxASF73Xc/
content:
<p><a href="media/a7c0897c.iptv.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/iptv.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-135034 alignright" src="media/a7c0897c.iptv.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/iptv.jpg" alt="" width="234" height="155" /></a></p>
<p>When a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/xtream-codes-iptv-system-targeted-in-massive-police-operation/">massive police operation</a> in Italy took down IPTV management outfit Xtream-Codes in September 2019, a large proportion of the pirate market was thrown into turmoil.</p>
<p>According to figures obtained by TorrentFreak from network equipment company Sandvine, overall pirate streaming traffic <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-iptv-traffic-dropped-50-after-xtream-codes-raid-190927/">dropped by 50%</a>. But three months is an awfully long time on the Internet and today the market seems to have largely recovered, with providers and sellers finding alternative solutions and users relatively happy once again.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, when chaos reigned back in September, there can be little doubt that customers left high and dry turned to search engines in order to find a replacement. It&#8217;s certainly not the best strategy to find a reliable supplier but if Comcast-owned broadcaster Sky has anything to do with it, it won&#8217;t be an easy option either.</p>
<p>Back in March, we <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/sky-tv-sends-google-thousands-of-complaints-to-delist-pirate-iptv-services-190302/">reported</a> that the broadcaster had been sending thousands of takedown notices to Google in an effort to remove IPTV suppliers&#8217; entire websites from the search provider&#8217;s indexes. That effort has not only continued but also been stepped up in recent weeks.</p>
<p>Just as an example, a notice sent in November contains <a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/19555195?access_token=09a-2ZN6az-wwCrqouV82Q">495 URLs</a> and attempts to delist the entire websites of three suppliers &#8211; miglioriptv.net, iptvthebest.ws, migliorstreaming.net &#8211; from Google. But that is just the tip of a pretty large iceberg.</p>
<p>The delisting efforts are considerable and target many thousands of URLs (e.g <a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/19698336?access_token=RL-suiRvWhISp0CCF3OhZQ">1</a>,<a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/19693138?access_token=OwFlh9RfJ22gInm6khoBAw">2</a>,<a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/19693788?access_token=NgLUU9JHYviNlxp2tiAL1A">3</a>,<a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/19692942?access_token=TGtBmP-V4Tcvt3fdrqpmZQ">4</a>). The majority of notices were previously filed on behalf of Sky in Italy but Sky in the UK are also <a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/19665589?access_token=TzveXff0AiMw7Yx7ntKCtg">getting in on the act</a>.</p>
<p><a href="media/5b155aef.sky-iptv-dmca-1.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/sky-iptv-dmca-1.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-180453 aligncenter" src="media/5b155aef.sky-iptv-dmca-1.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/sky-iptv-dmca-1.png" alt="" width="650" height="455" /></a></p>
<p>As the notice above shows, Sky UK goes down the classic route of claiming that the sites in question directly infringe its rights by providing access to its licensed content. While that may be the case in some instances, it&#8217;s far more likely that the services use completely different URLs to deliver that content so at best, the above domains might be considered as facilitating infringement, rather than directly infringing Sky&#8217;s rights.</p>
<p>However, when it comes to Sky Italy&#8217;s notices, the company has a more detailed approach that may prove even more effective.</p>
<p>&#8220;The reported sites illegally provide external links with which users can access and/or download unauthorized copyrighted contents, exclusively owned by broadcaster Sky Italia,&#8221; the <a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/19693788?access_token=NgLUU9JHYviNlxp2tiAL1A">notices</a> state.</p>
<p>&#8220;Reported URLs pages are using without any authorization copyrighted images and logos owned by Sky Italia, which are used to promote and selling unauthorized IPTV services or video-on-demand library with show schedules or video catalogs owned by Sky Italia.&#8221;</p>
<p><a href="media/dc521537.sky-italia-iptv-logo.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/sky-italia-iptv-logo.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-180457" src="media/dc521537.sky-italia-iptv-logo.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/sky-italia-iptv-logo.png" alt="" width="650" height="355" /></a></p>
<p>In this context, the use of Sky graphics to promote and sell pirate IPTV packages to consumers is a slam dunk for the company when it comes to the DMCA. Hundreds of platforms not only use official logos in this manner but also images of Sky box controllers, culled from Sky&#8217;s own sites.</p>
<p>Having sites delisted from Google on those grounds alone should be relatively simple for the broadcaster. Copyright infringement of logos and graphics is much easier to determine than IPTV seller site URLs that may (but probably do not) contain any copyright-infringing material.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180357
title: French Anti-Piracy Law Decreased Music Consumption Variety, Research Suggests
uri: French-Anti-Piracy-Law-Decreased-Music-Consumption-Variety-Research-S
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/bhDLNl-iATo/
content:
<p><img src="media/a34c6170.cassettapemusic.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/cassettapemusic.png" alt="" width="276" height="152" class="alignright size-full wp-image-175024" />Two decades ago, the music industry was presented with an unprecedented threat. Napster made it possible for the public at large to share tracks with people they didn&#8217;t have to meet in person.</p>
<p>While sharing was already commonplace on bulletin boards and IRC, Napster opened it up to an audience of millions. </p>
<p>In the years that followed, torrent sites, download portals, and other pirate services only made things worse. To counter this threat the music industry began filing lawsuits and lobbied for modern anti-piracy laws, which France was one of the first countries to adopt. </p>
<p>Ten years ago the French Government approved the <a href="https://www.hadopi.fr/en">HADOPI</a> law. Among other things, it included a graduated response system where Internet subscribers face <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/french-govt-has-sent-644000-piracy-notices-in-2019-secured-86-criminal-convictions-191003/">fines and even criminal convictions</a> if they get caught repeatedly. </p>
<p>According to initial studies, the legislation <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/piracy-rises-in-france-despite-three-strikes-law-100609/">wasn&#8217;t</a> <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/three-strikes-law-does-nothing-to-curb-piracy-research-finds-140122/">very effective</a>. However, a new paper set to be published in a forthcoming issue of the academic journal Information, Economics and Policy, sings a different tune. </p>
<p>To measure the impact of Hadopi on music consumption, KU Leuven researcher Ruben Savelkoul analyzed music sales in France during the years following the introduction of the law and compared that data with sales in Belgium and the Netherlands.</p>
<p>The research specifically looks at digital download purchases during the early years of Hadopi. The results, shared in an article titled &#8220;Superstars vs the Long Tail&#8221;, shine an interesting light on the potential impact the anti-piracy law had during this time.</p>
<p>One of the main findings is that Hadopi had a positive effect on the sales of digital music tracks in France compared to the two control countries. This effect was the strongest for popular artists.</p>
<p>In addition, the findings suggest that the effect of Hadopi on sales decreased over time, except for bigger artists.</p>
<p>&#8220;The introduction of the Hadopi anti-piracy law in France had a positive effect on sales for all artists, superstars as well as artists lower in the sales distribution,&#8221; Savelkoul writes.</p>
<p>&#8220;The effect is stronger for superstars, suggesting that smaller or niche artists gain exposure from illegal downloading, partly offsetting the negative substitution effect on sales,&#8221; he adds.</p>
<p>The weaker effect on smaller artists suggests that these may also see some benefits from piracy. For example, because piracy allows music fans to discover new content more easily. </p>
<p>This leads to the second hypothesis tested by Savelkoul. Did the anti-piracy measures lead to a reduction in variation when it comes to music consumption? This indeed turned out to be the case.</p>
<p>&#8220;We found that in the absence of piracy, consumers tend to concentrate more on genre and style,&#8221; Savelkoul writes.</p>
<p>The researcher suggests that piracy makes it easier to discover newer music. As a result, people consume more different types of music. Stricter anti-piracy measures limit this effect and as a result music fans buy more &#8216;popular&#8217; music.  </p>
<p>&#8220;In absence of the possibility to sample &#8216;adventurous&#8217; music, consumers might not be willing to pay and purchase these music items to discover its quality and instead opt for &#8216;safer&#8217; purchases, thus consuming less variety,&#8221; Savelkoul notes.</p>
<p>Overall, the findings suggest that stricter anti-piracy measures can positively impact digital sales revenue. At the same time, however, they decrease variation in music consumption. </p>
<p>While these are intriguing findings, the paper&#8217;s author cautions against generalizing the results. The findings only cover a relatively short period of a few years. In the long run, the effect may be different. </p>
<p>In addition, the research only looks at digital music sales. It&#8217;s unclear what the effect is on touring revenue for example. Related research has found that revenue from live performances is growing for smaller artists and Savelkoul suggests that piracy may have a net positive effect for this group.</p>
<p>Finally, it&#8217;s worth noting that the music industry has changed quite a bit since the introduction of Hadopi. Streaming subscriptions are now the main digital revenue source, which has made it easier for consumers to discover new content. As such, the &#8216;discovery&#8217; benefit of piracy may not be the same today.</p>
<p><em>&#8212;</p>
<p>A copy of the article titled &#8220;Superstars vs the Long Tail: How Does Music Piracy Affect Digital Song Sales for Different Segments of the Industry?&#8221; <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167624519300782">can be found behind a paywall</a>.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180602
title: Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week on BitTorrent – 12/16/19
uri: Top-10-Most-Pirated-Movies-of-The-Week-on-BitTorrent-12-16-19
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/OUHJZERiqRc/
content:
<p><img src="media/cb8b3041.6underground.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/6underground.jpg" alt="" width="271" height="229" class="alignright size-full wp-image-180605" />This week we have two newcomers in our chart.</p>
<p>6 Underground is the most downloaded movie.</p>
<p>The data for our weekly download chart is estimated by TorrentFreak, and is for informational and educational reference only. All the movies in the list are Web-DL/Webrip/HDRip/BDrip/DVDrip unless stated otherwise.</p>
<p><a href="http://torrentfreak.com/category/dvdrip/feed/"><strong>RSS feed</strong></a> for the articles of the recent weekly movie download charts.</p>
<h5>This week&#8217;s most downloaded movies are:</h5>
<table class="css hover">
<thead>
<tr>
<th width="12%"><strong>Movie Rank</strong></th>
<th width="15%"><strong>Rank <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-pirated-movies-of-the-week-on-bittorrent-12-09-19/">last week</a></strong></th>
<th><strong>Movie name</strong></th>
<th width="18%"><strong>IMDb Rating / Trailer</strong></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tfoot>
<tr>
<td colspan="4">Most downloaded movies via torrents</td>
</tr>
</tfoot>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>1</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8106534/">6 Underground</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8106534/">6.2</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLE85olJjp8">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>2</strong></td>
<td>(1)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2935510/">Ad Astra</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2935510/">6.9</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK6Syms-X3w">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>3</strong></td>
<td>(2)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7131622/">Once Upon a Time &#8230; in Hollywood</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7131622/">7.9</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELeMaP8EPAA">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>4</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6259380/">Code 8</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6259380/">6.4</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrX1JJ5dduA">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td>(3)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1206885/">Rambo: Last Blood</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1206885/">6.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km_L0v3C0ms">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td>(4)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1302006/">The Irishman</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1302006/">8.4</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS3aHkkfuEI">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td>(6)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1025100/">Gemini Man</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1025100/">5.7</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbyJignbSj0">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td>(7)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5606664/">Doctor Sleep</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5606664/">7.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOzFZxB-8cw">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>9</strong></td>
<td>(5)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6324278/">Abominable</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6324278/">7.0</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrgVtuDRBjM">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>10</strong></td>
<td>(9)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7286456/">Joker</a> (Subbed HDRip)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7286456/">8.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAGVQLHvwOY">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180559
title: WIPO Raises Questions About Artificial Intelligence and Copyright
uri: WIPO-Raises-Questions-About-Artificial-Intelligence-and-Copyright
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/jB5XybKv6kY/
content:
<p><img src="media/337715bd.wipo_image.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/wipo_image.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="115" class="alignright size-full wp-image-180588" />The World Intellectual Property Organisation <a href="https://www.wipo.int/">(WIPO)</a> was founded more than 50 years ago with the aim of protecting intellectual property. </p>
<p>The organization, which is part of the United Nations, brings countries together to share ideas about important copyright issues, including combating online piracy. In addition, it also helps to shape new policy by facilitating information sharing. </p>
<p>A hot topic in the intellectual property world at the moment is Artificial Intelligence (AI). Specifically, everything that is created by such &#8216;autonomous&#8217; technologies, without concrete input from human beings. </p>
<p>In recent years AIs have advanced quickly and they are now very capable of creating content on their own. This includes unique material that would otherwise qualify to be copyrighted by persons. The question is, can it still be copyrighted if an AI creates it?</p>
<p>These and other questions are at the center of a <a href="https://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/artificial_intelligence/call_for_comments/index.html#issues">public consultation</a> that was just launched by the WIPO. The organization is asking the public for input on a wide range of topics which are detailed in a related draft issues paper.</p>
<p>The topics include patents, data, and designs, but our interest is focused on the copyright section. While it is still early days for most AIs, the WIPO&#8217;s involvement shows that this is an issue that will be part of future copyright law. </p>
<p>One of the WIPO&#8217;s most basic questions is whether content autonymously created by an AI should enjoy copyright protection. This is a crucial question, as it determines whether human and machine creativity is valued equally, or not.</p>
<p>&#8220;If AI-generated works were excluded from eligibility for copyright protection, the copyright system would be seen as an instrument for encouraging and favoring the dignity of human creativity over machine creativity,&#8221; the WIPO writes.  </p>
<p>This automatically leads to the crucial question, whether or not AI-generated works can be copyrighted in a similar way as their human-created counterparts.</p>
<p>&#8220;Should copyright be attributed to original literary and artistic works that are autonomously generated by AI or should a human creator be required?&#8221; And if copyright can be attributed to AI-generated works, &#8220;in whom should the copyright vest?&#8221; </p>
<p>The WIPO requests input on these and several related questions. The organization also has a special interest in &#8216;deep fakes&#8217;. While these are generally created based on human input, they often rely on copyrighted content from third-parties. </p>
<p>Do the owners of the deep fake sources have a claim to any copyrights? Should they be otherwise be compensated?</p>
<p>&#8220;Since deep fakes are created on the basis of data that may be the subject of copyright, to whom should the copyright in a deep fake belong? Should there be a system of equitable remuneration for persons whose likenesses and &#8216;performances&#8217; are used in a deep fake?&#8221; WIPO writes.</p>
<p>These questions also apply in a broader sense. A lot of AI-generated content relies on data-input from other copyrighted content. If AIs use third-party content, can they then infringe copyrights as well?</p>
<p>Similar topics were also raised in a related public consultation that was launched by the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/uspto-questions-if-artificial-intelligence-can-create-or-infringe-copyrighted-works-191107/">US Patent and Trademark Office a few weeks ago</a>. This consultation is still open for submissions. </p>
<p>The full list of the WIPO&#8217;s questions and issues, including additional background information, is available on the <a href="https://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/artificial_intelligence/call_for_comments/index.html#issues">WIPO website</a>. For those who want to chime in, the comment period closes on February 14.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180634
title: First Pirated Screener of the Season Leaks Online
uri: First-Pirated-Screener-of-the-Season-Leaks-Online
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/5wpA7tvjTFw/
content:
<p><img src="media/c2a3da51.Uncut_Gems_poster.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/Uncut_Gems_poster.jpg" alt="" width="220" height="343" class="alignright size-full wp-image-180639" />Pirated copies of the latest Hollywood movies leak all year round, often ripped from DVDs, Blu-rays or online streaming platforms.</p>
<p>Towards the end of the year, however, some real &#8216;gems&#8217; appear online in advance of their theatrical debut in what many have dubbed “screener season.”</p>
<p>Screeners are advance copies of recent movies that are generally sent out to critics and awards voters. These high-quality releases are subjected to intense security precautions by the studios, as they are highly sought after by online pirates.</p>
<p>The start of these leaks is usually around December, which is also the case this year. Just a few hours ago a copy of the crime thriller &#8220;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5727208/">Uncut Gems</a> appeared online. The movie, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival this summer, is scheduled for a nationwide release in the US on December 25. </p>
<p><center><img src="media/845f1e18.consideration-e1576505785271.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/consideration-e1576505785271.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="338" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-180641" /></center></p>
<p>The leak comes with the typical screener &#8220;for your consideration&#8221; mark and no other marks are visible, as far as we know. Early <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Piracy/comments/eb0xjb/uncut_gems_screener/">reports</a> of the leak came in yesterday and a few hours later the first public torrents appeared online.</p>
<p>Interestingly, there is both a DVD screener release and a (seemingly) higher-quality Web Screener available. The latter is likely sourced from an online screening platform. Both releases carry the tag of the pirate release group EVO, which may have access to both formats. </p>
<p><center><img src="media/6b643a29.uncutgems.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/uncutgems.jpg" alt="" width="484" height="62" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-180640" /></center></p>
<p>TorrentFreak reached out to EVO for more information on this release but, at the time of writing, we have yet to hear back. The release notes don&#8217;t provide much detail either, as it merely mentions &#8220;Thanks friend!&#8221; in the source section. </p>
<p>If this is indeed a leak from an online screener then it shows that they may not be as secure as some had hoped. This is notable, as the Emmys <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/replacing-dvd-screeners-with-online-versions-wont-stop-pirates-190126/">announced a few months ago</a> that DVD screeners would be replaced with online streaming versions in an effort to curb piracy.</p>
<p>At the time we doubted that this move would make much of a difference, partly based on comments from the pirate release group EVO. </p>
<p>&#8220;We had access to digital screeners and they are indeed easy to leak. The DRM on it is a joke. We had an account last year with three screeners on it and they were pretty much MP4 ready to encode,” the EVO team told us at the time.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180589
title: FBI Seized “At Least” $5.2m from Bank Says Gears Reloaded IPTV Boss OMI IN A HELLCAT
uri: FBI-Seized-At-Least-5-2m-from-Bank-Says-Gears-Reloaded-IPTV-Bos
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/kHe1UeXkOaQ/
content:
<p><img class="alignright" src="media/21cc8203.image-161.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-161.png" width="270" height="149" />While most people behind unlicensed IPTV services prefer to sit in the shadows, popular YouTube celebrity OMI IN A HELLCAT took an entirely different approach.</p>
<p>Real name Omar Carrasquillo, OMI flaunted massive wealth in his videos, many featuring his beautiful houses, huge supercar collection, not to mention masses of jewelry. Last month, however, OMI revealed that a combination of his position as founder of IPTV service Gears Reloaded, an unpaid tax bill, and allegations of money laundering, had led to an unwelcome visit from the FBI &#8220;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/gears-reloaded-fbi-took-everything-says-iptv-boss-omi-in-a-hellcat-191121/">who took pretty much everything</a>.&#8221;</p>
<p>Right from the very beginning, a small number of vocal individuals took to YouTube and social media platforms declaring that the whole thing was either a giant publicity stunt or an elaborate scam designed to fool the masses. However, around a week after the news was first reported, a reporter from local TV outlet Fox 29 appeared on air with some of OMI&#8217;s neighbors <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/gears-reloaded-omi-in-a-hellcat-iptv-raid-eye-witnesses-appear-on-tv-191128/">who witnessed the whole thing</a>.</p>
<p>Despite there being no obvious reason why OMI would immerse himself in a month-long multi-level lie laid out in many more videos published since the authorities came in November, he says he&#8217;s still under pressure to show that he isn&#8217;t lying about the whole thing. That resulted in a new statement over the weekend where he attempted, once again, to provide irrefutable evidence. </p>
<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t let things bother me, I&#8217;m not that kind of person to listen to outside noise. But the one thing that does bother me is that my life is in jeopardy and there are a lot of people who believe that this shit is fake,&#8221; OMI said.</p>
<p>&#8220;Like I don&#8217;t get it, I don&#8217;t understand it. There are so many people affected by this: 30 employees, good families &#8211; people who right now aren&#8217;t going to have Christmas.&#8221;</p>
<p>OMI says he believes the FBI is sitting back and laughing at his YouTube videos. He says they want people to believe that what happened is fake and they don&#8217;t want the attention. According to him, however, there will be plenty of attention very soon due to an upcoming high-profile interview. In the meantime, he&#8217;s been providing more detail on what happened last month.</p>
<p>&#8220;My friends&#8230;we all got hit simultaneously. I got hit in this house [Philadelphia], my kids&#8217; mom got hit in the house in Swedesboro where they took all my cars. Here, they took my Mercedes, my Bentley, my work van. They took the Dodge Caravan [used by OMI&#8217;s video guy],&#8221; OMI explains.</p>
<p>&#8220;They went to one of my friend&#8217;s house a few blocks away from the house I&#8217;m currently living in. I sold him a Jeep Trackhawk a while ago and we never transferred it to his name and they took that from their house.&#8221;</p>
<p>According to OMI&#8217;s statement, the impact of what happened stretches far beyond him. The FBI allegedly took another friend&#8217;s car and then had to give it back. OMI says his nephew, who worked for him in construction, also had his car seized and all of his money and savings. But that wasn&#8217;t the end.</p>
<p>&#8220;They hit my friend Wolfie in Los Angeles. They hit some of the houses in Philly trying to look for servers and all this other stuff,&#8221; he added.</p>
<p>OMI&#8217;s long video statement (linked below) also contains CCTV footage that OMI says was given to him by his neighbors which apparently shows the FBI arriving at one of the addresses in several SUVs, cars, and pickup trucks. Shouts of &#8220;FBI, police,&#8221; can be heard after officers approached an address (identified as 3412 N Hope St, Philadelphia) after blocking a nearby street with their vehicles.</p>
<p><center><a href="media/3099aef9.fbi-police-omi-vehicles.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/fbi-police-omi-vehicles.png"><img src="media/3099aef9.fbi-police-omi-vehicles.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/fbi-police-omi-vehicles.png" alt="" width="650" height="328" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-180603" /></a></center></p>
<p>OMI says the show of force was extreme, with around 60 FBI agents and police officers targeting the address detailed above. The commotion in the street was recorded by at least one witness who uploaded the footage to the Internet and later shown briefly on OMI&#8217;s channel. Around 30 officers and agents raided OMI&#8217;s property in Philadelphia, which according to him was a terrifying experience.</p>
<p>&#8220;Can you imagine looking out this door, watching this whole driveway full of cars, and all these agents right here with their guns drawn?&#8221; he asks.</p>
<p>In his video, a clearly exasperated OMI explains that he feels the need to prove this isn&#8217;t an elaborate scam. However, since he hasn&#8217;t actually been charged with anything yet, he doesn&#8217;t want to release his case number in public. That being said, he believes the authorities&#8217; strategy is to take everything he has so that he can&#8217;t afford to defend himself and ensure that he doesn&#8217;t run away. He will not do that, he insists.</p>
<p>Included in a five-page Department of Justice receipt detailing the many cars, pieces of jewelry, electronic and other sundry items seized, appears two items described as &#8220;lists of channels and email accounts&#8221; plus bank account information under the name &#8220;Bill Castillo&#8221; linked to &#8220;streaming video&#8221;.</p>
<p><center><a href="media/c9972721.omi-fbi-receipt.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/omi-fbi-receipt.png"><img src="media/c9972721.omi-fbi-receipt.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/omi-fbi-receipt.png" alt="" width="650" height="362" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-180612" /></a></center></p>
<p>&#8220;The only thing I have now is my YouTube [channel],&#8221; OMI says. &#8220;Honestly speaking, everything else is shut down. I have nothing else. My assistant hasn&#8217;t been paid, my secretary hasn&#8217;t been paid, my manager hasn&#8217;t got paid, my right-hand man in construction hasn&#8217;t got paid.</p>
<p>&#8220;And everyone&#8217;s like &#8216;But what did they do? He was committing fraud&#8217;. I never committed fraud a day in my damn life. This is for not paying taxes on a service. A service, not a Ponzi scheme, none of that shit. On a service.&#8221;</p>
<p>Interestingly, OMI claims that the FBI told him not to talk about the case in public but he refused to agree to that. But keeping things quiet wouldn&#8217;t be possible, not least since someone on Instagram posted a video of a convoy of his vehicles being taken away on trucks, including a Lamborghini that OMI previously had wrapped in very distinctive Power Ranger graphics.</p>
<p><center><a href="media/30e7deaf.omi-power-rangers.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/omi-power-rangers.png"><img src="media/30e7deaf.omi-power-rangers.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/omi-power-rangers.png" alt="" width="650" height="303" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-180615" /></a></center></p>
<p>Finally, in addition to all of the physical items that were seized, the FBI was looking for OMI&#8217;s money. He doesn&#8217;t reveal exactly how much was taken but he did show a screenshot from just one of his accounts that shows that on the day of the raid, more than $5.2m was removed, a transaction that left him in the red.</p>
<p><center><a href="media/391a3aa9.omi-fbi-account.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/omi-fbi-account.png"><img src="media/391a3aa9.omi-fbi-account.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/omi-fbi-account.png" alt="" width="650" height="984" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-180617" /></a></center></p>
<p>A second account, the details of which weren&#8217;t revealed, was also the subject of a seizure according to OMI. The &#8216;transaction&#8217; reportedly left him $126,000 &#8220;in the negative&#8221;.</p>
<p>While all of the items presented in evidence can still be disputed, it seems unthinkable that OMI would destroy the most valuable thing he has left &#8211; the trust of his still-loyal fanbase. The authorities still refuse to confirm or deny any action against the YouTuber but at some point, they will probably have to go on the record, one way or another.</p>
<p><em>The entire 24-minute video can be viewed <a href="https://youtu.be/rxoUaf0RwKA">here</a></em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180661
title: After Helix Hosting, PrimeStreams IPTV Suffers Hack, $70K Extortion Attempt
uri: After-Helix-Hosting-PrimeStreams-IPTV-Suffers-Hack-70K-Extortion-At
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/7XDnYBiXkM0/
content:
<p><a href="media/a299d9ae.hackerhacked.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/hackerhacked.jpg"><img src="media/a299d9ae.hackerhacked.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/hackerhacked.jpg" alt="" width="278" height="189" class="alignright size-full wp-image-168637" /></a>Just one week ago, customers and resellers of &#8216;pirate&#8217; IPTV service Helix Hosting were handed bad news via the service&#8217;s homepage.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/helix-iptv-hackers-threaten-to-expose-resellers-customers-191210/">message</a>, placed there by a hacker, warned that Helix had been hacked and its operator had been given the option to either pay a ransom or face the personal details of his subscribers being leaked out onto the Internet.</p>
<p>Initial reports suggested that Helix refused to pay but precisely what went on behind the scenes was hard to confirm. Nevertheless, just a week later, a second IPTV service has found itself in a similar position and has cast some additional light on the earlier attack against Helix.</p>
<p>Last evening the operator of IPTV service PrimeStreams made an announcement to its customers that it too had suffered a hack, albeit not a very complex one. The attacker exploited a password on the service&#8217;s billing panel and then advised the service through its own ticketing system what had happened.</p>
<p>&#8220;Well you have changed the password so it is obvious you have ready my ticket [sic],&#8221; a communication from the hacker read, according to a screenshot of the discussion. &#8220;Do I not get a reply or a thank you.&#8221;</p>
<p>The operator of PrimeStreams was polite in response, thanked the hacker for the heads-up, and offered a free account for advising the vulnerability. But that wasn&#8217;t enough.</p>
<p>&#8220;The bad news for yourselves is that this mistake is going to cost you,&#8221; the person replied.</p>
<p>Detailing internal information about how many subscribers&#8217; the service has on the books, including around 121,000 with active subscriptions, the attacker went on to state that the business had a responsibility to protect its customers &#8220;and this is a responsibility you have failed.&#8221;</p>
<p>PrimeStreams&#8217; operator did the responsible thing and didn&#8217;t attempt to hide anything from his customers. Knowing that the information would probably leak out anyway, he took full responsibility for the breach.</p>
<p>&#8220;100% my fault and I accept 100% responsibility,&#8221; he wrote.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, the attacker wanted to make PrimeStreams pay. Claiming that he/she was the same person that had targeted Helix last week, the person demanded that PrimeStreams should either shut down or pay a significant ransom.</p>
<p>&#8220;They are now demanding 10BTC from me 70K lol,&#8221; PrimeStreams&#8217; operator wrote. &#8220;I have no idea if it&#8217;s the same person, I have no idea if they actually were able to use the info in the store site to get into the [database] and download it, I will say that it would be possible though.&#8221;</p>
<p>Interestingly the brief chat with the hacker also revealed two further pieces of information. Firstly, it claims that Helix tried to &#8220;outsmart&#8221; the attacker last week so, in response, the attacker &#8220;made a leak to torrentfreak that destroyed there business [sic].&#8221;</p>
<p>While we have no information about Helix&#8217;s actions behind the scenes, we can categorically deny the claim that any leak of any kind was made to TF. All of the information in our earlier report came from the notice placed by the attacker on Helix&#8217;s homepage or was culled from other public sources. At no time have we been offered, seen, or published any private information relating to the alleged hack.</p>
<p>The final detail is that Helix allegedly paid the ransom after the attacker began leaking information online, claims that we have been unable to confirm. Equally, we have been unable to confirm whether PrimeStreams paid a ransom after they were given just six hours to pay a huge amount in bitcoin or shut down their business.</p>
<p>Last evening, PrimeStreams was said to be &#8220;working diligently&#8221; to see if any logs could be found to indicate what the attacker may have downloaded or had obtained access to. This, its operator said, was to see &#8220;if this is a legit threat or just someone trolling.&#8221;</p>
<p>The outcome of that work isn&#8217;t clear but the latest report from PrimeStreams indicates that the issue has now been sorted out.</p>
<p>Given this is the second time in a week that an IPTV provider has suffered a security breach, questions will no doubt be raised about security at other suppliers. </p>
<p>We spoke to someone involved in the IPTV supply chain who informs us that while he prefers not to comment on operational security matters at specific providers, at the bare minimum customers should be signing up to services with a fake name and address, using a &#8216;clean&#8217; email address, while avoiding PayPal, whenever possible.</p>
<p>&#8220;It won&#8217;t stop these low-level attacks but if they happen again only less useful info will be dumped,&#8221; he concludes.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180607
title: OpenSubtitles Redirects Danish IP-Addresses Following Anti-Piracy Group Request
uri: OpenSubtitles-Redirects-Danish-IP-Addresses-Following-Anti-Piracy-Grou
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/80rDPQJGlDk/
content:
<p><img src="media/b3b40f0a.OpenSubtitles.org_-e1576497095888.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/OpenSubtitles.org_-e1576497095888.png" alt="" width="300" height="180" class="alignright size-full wp-image-180624" /><a href="https://www.opensubtitles.org/en/search/subs">OpenSubtitles</a> is one of the largest and most advanced subtitle repositories on the Internet, with millions of subtitles being downloaded every week.</p>
<p>The site was founded over a decade ago by a Slovakian programmer who came up with the idea while drinking a few beers at a local pub. In the early days, copyright concerns weren&#8217;t much of an issue, but that position has changed. </p>
<p>In recent years, OpenSubtitles and similar sites have been blocked by ISPs in several countries following court orders. While the subtitles themselves offer little entertainment value, rightsholders see them as an integral part of the piracy ecosystem.  </p>
<p>This belief is shared by the Danish anti-piracy outfit <a href="https://rettighedsalliancen.dk/">RettighedsAlliancen</a>. Acting on behalf of several movie companies, the group obtained a blocking injunction against Internet provider  TDC. As part of a voluntary agreement, several other ISPs followed suit. </p>
<p>While RettighedsAlliancen was happy with the blockade, it wasn&#8217;t completely satisfied. There were still Danes on smaller ISPs who could access the site and Danish VPN servers could access it too. This prompted the group to demand action from the target site itself. </p>
<p>This came to light when several OpenSubtitles users noticed that they could no longer access the site. Instead, they were redirected to a translated copy of the court order, hosted on the anti-piracy group&#8217;s website. </p>
<p>After some initial speculation surrounding the possible involvement of Europol and Cloudflare, OpenSubtitles admin &#8220;oss&#8221; offered some much-needed clarification.</p>
<p>&#8220;We received &#8216;nice&#8217; letter from Danish Rettighedsalliancen to block our site from Danish users. So on our end we detect if User IP is from DK, and if yes, then they are redirected there,&#8221; oss <a href="https://forum.opensubtitles.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&#038;t=16990">writes</a>.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/4ab58d0f.ossopensub.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/ossopensub.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="252" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-180673" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/ossopensub.jpg 600w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/ossopensub-500x210.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></center></p>
<p>Not all users understand the decision to block users voluntarily and mention that it&#8217;s a &#8220;slippery slope.&#8221; While the admin doesn&#8217;t dispute this, he prefers to resolve the matter to avoid potential problems. Especially since most Danish visitors are blocked by their ISPs already.</p>
<p>TorrentFreak reached out to the anti-piracy group which confirmed that it sent OpenSubtitles an email late November. The group pointed out that some of the site&#8217;s activities are deemed illegal in Denmark and urged the operator to &#8220;stop further infringements.&#8221;</p>
<p>As far as we know, this is the first time that a site has voluntarily blocked access to visitors from a country to comply with a court order against a third-party, which doesn&#8217;t specifically apply to the site itself. </p>
<p>It&#8217;s also worth noting that the blocking efforts are broader than the Danish court order, which is limited to OpenSubtitles&#8217; role as a supplier to the Popcorn Time app. According to the order, only the api.opensubtitles.org and dl.opensubtitles.org domains have to be blocked. However, the site also redirects visitors to the main domain.</p>
<p>While the anti-piracy group is pleased with OpenSubtitles&#8217; cooperation, making the site completely inaccessible in Denmark will be impossible. People can still bypass the blockade, even the site&#8217;s own one, by relying on foreign VPN servers.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180752
title: Cox Wants Judge, Not Jury, to Rule on Crucial Piracy Liability Questions
uri: Cox-Wants-Judge-Not-Jury-to-Rule-on-Crucial-Piracy-Liability-Questio
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/_aXRUOYwEaE/
content:
<p><img src="media/f71707b4.coxcomms.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/coxcomms.jpg" alt="" width="222" height="174" class="alignright size-full wp-image-128587" />Regular Internet providers are being put under increasing pressure for not doing enough to curb copyright infringement.</p>
<p>Music rights company BMG got the ball rolling a few years ago when <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cox-is-liable-for-pirating-subscribers-ordered-to-pay-25-million-151217/">it won</a> its piracy liability lawsuit against Cox Communications.</p>
<p>The ISP eventually agreed to pay <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cox-pays-substantial-settlement-to-end-repeat-infringer-piracy-lawsuit-180827/">millions of dollars</a> in damages, but that didn&#8217;t end the troubles. Last year a group of RIAA labels filed a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/record-labels-file-billion-dollar-piracy-lawsuit-against-isp-cox-180802/">similar piracy liability</a> suit which is currently under trial. </p>
<p>For more than two weeks, Cox and the music companies have presented their case to the jury in a Virginia federal court. However, now that both parties have been heard, the ISP would prefer the court to rule on the matter. </p>
<p>Yesterday Cox submitted a motion for a judgment of federal law. If granted, this will leave the judgment of several crucial issues up to the court instead of the jury. </p>
<p>Such a request is allowed when the evidence can only lead the jury to reach one conclusion, or if the verdict would be based on speculation and conjecture. Both of these issues can play a role in this case, according to Cox. </p>
<p>In its motion, the ISP asks the court to rule that there is no evidence of direct infringement by Cox subscribers. This is a crucial matter, as it&#8217;s a requirement to prove contributory and vicarious infringement, which are at the basis of the liability claims.</p>
<p>According to Cox, the music companies presented no evidence which proves that all affected subscribers reproduced pirated content. While it&#8217;s clear that subscribers made music available through BitTorrent, these files could have been purchased legally, the company argues.</p>
<p>&#8220;The MarkMonitor system cannot determine whether the purported copies of Plaintiffs’ works on devices associated with Cox subscribers’ IP addresses were initially purchased from iTunes, legally uploaded from a purchased CD, or obtained from another legal source,&#8221; Cox notes.</p>
<p>MarkMonitor&#8217;s tracking system revealed that subscribers made files available for others to download. However, it didn&#8217;t always show that these files were illegally obtained. According to a witness, most subscribers already had a full copy and &#8216;only&#8217; 15% were still downloading files.</p>
<p>The 15% figure would leave the jury with guess-work, Cox argues, which can be a critical shortcoming. </p>
<p>Furthermore, it&#8217;s argues that the music companies have no proof that any subscribers distributed infringing copies. while there was an easy option to actually prove the matter if the tracking systems were configured properly. </p>
<p>&#8220;The easy and obvious way to prove that a Cox subscriber &#8216;actually disseminated&#8217; a particular recording would have been to use a file-sharing protocol to actually download that recording directly from the subscriber’s computer,&#8221; Cox writes.</p>
<p>The music companies also failed to show that piracy acted as a &#8220;draw&#8221; to potential customers, the ISP notes.</p>
<p>&#8220;There is no evidence showing that any subscribers were drawn to Cox’s service by the availability of unauthorized copies of Plaintiffs’ works, or for that matter the availability of any infringing works.&#8221; </p>
<p>In addition, the ISP argues that it can&#8217;t be held liable for alleged infringements of business subscribers. While Cox was made aware of these, businesses can have hundreds or thousands of users, and Cox can&#8217;t identify these based on a single IP-address. </p>
<p>Based on these and various other arguments Cox argues that it&#8217;s clearly not liable for contributory or vicarious infringement. As such, it asks the court to rule on these issues, instead of leaving it up to the jury. </p>
<p>Finally, the ISP requests a similar judgment when it comes to potential damages. The music companies request statutory damages for sound recordings, compositions, compilations, and other derivatives that point to the same tracks. As such, it requests to limit the damage claims to one award per work. </p>
<p>The above is obviously all based on Cox&#8217;s viewpoint and the music companies are likely to argue the opposite. Many of these issues were previously argued earlier in the legal proceedings when Cox asked for summary judgment. </p>
<p>At the time, the court opted to leave the issues open for the jury to decide. Whether it will rule differently now that both parties have presented their arguments in court will become apparent in the near future.</p>
<p><em>&#8212;</p>
<p>A copy of Cox Communication&#8217;s motion for a judgment of federal law is available <a href="media/e765c5c9.coxjmol.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/coxjmol.pdf">here (pdf)</a>.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=180766
title: Documentary Detailing How “Geniuses Steal” Hit With Blurred Lines Copyright Complaint
uri: Documentary-Detailing-How-Geniuses-Steal-Hit-With-Blurred-Lines
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/5XO5Po3M04U/
content:
<p><a href="media/6d611e87.copy-me.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/copy-me.png"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-180771" src="media/6d611e87.copy-me.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/copy-me.png" alt="" width="272" height="130" /></a>The phrase declaring that there is &#8220;nothing new under the sun&#8221; is well known.</p>
<p>At least in part, it suggests that everything we say, do, or create is copied from the people or material we learn from, after being processed through the intricacies of our own experiences.</p>
<p>This &#8216;human remix&#8217; theory is the premise of a new documentary series produced by <a href="http://copy-me.org/">Copy-Me.org</a>, a group that was featured on the main page of The Pirate Bay back in 2013. Titled the Creativity Delusion, the latest installment in the series declares that &#8220;Geniuses Steal.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;We know geniuses are not real and minds don’t have Eureka moments. But we still cling to the idea of an original artist. That romantic notion of someone who creates something out of nothing, with their mind alone,&#8221; the introduction reads.</p>
<p>Speaking with TorrentFreak, Copy-Me&#8217;s Alex Lungu further explains that the episode focuses on the rarity of originality in history, art, and inventions.</p>
<p>&#8220;From Morse to Beethoven, from Shakespeare to Orwell, from Lynch to Tarkovsky, everything is a constant remix,&#8221; Lungu says.</p>
<p>&#8220;It makes us feel good to believe in a somewhat supernatural idea of a creator. But I think it’s much more liberating for anyone who makes anything to not put so much pressure on themselves, as it’s too much already. And yeah, one of the biggest downsides is that we lock our culture up believing that this will somehow lead to more creativity, not less.&#8221;</p>
<p><a href="media/c1dfb841.goodartistscopy.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/goodartistscopy.png"><br />
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-180783" src="media/c1dfb841.goodartistscopy.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/goodartistscopy.png" alt="" width="650" height="492" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/goodartistscopy.png 650w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/goodartistscopy-200x150.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px" /></a></p>
<p>In common with any good documentary, <em>The Creativity Delusion: Geniuses Steal</em> goes into detail, providing clear examples of well-known quotes, pieces of art, film scenes, musical compositions and more, that were either copied from pre-existing works or provided inspiration for new creations.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, uploading such a documentary to YouTube is a risky endeavor, since the platform&#8217;s automatic ContentID system has no way to determine whether a piece of content had been truly pirated or should be subject to fair use exemptions.</p>
<p>As a result, after the documentary was uploaded on December 8, 2019, it was immediately targeted by YouTube&#8217;s bots. They determined that highlighting the similarities between well-known tracks, such as the Robin Thicke/Pharrell Williams track Blurred Lines and Marvin Gaye&#8217;s Got to Give it Up, with appropriate short samples, are an infringement of the labels&#8217; copyrights.</p>
<p>This resulted in the documentary being subjected to not just one <a href="https://twitter.com/copymeorg/status/1206559241605189632">but four separate ContentID matches</a>.</p>
<p><center><a href="media/6583077b.copy-me-contentid.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/copy-me-contentid.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-180774" src="media/6583077b.copy-me-contentid.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/copy-me-contentid.png" alt="" width="650" height="430" /></a></center></p>
<p>Copy-Me disputed all of the claims but fast forward ten days and the hits against the video remain in place and look to remain so for another three weeks. The disputes are reportedly &#8220;under review&#8221; but in the meantime, the entities behind these tracks get the benefit of the doubt that their content is being used illegally.</p>
<p>While the documentary highlights many clear instances of artists copying or basing their work on those of others, the fact that the section focusing on Blurred Lines seems to have caused the most issues is ironic, to say the least.</p>
<p>After a long legal battle that finally came to a close in 2018, a judge ruled that Thicke and Pharrell must pay $5m to the family of Marvin Gaye for copyright infringement because Blurred Lines bore too many similarities to Got to Give it Up.</p>
<p>Interestingly, just after that case went to an unsuccessful appeal, more than 200 musicians filed an amicus curiae brief in support of Thicke and Williams which <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/blurred-lines-appeal-gets-support-924213">warned</a> that the verdict in the case &#8220;threatens to punish songwriters for creating new music that is inspired by prior works.&#8221;</p>
<p>This, of course, is the entire point of the Copy-Me documentary, that all artists and creators in various niches rely on those who went before to provide ideas and artistic inspiration. There truly is nothing new under the sun, but sadly that also includes highly questionable copyright hits on YouTube, pointing out that very thing.</p>
<p>&#8220;We used samples [from the songs] to make the point that the biggest copyright lawsuit of the decade ($5m) is a travesty that can have serious repercussions on inspiration and creativity,&#8221; Lungu says.</p>
<p>&#8220;The two songs are similar in the way any two funk songs are similar, and we play other samples from other songs to make that point. There’s no other way to show that&#8230; other than to actually play them. This is clearly covered by fair use: to use a fragment of a song in an educational material, for non-commercial purposes to make a point about that very song.&#8221;</p>
<p>It remains to be seen whether this problem will be resolved quickly, or indeed resolved at all. However, Lungu firmly believes that if a platform like YouTube uses automated detection systems, there must be a clear and simple way to dispute false positives.</p>
<p>&#8220;[The platform] should explain what you can do in the easiest way possible. It should explain how copyright actually works and how using someone else’s work can be completely legal, even without anyone’s permission,&#8221; he says.</p>
<p>&#8220;Copyright isn’t property, but not that many people know that. And we should have a strict way of taxing those who claim works that aren’t theirs. Why should repeat infringers have a three-strike policy, but repeat abusers shouldn’t?&#8221;</p>
<p><center><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CB1KE5dbOZo" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></center></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
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