# articles

feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=132965
title: Infamous Piracy Group Says it’s Ready to Start Leaking Screeners
uri: Infamous-Piracy-Group-Says-it-s-Ready-to-Start-Leaking-Screeners
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/j8qb12UB6VM/
content:
<p><a href="media/1b2e29e4.cofeeleak1.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/cofeeleak1.jpg"><img src="media/625b75a6.cofeeleak1.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/cofeeleak1.jpg" alt="cofeeleak" width="180" height="207" class="alignright size-full wp-image-18717"></a>Last year during the Christmas period, pirates got much more than their fair share of festive booty. Screener copies of many of the latest movies appeared online, much to the disappointment of Hollywood.</p>
<p>The group that received much of the credit (or blame, depending on viewpoint) was Hive-CM8. This peer-to-peer release outfit famously released both The Hateful Eight and The Revenant in excellent quality <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/the-hateful-eight-and-the-revenant-leaked-online-151221/">before their theatrical release</a>.</p>
<p>The group promised to deliver 40 screeners but the backlash was so severe that the run was eventually limited to &#8216;just&#8217; 14 titles, a sum still not improved upon. As recently <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/screener-season-is-here-but-where-are-the-piracy-leaks-161218/">reported</a>, the latter half of 2016 has been extremely quiet on the screener front overall, prompting many public discussions over whether any will actually appear. </p>
<p>Interestingly, however, Hive-CM8 has just put out a statement which suggests that January might be the month to watch. Alongside a TS (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telesync">telesync</a>) release of the new Assassins Creed movie, the group notes its absence but expresses eagerness to start leaking screeners again &#8211; with some caveats attached. <em>(note: statement edited to fix typos/grammar)</em></p>
<p>&#8220;Yes, still here and kicking, we had to have a break for some time. Bet you are waiting for screeners, yep why not,&#8221; Hive-CM8 begin.</p>
<p>&#8220;We were definitely not in the mood to make the same mistakes as last year with screeners before Christmas or cinema release date.&#8221;</p>
<p>The fact that Hive-CM8 want to tone things down isn&#8217;t really a surprise. With last year&#8217;s Christmas bonanza still making waves, in late December 2015 the group actually <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/hive-cm8-apologizes-for-leaking-hateful-eight-dvd-screener-151230/">published an apology</a>, noting that releasing movies before their official debut wasn&#8217;t acceptable.</p>
<p>That said, Christmas 2016 is now over, and it appears that Hive-CM8 are ready to get going again.</p>
<p>&#8220;Now that Christmas holidays have passed we are actually looking forward to getting the dice rolling,&#8221; they say.</p>
<p>&#8220;We want to get the screeners out safely and securely like every year. Whoever has a screener or knows someone who has one and wants to share privately or in public, just let us know. We are here.&#8221;</p>
<p><center><b>The Hive &#8216;NFO&#8217; file for Assassins Creed</b><a href="media/8727da0f.hive-nfo.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/hive-nfo.png"><img src="media/ebc3eab1.hive-nfo.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/hive-nfo.png" alt="hive-nfo" width="650" height="476" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-132994"></a></center></p>
<p>A separate source informs TF that Hive-CM8 already has some screeners in hand but the group itself has not yet responded to our request for comment. Either way, we have a somewhat unique set of circumstances this year.</p>
<p>While studio security was expected to improve following 2015&#8217;s debacle, it appears that at least some pirates are consulting their moral compasses before making what could be a potentially damaging release. </p>
<p>Hollywood is likely to be quietly pleased with that result but don&#8217;t ever expect them to admit it. Theft is theft, ladies and gentlemen, or so the mantra goes.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=j8qb12UB6VM:NLPCqP-saCE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=j8qb12UB6VM:NLPCqP-saCE:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=j8qb12UB6VM:NLPCqP-saCE:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/j8qb12UB6VM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=132419
title: 2016 Was The Year Torrent Giants Fell
uri: 2016-Was-The-Year-Torrent-Giants-Fell
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/z8iEnesYdaA/
content:
<p><img src="media/e6483456.2016over.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/2016over.jpg" alt="2016over" width="275" height="186" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-132876">At TorrentFreak we have been keeping a close eye on the torrent ecosystem for more than a decade.</p>
<p>During this time, many sites have closed their doors, either voluntarily or after being forced by a court order.</p>
<p>However, 2016 has been a particularly &#8216;bad&#8217; year for torrents, after two icons were pushed offline in a matter of weeks last summer. In total, three sites that were among the top ten most popular sites at the start of the year are now gone. </p>
<p>Perhaps just as importantly, with the demise of What.cd one of the largest private torrent trackers vanished as well.</p>
<h4>KickassTorrents</h4>
<p>The trouble started in July when Polish law enforcement officers <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/feds-seize-kickasstorrents-domains-charge-owner-160720/">arrested</a> Artem Vaulin, the alleged founder of KickassTorrents (KAT). The arrest was part of a U.S. criminal case which also listed two other men as key players. </p>
<p>At the time, KAT was the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">most-used torrent site</a> around, so the authorities couldn&#8217;t have hit a more prominent target.</p>
<p>The arrests meant the end of the torrent site and up until this day Artem remains in custody <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/alleged-kickasstorrents-owner-leaves-prison-hospital-161210/">at a local hospital</a>. While several KAT copies and mirrors appeared over the past several months, including one operated <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/kickasstorrents-brought-back-to-life-by-original-staffers-161216/">by original staffers</a>, the original site is still dearly missed by many.</p>
<h4>Torrentz</h4>
<p>Not long after KickassTorrents went offline, Torrentz.eu decided to <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/torrentz-shuts-down-largest-torrent-meta-search-engine-says-farewell-160805/">close its doors voluntarity</a>. Without prior warning, all torrent listings were removed from the meta-search engine, which was the third largest torrent site at the time.</p>
<p>The site&#8217;s operator confirmed the shutdown to TorrentFreak and left its users with the following message: &#8220;Torrentz will always love you. Farewell.&#8221;</p>
<p><center><strong>Torrentz.eu says farewell</strong><br></br></center><center><img src="media/85349e53.torrentz-farewell.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/torrentz-farewell.png" alt="torrentz-farewell" width="600" height="143" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-125850"></center></p>
<p>An official explanation for the drastic action was never given, but it&#8217;s likely that the trouble at KAT weighed into the decision. </p>
<p>Now, several months later, several <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/torrentz-remains-down-but-the-clone-wars-are-on-160813/">copies and proxies</a> have taken over the Torrentz brand. While these have nothing to do with the original site they are serving millions of pageviews a day, with Torrentz2.eu as the clear leader.</p>
<h4>TorrentHound</h4>
<p>TorrentHound is the third site out of last year&#8217;s top ten that <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/torrenthound-shuts-down-another-big-torrent-site-bites-the-dust-160915/">shut its doors unexpectedly</a>. The site was significantly smaller than the other two, but a home to many regular torrenters. </p>
<p>Initially, the site&#8217;s operator gave no official explanation. After a while, however, he confirmed to TorrentFreak that the closure was due to a combination of less revenue and constant pressure from anti-piracy groups.</p>
<p>“It’s a combination of less traffic, less revenue and our bills piling up. Then add on constantly getting bugged by anti-piracy agents, just wasn’t worth the headache anymore,” he said. </p>
<h4>What.cd</h4>
<p>The torrent troubles weren&#8217;t limited to public sites only. In fact, one of the biggest stories of the year is the shutdown of the world&#8217;s most comprehensive library of digital music, the private music tracker What.cd.</p>
<p>The site <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/what-cd-shuts-down-following-reported-raids-in-france-161117/">went offline</a> after several of its servers were raided by the French military police. The local music industry group <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/music-group-confirms-what-cd-raid-claims-millions-in-losses-161118/">SACEM confirmed</a> that the law enforcement efforts were part of a criminal investigation which is ongoing.</p>
<p><center><strong>What.cd&#8217;s initial farewell message</strong><br></br></center><center><img src="media/5499a9bf.whatcddown.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/whatcddown.png" alt="whatcddown" width="445" height="180" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-130960"></center></p>
<p>Soon after the first reports came out, What.cd&#8217;s operators shut down the site and deleted crucial data to keep its users safe. In addition, they released a <a href="https://twitter.com/whatcd/status/799751019294965760">detailed farewell message</a> on Twitter. </p>
<p>&#8220;What.CD has completed its shutdown. We are confident that our staff and users are safe. It is with enormous sorrow in our hearts that we must now move on with our lives,&#8221; the site&#8217;s operators said. </p>
<p>However, music aficionados aren&#8217;t easily defeated. Within a matter of days several new trackers appeared online, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/what-cd-is-dead-but-the-torrent-hydra-lives-on-161202/">growing harder</a> than What.cd or its predecessor OiNK ever did. </p>
<p>&#8212;&#8211;</p>
<p>The above are just a few examples of major sites that have fallen, but it shows that 2016 was a year to remember. At the end of the week we&#8217;ll be heading into 2017 and the big question is; where will things go from here? </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=z8iEnesYdaA:YXNZZcwOtdc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=z8iEnesYdaA:YXNZZcwOtdc:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=z8iEnesYdaA:YXNZZcwOtdc:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/z8iEnesYdaA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=132996
title: ‘Deadpool’ is the Most Torrented Movie of 2016
uri: Deadpool-is-the-Most-Torrented-Movie-of-2016
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/IYCK8PH-g9g/
content:
<p><img src="media/c90c8293.deadpool.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/deadpool.jpg" alt="deadpool" width="300" height="203" class="alignright size-full wp-image-118234">Every week millions of people flock to torrents sites, searching for pirated copies of the latest blockbusters. </p>
<p>At the end of the year we take a look at what movies were pirated most often and this year &#8216;Deadpool&#8217; comes out as the clear winner. </p>
<p>Pirated copies of the American superhero film first appeared early February triggering millions of downloads during the months that followed. Even today, thousands of people are still actively sharing it.</p>
<p>Superheroes and comics are doing very well on torrent sites this year, as the top three is completed by &#8216;Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice&#8217; and &#8216;Captain America Civil War.&#8217; And further down the list we also find &#8216;X-Men Apocalypse&#8217; and &#8216;Suicide Squad.&#8217;</p>
<p>While file-sharers may have a slight preference for geeky films, in general there&#8217;s a high correlation between piracy and box-office sales. That is, top grossing movies tend to do well on torrent sites too.</p>
<p>With this in mind, it&#8217;s no surprise that &#8216;Finding Dory&#8217; makes an appearance as well. The Pixar movie <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=2016&#038;p=.htm">sold most tickets</a> at the box office in the US, and comes <a href="http://www.the-numbers.com/movie/records/worldwide/2016">in second</a> worldwide.</p>
<p>&#8216;Independence Day: Resurgence&#8217; is somewhat of an exception in this regard, as it secured a spot in the top 10 while being a relative flop in movie theaters, at least in the U.S. On the other side, &#8216;Zootopia&#8217; is missing despite being the third-best grossing movie worldwide this year.</p>
<p>&#8212; </p>
<p>Below we have compiled a list of the most-torrented films in 2016 (irregardless of their release date). The data is estimated by TorrentFreak based on several sources, including download statistics reported by public BitTorrent trackers. </p>
<p><em>Note: we have decided to stop reporting download estimates in our yearly top lists. Due to various changes in the torrent index/tracker landscape it’s become more challenging to monitor downloads, so a ranked overview makes most sense.</em></p>
<table class="css hover" summary="Most downloaded Movies on BitTorrent">
<caption><strong>Most downloaded Movies on BitTorrent, 2016<br></br></strong></caption>
<thead>
<tr>
<th width="12%"><strong>rank</strong></th>
<th width="66%"><strong>movie</strong></th>
<th width="35%"><strong>worldwide grosses</strong></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tfoot>
<tr>
<td colspan="3">torrentfreak.com</td>
</tr>
</tfoot>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>1</strong></td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1431045/">Deadpool</a></td>
<td>$783,770,709</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>2</strong></td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2975590/">Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice<br>
</a></td>
<td>$868,160,194</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>3</strong></td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3498820/">Captain America Civil War<br>
</a></td>
<td>$783,770,709</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>4</strong></td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2488496/">Star Wars The Force Awakens<br>
</a></td>
<td>$783,770,709</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3385516/">X-Men Apocalypse<br>
</a></td>
<td>$783,770,709</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0803096/">Warcraft<br>
</a></td>
<td>$433,125,655</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1628841/">Independence Day: Resurgence<br>
</a></td>
<td>$$387,644,286</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1386697/">Suicide Squad<br>
</a></td>
<td>$746,100,054</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>9</strong></td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2277860/">Finding Dory<br>
</a></td>
<td>$1,022,701,881</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>10</strong></td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1663202/">The Revenant<br>
</a></td>
<td>$532,950,503</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=IYCK8PH-g9g:bXBnaVYLBII:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=IYCK8PH-g9g:bXBnaVYLBII:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=IYCK8PH-g9g:bXBnaVYLBII:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/IYCK8PH-g9g" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133043
title: Popcorn Time Launches New Torrent Tracker to Fight Copyright Monopolies
uri: Popcorn-Time-Launches-New-Torrent-Tracker-to-Fight-Copyright-Monopolie
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/1RPBK-pZou8/
content:
<p><a href="media/05701cb5.popcorn-tracker.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/popcorn-tracker.jpg"><img src="media/a1dea302.popcorn-tracker.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/popcorn-tracker.jpg" alt="popcorn-tracker" width="175" height="173" class="alignright size-full wp-image-133047"></a>After bursting onto the file-sharing scene to wave of publicity, Popcorn Time has settled down to become another established way of obtaining and sharing video content.</p>
<p>Often referred to as the Netflix For Pirates, Popcorn Time has seen more than its fair share of controversy, with several forks and developers having been targeted and in some cases shut down by the MPAA. One fork, however, is still going strong.</p>
<p><a href="https://popcorn-time.to/">Popcorn-time.to</a> remains one of, if not the most popular variant of the software. Its tagline from the beginning has been &#8220;This Popcorn Time service will never be taken down&#8221; and thus far it has lived up to that billing.</p>
<p>With 2016 drawing to a close, TorrentFreak caught up with its developers to listen to their thoughts and plans for 2017. What we didn&#8217;t expect was a broadside against what they refer to as the &#8220;US Content Monopolies [USCM],&#8221; aka the MPAA.</p>
<p>Noting that copyright is a relatively new framework, the team say that fast Internet and digitized media has enabled groups such as the MPAA to &#8220;tax end-users&#8221; in order to feed their &#8220;monstrous appetite.&#8221; Content is expensive, they say, and not everyone can afford to buy it.</p>
<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s obvious that watching one&#8217;s favorite TV series chapter as soon as it’s released, or buying a VOD, is cool, extremely convenient and fun. But it costs. US$99 (average) monthly in the US and more in Europe. The average monthly salary in the developed countries is between US$10,000 to US$1,200. In third world countries it&#8217;s significantly less,&#8221; the team says.</p>
<p>&#8220;People who struggle to support their families, cannot afford to pay cable, satellites, and VOD. They do manage to link to the internet. Thus Netflix, where available, P2P, Popcorn Time etc. are their only solution for content consumption. The USCM will never make a nickel from them, because their alternative is not to watch movies, TV shows or listen to music albums.&#8221;</p>
<p>The team says that while the MPAA fights people who can&#8217;t afford to buy tickets or pay for subscriptions, shutting down services like Popcorn Time or even regular torrents won&#8217;t solve that particular problem either. Where there&#8217;s no money available, no blood will come from stone, they say.</p>
<p>The team suggests that they&#8217;re providing a service to meet this demand, while at the same time providing a counter-balance to what they feel are the unfair business practices of a copyright-protected monopoly with power in high places. </p>
<p>&#8220;This brings about the conclusion that it is all about politics and political power and immoral tradeoffs between administrations and huge money interests,&#8221; they <a href="https://blog.popcorn-time.to/thoughts-about-free-content-consumption-in-the-internet-for-2017/">say</a>.</p>
<p>&#8220;There cannot be any other reason for the Polish authorities keeping the Ukrainian citizen Artem Vaulin, the creator of KickAssTorrents, in custody, for almost six months, awaiting a decision to extradite him to the US, as if he was a war criminal.&#8221;</p>
<p>In addition to these tough words and the continued running of their own successful Popcorn Time project, the team are also bringing a valuable new addition to the file-sharing landscape in 2017.</p>
<p>Available now, the team has launched <a href="https://popcorn-tracker.org">Popcorn Tracker</a>, a brand new <a href="http://erdgeist.org/arts/software/opentracker/">OpenTracker-powered</a> public tracker, free to the masses.</p>
<p><center><strong>Popcorn Tracker</strong><br></br></center><center><img src="media/6925918a.potrack.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/potrack.png" alt="potrack" width="663" height="340" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133055"></center></p>
<p>Public trackers are in pretty short supply at the moment so a new one with capacity will be a welcome addition to the landscape. Of course, the platform itself is content-neutral, so anyone wishing to embed a tracker in a torrent of any kind will be able to do so without restrictions.</p>
<p>In closing, the Popcorn Time team see online sharing increasing next year, particularly since the content allowing that to happen is already out there, distributed among the public.</p>
<p>&#8220;The files containing content are out there, in huge numbers and throughout disbursed locations of sites, being the sites of sharing, P2P users,&#8221; they conclude.</p>
<p>Popcorn Tracker, billed as &#8220;A Public and Free BitTorrent Tracker That You Can Trust&#8221;, is available <a href="https://popcorn-tracker.org/">here</a>.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=1RPBK-pZou8:nYRMTk5phDc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=1RPBK-pZou8:nYRMTk5phDc:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=1RPBK-pZou8:nYRMTk5phDc:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/1RPBK-pZou8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=132923
title: Google Removed Over 900 Million ‘Pirate’ Links in 2016
uri: Google-Removed-Over-900-Million-Pirate-Links-in-2016
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/PG1-xWmpnjY/
content:
<p><img src="media/3a6fa524.google-bay.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/google-bay.jpg" alt="google-bay" width="200" height="177" class="alignright size-full wp-image-21875">Day in and day out copyright holders are bombarding Google with DMCA takedown notices, pointing out links to pirated content.</p>
<p>The majority of these requests are sent by the music and film industries, targeting hundreds of thousands of different websites. </p>
<p>In recent years the volume of takedown notices has increased spectacularly and in 2016 new records were shattered again.</p>
<p>Over the past 12 months, rightsholders asked Google to remove more than a billion links to allegedly infringing content, nearly twice as much as the 558 million it received last year.  </p>
<p>Thanks to a new update to Google&#8217;s Transparency Report we now know for the first time how many of these were actually deleted. According to Google&#8217;s records, 89.8 percent of the requests were, resulting in 914 million removals. </p>
<p>Looking at the number of sites that are highlighted we see that it&#8217;s not just a few usual suspects that are causing problems. In total, rightsholders targeted content on 351,000 different websites. </p>
<p><center><strong>Google takedown requests (past 12 months to December 29)</strong><br></br></center><center><img src="media/9c0f614b.goog2016dmca-e1483102127180.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/goog2016dmca-e1483102127180.png" alt="goog2016dmca" width="600" height="308" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133058"></center></p>
<p>There is a great variety of copyright holders too. The UK music industry group BPI is at the forefront as usual, with more than 80 million requests, but Fox, NBC Universal, HBO and Microsoft are also among the top senders. </p>
<p>While the number of notices has steadily increased over the past several years, there are some early signs that they may level off in 2017. Over the past six months, the overall volume hasn&#8217;t increased, with the number of weekly takedowns hovering around 20 million. </p>
<p>Still, it&#8217;s clear that the major rightsholder groups and Google have different views on the DMCA takedown procedure and how to move forward. </p>
<p>The MPAA, RIAA, and other industry groups are calling for extensive revisions and don’t want Google and others to “hide” behind their safe harbor protections. Among other things, they want a ‘notice-and-stay-down‘ policy to ensure that, once deleted, content doesn’t pop up elsewhere.</p>
<p>Google, however, sees this an unworkable solution and believes that the current system is capable of dealing with infringing content. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=PG1-xWmpnjY:rSScd7W0lQI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=PG1-xWmpnjY:rSScd7W0lQI:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=PG1-xWmpnjY:rSScd7W0lQI:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/PG1-xWmpnjY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=132479
title: New KickassTorrents Team Condemns Jailing of Music Pirate
uri: New-KickassTorrents-Team-Condemns-Jailing-of-Music-Pirate
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/ioKf5H3Km0g/
content:
<p><a href="media/f81f5460.katcomm.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/katcomm.jpg"><img src="media/ef8f6ae4.katcomm.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/katcomm.jpg" alt="katcomm" width="289" height="209" class="alignright size-full wp-image-125315"></a>Following a joint investigation with licensing outfit PRS for Music, last year officers from the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) and Merseyside police <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/uk-police-arrest-prolific-pirate-bay-uploader-150903/">raided</a> an address in Everton, Liverpool.</p>
<p>They arrested Wayne Evans, a local DJ who was involved in the online distribution of digital music. Known online as OldSkoolScouse, Evans uploaded packs of the UK’s current Top 40 Singles to torrent sites each week. They included at least 200 uploaded to KickassTorrents.</p>
<p>After pleading guilty during an earlier hearing, this month Evans was sentenced for copyright infringement and fraud. The 39-year-old, who had no previous convictions, was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-kickasstorrents-music-uploader-jailed-for-a-year-161216/">jailed for a year</a>.</p>
<p>Both police and rightsholders celebrated the conviction, describing the 12 months sentence as a deterrent to others considering music piracy. But of course, among file-sharers the long-term detention of Evans was less well received and has been widely criticized online.</p>
<p>Now, the team behind the resurrected KickassTorrents have added their dissenting voices, slamming the sentence as a waste of time and money.</p>
<p>&#8220;We find the 12-month sentence of OldSkoolScouse which the judge ruled a &#8216;deterrent to others&#8217; offensive in the extreme and an irresponsible waste of taxpayer resources,&#8221; the team told TF in a statement.</p>
<p>&#8220;One questions the motivations of the agencies and resources assigned in regards to copyright infringements whilst actual criminals walk free. Is this what our legal systems have now become?&#8221;</p>
<p>While Evans undoubtedly knew that what he was doing was illegal on some level, it&#8217;s unlikely he&#8217;d have expected a knock on the door from the UK&#8217;s most elite anti-piracy unit followed by a major conviction for fraud. Undoubtedly a show of force and a stern warning would&#8217;ve ensured no more uploads, but clearly the police and PRS were out to prove a point.</p>
<p>But herein lies the problem. Whether copyright holders like it or not, the general public simply does not see infringement as a serious crime, so when hefty sentences like this are handed out, the numbers are rarely seen to add up.</p>
<p>For instance, take the woman who smashed a glass into another woman&#8217;s head in an unprovoked nightclub attack in May. This November, she also <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/pa-jailed-glassing-fellow-clubber-9285964">received</a> a 12-month sentence.</p>
<p>Another man, who regularly tortured his girlfriend and subjected her to waterboarding sessions, got the <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1639841/vile-16-year-old-who-waterboarded-his-girlfriend-during-brutal-torture-sessions-is-jailed-for-12-months/">same sentence</a> in August.</p>
<p>Worse still, over the past 15 years many <a href="http://news.sky.com/story/warning-as-hundreds-of-jailed-terrorists-back-on-uk-streets-10639848">convicted terrorists</a> in the UK have been released after serving just 12 months in prison.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s no surprise at all that the public has difficulty equating the seriousness of file-sharing to these violent and obnoxious crimes and it&#8217;s hard to imagine a time when that will change. However, the authorities have clearly drawn a line in the sand, so if they wanted a deterrent, then they definitely have one here.</p>
<p>Finally, the KickassTeam call for solidarity and wish Evans all the best for the future.</p>
<p>&#8220;We urge OldSkoolScouse to appeal the case and allow justice to prevail. Now is the time for the community to show its full support and put an end to corporate greed, bullying, ransom and censorship.</p>
<p>&#8220;We wish OldSkoolScouse a positive outcome and know that there are millions of people globally who support you,&#8221; they conclude.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ioKf5H3Km0g:X8NoYJb6d1M:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ioKf5H3Km0g:X8NoYJb6d1M:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=ioKf5H3Km0g:X8NoYJb6d1M:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/ioKf5H3Km0g" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=132634
title: Pirate Bay Will Continue to ‘Stick it to The Man’ in 2017
uri: Pirate-Bay-Will-Continue-to-Stick-it-to-The-Man-in-2017
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/QhfL058-n5M/
content:
<p><img src="media/932e6d7d.thepirate-e1470829181981.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/thepirate-e1470829181981.jpg" alt="thepirate" width="220" height="206" class="alignright size-full wp-image-116122">Over the past year pirate streaming sites have conquered the masses, but that doesn&#8217;t mean torrent sites are going away.</p>
<p>On the last day of the year, we had a virtual sit-down with Pirate Bay crew member Spud17 to see what&#8217;s in store for the site and how it measures up to the competition. </p>
<p>While TPB has had its rough patches, the site is once again the most-visited torrent site. Although occasional downtime is unavoidable, it&#8217;s not going away anytime soon.</p>
<p>&#8220;TPB will be around for the foreseeable future, and until the next big thing is invented, torrent sites will continue to grow in popularity, as will streaming sites,&#8221; Spud17 says. </p>
<p>The TPB crew believes that streaming has its place in the piracy ecosystem, especially for live events. However, torrents are preferred for those who like to actually share something. </p>
<p>They see non-P2P streaming of regular pirated TV-shows and movies as a &#8216;selfish&#8217; act, in a way, since the users themselves are not contributing.</p>
<p>&#8220;Streaming will continue to be popular with sports fans, but torrenting and sharing with your peers has always been the way forward. I personally see streaming as a selfish act, but when you torrent, you&#8217;re sharing with others and helping to stick it to the man.&#8221; </p>
<p>According to the TPB crew, there is still plenty of corporate greed to revolt against in the year to come.</p>
<p>They note that some people may want to stick it to the BBC for the staggered release of <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/bbc-scrambles-to-plug-planet-earth-ii-finale-leak-161211/">Planet Earth 2</a>, and releasing the series BluRay/DVD boxset before the final episode aired, after which they complained about pirating fans.</p>
<p>&#8220;Or to Sky for committing daylight robbery when charging £20+ to watch a boxing match, or to the giant publishing houses which charge £500 for one academic journal,&#8221; Spud17 says. </p>
<p>&#8220;As long as their greed continues, us sharing files with one another will continue,&#8221; she adds.</p>
<p>The TPB crew also notes that lessons have been learned from the shutdown of various large torrent sites, including KickassTorrents (KAT).</p>
<p>&#8220;KAT shutting down was a shock to everyone, and people quickly realized the foolishness of putting all your eggs in one basket,&#8221; Spud17 says.</p>
<p>As a result, they&#8217;re now trying to set the right example by allowing uploaders to promote their releases on other sites in TPB&#8217;s official forums. In addition, they wish the KAT staff all the best with the new site they just launched.</p>
<p>Even though some may see large torrent sites as competitors, the TPB crew sees cooperation as a way forward. In any case, TPB will always remain special, if only for its persistent refusal to take down copyrighted content.</p>
<p>&#8220;The one thing that still sets TPB apart from others is, of course, its refusal to comply with DMCA takedown notices,&#8221; Spud17 concludes. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=QhfL058-n5M:r8z-9GOY-LE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=QhfL058-n5M:r8z-9GOY-LE:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=QhfL058-n5M:r8z-9GOY-LE:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/QhfL058-n5M" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=132622
title: Five ‘Fantastic’ File-Sharing Forecasts for 2017
uri: Five-Fantastic-File-Sharing-Forecasts-for-2017
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/_SVCa_VwGao/
content:
<p><img src="media/6b16d833.2017.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/2017.jpg" alt="2017" width="300" height="198" class="alignright size-full wp-image-132865">Following the latest trends is one of the main tasks at the TorrentFreak newsroom and this job continues in the New Year. </p>
<p>While we can&#8217;t predict the future, we are in a good position to take some wild guesses as to what 2017 has in store. </p>
<p>As always, The Pirate Bay is on top of the list. The site is once again the most-used torrent site on the Internet which brings along responsibilities as well as various threats.</p>
<h3>The Pirate Bay Gets Asylum, in The Caribbean</h3>
<p>The Pirate Bay has had its fair share of problems over the years. While the past months have been relatively quiet, our crystal ball says that it&#8217;s going to change soon.</p>
<p>After nearly 14 years The Pirate Bay will lose its beloved .org domain name. A few months from now copyright holders will launch a court case and obtain a subpoena against the U.S-based Public Interest Registry (PIR). PIR <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/riaa-fails-take-pirate-bay-domain-now-160606/">previously resisted</a> a voluntary suspension but will be forced to seize the domain by court order. </p>
<p>With the Swedish .SE domain <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/court-orders-pirate-bay-domains-forfeited-state-160512/">also at risk</a>, The Pirate Bay is going to send a special envoy to Antigua and Barbuda, requesting virtual asylum in the Caribbean.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/0bf9c0f3.tpbdown.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/tpbdown.jpg" alt="pirate bay"></center></p>
<p>This proves to be an excellent match, as Antigua and Barbuda is still engaged in a long-running dispute with the U.S. The Caribbean nation has already threatened to lift the protection of US intellectual property rights <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/antigua-barbuda-threatens-us-with-piracy-161129/">in 2017</a>. In addition, it toyed with the idea of starting <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-and-antigua-explore-launch-of-authorized-pirate-site-130503/">its own pirate site</a>.</p>
<p>So, it&#8217;s a no-brainer that at the and of 2017 The Pirate Bay will be operating &#8216;carefree&#8217; from a brand new .AG domain name.</p>
<h3>Google Bans Torrent Sites and starts a Torrent Search Engine</h3>
<p>2017 will also be the year that Google finally runs out of patience with all the &#8216;copyright bullying&#8217; that it&#8217;s <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/?s=riaa+google+search+results+dmca">endured</a> in recent years. While the search giant initially showed good will, it will soon go rogue. </p>
<p>After realizing that copyright holders always <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/music-industry-u-s-copyright-law-is-obsolete-and-harmful-160401/">come back for more</a>, no matter what anti-piracy measures they take, Google rolls out an evil plan that has been in the pipeline for a while.</p>
<p>The MPAA and RIAA will <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/google-refuses-to-delete-pirate-websites-from-its-search-results-130712/">have their way</a> as Google will remove all torrent sites from its search results. Not before launching their own torrent meta-search engine, however.</p>
<p>Perhaps the company secretly put the founder of Torrentz.eu at the helm of this project a few months ago, which explains the site&#8217;s <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/torrentz-shuts-down-largest-torrent-meta-search-engine-says-farewell-160805/">sudden disappearance</a> last summer. </p>
<p>The torrent search engine launch won&#8217;t come as a complete surprise though. Google has had this service <a href="https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&#038;q=filetype:torrent">in beta</a> for well <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/google-filetypetorrent/">over a decade</a>, and it&#8217;s ready to stand on it own two feet now. </p>
<p><center><img src="media/683bd923.filetypetorrent.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/filetypetorrent.png" alt="filetypetorrent" width="600" height="268" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133074"></center></p>
<h3>Pirate Site Blockades Come to America</h3>
<p>For several years, U.S-backed copyright holder groups have obtained site blocking orders in <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/mpa-reveals-500-instances-of-pirate-site-blocking-in-europe-150918/">Europe</a>, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/the-pirate-bay-and-other-pirate-sites-will-be-blocked-in-australia-161215/">Australia</a>, and elsewhere. However, in 2017 they will realize that they&#8217;ve forgotten something.</p>
<p>All these years they have been pointing their fingers at other countries, while pirate sites are still readily available on their home turf. </p>
<p>Admitting this gross oversight, MPAA and RIAA will team up to sue the country&#8217;s largest Internet providers. With billions of dollars at stake, they&#8217;ll demand immediate action. </p>
<p>After a short but intense legal fight, the U.S. federal court will surprisingly rule that broad website blocking goes too far. Then, copyright holders will suddenly remember why they didn&#8217;t start a case earlier. </p>
<h3>uTorrent&#8217;s Comeback</h3>
<p>Remember uTorrent? </p>
<p>With hundreds of millions of installs worldwide the torrent client is still one of the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/bittorrent-surges-to-150-million-monthly-users-120109/">most popular pieces of software</a> in history. However, in recent years its development has ground to a halt. </p>
<p>In a few weeks&#8217; time it will be <a href="https://forum.utorrent.com/topic/88607-34x-stable/">three years</a> since uTorrent 3.4 was released and today it still hasn&#8217;t managed to make another 0.1 leap. </p>
<p>Initially, we wanted to predict the release of uTorrent 3.5 in 2017, but that would be rather wild. So let&#8217;s keep it realistic with just a 3.5 beta. </p>
<p><center><img src="media/cd42ab4a.utorrentsocial.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/utorrentsocial.jpg" alt="utorrentsocial" width="600" height="361" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-133079"></center></p>
<p>The new beta will introduce a revolutionary feature though. Building on several other successful products BitTorrent Inc. has launched over the years, such as their <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/bleep-bittorrent-unveils-serverless-chat-client-140730/">chat client</a>, a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/bittorrent-inc-works-p2p-powered-browser-141210/">browser</a> and <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/bittorrent-inventor-granted-p2p-live-streaming-patent-150731/">live streaming</a>, it will augment the torrent client with a social layer. </p>
<p>The new Beta will allow users to follow <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/i-know-what-you-downloaded-on-bittorrent-161223/">or spy</a> on other downloaders to see what their interests are, complete with hashtags, status updates, and a news feed.</p>
<h3>Kim Dotcom Announces Megaupload+1 (aka M+1)</h3>
<p>In a few weeks from now, Kim Dotcom is going to unveil his plans for <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/megaupload-2-0-will-outsource-file-hosting-and-prevent-takedown-abuse-161025/">Megaupload 2.0</a> (MU2) and we expect that it will be awesome. </p>
<p>The new Megaupload promises to be better than its predecessor MEGA, which Dotcom launched four years ago as Megaupload&#8217;s first reincarnation, but eventually <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/kim-dotcom-resigns-as-mega-director-to-focus-on-music-venture-130904/">had to abandon</a>. </p>
<p>However, despite the positive reception of Megaupload 2 there are going to be legal and political issues that will force the New Zealand-based entrepreneur to leave the ship once again. For a good reason though.</p>
<p>Our prediction engine shows that the U.S. Department of Justice will drop the Megaupload case after being exposed by Wikileaks. Soon after, Dotcom will switch his focus to politics with the already <a href="https://twitter.com/KimDotcom/status/813904805311574016">announced</a> revival of the Internet Party.  </p>
<p>Towards the end of 2017, Kim Dotcom will announce the fourth iteration of Megaupload, called Megaupload+1 (M+1). As expected, it will be better, bolder and braver than the earlier versions. </p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p><strong>Happy new year everyone!</strong></p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p><em>Don&#8217;t believe in any of the above? Look how <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/five-file-sharing-predictions-for-2016-160101/">accurate</a> we were last year! Don&#8217;t forget the salt&#8230;</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=_SVCa_VwGao:YDbkzlrNykU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=_SVCa_VwGao:YDbkzlrNykU:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=_SVCa_VwGao:YDbkzlrNykU:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/_SVCa_VwGao" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=132839
title: Pirates: You Can Click But You Can’t Can Hide
uri: Pirates-You-Can-Click-But-You-Can-t-Can-Hide
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/vr2WR9OeLpk/
content:
<p><a href="media/1b5440c0.mpaa-logo1.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/mpaa-logo1.jpg"><img src="media/394b6768.mpaa-logo1.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/mpaa-logo1.jpg" alt="mpaa-logo" width="200" height="112" class="alignright size-full wp-image-36694"></a>At the turn of the century and just before Napster began to burn, a whole generation was turned on to the possibilities of Internet file-sharing.</p>
<p>With the music industry bewildered by the sudden and unauthorized transition to digital media via platforms such as KaZaA, another beast appeared on the horizon. BitTorrent had arrived and quickly became a painful thorn in Hollywood&#8217;s side.</p>
<p>By 2004, with hundreds of thousands &#8211; perhaps millions &#8211; of users frequenting both public and private torrent sites, Hollywood ran out of patience. With plans already being formed to target some of the larger US-based sites, the MPAA decided it was time to educate the consumer.</p>
<p>The &#8216;Respect Copyrights&#8217; campaign launched with the now-common multi-faceted approach, with the MPAA first explaining what copyright is all about in a tone which by today&#8217;s standards seems a little old-fashioned.</p>
<p>&#8220;When some people hear the word &#8216;copyright,&#8217; they think of a complicated legal term that doesn&#8217;t apply to them. In fact, copyrights touch us all. Simply put, copyrights protect creativity,&#8221; the MPAA said.</p>
<p>Of course, today&#8217;s audience is a lot more aware of what copyright is all about, but when it comes to the scare tactics deployed now and then, not much has changed.</p>
<p>&#8220;If you use peer-to-peer file-sharing services, you are almost certainly exposing your computer to harmful viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and annoying popups, and you are inviting strangers to access your private information. That makes it pretty easy for law enforcement to track you as well,&#8221; the MPAA <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20040826003225/http://www.respectcopyrights.org/content.html">warned</a>.</p>
<p><center><b>Respect Copyrights campaign, 2004</b><a href="media/e649245e.respect1.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/respect1.png"><img src="media/1914321a.respect1.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/respect1.png" alt="respect1" width="650" height="467" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-132855"></a></center></p>
<p>The idea that file-sharing in 2004 and 2005 wasn&#8217;t an anonymous activity was one that the MPAA was determined to drive home. As part of the larger campaign, Hollywood launched a sub-project which aimed to convince growing numbers of file-sharers that the Internet offered them no privacy.</p>
<p>The &#8216;You Can Click But You Can&#8217;t Hide&#8217; campaign appeared to take its lead from comments made by boxer Joe Louis in 1946. When asked about upcoming opponent Billy Conn&#8217;s touted &#8220;hit and run&#8221; tactics, Louis said he might be able to run, but he wouldn&#8217;t be able to hide. The MPAA hoped the same would be true of file-sharers.</p>
<p>The subsequent campaign was targeted at young people at home, largely sitting in their bedrooms, together with students studying in the United States and further afield. Yes, you can download movies from file-sharing networks, the campaign said, but we can see everything you do.</p>
<p><center><b><Warning pirates...you're being watched</b><a href="media/25b70957.clickbutcant1.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/clickbutcant1.png"><img src="media/9f20c2fd.clickbutcant1.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/clickbutcant1.png" alt="clickbutcant1" width="536" height="911" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-132857"></a></b></center></p>
<p>To say that the &#8216;You Can Click But You Can&#8217;t Hide&#8217; campaign wasn&#8217;t well received was a bit of an understatement. In addition to using emotive terms such as &#8220;trafficking&#8221; to describe file-sharing, it also tried to convince ordinary members of the public that sharing a single movie was very likely to result in a $150,000 fine.</p>
<p>Perhaps worse still, the campaign was also run as an advert in cinemas before movies. By default, that meant targeting paying customers in a way that the still current FBI warning does at the start of official DVDs and Blu-rays. That prompted the inevitable parody backlash.</p>
<p><center><b>Annoying customers&#8230;</b><a href="media/f59ecc4d.clickbutcantparody.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/clickbutcantparody.png"><img src="media/b7dbc99f.clickbutcantparody.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/clickbutcantparody.png" alt="clickbutcantparody" width="536" height="907" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-132859"></a></center></p>
<p>However, the most remembered use of the campaign&#8217;s logo and message was on websites that had been shut down by the MPAA and FBI during 2004 and 2005. Perhaps the best early example was the appearance on popular public torrent site LokiTorrent which was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/dramatic-bittorrent-site-shutdowns-of-the-decade-091231/">shut down by the MPAA</a> in 2005.</p>
<p>Previously, 28-year-old site admin Ed Webber told almost 700,000 users he was going to fight Hollywood&#8217;s lawsuit after accepting around $43,000 in legal battle donations. However, that money quickly disappeared into what was presumed to be the MPAA&#8217;s coffers. Were those donors and other site members going to be able to hide after they&#8217;d clicked?</p>
<p>The same questions were to be asked later in 2005 when the same campaign message went up on the <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/how-the-fbi-dismantled-a-bittorrent-community-080630/">busted EliteTorrents</a> private tracker, a raid that resulted in several multi-year jail sentences for its operators and uploaders. In the end, no regular site users were ever punished, which certainly took some of the sting out of the campaign.</p>
<p>While its claims were still technically true for most people, as time went by the MPAA&#8217;s message began to look more and more dated. The campaign was eventually withdrawn but by then file-sharers were becoming acutely aware that anonymity is something you have to work for online. Then, in 2006, file-sharers were offered a solution, at a price.</p>
<p>Although not the first service of its type, the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-party-introduces-anonymous-internet">Relakks VPN service</a> promoted by the Swedish Pirate Party was the first to be targeted mainly at file-sharers. Just a year after the MPAA&#8217;s campaign and for a small price, anyone could click whatever they liked and hide, pretty much completely.</p>
<p>Now, ten years later, protecting anonymity online is big business. There are hundreds of VPN suppliers, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-anonymous-review-160220/">some better than others</a>, which ensure that there could never be a repeat of the MPAA&#8217;s &#8220;Click But Can&#8217;t Hide Campaign.&#8221; Nevertheless, plenty of people are still falling into its trap and failing to heed a decade-old warning.</p>
<p>Every month, millions of file-sharers are tracked online due to them using no kind of protection, with thousands receiving warning notices, fines and even lawsuits for their trouble. It&#8217;s surprisingly easy to both click and hide these days, but the majority still haven&#8217;t got the message. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=vr2WR9OeLpk:ErgvhkzkImQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=vr2WR9OeLpk:ErgvhkzkImQ:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=vr2WR9OeLpk:ErgvhkzkImQ:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/vr2WR9OeLpk" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133110
title: RightsAlliance Forces Ten-Year-Old Site to Delete All Torrents
uri: RightsAlliance-Forces-Ten-Year-Old-Site-to-Delete-All-Torrents
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/_evTdB7s0R4/
content:
<p><a href="media/22f10819.delete.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/delete.jpg"><img src="media/c7105c3f.delete.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/delete.jpg" alt="delete" width="200" height="141" class="alignright size-full wp-image-78884"></a>Previously known as Antipiratbyrån, Rights Alliance is Sweden&#8217;s foremost anti-piracy group. It has been front and center of countless copyright battles, including one that ended with the jailing of The Pirate Bay&#8217;s founders.</p>
<p>While The Pirate Bay continues <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-wil-continue-to-stick-it-to-the-man-in-2017-161231/">to this very day</a>, another long-time Rights Alliance target has just thrown in the towel.</p>
<p>Founded around 2005, &#8216;The Internationals&#8217; was a tight-knit private tracker with a decent reputation for content availability. That placed it on the radar of copyright holders, who started an investigation.</p>
<p>In 2009, in the wake of The Pirate Bay convictions, then-Antipiratbyrån sent out a batch of warnings to other sites hosted in Sweden. Shut down or else, they warned. The Internationals heeded the warning almost immediately, but after a month the site returned.</p>
<p>Two years later in 2011, police carried out raids in two locations in Sweden, seizing the site’s tracker and community data servers. Two men were also arrested, including the site&#8217;s operator, Joel Larsson.</p>
<p>In 2015, Larsson was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/trial-of-torrent-site-admin-and-hosting-provider-concludes-150509/">found guilty</a> of copyright infringement and was sentenced to 90 hours community service. In the meantime, however, The Internationals had already been resurrected under another domain name and was operating normally.</p>
<p>A few days ago, however, Rights Alliance showed that it has a long memory. According to a report from The Internationals operator &#8216;Hachiko&#8217;, the site received correspondence from the anti-piracy group ordering it to shut down.</p>
<p>&#8220;Hi all. As of now, all torrents on The Internationals has been removed. Download, upload, offers and requests have been deactivated,&#8221; Hachiko told the site&#8217;s members.</p>
<p>&#8220;Why? We&#8217;ve been informed on Dec. 29, -16, by a representative, Anders Nilsson, from something called &#8216;Rättighetsalliansen&#8217;, that it&#8217;s illegal according to local laws in their country, Sweden.&#8221;</p>
<p>Anders Nilsson is a Rights Alliance investigator and former policeman who has been with the anti-piracy outfit for a number of years.</p>
<p>&#8220;Due to this fact, we have no other option than to disable all torrents and deactivate all possibilities to engage in what they call illegal file-sharing,&#8221; Hachiko said.</p>
<p><center><a href="media/07c9eb11.internationals-1.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/internationals-1.jpg"><img src="media/8b90f08a.internationals-1.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/internationals-1.jpg" alt="internationals" width="635" height="258" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-133111"></a></center></p>
<p>While all torrents have now disappeared from the site, it will stay open to enable the community to stay together. Whether that will happen will remain to be seen. History tells us that sites rarely maintain their strength after the content has been removed.</p>
<p>Aside from its long-running issues with copyright holders, The Internationals will be remembered for being perhaps the only site to have its webhost prosecuted for its activities. When the site&#8217;s operator was raided in 2011, the owner of webhosting company PatrikWeb was also detained.</p>
<p>Patrik Lagerman had been previously ordered by Rights Alliance to take down The Internationals&#8217; site but without a court order, he refused. That eventually landed him in court but he stood firm and was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/webhost-owner-cleared-of-aiding-torrent-site-piracy-150523/">acquitted of all charges</a>.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=_evTdB7s0R4:acPvvBzOBKM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=_evTdB7s0R4:acPvvBzOBKM:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=_evTdB7s0R4:acPvvBzOBKM:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/_evTdB7s0R4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133100
title: Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week – 01/02/17
uri: Top-10-Most-Pirated-Movies-of-The-Week-01-02-17
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/dSpH5F2pnb4/
content:
<p><img src="media/82043bb4.jack-reacher-torrent-download-stats.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/jack-reacher-torrent-download-stats.jpg" alt="jack-reacher-torrent-download-stats" width="300" height="164" class="alignright size-full wp-image-130126">This week we have three newcomers in our chart. </p>
<p>Jack Reacher: Never Go Back 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 weekly movie download chart.</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="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-pirated-movies-week-122616/">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="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3393786">Jack Reacher: Never Go Back</a> (Subbed HDRip)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3393786">6.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRwrdbcAh2s">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>2</strong></td>
<td>(1)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1860357/">Deepwater Horizon</a> </td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1860357/">7.4</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yASbM8M2vg">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>3</strong></td>
<td>(4)</td>
<td><a href="http://torrentfreak.com/accountant-torrent-downloads/">The Accountant</a> (subbed HDrip)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2140479/">7.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBfsgcswlYQ">trailer</a></td>
<tr>
<td><strong>4</strong></td>
<td>(2)</td>
<td><a href=" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3748528/">Rogue One: A Star Wars Story</a> (HDTS)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3748528/">8.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frdj1zb9sMY">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2094766">Assassin&#8217;s Creed</a> (HDTS)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2094766">6.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4haJD6W136c">trailer</a></td>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td>(3)</td>
<td><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/magnificent-seven-torrent-downloads/">The Magnificent Seven</a> </td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2404435/">7.1</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-RBA0xoaWU">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2387499/">Keeping Up with the Joneses</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2387499/">5.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGtVJ48GMAI">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td>(7)</td>
<td><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/doctor-strange-torrent-downloads/">Doctor Strange</a> (HDTS)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1211837">8.0</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSzx-zryEgM">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>9</strong></td>
<td>(9)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1679335/">Trolls</a> </td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1679335/">6.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyjm5VQ11TQ">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>10</strong></td>
<td>(10)</td>
<td><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/moana-torrent-downloads/">Moana</a> (HDTS)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3521164/">8.1</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKFuXETZUsI">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="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=dSpH5F2pnb4:Y0Lmbe6rKDc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=dSpH5F2pnb4:Y0Lmbe6rKDc:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=dSpH5F2pnb4:Y0Lmbe6rKDc:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/dSpH5F2pnb4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133098
title: Cox’s Repeat Infringer Policy Was an Elaborate Sham, BMG Says
uri: Cox-s-Repeat-Infringer-Policy-Was-an-Elaborate-Sham-BMG-Says
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/BsBE-M7cWfM/
content:
<p><img src="media/472c3690.coxcomms.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/coxcomms.jpg" alt="coxcomms" width="222" height="174" class="alignright size-full wp-image-128587">Late 2015 a Virginia federal jury ruled that Internet provider Cox Communications was responsible for the copyright infringements of its subscribers.</p>
<p>The ISP was found guilty of willful contributory copyright infringement and ordered to pay music publisher BMG Rights Management <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/cox-is-liable-for-pirating-subscribers-ordered-to-pay-25-million-151217/">$25 million in damages</a>.</p>
<p>Last November Cox <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cox-files-appeal-to-overturn-25-million-piracy-verdict-161110/">filed its appeal</a> arguing that the district court made several errors which may ultimately restrict the public&#8217;s access to Internet services. </p>
<p>One of the crucial factors in the case is whether Cox has safe harbor protection under the DMCA. In order to qualify, the company is required to terminate accounts of repeat infringers, when appropriate. </p>
<p>According to a 65-page reply brief just filed by BMG, the Internet provider failed to satisfy this burden as it willingly kept serving some customers, even after they had received over a dozen infringement notices.</p>
<p>&#8220;&#8230; Cox ignores its burden and points to no evidence that it adopted or implemented such a policy. Indeed, the undisputed evidence shows that Cox’s claim to terminate repeat infringers was an elaborate sham,&#8221; BMG writes (<a href="media/2221a6fc.rep0ly.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/rep0ly.pdf">pdf</a>). </p>
<p>&#8220;Though the precise mechanism changed in the Fall of 2012, Cox’s actual policy throughout the entire time period covered by the complaint was not to terminate repeat infringers because &#8216;for DMCA – we don’t want to lo[]se the revenue&#8217;.&#8221; </p>
<p>BMG notes that from 2010 until the Fall of 2012, Cox had a &#8220;policy&#8221; under which it purported to terminate accounts of repeat infringers. However, these were instead swiftly reactivated to keep customers on board and generate more revenue. </p>
<p>&#8220;Over and over, Cox failed to terminate flagrant repeat infringers, including one who admitted to ‘years of doing this’ and whom Cox abuse employees regarded as &#8216;well aware of his actions&#8217;,&#8221; BMG writes.</p>
<p>In its appeal, Cox mentioned that it doesn&#8217;t believe that one-sided piracy complaints are enough to warrant account terminations. In addition, the ISP noted that several of the infringement notices BMG sent via Rightscorp contained serious errors. </p>
<p>However, BMG believes that this is a red herring which didn&#8217;t warrant the decision to disregard hundreds of thousands of infringement notices.</p>
<p>&#8220;Cox claims that BMG’s notices are &#8216;littered with flaws.&#8217; But Cox was able to identify errors in a tiny handful of the 1.8 million BMG notices at issue. The evidence showed that Rightscorp’s system was &#8216;well over 99%&#8217; accurate.&#8221; </p>
<p>In addition to the repeat infringer issue, the music group also maintains that the ISP is liable for contributory infringement. Also, it disputes Cox&#8217;s argument that the jury instructions were incorrect on several points.</p>
<p>With the appeal, Cox hopes to reverse the judgment or at least have the opportunity of a new trial, but BMG asks the court to keep the district court ruling intact instead.</p>
<p>The outcome of the case, which may go all the way to the Supreme Court, will be crucial in determining what obligations ISPs have when it comes to repeat copyright infringers. As such, we can expect some more fireworks later in the year, as the case moves forward.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=BsBE-M7cWfM:dEosVAPXB0k:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=BsBE-M7cWfM:dEosVAPXB0k:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=BsBE-M7cWfM:dEosVAPXB0k:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/BsBE-M7cWfM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133140
title: First DVD Screener Leak of 2017 is Denzel Washington’s Fences
uri: First-DVD-Screener-Leak-of-2017-is-Denzel-Washington-s-Fences
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/U6_4wSVklbk/
content:
<p><a href="media/6a761535.fences-small.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/fences-small.jpg"><img src="media/473e2896.fences-small.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/fences-small.jpg" alt="fences-small" width="220" height="297" class="alignright size-full wp-image-133145"></a>Christmas 2015 was a somewhat epic time for pirates with a cascade of high-quality screener copies of movies leaking onto the Internet. But while that period went with a bang, 2016 went with a whimper.</p>
<p>Over the recent festive period, not one English language screener copy of a movie appeared online. Considering the banquet in the same period the previous year, that was quite a turnaround. While reasons are almost always tough to pinpoint, it&#8217;s likely that Hollywood has toughened up its security.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, it remains impossible to cover every angle, something that became evident during the past few hours when the first screener leak of 2017 hit the Internet. It&#8217;s Denzel Washington&#8217;s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fences_(play)">Fences</a>, a film set in the 1950s about a former baseball player turned garbageman.</p>
<p>Fences enjoyed a Christmas Day release in the United States and currently has no &#8216;street date&#8217; for DVD or Blu-ray. Last night, however, a copy ripped from a screener leaked online and rapidly spread. It was a P2P release, meaning that it was released onto peer-to-peer networks first, rather than a more structured &#8216;scene&#8217; offering.</p>
<p><center><a href="media/c1fbca4e.fences-1.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/fences-1.jpg"><b>Fences screenshot</b><img src="media/6c38b367.fences-1.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/fences-1.jpg" alt="fences-1" width="650" height="273" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-133147" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/fences-1.jpg 650w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/fences-1-500x210.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"></a></center></p>
<p>The quality of the release isn&#8217;t pristine like many of the screeners released last year, but downloaders are commenting that while HD would&#8217;ve been nice, the copy is perfectly watchable with decent audio. It weighs in at just over 2GB.</p>
<p>Another issue worthy of comment is the presence every now and again of a watermark with identifies this leak as coming from Paramount Studios. The mark states clearly that this is an awards screener so therefore should&#8217;ve never been leaked to the public.</p>
<p><a href="media/bb1c5dc7.fences-2.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/fences-2.png"><img src="media/a89d35a3.fences-2.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/fences-2.png" alt="fences-2" width="650" height="272" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-133148" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/fences-2.png 650w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/fences-2-500x210.png 500w" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"></a></p>
<p>The group to gain the most traction early on with the release are known as UnKnOwN. In search of more information, TorrentFreak caught up with Bob UnKnOwN and separately a group spokesman.</p>
<p>However, they both told us that at this time they prefer to remain tight-lipped, stating that they don&#8217;t want to brag about the group&#8217;s releases or make any additional comment, right now at least. There is some information in the group&#8217;s <a href="media/64c4f4a9.fences-nfo.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/fences-nfo.png">NFO file</a> that leaves some room for excitement, however.</p>
<p><center><a href="media/a7abfb54.unknown1.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/unknown1.jpg"><img src="media/a5fe7ced.unknown1.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/unknown1.jpg" alt="unknown1" width="650" height="376" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-133149"></a></center></p>
<p>Noting that the source for this release was a person or group known only as &#8220;Mr. Miyagi&#8221;, UnKnOwN sign off with a tease of &#8220;More to come,&#8221; indicating that this screener leak probably won&#8217;t be the last.</p>
<p>The leak of Fences comes on the heels of an announcement late December by 2015&#8217;s most successful screener release group, Hive-CM8. Noting that it didn&#8217;t want to release content before it appeared in cinemas, the group hinted that January might be the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/infamous-piracy-group-says-it-ready-to-start-leaking-screeners-161229/">month to watch</a>.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=U6_4wSVklbk:sFfK22kBwTw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=U6_4wSVklbk:sFfK22kBwTw:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=U6_4wSVklbk:sFfK22kBwTw:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/U6_4wSVklbk" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133170
title: Steal This Show S02E08: Pirate Markets & Guerrilla Libraries
uri: Steal-This-Show-S02E08-Pirate-Markets-Guerrilla-Libraries
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/Nq30ClK_4SY/
content:
<p><strong><sup><em>If you enjoy this episode, consider becoming a patron and getting involved with the show. <a href="https://patreon.com/user?u=4275705">Check out Steal This Show&#8217;s Patreon campaign</a>: support us and get all kinds of&nbsp;fantastic benefits!</em></sup></strong></p>
<p>In this episode, we meet up with economist and piracy researcher Balázs Bodó to discuss underground pirate markets in Europe and Russia and the “Guerilla Open Access” projects of SciHub, LibGen and Ebooks Farm. </p>
<p><img src="media/bb18e961.bodo_balzs__dora_mester.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/bodo_balzs__dora_mester.jpg" alt="bodo_balzs__dora_mester" width="300" height="199" class="alignright size-full wp-image-133195">Balázs delves into the rich history and culture of pirate librarians, and we wonder if peer-to-peer sharing can stay relevant in the age of content over-abundance. Plus: does anyone actually download books any more?</p>
<p>Balázs Bodó currently works at the Institute for Information Law at the University of Amsterdam. Before moving to the Netherlands, he was deeply involved in the development of the Hungarian internet culture. He was also the project lead for Creative Commons Hungary. </p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p><a href="https://stealthisshow.com">Steal This Show</a> aims to release bi-weekly episodes featuring insiders discussing copyright and file-sharing news. It complements our regular reporting by adding more room for opinion, commentary, and analysis. </p>
<p>The guests for our news discussions will vary, and we&#8217;ll aim to introduce voices from different backgrounds and persuasions. In addition to news, STS will also produce features interviewing some of the great innovators and minds. </p>
<p><strong>Host:</strong> Jamie King</p>
<p><strong>Guest:</strong> Balázs Bodó</p>
<p><center><iframe width="100%" height="180px" src="//stealthisshow.com/?lpe-frame=1&#038;lpe-season=2&#038;lpe-episode=08" frameborder="0"></iframe></center></p>
<p><strong>Produced </strong> <em>by </em>Jamie King<br>
<strong>Edited &#038; Mixed</strong> <em>by</em> Riley Byrne<br>
<strong>Original Music</strong> <em>by</em> David Triana<br>
<strong>Web Production</strong> <em>by</em> Siraje Amarniss</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Nq30ClK_4SY:3LpuZTln__E:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Nq30ClK_4SY:3LpuZTln__E:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=Nq30ClK_4SY:3LpuZTln__E:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/Nq30ClK_4SY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133142
title: Research: Piracy ‘Warnings’ Fail to Boost Box Office Revenues
uri: Research-Piracy-Warnings-Fail-to-Boost-Box-Office-Revenues
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/WVcZYQ2O1V4/
content:
<p><img src="media/12bdbb91.running.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/running.jpg" alt="running" width="200" height="133" class="alignright size-full wp-image-52725">Over the past decade, entertainment industry groups have lobbied hard for so-called graduated response systems, where alleged pirates are warned and in some cases fined. </p>
<p><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/hadopi-reports-on-five-years-of-three-strikes-piracy-measures-150917/">France</a> was one of the pioneers in this area with its three-strikes anti-piracy law, and similar policies have been implemented in countries such as <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/file-sharing-3-strikes-killed-in-ireland-government-promises-site-blocking-111219/">Ireland</a>, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/as-enlightening-3-strikes-data-appears-authorities-raid-top-cyberlocker-sites-110329/">South Korea</a>, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/new-zealand-3-strikes-begins-but-pirate-sabotage-is-in-the-air-110811/">New Zealand</a> and the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/is-the-u-s-six-strikes-anti-piracy-system-doomed-160605/">United States</a>, among others. </p>
<p>One of the main goals of these policies is to lower overall piracy rates and ultimately increase revenues for rightsholders. The question is, though, whether the measures will reach this desired goal. </p>
<p>Thus far there has been very little research on the topic but a new study, published by Dr. Jordi McKenzie of Sydney&#8217;s Macquarie University, suggests that these &#8220;strikes&#8221; policies don&#8217;t boost box office revenues.</p>
<p>For his <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167624516301755">paper</a>, published in the most recent issue of the journal &#8216;Information Economics and Policy,&#8217; McKenzie looked at opening week and total box office revenues for 6,083 unique films released between 2005 and 2013. </p>
<p>Using a variety of statistical analyses, he then measured the impact of the graduated response systems and related policies in six countries. In addition, another ten countries were included as a control measure.</p>
<p>The overall conclusion based on thousands of data points is that these anti-piracy policies have no significant impact on box-office income. </p>
<p>&#8220;This study has considered whether this has proven true in six countries’ experiences in the context of theatrical film revenues. No consistent evidence is found that supports increased theatrical box office revenues in any of the markets,&#8221; the conclusion reads.</p>
<p>The researcher did apply several robustness checks. For example, he looked at possible effects for separate movie genres pirates could be more or less interested in, but none explained the findings. </p>
<p>&#8220;While various statistical explanations for this ‘no-result’ finding have been considered, none are consistent with increasing revenues, which suggests the explanation lies elsewhere.&#8221;</p>
<p>According to McKenzie, there could be several explanations why box office attendance wasn&#8217;t influenced. Pirates might simply be continuing their old habits because the catch rate is relatively low, or it&#8217;s possible that they&#8217;re taking measures to hide their piracy habits. Through VPNS or by switching to streaming or cyberlocker services which aren&#8217;t monitored, for example.</p>
<p>While the study is mostly interesting due to its lack of results, there was another finding that&#8217;s worth highlighting. As a &#8220;crude test,&#8221; McKenzie also researched the effect of the Megaupload shutdown, observing a small decrease in box office revenues.</p>
<p>&#8220;Evaluating across all control countries, all treatment countries, and all countries together, no evidence of an increase in box office is observed after this date. In fact, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/megaupload-shutdown-hurt-smaller-films-helped-blockbusters-130823/">as observed</a> by Peukert et al.(2015), there is actually slight evidence of a decline in box office revenues after this date,&#8221; the paper reads.</p>
<p>According to McKenzie, this suggests that pirates are quite sophisticated. If needed, they can easily move from one service to another, much like many of the torrent users who moved to other sites when KickassTorrents was taken down last summer. </p>
<p>Of course, the research also has its limitations. For one, it only looks at the impact on the movie industry, and box office revenues in particular. More research is needed to see if the effects are different elsewhere, but for now the effect of graduated response systems appear to be very limited.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=WVcZYQ2O1V4:uFVI5Kl0zjs:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=WVcZYQ2O1V4:uFVI5Kl0zjs:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=WVcZYQ2O1V4:uFVI5Kl0zjs:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/WVcZYQ2O1V4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133172
title: Giant Cyberlocker Morphs into New Anonymous Sharing Site
uri: Giant-Cyberlocker-Morphs-into-New-Anonymous-Sharing-Site
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/jbvqfdVBN9g/
content:
<p><a href="media/c6b8b5bb.upload.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/upload.png"><img src="media/4838a439.upload.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/upload.png" alt="upload" width="240" height="164" class="alignright size-full wp-image-114664"></a>During 2016 it became clear that Ukrainian authorities were prepared to get a little more tough on local piracy. After resident sites appeared for several years on the &#8220;Notorious Markets&#8221; list published by the United States Trade Representative, something had to give.</p>
<p>In November, the first concrete signs became evident when FS.to, one of the country&#8217;s most popular pirate sites, was shut down by Ukraine&#8217;s cyber-crime police.</p>
<p>The raid, triggered by a complaint from the MPAA, saw 19 people arrested and around <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/police-raid-pirate-site-seize-60-servers-following-mpaa-complaint-161115/">60 servers seized</a>. However, just a few days later an even bigger scalp was claimed.</p>
<p>Founded in 2009, EX.UA was Ukraine’s largest cyberlocker and one of the largest sites in the country, period. The site enjoyed millions of visitors every day, but it was all to come to an end. Citing legal problems on top of DDoS attacks and other sundry issues, the site&#8217;s owners said they were <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/major-cyberlocker-ex-ua-to-shut-down-amid-police-crackdown-161118/">shutting down</a> at the end of November 2016. That must have pleased the United States.</p>
<p>After some adjustment, the site extended its closure deadline to the end of the year, ostensibly to allow users to get control of their files before the shutdown. However, with the new year now firmly underway, it appears that the site had a surprise up its sleeve.</p>
<p>&#8220;The decision to terminate the activities of [EX.UA] has generated a lot of questions from users, including where they can now store their files,&#8221; the operators said in an announcement.</p>
<p>&#8220;During the existence of EX.UA, the service became a personal memory drive to many Ukrainian citizens. It stores personal archives, professional documents, and personal collections of files.&#8221;</p>
<p>In short, while EX.UA will now be consigned to history, the ability of its users to store files won&#8217;t be going away anytime soon. In fact, it appears things will be improved.</p>
<p>&#8220;We inform you that the EX.UA service will be restarted on the domain FEX.NET (the File EXchange Network). It has been implemented on a new technology platform that will provide additional ease of use,&#8221; the team explain.</p>
<p>Of particular interest is how the site&#8217;s operators have hardened the service. The platform (at <a href="http://fex.net/">FEX.NET</a>) now features anonymous sharing of files of any format and file size. Each file will be given a security key which will initially grant access to a file for seven days, after which it will be deleted.</p>
<p>On top, the service will automatically convert uploaded media files for viewing and playback on various devices.</p>
<p>&#8220;This feature set is basic and will be expanded. Within two months [of launch], we will implement additional file-sharing features, including the launch of a permanent repository and streaming cloud,&#8221; the operators say.</p>
<p>For the paid user, prices appear to be modest. For the first 100,000 local customers, FEX is offering 1TB of storage for $1 per month.</p>
<p>&#8220;We live in the information age. Information is the key to the development of modern society,&#8221; the site&#8217;s operators say.</p>
<p>&#8220;The site will be fully protected and completely safe. We are determined to offer the world technology that is better and cheaper than that already in existence. We want to show that innovations are born here.&#8221;</p>
<p>While the closure of EX.UA will have been welcomed by rightsholders, the rise of FEX.NET is almost certainly not what they bargained for. Time will tell how things will play out but it certainly looks like mass file-sharing will continue, albeit anonymously and out of sight.</p>
<p>Finally, the owners of EX.UA say they are attempting to sell their old domain for $1m, with all proceeds going to a children&#8217;s charity. It&#8217;s not clear whether anyone has yet made a suitable offer.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=jbvqfdVBN9g:ch3auKp9v3M:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=jbvqfdVBN9g:ch3auKp9v3M:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=jbvqfdVBN9g:ch3auKp9v3M:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/jbvqfdVBN9g" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133201
title: ‘Copyright Trolls’ Hit With Class Action Lawsuit For Theft by Deception
uri: Copyright-Trolls-Hit-With-Class-Action-Lawsuit-For-Theft-by-Dece
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/WSbglRLjiNQ/
content:
<p><img src="media/17a592c8.trollsign.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/trollsign.jpg" alt="trollsign" width="250" height="167" class="alignright size-full wp-image-108977">In recent years so-called copyright trolls have been accused of various dubious schemes and actions, including intimidation and extortion. </p>
<p>Last month it became apparent that these concerns are not just one-sided complaints, when the U.S. Government <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/prenda-copyright-trolls-arrested-and-charged-with-fraud-and-extortion-161216/">launched a criminal case</a> against two of Prenda Law&#8217;s principals. </p>
<p>This week, copyright trolling allegations are once again brought to the forefront. In a class action lawsuit filed in an Illinois federal court on behalf of accused pirates, a group of rightsholders, lawyers, and a torrent monitoring expert are accused taking part in an &#8220;extortion conspiracy.&#8221;</p>
<p>The case centers around Clear Skies Network (CSN) which brought several lawsuits against alleged downloaders of the movie &#8220;<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3297330/">Good Kill</a>.&#8221; As is common in these campaigns, the rightsholders work in tandem with lawyers and BitTorrent monitoring experts to make their case.</p>
<p>One of their targets was a 62-year-old woman, who has now decided to strike back, also on behalf of other defendants that are in the same position.</p>
<p>The complaint details how the woman was repeatedly threatened and intimidated with a possible $150,000 in statutory damages, asking her to settle for only a few thousand. It also mentions various other allegations including false statements. </p>
<p>In addition, the complaint notes that the defendants may have purposefully operated a honeypot where they themselves distributed the infringing movie before its theatrical release in the U.S.</p>
<p>&#8220;CSN and/or the German John Doe relies on &#8216;fake experts&#8217; and/or honeypots or seeds its Motion Picture for the express purpose of being able to claim that it has &#8216;caught&#8217; people downloading the copyrighted material,&#8221; it reads.</p>
<p>The monitored torrents and the various associated IP-addresses were used as the base evidence for copyright lawsuits throughout the country. According to the class action complaint, the rightsholders continuously relied on the same German monitoring outfit whose evidence is insufficient to prove infringement.</p>
<p>Instead of protecting copyrights, the accused downloaders believe that the entire practice is primarily meant to generate a steady income flow for the filmmakers and other parties involved in the conspiracy.</p>
<p>&#8220;CSN&#8217;s existence has little to do with the protection of a copyright, and is instead an entity formed for the primary purpose of income generation through exploitation of the court system,&#8221; the complaint states.</p>
<p>As such, they accuse the alleged conspiracy of using the copyright cases as an extortion mechanism.</p>
<p>&#8220;[The defendants] have been engaged in a conspiracy to monetize infringement whereby they use questionable means to entrap unsuspecting Illinois residents who have allegedly violated CSN’s copyrights, and then extort money from these individuals using threatening and misleading settlement and litigation tactics under the guise of the Copyright Act.&#8221; </p>
<p>For the 62-year-old woman, this led to physical and emotional distress, and through the class action suit, she hopes to set the record straight. </p>
<p>Together with other potential members of the class, who have been treated similarly, she accuses CSN, the lawyers and the German torrent monitoring outfit, of conspiracy to improperly prosecute copyright infringement.</p>
<p>As compensation for the alleged unlawful acts, including of theft by deception barratry and maintenance, they ask for actual monetary damages as well as punitive damages. </p>
<p>According to FCT’s &#8216;Sophisticated Jane Doe&#8217;, <a href="https://fightcopyrighttrolls.com/2017/01/03/a-chicago-bittorent-defendant-files-a-class-action-complaint-against-the-germans-and-troll-attorney-michel-hierl/">it is about time</a> that the Northern Illinois District takes a close look at these practices, and she hopes that it will help to finally cure this &#8220;judicial plague.&#8221; </p>
<p>A full copy of the class action complaint is available <a href="media/94437469.trollclass.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/trollclass.pdf">here (pdf)</a>.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=WSbglRLjiNQ:GyNXz_1oTno:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=WSbglRLjiNQ:GyNXz_1oTno:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=WSbglRLjiNQ:GyNXz_1oTno:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/WSbglRLjiNQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133269
title: Unlikely ‘Pirate’ Kodi Users Will Get in Trouble, Experts Suggest
uri: Unlikely-Pirate-Kodi-Users-Will-Get-in-Trouble-Experts-Suggest
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/ft9Jf0hNb9M/
content:
<p><a href="media/526da278.kodi1.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/kodi1.png"><img src="media/968eb867.kodi1.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/kodi1.png" alt="kodi" width="250" height="149" class="alignright size-full wp-image-106981" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/kodi1.png 250w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/kodi1-220x130.png 220w" sizes="(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px"></a>While Popcorn Time was the hot news of 2014 and 2015, 2016 was taken by storm by an old kid on the block with a new lick of paint.</p>
<p>For TF readers, Kodi needs little introduction. It&#8217;s an open source media player that can, given select tweaks, be augmented with <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-kodi-add-ons-gain-massive-popularity-161007/">third-party addons</a> that grant access to an Aladdin&#8217;s cave of pirate content.</p>
<p>Unlike most other kinds of unauthorized online sharing, the way content is delivered through Kodi has exposed a whole new legal gray area. While it&#8217;s definitely illegal in Europe and the US to share copyrighted content without permission using BitTorrent, no one is really clear whether streaming content via Kodi has the same status.</p>
<p>In recent weeks, this has led to the publication of dozens of articles which claim to answer that question. Upon review, none of them actually do, so the topic remains hot in the UK.</p>
<p>To that end, BBC Radio Five ran a pretty long feature this morning which had host Adrian Chiles discussing the topic with FACT chief Kieron Sharp, intellectual property lawyer Steve (whose surname wasn&#8217;t clear from the broadcast) and technical guy Tom Cheesewright who really knew what he was talking about.</p>
<p>The start of the interview was marked by Chiles noting that when he found out what a Kodi device could do, he immediately wanted one.</p>
<p>&#8220;I&#8217;d never heard of them,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I heard what they were and then I wanted one. And then someone told me that they&#8217;re probably illegal, so I better not get one.&#8221;</p>
<p>Chiles&#8217; reaction is probably held in common with millions of others who&#8217;ve learned about what Kodi devices can do. There&#8217;s a clear and totally understandable attraction, and it was helpful for the broadcaster to acknowledge that.</p>
<p>After a brief technological description from Cheesewright, Chiles turned to IP lawyer Steve, who was asked where the law stands. His response was fairly lengthy but clearly focused on the people supplying the devices.</p>
<p>&#8220;You&#8217;ve got big content producers like HBO that are used to producing premium content that people pay for,&#8221; Steve said.</p>
<p>&#8220;Where they are directing their attention is on the people who sell these boxes loaded with software that lets you get around paying a subscription.&#8221;</p>
<p>The lawyer acknowledged that there are some <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/man-likely-to-sacrifice-himself-testing-streaming-piracy-limits-160925/">ongoing cases</a> in the UK which involve suppliers of devices which effectively allow users to get around copyright protection.</p>
<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s been the focus of the strategy and it&#8217;s a big, big, big issue,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>But for those who know Chiles&#8217; down-to-earth style, it was always obvious that he would want to know how the law views the man in the street. </p>
<p>&#8220;From the punter&#8217;s point of view, if you&#8217;re watching something made by HBO that Netflix would hope that you&#8217;d be paying them to watch, but you&#8217;re watching it for free via your Kodi stick, then are you going to get a knock on the door?&#8221; Chiles asked.</p>
<p>Chiles didn&#8217;t get a straight answer about the law, but after a breath, Steve offered the reality.</p>
<p>&#8220;In all likelihood, no,&#8221; the lawyer responded.</p>
<p>Noting that there have been cases against file-sharers, the IP expert said that there is a difference &#8211; a legal gray area &#8211; when it comes to streaming versus file-sharing.</p>
<p>&#8220;What tends to happen is that the content providers go after the ISPs, they go after platforms [offering pirate content], not the individual people,&#8221; he said, adding that getting a knock on the door at home would be fairly unlikely.</p>
<p>Interestingly, Chiles&#8217; then admitted that in the past he also tried to get Premier League football on his laptop for free, but was unsuccessful in getting any content. The suggestion was that Chiles&#8217; failure could be put down to anti-piracy crackdowns against sites, including site-blocking, a point on which the lawyer agreed.</p>
<p>&#8220;[Rightsholders] have been choking off access [to free content] rather than going to war with their own fans, which is never going to be good for publicity, which is only going to cause them a bigger problem,&#8221; the lawyer said.</p>
<p>At this point, FACT chief Keiron Sharp entered the conversation and immediately acknowledged that piracy is an ongoing problem that isn&#8217;t going to be solved overnight. However, he also revealed a little about their Kodi strategy.</p>
<p>&#8220;This will still keep coming up no matter which actions we take, but there is still a deterrent effect on people when they see that sellers and providers and distributors of these boxes are going to prison. Which they will do,&#8221; Sharp said.</p>
<p>The FACT chief said that people will make a connection between people being locked up for selling boxes and the use of these boxes at home, something which he hopes will result in less uptake.</p>
<p>&#8220;There will be a deterrent effect [from cases going through the court now] and I think your average punter, as you put it, are the ones who will see that deterrent effect and we will be able to move some people away,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>Interestingly, Sharp then referred to pirates as &#8220;fans&#8221; who want access to a product and that content providers were trying to fulfill that demand. Lawyer Steve, who also used the word &#8220;fans,&#8221; added that people who pirate aren&#8217;t necessarily cheapskates either.</p>
<p>&#8220;The biggest problem the industry has is that it&#8217;s always been behind on design and user experience,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>&#8220;People buy these boxes not necessarily because they&#8217;re cheapskates or want to break the law, but probably because it&#8217;s the only place they can get access to all the content they want in one place, in a good user experience, without buying separate subscriptions for Sky, for Netflix, for Amazon, for Hulu, for all of these different services,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>This conclusion is an important one. While at some point the courts may decide (there&#8217;s <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/selling-mediaplayers-with-pirate-add-ons-is-illegal-161208/">a case</a> in Europe) that knowingly watching pirate streams is indeed illegal, there is no way that a user that ONLY STREAMS content can be monitored by groups that would like to prosecute them.</p>
<p>So, to answer the million dollar question. Watching pirate Kodi streams may be deemed illegal sometime in the future but right now, no one is 100% sure. In any event, it&#8217;s impossible in any sensible scenario for anyone to get caught doing so.</p>
<p>With that in mind, content providers need to keep upping their game, or the Kodi content free-for-all (or whatever else comes along next) will continue.</p>
<p><em>A replay of the show might be made available <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/5live">by the BBC on the iPlayer</a> at a later point.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ft9Jf0hNb9M:sDJV8--kukQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ft9Jf0hNb9M:sDJV8--kukQ:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=ft9Jf0hNb9M:sDJV8--kukQ:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/ft9Jf0hNb9M" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133246
title: Court: Fan-Funded Star Trek Film is Not ‘Fair Use’
uri: Court-Fan-Funded-Star-Trek-Film-is-Not-Fair-Use
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/l1wGso33ALo/
content:
<p><img src="media/b89b241e.axanar.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/axanar.jpg" alt="axanar" width="250" height="148" class="alignright size-full wp-image-121946" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/axanar.jpg 250w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/axanar-220x130.jpg 220w" sizes="(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px">Last year, Paramount Pictures and CBS Studios <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/movie-studios-sue-fan-funded-star-trek-spin-off-151231/">filed a lawsuit</a> against the makers of a Star Trek inspired fan film, accusing them of copyright infringement.</p>
<p>The dispute centers around the well-received short film Star Trek: Prelude to Axanar and the planned follow-up feature film Axanar.</p>
<p>Among other things, the Star Trek rightsholders claim ownership over various Star Trek related settings, characters, species, clothing, colors, shapes, words, short phrases and even the Klingon language.</p>
<p>The case is now heading towards a trial, which means that the ultimate decision may sit in the hands of a jury. However, this week the court shared its opinion on some crucial issues, responding to motions for summary judgment submitted by both parties earlier. </p>
<p>The Axanar team, for example, informed the court that their films do not infringe Star Trek copyrights. One of the main reasons, according to the makers, is that it clearly falls under fair use. However, the court sees the situation differently. </p>
<p>After weighing the four crucial factors for determining fair use, District Court Judge Robert Klausner concludes that the fan-film is not entitled to a fair use defense.</p>
<p>In an order published this week he explains that even though the film will be distributed for free, it has a commercial nature because the makers profit in other ways. For example, through other job benefits that flow out of it.</p>
<p>Another crucial factor is the amount and substantiality of the infringing elements that appear in the film. Here, the court also concludes that Axanar went beyond fair use by including many details of the Star Trek canon which are important to Star Trek fans.</p>
<p>The other two factors, the nature of the original copyrighted work, and the effect on the market value of the Star Trek franchise, didn&#8217;t warrant a fair use qualification either.</p>
<p>&#8220;The Court thus finds that all four fair use factors weigh in favor of Plaintiffs. If the jury does not find subjective substantial similarity, Defendants did not infringe and fair use defense is moot,&#8221; the order reads. </p>
<p>&#8220;Rejection of Defendants’ fair use defense is consistent with copyright’s very purpose because derivatives are &#8216;an important economic incentive to the creation of originals&#8217;,&#8221; it adds.</p>
<p>Responding to the motion of the movie studios, the court separately concluded that there is an objective substantial similarity between the fan-film and the original Star Trek works. </p>
<p>While no ruling was made on individual items such as the Klingon language, costumes, characters or species, as a whole the overall &#8220;look and feel&#8221; was found to be similar.</p>
<p>That said, the court leaves a ruling on subjective substantial similarity up to the jury. </p>
<p>This means that one of the main questions during trial will be whether an ordinary, reasonable person would find the total concept and feel of the fan-film to be substantially similar to the original Star Trek works. This will to a large degree determine the outcome of the case.</p>
<p>While it&#8217;s still too early to draw any conclusions, the court&#8217;s opinion is a clear setback for the Axanar makers. With fair use out of the way, and a court that sees substantial similarity with the original works, their fate now lies in the hands of the jury.</p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p>The court&#8217;s full opinion on the motions for summary judgement is available <a href="media/71e855b5.3-Court-Order-denying-motions-for-summary-judgment-72-and-75.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/Paramount-v-Axanar-2-15-cv-09938-CD-CA-2016-01-03-163-Court-Order-denying-motions-for-summary-judgment-72-and-75.pdf">here (pdf)</a>.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=l1wGso33ALo:elFESBIBYw0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=l1wGso33ALo:elFESBIBYw0:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=l1wGso33ALo:elFESBIBYw0:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/l1wGso33ALo" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133261
title: Wrongfully Accused ‘Movie Pirate’ Gets $17,000 in Compensation
uri: Wrongfully-Accused-Movie-Pirate-Gets-17-000-in-Compensation
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/bFwohwoQecE/
content:
<p><img src="media/17a592c8.trollsign.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/trollsign.jpg" alt="trollsign" width="250" height="167" class="alignright size-full wp-image-108977">For more than half a decade so-called “copyright trolling” cases have been keeping the U.S. judicial system busy.</p>
<p>In many cases the copyright holders end up extracting a settlement from the alleged pirates, but every now and then a defendant fights back with success.</p>
<p>This also happened in Oregon last summer, in a case filed by the makers of the Adam Sandler movie <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3203616/">The Cobbler</a>. The judge <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/judge-dismisses-movie-piracy-case-ip-address-doesnt-prove-anything-160627/">dismissed</a> a direct infringement complaint against an alleged movie pirate from the outset, as it was clear that the defendant wasn&#8217;t the infringer.</p>
<p>The defendant in question, Thomas Gonzales, operates an adult foster care home where several people had access to the Internet. The filmmakers were aware of this but decided to move their case ahead nonetheless.</p>
<p>For this decision they now have to pay. Following an earlier recommendation from the magistrate judge, District Judge Michael Simon this week <a href="media/8fdb1847.gonzales-order.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/gonzales-order.pdf">ruled</a> that the filmmakers should pay the legal fees of the falsely accused man.</p>
<p>&#8220;The Court will issue a Judgment dismissing with prejudice Plaintiff’s indirect infringement claim and without prejudice Plaintiff’s direct infringement claim against Mr. Gonzales,&#8221; he writes.</p>
<p>In addition, the copyright holder, Cobbler Nevada, is ordered to pay Gonzales $17,222 in attorney fees as well as $255 in other expenses.</p>
<p>Apart from the decision being a financial success for the defendant, it also provides some great ammunition for people who end up in a similar position. </p>
<p>As explained in the magistrate&#8217;s <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/court-falsely-accused-movie-pirate-deserves-17k-compensation-161206/">recommendations</a>, the option to shift the legal fees to the rightsholder should send a strong message to other rightsholders that dragging people to court without proper evidence is not without consequences.</p>
<p>“Compensating Gonzales will encourage future defendants with valid defenses to litigate those defenses, even if the litigation is expensive,” Judge Beckerman wrote.</p>
<p>“Conversely, and perhaps more importantly, awarding fees to Gonzales should deter Plaintiff in the future from continuing its overaggressive pursuit of alleged infringers without a reasonable factual basis,” she added.</p>
<p>This week&#8217;s ruling shows that falsely accused pirates shouldn&#8217;t simply cave to intimidating threats. While it is not without risk to fight these cases, it is perhaps the only way to stop the clearly abusive practices in the long run.  </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=bFwohwoQecE:wAmITBnnCuA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=bFwohwoQecE:wAmITBnnCuA:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=bFwohwoQecE:wAmITBnnCuA:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/bFwohwoQecE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133339
title: FACT Lawyer Reveals Challenges of Kodi Box Seller Prosecutions
uri: FACT-Lawyer-Reveals-Challenges-of-Kodi-Box-Seller-Prosecutions
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/vJUggf5FLeU/
content:
<p><a href="media/f630555a.android-box.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/android-box.jpg"><img src="media/c8e5dd3a.android-box.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/android-box.jpg" alt="android-box" width="240" height="240" class="alignright size-full wp-image-123456"></a>Yesterday an interesting discussion took place on the BBC&#8217;s Radio Five. It involved the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), who are the main driving force behind Kodi and IPTV prosecutions in the UK.</p>
<p>As always, it&#8217;s worth pointing out that Kodi is a neutral media platform that can be augmented with addons that provide access to infringing content. That is the problem that copyright holders are trying to address.</p>
<p>While broad in scope, one of the main points out of the debate was that copyright holders don&#8217;t appear to have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/unlikely-pirate-kodi-users-will-get-in-trouble-experts-suggest-170105/">much enthusiasm</a> for going after people who use these devices in their own home. On the other hand, they do have an appetite for chasing down box sellers and other players further up the supply chain.</p>
<p>But, according to a lawyer that has successfully prosecuted big piracy cases for FACT, things aren&#8217;t always straightforward.</p>
<p>Speaking with <a href="http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2017/january/uk-cases-highlight-different-routes-taken-by-prosecutors-over-the-supply-of-modified-tv-set-top-boxes/">Out-Law.com</a>, lawyer Ari Alabhai of QEB Hollis Whitman says that FACT&#8217;s tendency to opt for a prosecution under the Fraud Act is partially based on the capacity of a jury to understand the charges.</p>
<p>Fraud can be easier for a jury to understand than the complexities of copyright law, he said, while also noting that such prosecutions have their limitations.</p>
<p>Alabhai, who successfully <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/uk-movie-pirates-sentenced-to-a-total-of-17-years-151218/">prosecuted the case</a> against torrent release groups 26K, RemixHD, DTRG and RESiSTANCE, said that showing a conspiracy to defraud is not possible when only one person (such as a box seller) acted alone. In such cases, prosecutors have to try a different approach.</p>
<p>One option involves offences under <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/107">section 107(2a)</a> of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act (CDPA).</p>
<p>&#8220;A person commits an offense who makes an article specifically designed or adapted for making copies of a particular copyright work..knowing or having reason to believe that it is to be used to make infringing copies for sale or hire or for use in the course of a business,&#8221; the section reads.</p>
<p>However, Alabhai told OutLaw that such a prosecution would be very complex and would only be subject to a maximum two-year prison sentence versus the ten years available under the Fraud Act. <em>(Note: this term will be <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/ten-years-in-jail-for-uk-internet-pirates-how-the-new-bill-reads-161204/">extended to 10 years</a> under the Digital Economy Act)</em></p>
<p>Another option is the rather intriguing proposition of a prosecution under section <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/296ZB">296ZB of the CDPA</a>, which attempts to deal with devices and services designed to circumvent technological measures.</p>
<p>&#8220;A person commits an offense if he — in the course of a business — sells or lets for hire, any device, product or component which is primarily designed, produced, or adapted for the purpose of enabling or facilitating the circumvention of effective technological measures,&#8221; the section reads.</p>
<p>And we may not have to wait long to discover whether this kind of approach will be successful. The prosecution of UK-based box-seller Brian ‘Tomo’ Thompson looks like it will provide the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/man-likely-to-sacrifice-himself-testing-streaming-piracy-limits-160925/">test case</a> but it&#8217;s hardly straightforward and is already in unchartered territory.</p>
<p>According to OutLaw, that case is set to go to trial at Teeside Crown Court in May 2017. Definitely one to watch.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=vJUggf5FLeU:3O8ejLPIntc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=vJUggf5FLeU:3O8ejLPIntc:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=vJUggf5FLeU:3O8ejLPIntc:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/vJUggf5FLeU" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133286
title: Battle of The Bots! ‘Dubious’ Pirate Sites Trigger ‘Bogus’ Takedowns
uri: Battle-of-The-Bots-Dubious-Pirate-Sites-Trigger-Bogus-Tak
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/kB87WLlDzSU/
content:
<p><img src="media/9633726d.robot.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/robot.jpg" alt="robot" width="250" height="167" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-133291">Pirate sites come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from torrent indexes, through streaming portals, to MP3 download sites. </p>
<p>Since it&#8217;s not always easy to get visitors, some of these sites employ some dubious tricks to draw an audience. By using machine generated pages filled with complete nonsense, for example. </p>
<p>Let&#8217;s take this &#8220;<a href="http://ShareMP3.link">ShareMP3.link</a>&#8221; page for example. At first sight, it appears to be a regular MP3 download portal, offering music from popular artists. However, it does more than that. </p>
<p>In fact, the site offers a result for every search term, generating pages on the fly. Whether it&#8217;s for &#8220;TorrentFreak,&#8221; &#8220;sdfasgf56u&#8221; or &#8220;Pizzagate,&#8221; there&#8217;s always an MP3 available</p>
<p>This results in interesting pages such as the following, offering the latest TorrentFreak music. </p>
<p><center><img src="media/c6d898f9.tfdownload.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/tfdownload.png" alt="tfdownload" width="594" height="315" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133323"></center></p>
<p>Or what about this page, with some of the latest Twittergate and Pizzagate tunes ready for download?</p>
<p><center><img src="media/c80f1f94.twitter-pizza.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/twitter-pizza.png" alt="twitter-pizza" width="600" height="271" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133322"></center></p>
<p>These and many other similar sites appear to grab content from external sources such as YouTube, regardless of whether it&#8217;s actual music. In addition to confusing the public, they are also triggering bots at some takedown companies.</p>
<p>The Twittergate / Pizzagate page mentioned earlier was actually <a href="media/8cf19d6d.pizzadmca.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/pizzadmca.png">targeted</a> in a <a href="https://www.lumendatabase.org/notices/13557536">recent notice</a> sent by AudioLock for a completely unrelated artist named &#8220;é³æ¾&#8221;. </p>
<p>While the odd name is likely an encoding issue, the link and many others listed in the complaint have little to do with it. Unfortunately, this isn&#8217;t an isolated incident either as we can easily spot several other mistakes for &#8220;<a href="https://www.lumendatabase.org/notices/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&#038;sort_by=date_received+desc&#038;term=pizzagate">pizzagate</a>&#8221; or &#8220;<a href="https://www.lumendatabase.org/notices/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&#038;sort_by=date_received+desc&#038;term=trump+putin&#038;term-require-all=true">trump putin</a>,&#8221; for example.</p>
<p>So why are these pages flagged as being &#8216;pirate&#8217; then? Well, these type of sites generally list random links to other keyword searches on their download pages, which may at one point have linked to an infringing term. Still, the identified page itself is something entirely different. </p>
<p>In addition, takedowns may also be triggered because a keyword is similar to one used by the artist in question, such as the band &#8220;New Order&#8221; in the <a href="https://www.lumendatabase.org/notices/13646529">takedown notice</a> below.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/6d899933.trumpputin.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/trumpputin.jpg" alt="trumpputin" width="600" height="290" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133328"></center></p>
<p>Making matters worse, the whole situation might be self-reinforcing at times. That is, when the DMCA bots search for something that is then automatically generated, this likely creates more pages with the same results and more takedowns. </p>
<p>Luckily, the public is largely kept away from this battle. They are just machines fighting each other in a perpetual and utterly useless war. </p>
<p>Copyright holders, however, might want to reconsider whether this is how they want to target piracy on the Internet. After all, they are the ones paying the bills for these dubious practices. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=kB87WLlDzSU:3I5z8bOL8pE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=kB87WLlDzSU:3I5z8bOL8pE:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=kB87WLlDzSU:3I5z8bOL8pE:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/kB87WLlDzSU" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133126
title: Top 10 Most Popular Torrent Sites of 2017
uri: Top-10-Most-Popular-Torrent-Sites-of-2017
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/RPXNqwSFJBA/
content:
<p><img src="media/6b16d833.2017.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/2017.jpg" alt="2017" width="300" height="198" class="alignright size-full wp-image-132865">At the beginning of 2017 the torrent landscape looks quite different from a year ago. </p>
<p>With the shutdown of KickassTorrents and Torrentz.eu, two of the largest players in the scene disappeared. </p>
<p>However, their places were quickly filled by established sites and a few new faces. The Pirate Bay is in the lead once again, closely followed by ExtraTorrent and RARBG, which gained many new visitors in recent months. </p>
<p>The unofficial Torrentz reincarnation Torrentz2.eu is the highest newcomer in fifth place. This meta-search engine copied the look and feel of the defunct meta-search engine and covers dozens of extra sites compared to its predecessor.</p>
<p>TorrentProject is also doing well. The site has been around for quite a few years already but never made it into the top ten before.</p>
<p>Finally, <a href="https://www.nyaa.se/">Nyaa.se</a> and <a href="https://rutracker.org/forum/index.php">Rutracker</a> also deserve a mention. Both have enough traffic to warrant a listing, but we chose to limit the list to sites that are targeted at mainstream content for an English or international audience.</p>
<p>Below is the full list of the ten most-visited torrent sites at the start of the new year. The list is based on various traffic reports and we display the Alexa rank for each. In addition, we include last year’s ranking.</p>
<h2>Most Popular Torrent Sites</h2>
<h4>1. <a href="http://thepiratebay.org/">The Pirate Bay</a></h4>
<p>The Pirate Bay is the &#8220;king of torrents&#8221; once again and also the oldest site in this list. The past year has been relatively quiet for the notorious torrent site, which is currently operating from its original .org domain name.</p>
<div align="right">
<h5>Alexa Rank: 116 / Compete Rank: NA / Last year #2</h5>
</div>
<h4>2. <a href="http://extratorrent.cc">ExtraTorrent</a></h4>
<p>ExtraTorrent has steadily grown its userbase over the past several years and this trend continues. According to the site&#8217;s founder, ET&#8217;s active community is one of the main reason for this success. The site is also the home of the popular ETTV and ETRG release groups.</p>
<div align="right">
<h5>Alexa Rank: 244 / Last year #3</h5>
</div>
<h4>3. <a href="http://rarbg.to/">RARBG</a></h4>
<p>RARBG, which started out as a Bulgarian tracker, has gained the hearts and minds of many video pirates. Movies and TV-shows with a RARBG tag are a common sight on other torrent indexes as well. The site was founded in 2008 but only made its first appearance in the top ten in 2015.</p>
<div align="right">
<h5>Alexa Rank: 282 / Last year #5</h5>
</div>
<h4>4. <a href="http://yts.ag/">YTS.ag</a></h4>
<p>YTS.ag is in no way affiliated with the original YTS or YIFY group, but succesfully took its place late last year. Not all other torrent sites are happy with the &#8216;brand hijack&#8217; and several are actively banning its releases.</p>
<div align="right">
<h5>Alexa Rank: 335 / Last year #9</h5>
</div>
<h4>5. <a href="http://www.torrentz2.eu/">Torrentz2</a></h4>
<p>Torrentz2 is a stand-in for the original Torrentz.eu site, which voluntarily closed its doors last summer. The meta-search engine is open about the fact that it&#8217;s not related to the &#8220;real&#8221; Torrentz and positions itself as a new and improved version, searching over 60 other torrent sites.</p>
<div align="right">
<h5>Alexa Rank: 415 / Last year #NA</h5>
</div>
<h4>6. <a href="http://1337x.to">1337x</a></h4>
<p>1337x had some issues a year ago, when several of the admins and moderators protested over security concerns. However, much progress has been made since. The site improved, kept growing in traffic, and recently rolled out a new design as well. </p>
<div align="right">
<h5>Alexa Rank: 819 / Last year #6</h5>
</div>
<h4>7. <a href="http://torrentproject.se/">TorrentProject</a></h4>
<p>TorrentProject is a familiar name in the torrent scene but appears in the top ten for the first time. The site uses DHT to find content and currently has more than 10 million torrents in its database.</p>
<div align="right">
<h5>Alexa Rank: 872 / Last year #NA</h5>
</div>
<h4>8. <a href="http://eztv.ag/">EZTV.ag</a></h4>
<p>The original TV-torrent distribution group EZTV shut down after a hostile takeover in 2015, with new owners claiming ownership of the brand. The new group currently operates from EZTV.ag and releases its own torrents. These releases are banned on some other torrent sites due to this controversial history.</p>
<div align="right">
<h5>Alexa Rank: 1,472 / Last year #7</h5>
</div>
<h4>9. <a href="http://torrentdownloads.me/">TorrentDownloads</a></h4>
<p>TorrentDownloads has been around for several years. Like many other sites it is actively blocked by ISPs in several countries. The site offers a no-nonsense index that provides torrents to millions of users each month.</p>
<div align="right">
<h5>Alexa Rank: 1,946 / Last year #10</h5>
</div>
<h4>10. <a href="https://www.limetorrents.cc/">LimeTorrents</a></h4>
<p>Limetorrents.cc regained a spot in the top ten this year. The site&#8217;s operator also launched the torrent cache iTorrents a few months ago, which is used by several other torrent search engines.</p>
<div align="right">
<h5>Alexa Rank: 2,433 / Last year #NA</h5>
</div>
<p><em>Disclaimer: Yes, we know that Alexa isn&#8217;t perfect and that Compete has plenty of flaws, but when combined both do a pretty good job at comparing sites that operate in a similar niche. </em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=RPXNqwSFJBA:Cjujovq_7P8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=RPXNqwSFJBA:Cjujovq_7P8:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=RPXNqwSFJBA:Cjujovq_7P8:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/RPXNqwSFJBA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=132658
title: A Bunch of Weak Anti-Piracy Measures Are Still a Pest to Pirates
uri: A-Bunch-of-Weak-Anti-Piracy-Measures-Are-Still-a-Pest-to-Pirates
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/Eskg1Oy5VA4/
content:
<p><a href="media/13426ea2.crypirate.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/crypirate.jpg"><img src="media/b9037aa7.crypirate.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/crypirate.jpg" alt="crypirate" width="200" height="274" class="alignright size-full wp-image-120440"></a>Just before Christmas, the Federal Court in Australia ordered The Pirate Bay and several other sites to be blocked by ISPs. Completely unsurprisingly, the first iteration of the block was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/first-aussie-pirate-bay-block-gets-defeated-in-seconds-161220/">defeated within minutes</a>, much to the joy of anti-censorship advocates.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s often said that the Internet views censorship as damage, so it routes around it. But, branding site-blocking as an ineffective anti-piracy tool is probably missing the point.</p>
<p>Whatever reputation they may have built online, rightsholders and their anti-piracy partners are rarely naive, and few think that site-blocking alone will solve their problems. Indeed, most of them know that blocking is just one small weapon in their increasingly diverse anti-piracy arsenal.</p>
<p>While never is a long time, piracy is not going away anytime soon. However, making the practice frustrating is achievable, particularly when targeting inexperienced &#8220;new recruits&#8221; to the pastime. Even when armed with a VPN, merely visiting an established site is not as easy as it once was.</p>
<p>For example, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/tag/domain-seizure/">thanks to seizures</a>, sites are now more prone to jumping to new domains. If that happens abruptly, even long-standing users of those sites may not immediately know where the new site can be found. And then, even when word begins to spread, questions are raised over the authenticity of the site at the new domain. Is it real? Is it an imposter? Is it some kind of trap? While experienced users will tend to find out the truth, casual users can have their confidence undermined.</p>
<p>At the same time, not all domain changes are involuntary. Thanks to Google&#8217;s <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/googles-new-downranking-hits-pirate-sites-hard-141023/">downranking of domains</a> for which it receives lots of DMCA takedown notices, pirate sites often choose to migrate to a fresh domain name of their own accord, to one that is yet to feel the effects of Google&#8217;s efforts. Even when controlled, these domain switches have a destabilizing effect among users, especially those sensitive to change.</p>
<p>So, like domain blocking, DMCA notices are often seen as merely a drop in the ocean when it comes to tackling rapidly reappearing &#8220;whac-a-mole&#8221; content. But as the need to domain-hop illustrates, they are all part of the frustration effort.</p>
<p>Equally, simply visiting pirate sites used to be a relatively painless experience but lately, things have been going a little downhill. Sure, the quality of advertising has often left plenty of room for improvement, but these days the situation with junk ads is getting worse. On some sites it has become absolutely unbearable.</p>
<p>While some might blame site operators for this decline (and some are <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/some-pirate-sites-have-little-respect-for-their-users-160124/">indeed guilty</a>), the problem is largely down to rightsholders tightening the noose on companies prepared to advertise on pirate sites. Continuous pressure means that sites have fewer options, resulting in a decline in quality and an increase in the annoyance factor.</p>
<p>Of course, any visitor can use a decent adblocker to make their experience a bit better, but that deprives sites of revenue. Make no mistake, with their &#8220;follow the money&#8221; approach, that&#8217;s what rightsholders want. It&#8217;s just another way of chipping away at the ecosystem.</p>
<p>So, while site-blocking can be neutralized with VPNs and DNS tweaks, there&#8217;s no mechanism to stop sites having their <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-sites-and-their-users-are-suffering-a-trademark-crisis-151101/">brands undermined</a> by domain-hopping, whether caused by seizures, unofficial clones, or efforts to get better search rankings. Equally, junk ads can be eliminated with something like uBlock Origin, but that deprives sites of revenue.</p>
<p>Clearly, none of these measures are good enough to hit piracy hard enough to kill it, but the barriers to entry are being raised. In addition to a fast broadband service, a decent VPN provider is now almost essential for many file-sharers, whether that&#8217;s for circumventing blockades or avoiding those pesky sharing warnings.</p>
<p>Equally, keeping on top of the latest news, changes, developments, and domain switches can be a time-consumer in itself. That certainly wasn&#8217;t the case ten years ago. And if that isn&#8217;t enough, running the junk ad gauntlet requires a skill set all of its own, one that can potentially affect all sites running in a browser, whether they&#8217;re guilty of bad behavior or not.</p>
<p>Somewhat inevitably, all this can lead to frustration if not sheer confusion. Is a site failing to load because it&#8217;s been raided? Because it&#8217;s been blocked? Because my VPN isn&#8217;t working? Because I&#8217;ve accidentally flicked the wrong ad-blocker? Or maybe a combination of them all &#8211; where do I start?</p>
<p>Experienced file-sharers probably won&#8217;t have a major problem overcoming these issues but for new-comers, the situation is less straightforward. In any event, for many people mainstream web-based piracy definitely isn&#8217;t as convenient as it once was. No wonder modded-Kodi setups and other IPTV solutions are gaining in popularity.</p>
<p>And so the cycle continues&#8230;&#8230;..</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Eskg1Oy5VA4:TW7wifr0Qjs:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Eskg1Oy5VA4:TW7wifr0Qjs:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=Eskg1Oy5VA4:TW7wifr0Qjs:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/Eskg1Oy5VA4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=132458
title: NewTrackon Tracks Torrent Trackers
uri: NewTrackon-Tracks-Torrent-Trackers
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/QP9c1YzpWmE/
content:
<p><a href="media/bc003361.network-round.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/network-round.jpg"><img src="media/a79e141a.network-round.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/network-round.jpg" alt="network-round" width="200" height="200" class="alignright size-full wp-image-126170"></a>A BitTorrent tracker is a piece of software that usually sits on an Internet server. The tracker knows the IP addresses of torrent clients that have a particular piece of content so when a user connects to it (with uTorrent, for example), it&#8217;s able to put those users in touch with each other.</p>
<p>The BitTorrent system is robust and can rely on <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/bittorrents-future-dht-pex-and-magnet-links-explained-091120/">DHT and PEX</a> to provide peers if dedicated trackers aren&#8217;t available. However, having a working tracker is always nice but sadly they aren&#8217;t always readily available. The reason is often that stand-alone trackers cost money to run but generate no revenue. They&#8217;re also targets for copyright holders.</p>
<p>Finding trackers isn&#8217;t always easy, so seven years ago TorrentFreak was pleased to <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/trackon-the-bittorrent-tracker-tracker-091117/">report</a> on TrackOn, a site that tracked public torrent trackers. It was a great resource for people who wanted to find a stable tracker to add to their own torrents. Sadly, after its owner reportedly passed away, the project disappeared.</p>
<p>Now, however, <a href="https://newtrackon.com/">newTrackon</a> has been born to pick up where TrackOn left off. It&#8217;s the creation of student Miguel Ángel who informs TF that an interest in torrents from his teenage years inspired him to put something back into the community.</p>
<p><a href="media/4c1f4ce5.trackon-1.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/trackon-1.png"><img src="media/c80c61ce.trackon-1.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/trackon-1.png" alt="trackon-1" width="650" height="386" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-132470" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/trackon-1.png 650w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/trackon-1-220x130.png 220w" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"></a></p>
<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ve been using torrents since I was 15 when some friends introduced me to private Spanish trackers. Lately, however, I&#8217;ve been more interested in public sites,&#8221; he says.</p>
<p>&#8220;The Bittorrent protocol really interests me from the technical side; it is one of the most complex, resilient and decentralized file sharing systems.&#8221;</p>
<p>Miguel took a keen interest in the original Trackon when it was created and even exchanged emails with its creator, Uriel. </p>
<p>&#8220;Now that I&#8217;m in college and have acquired some basic skills, I thought it would be a great side project to revive it, improve it, and put it online again,&#8221; he explains.</p>
<p>One of the main problems is that the original Trackon used Google App Engine which can only process HTTP communications. Most public trackers these days use UDP, so a rewrite was necessary to make newTrackon run on a Linux or Windows machine in Python.</p>
<p>&#8220;I think newTrackon is really useful for providing info about the trackers; not only their stability but the countries where they are hosted and also the networks, for privacy concerns. All the info displayed in newTrackon is public, anyone with minimal networks knowledge can get it, so I&#8217;m not exposing anything,&#8221; Miguel says.</p>
<p>NewTrackon <a href="https://newtrackon.com/list">provides a list of trackers</a> with more than 95% uptime so anyone with a desire to make a torrent and add a working tracker can find one up to the job. But how does newTrackon find and test them?</p>
<p>&#8220;The program is just a bunch of Python scripts that manage a simple SQLite database which contains all info of the trackers. Every 30 seconds, all trackers that are outdated (the last time updated is bigger than the update interval) are checked with a random hash.</p>
<p>&#8220;The update interval is a time set by the tracker about how frequently the client can connect to it looking for more peers. The response is then parsed and all info of the trackers is updated (IP, country, etc.),&#8221; he adds.</p>
<p>One of the great things about newTrackon is that users (or indeed operators) of public trackers can add them to the site&#8217;s database.</p>
<p>&#8220;When you upload new tracker(s), the program first checks that it is not in the list or resolves to an IP already in the list. Then, it puts it in the incoming list and starts checking all the trackers submitted. It takes around 15 seconds for each tracker to be accepted or discarded from the list.&#8221;</p>
<p>Looking ahead, Miguel has plans to improve the project.</p>
<p>&#8220;In the to-do list there are already some things like IPv6 tracker support and comparison of tracker features. Anyone is welcome to contribute in GitHub, with new ideas, code improvements or bug reports,&#8221; he concludes.</p>
<p>newTrackon can be found <a href="https://newtrackon.com/">here</a>.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=QP9c1YzpWmE:bGcg29SFZrE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=QP9c1YzpWmE:bGcg29SFZrE:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=QP9c1YzpWmE:bGcg29SFZrE:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/QP9c1YzpWmE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=131825
title: U.S. Homeland Security ‘Harbors’ BitTorrent Pirates
uri: U-S-Homeland-Security-Harbors-BitTorrent-Pirates
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/Z4MmTaGmgjQ/
content:
<p><img src="media/1eaf182c.dhs.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/dhs.png" alt="dhs" width="260" height="84" class="alignright size-full wp-image-132599">Due to the public nature of BitTorrent transfers, it&#8217;s easy to see what people behind a certain IP-address are downloading. </p>
<p>Last month <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/i-know-what-you-downloaded-on-bittorrent-161223/">we reported</a> about a new website that puts this information on public display. According to its operators, this information can help rightholders and law enforcement to track down pirates. </p>
<p>In response, we decided to do some field work to see if downloads are also linked to more unusual locations, and the answer is YES. </p>
<p>To the Department of Homeland Security, for example, which helped to bring down KickassTorrents a few months ago. While it&#8217;s not a place where you would expect people to be torrenting, the spy tool suggests otherwise. </p>
<p>We could easily spot several IP-addresses that list over a dozen recent &#8216;downloads&#8217; of copyrighted material. This includes popular films, TV-series and music, but also porn and far more worrying content.</p>
<p>The screenshot below lists an overview of the recent torrents that are tied to a single Homeland Security IP-address. As you can see, it lists several files including the film &#8216;Gone Girl&#8217; and &#8216;Bad Santa.&#8217; But we&#8217;ve also seen a copy of the film Let&#8217;s Be Cops and a discography of the heavy metal band Dio.</p>
<p><center><strong>A few DHS downloads</strong><br></br><a href="media/980a4175.dhsmain.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/dhsmain.jpg"><img src="media/c7f6192c.dhsmain.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/dhsmain.jpg" alt="dhsmain" width="922" height="400" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-132610"></a></center> </p>
<p>It&#8217;s worth mentioning that BitTorrent monitoring tools are regularly discredited for being prone to errors. They often don&#8217;t check whether a full copy has been downloaded, for example. </p>
<p>Mistakes also appeared in the &#8216;<a href="http://iknowwhatyoudownload.com/en/contacts/">I Know What You Download</a>&#8216; database, which previously listed downloads for several non-routable IP-addresses they picked up via DHT tracking.</p>
<p>However, the company&#8217;s Marketing director Andrey Rogov is confident that the DHS IPs are indeed sharing (parts of) these files.</p>
<p>&#8220;These reports are accurate,&#8221; Rogov tells us. &#8220;They contain information about the downloading or distribution activities of IP-addresses, for all torrents which we could classify for the last 30 days.&#8221;</p>
<p>The company also provided us with extra information showing combinations of specific ports and IP-addresses, which refutes the defense that a tracker added these IP-addresses as fake data. </p>
<p>Since Homeland Security employs more than 230,000 people, finding a pirating IP-address is hardly a surprise. In fact, there are many more in the &#8216;I Know What You Download&#8217; database. This is also true for other United States Government branches.</p>
<p>Take The House of Representatives, for example, where adult material, Snoop Dogg, and several movies are listed as recent downloads. Again, that&#8217;s just the tip of the iceberg.</p>
<p><center><strong>A few House downloads</strong><br></br></center><center><a href="media/159640e8.housedl.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/housedl.jpg"><img src="media/f045fad9.housedl.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/housedl.jpg" alt="housedl" width="921" height="447" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-132618"></a></center> </p>
<p>In the end, the most sensible conclusion is that you&#8217;re going to find pirates in any large organization or institution. Even in the very place that just dismantled the largest torrent site on the Internet. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Z4MmTaGmgjQ:4vKgkgF1M4s:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Z4MmTaGmgjQ:4vKgkgF1M4s:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=Z4MmTaGmgjQ:4vKgkgF1M4s:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/Z4MmTaGmgjQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133372
title: RIAA and MPAA Back $25 Million Piracy Verdict Against Cox
uri: RIAA-and-MPAA-Back-25-Million-Piracy-Verdict-Against-Cox
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/TycX2HJ1BHY/
content:
<p><img src="media/0a6858fb.piratkeyb-e1476968827887.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/piratkeyb-e1476968827887.png" alt="piratkeyb" width="222" height="157" class="alignright size-full wp-image-108110">December 2015 a Virginia <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/cox-is-liable-for-pirating-subscribers-ordered-to-pay-25-million-151217/">federal jury ruled</a> that Internet provider Cox Communications was responsible for the copyright infringements of its subscribers.</p>
<p>The ISP was found guilty of willful contributory copyright infringement and ordered to pay music publisher BMG Rights Management $25 million in damages.</p>
<p>Cox disagreed with the outcome and a few weeks ago the ISP <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cox-files-appeal-to-overturn-25-million-piracy-verdict-161110/">filed its appeal</a> arguing that the district court made several errors that may ultimately restrict the public’s access to Internet services.</p>
<p>The company received support from several industry associations, academic institutions, libraries and digital rights groups, who submitted amicus briefs to the court of appeals <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/widespread-protest-against-dangerous-repeat-infringer-piracy-verdict-161115/">voicing their concerns</a>. However, BMG is not fighting alone.</p>
<p>Late last week, several copyright industry groups, including the RIAA, MPAA, and the Copyright Alliance, rallied behind the music rights group.</p>
<p>The submissions, which total roughly 150 pages, all stress that the current verdict should be upheld. ISPs such as Cox should not be able to enjoy safe harbor protection if they fail to disconnect &#8220;repeat infringers&#8221; from their networks, BMG&#8217;s supporters say. </p>
<p>The MPAA stresses that the District Court made the right decision by holding Cox liable. They stress that online piracy is a massive problem which copyright holders can&#8217;t handle without the proper legal tools to hold intermediaries such as Cox accountable. </p>
<p>&#8220;Online piracy accounts for a full quarter of all internet traffic and costs the entertainment industry tens of billions of dollars per year,&#8221; the MPAA writes in its <a href="media/f39dea16.mpaa-ami.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/mpaa-ami.pdf">brief (pdf)</a>. </p>
<p>&#8220;&#8230;it is simply not feasible to combat the epidemic of online infringement unless copyright-holders have the legal tools to incentivize the cooperation of intermediaries like Cox and to hold them accountable when they knowingly facilitate widespread online infringement.&#8221;</p>
<p>One of the central elements in this case is the &#8220;repeat infringer&#8221; question. Under the DMCA, ISPs are required to have a policy to disconnect persistent pirates, but both sides differ on their interpretation of the term. </p>
<p>In its defense, Cox said that only courts can decide if someone is an infringer. Otherwise, people will be disconnected based on one-sided allegations from copyright holders, which remain untested in court. </p>
<p>However, the MPAA, RIAA and other rightsholder groups believe that regular takedown notices should count as well, noting that earlier court verdicts made this clear. </p>
<p>&#8220;If Congress meant that a subscriber should have been sued in court, had a judgment entered against her, and failed to overturn that judgment on appeal — multiple times — before facing even the threat of losing internet access as a repeat infringer, it would have said so,&#8221; the RIAA writes in its <a href="media/640aad3a.riaa-ami.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/riaa-ami.pdf">brief (pdf)</a>.  </p>
<p>In a situation where repeat infringers only lose their Internet subscriptions following a court order, copyright holders would have to launch massive legal campaigns in the U.S. targeting individual file-sharers.</p>
<p>That would result in an unworkable situation which runs counter to the purpose of the DMCA, the RIAA argues.</p>
<p>&#8220;Under Cox’s interpretation,  copyright owners would be forced to launch demanding campaigns of multiple lawsuits against every individual infringer even to hope to obtain the benefit of ISP repeat-infringer policies.  </p>
<p>&#8220;That would require a stream of individual lawsuits in federal district courts all over the country, imposing an additional burden on the  courts and draining the resources of copyright owners and individual subscribers alike,&#8221; the RIAA adds.</p>
<p>Siding with BMG, the copyright groups ask the appeals court to keep the district court ruling intact. This runs counter to Cox&#8217;s request, which asked the court to reverse the judgment or grant a new trial.</p>
<p>The recent amicus briefs illustrate the gravity of the case, which is shaping up to be crucial in determining the future of anti-piracy enforcement in the United States. As such, it would be no surprise if the case goes all the way to the Supreme Court.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=TycX2HJ1BHY:X24L6JXBotA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=TycX2HJ1BHY:X24L6JXBotA:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=TycX2HJ1BHY:X24L6JXBotA:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/TycX2HJ1BHY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133362
title: Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week – 01/09/17
uri: Top-10-Most-Pirated-Movies-of-The-Week-01-09-17
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/OeG-j_L0d60/
content:
<p><img src="media/82043bb4.jack-reacher-torrent-download-stats.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/jack-reacher-torrent-download-stats.jpg" alt="jack-reacher-torrent-download-stats" width="300" height="164" class="alignright size-full wp-image-130126">This week we have three newcomers in our chart. </p>
<p>The Accountant 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 weekly movie download chart.</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="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-pirated-movies-week-010217/">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>(1)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3393786">Jack Reacher: Never Go Back</a> (Subbed HDRip)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3393786">6.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRwrdbcAh2s">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>2</strong></td>
<td>(3)</td>
<td><a href="http://torrentfreak.com/accountant-torrent-downloads/">The Accountant</a> </td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2140479/">7.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBfsgcswlYQ">trailer</a></td>
<tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>3</strong></td>
<td>(7)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2387499/">Keeping Up with the Joneses</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2387499/">5.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGtVJ48GMAI">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>4</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3631112/">The Girl on The Train</a> </td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3631112/">6.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkoEE1i0CX8">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td>(2)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1860357/">Deepwater Horizon</a> </td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1860357/">7.4</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yASbM8M2vg">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td>(8)</td>
<td><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/doctor-strange-torrent-downloads/">Doctor Strange</a> (HDTS)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1211837">8.0</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSzx-zryEgM">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2671706/">Fences</a> (DVDscr)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2671706/">7.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj-ZYPVRQbc">trailer</a></td>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td>(4)</td>
<td><a href=" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3748528/">Rogue One: A Star Wars Story</a> (HDTS)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3748528/">8.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frdj1zb9sMY">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>9</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5493706/">Death Race 2050</a> </td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5493706/">?.?</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF5mXmk8RuQ">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>10</strong></td>
<td>(6)</td>
<td><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/magnificent-seven-torrent-downloads/">The Magnificent Seven</a> </td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2404435/">7.1</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-RBA0xoaWU">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="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=OeG-j_L0d60:vlTpIK4fib4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=OeG-j_L0d60:vlTpIK4fib4:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=OeG-j_L0d60:vlTpIK4fib4:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/OeG-j_L0d60" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133400
title: Pirate Bay Offered to Help Catch Criminals But Copyright Got in the Way
uri: Pirate-Bay-Offered-to-Help-Catch-Criminals-But-Copyright-Got-in-the-Wa
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/cvbPpubwYRs/
content:
<p><a href="media/cf3f78e1.thepirate-e1470829181981.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/thepirate-e1470829181981.jpg"><img src="media/932e6d7d.thepirate-e1470829181981.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/thepirate-e1470829181981.jpg" alt="thepirate" width="220" height="206" class="alignright size-full wp-image-116122"></a>If The Pirate Bay manages to navigate the stormy waters of the Internet for another couple of years, it will have spent an unprecedented decade-and-a-half thumbing its nose at the authorities. Of course, that has come at a price.</p>
<p>The authorities&#8217; interest in The Pirate Bay remains at a high and, given the chance, police in some countries would happily take down the world&#8217;s most prominent copyright scofflaw. However, painting the site as having no respect for any law would be doing it a disservice. In fact, at one point it even offered to work with the police.</p>
<p>The revelations follow the publication of a shocking article by Aftonbladet (<a href="http://anvandarna.story.aftonbladet.se/chapter/72-man-avslojade">Swedish</a>) which details how, over an extended period, its reporters monitored dozens of people sharing images of child abuse online. The publication even met up with some of its targets and conducted interviews in person.</p>
<p>One of the people to comment on the extraordinary piece is <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-founders-speak-out-on-the-sites-past-and-future-130811/">Tobias Andersson</a>, an early spokesperson of free-sharing advocacy group Piratbyrån (Pirate Bureau) and The Pirate Bay. Interestingly, Andersson reveals how The Pirate Bay offered to help police catch these kinds of offenders many years ago.</p>
<p>&#8220;A &#8216;fun&#8217; thing about my time at the Pirate Bureau and The Pirate Bay was when the National Police, during the middle of the trial against us, called and wanted to consult about [abuse images] and TPB,&#8221; Andersson says.</p>
<p>The former site spokesperson, who also had more recent responsibility at The Promo Bay project, says he went to meet the police where he spoke with an officer and a technician. They had a specific request &#8211; to implement a filter to stop certain content appearing on the site. </p>
<p>&#8220;They wanted us to block certain [abuse-related] keywords,&#8221; Andersson explains.</p>
<p>Of course, keyword filters are notoriously weak and easily circumvented. So, instead, Andersson suggested another route the authorities might take which, due to the very public nature of torrent sharing (especially more than a decade ago when people were less privacy-conscious), might make actual perpetrators more easy to catch.</p>
<p>&#8220;I told [the police] how they could see the IP addresses in a [BitTorrent] client belonging to those who were sharing the content,&#8221; Andersson explains.</p>
<p>&#8220;I showed them how to start a torrent at 0.1kb/s download to be able to see the client list but without sharing anything. Which is not really rocket science,&#8221; the TPB and Piratbyrån veteran informs TorrentFreak.</p>
<p>Somewhat disappointingly, however, the police were unresponsive.</p>
<p>&#8220;They were not at all interested,&#8221; he says.</p>
<p>&#8220;Our skilled moderators [on The Pirate Bay] routinely deleted everything that could be suspected to be child porn, but still people tried to post it again and again. I wanted to explain to the police that we could easily identify most of stuff being posted but they were totally uninterested.&#8221;</p>
<p>Meanwhile, however, Hollywood and the recording industries were working with Swedish police on a highly expensive and complex technical case to bring down The Pirate Bay on copyright grounds. Sadly, it was to be further copyright-related demands that would bring negotiations on catching more serious offenders to an end.</p>
<p>&#8220;Because we refused to censor [The Pirate Bay&#8217;s] search to remove, for example, a crappy Stanley Kubrick movie, our &#8216;cooperation&#8217; with the police ended there. Too bad, because we could have easily provided them with lists [of offenders] like those Aftonbladet reported today,&#8221; Andersson concludes.</p>
<p>Today&#8217;s revelations mark the second time The Pirate Bay has been shown to work with authorities to trap serious criminals. In 2013, the site <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/the-pirate-bay-helps-to-expose-copyright-troll-honeypot-130604/">provided evidence</a> to TorrentFreak which showed notorious copyright troll outfit Prenda Law uploaded &#8220;honey-pot&#8221; torrents to the site. The principals of that organization are now facing charges of <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/prenda-copyright-trolls-arrested-and-charged-with-fraud-and-extortion-161216/">extortion and fraud</a>. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=cvbPpubwYRs:o9DZSrdz2YQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=cvbPpubwYRs:o9DZSrdz2YQ:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=cvbPpubwYRs:o9DZSrdz2YQ:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/cvbPpubwYRs" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133439
title: Public Domain Project Calls on EU to Abandon Piracy Filter Proposals
uri: Public-Domain-Project-Calls-on-EU-to-Abandon-Piracy-Filter-Proposals
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/93mG7I4N728/
content:
<p><img src="media/e5f2ec44.upload.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/upload.png" width="240" height="164" alt="" class="alignright size-large">Last September, during his State of the Union address, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced plans to modernize copyright law in Europe.</p>
<p>The proposals (<a href="media/b559ec93.1-2016-593-EN-F1-1.PDF" data-original-source="http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/rep/1/2016/EN/1-2016-593-EN-F1-1.PDF">pdf</a>) are part of the Digital Single Market reforms, which have been developed over the past several years.</p>
<p>While the proposals cover a broad range of copyright-related issues, <a href="media/67b2d5f4.article13.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/article13.png">Article 13</a> is one of the most controversial. The proposal requires online service providers to proactively police copyrighted content using &#8220;appropriate and proportionate measures.&#8221; User-generated content sites, for example, would be required to install fingerprinting and filtering systems to block copyright-infringing files.</p>
<p>The proposals quickly caused concern, with <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/eu-proposes-mandatory-piracy-filters-for-online-services-160914/">early criticism</a> coming from Digital rights group EDRi and Julia Reda of the Pirate Party, among others. Now, an influential group founded to protect the public domain has aired its concerns.</p>
<p>Founded in 2007 by <a href="http://www.communia-association.org/members/">groups</a> including Creative Commons and Wikimedia, <a href="http://www.communia-project.eu/about.html">Communia</a> has a mission to protect and expand the range of content freely available to the public by limiting the scope of exclusive copyright. Until 2011 it was actually funded by the European Commission but now finds itself criticizing the EC&#8217;s proposals.</p>
<p>In its fifth paper published on the Commission&#8217;s proposals for reform, Communia is clear. In an effort to address the much-discussed &#8220;value gap,&#8221; any introduction of Article 13 has the potential to serve as a &#8220;censorship machine&#8221; and will violate users&#8217; fundamental rights while distorting the existing legal framework.</p>
<p>&#8220;The measures proposed in the Commission’s proposal stem from an unbalanced vision of copyright as an issue between rightsholders and ‘infringers.&#8217; The proposal chooses to ignore limitations and exceptions to copyright, fundamental freedoms, and existing users’ practices,&#8221; Communia says.</p>
<p>&#8220;In addition, the proposal fails to establish clear rules with regard to how citizens can use protected works in transformative ways — such as remixes and other forms of so-called &#8216;user-generated content&#8217; (UGC). As a result, a system of this kind would greatly restrict the way Europeans create, share, and communicate online.&#8221;</p>
<p>Communia also puts emphasis on the legal uncertainty the measures in Article 13 would create. Users&#8217; rights are completely omitted from the proposal while a lack of proportionality would &#8220;pose a dangerous precedent&#8221; in European law.</p>
<p>From its report it&#8217;s clear that Communia is concerned over the totality of such a filtering system. By its very nature, all user-generated content would have to be passed through it for approval, resulting in a censorship mechanism that exists &#8220;just in case&#8221; there is an infringement.</p>
<p>&#8220;As a result, users’ activity will be constrained before any infringement happens. This approach goes against both fundamental rights and the European law,&#8221; the project writes.</p>
<p>Communia also highlights an imbalance over who has access to information concerning the operation of the mechanisms proposed by Article 13. While service providers will be required to report to rightsholders on how the system is functioning, users having their content filtered (and potentially censored) will enjoy no such luxury. </p>
<p>&#8220;The proposed requirements for the filtering system do not include any obligation to inform users on how the system functions, or to make rights claims transparent to end users. This leaves users without information necessary to defend themselves in case their use fits one of the exceptions or limitations,&#8221; Communia warns.</p>
<p>Of course, not all uses of copyrighted content actually constitute copyright infringement. However, it&#8217;s unlikely that any filtering system will be sufficiently technologically advanced to determine a parody or news report from a genuine infringement of copyright, for example.</p>
<p>&#8220;This type of a system, combined with an ineffective redress mechanism, will create a chilling effect that will thwart users’ rights online,&#8221; Communia notes.</p>
<p>Also of interest is Communia&#8217;s stance that filtering of user-uploaded content could actually be contrary to EU law. In the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/eu-court-bans-anti-piracy-filters-on-hosting-services-120216/">Sabam v Netlog case</a> the European Court of Justice ruled that hosting sites can&#8217;t be forced to filter copyrighted content. That would violate the privacy of users and hinder freedom of information, the Court said. If the Commission&#8217;s proposals extend to hosting providers, this would raise problems.</p>
<p>Furthermore, Communia says that the proposals contained in Article 13 also contradict the E-Commerce Directive. Service providers are not liable for information stored by their users but the group says the proposals introduces liability for hosting services that currently enjoy safe harbor.</p>
<p>&#8220;If the Commission’s proposal is adopted, safe harbor may be at risk because the scope of ISSPs covered by the Directive is not clear. In this way, the proposal challenges the established practice under the E-Commerce Directive, and as such is detrimental to the EU rule of law,&#8221; Communia adds.</p>
<p>In conclusion, the group has a simple request &#8211; that Article 13 be completely removed from the European Commission&#8217;s proposals. Failing that, Communia would like the EU legislator to clearly define how existing content may be used. </p>
<p>&#8220;This can be achieved by introducing in the proposal a new, mandatory exception to copyright that allows noncommercial transformative uses of copyrighted works by private individuals, and their dissemination via online platforms. Rightsholders must not be granted any authority to remove or block user uploads that fall within the scope of such an exception, or any other exception,&#8221; Communia says.</p>
<p>In a final demand <em>(<a href="media/28e8875e.170109COMMUNIA_position_paper_art_13.pdf" data-original-source="http://www.communia-association.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/170109COMMUNIA_position_paper_art_13.pdf">pdf</a>)</em>, the group says that users should also be granted access to transparent information regarding the functioning of any filter and be able to contest any removal actions carried out by it.</p>
<p><em>Creative Commons has a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/2017/01/09/communia-publishes-position-papers-untangle-lackluster-eu-copyright-proposal/">run-down</a> of issues raised by other reform proposals.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=93mG7I4N728:rYsis9mzovE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=93mG7I4N728:rYsis9mzovE:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=93mG7I4N728:rYsis9mzovE:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/93mG7I4N728" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133364
title: Netflix Downloader Pulled Offline Following Trademark Complaint
uri: Netflix-Downloader-Pulled-Offline-Following-Trademark-Complaint
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/s904cI9-sKs/
content:
<p><img src="media/b310fc7c.netflix-logo.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/netflix-logo.png" alt="netflix-logo" width="200" height="121" class="alignright size-full wp-image-69714">Netflix is best known as a video streaming service, but many of its users would also like an option to download content.</p>
<p>A few weeks ago the company started rolling out a download option for some videos on mobile platforms, but Windows-based desktop PCs were left out. </p>
<p>This is a gap &#8216;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/tool-downloads-any-netflix-video-instantly-161228/">Free Netflix Downloader</a>&#8216; was hoping to fill. Developed by <a href="http://www.dvdvideosoft.com/">DVDVideoSoft</a>, it was the first Windows application that allowed people to download Netflix videos to their computers through an easy-to-use interface.</p>
<p>“This is the ONLY app in the world that can do this trick now!” DVDVideoSoft’s Alex informed TF two weeks ago.</p>
<p>While the resulting video quality wasn&#8217;t particularly good, the software did what it was supposed to do and appealed to a broad audience. This didn&#8217;t go unnoticed by Netflix and others, which soon led to an official complaint. </p>
<p>As a result, DVDVideoSoft has decided to pull the plug and discontinue its development.</p>
<p>&#8220;The development of Free Downloader for Netflix is discontinued by a third-party request. The program is not available for download now,&#8221; a message on the download site <a href="http://www.dvdvideosoft.com/free-netflix-downloader.htm">now reads</a>.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/08fee7be.netflix-downloader-1.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/netflix-downloader-1.jpg" alt="netflix-downloader" width="600" height="328" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133442"></center></p>
<p>TorrentFreak contacted DVDVideoSoft to find out more about the mysterious third-party request. The company informed us that the complaint was sent by the internet security service <a href="https://www.netcraft.com/">Netcraft</a>.</p>
<p>The complaint accused the Netflix downloader tool of using Netflix trademarks without permission and urged the software developer to cease these infringements. </p>
<p>In response, DVDVideoSoft swiftly decided to comply with the request and it stopped offering the application to the public right away. </p>
<p>Technically it could be possible for the company to offer the tool without directly infringing any Netflix trademarks. However, it is not unthinkable that other intellectual property issues may pop up later on. </p>
<p>In any case, DVDVideoSoft has no concrete plans for a comeback.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=s904cI9-sKs:LPX3R3bRv_s:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=s904cI9-sKs:LPX3R3bRv_s:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=s904cI9-sKs:LPX3R3bRv_s:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/s904cI9-sKs" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133463
title: BREIN Reveals Anti-Piracy Tactics and Achievements
uri: BREIN-Reveals-Anti-Piracy-Tactics-and-Achievements
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/W7fyoatg4Iw/
content:
<p><img src="media/62cd6b40.breinlogo.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/breinlogo.png" alt="breinlogo" width="204" height="72" class="alignright size-full wp-image-130823" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/breinlogo.png 204w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/breinlogo-200x72.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 204px) 100vw, 204px">When it comes to civil anti-piracy enforcement, BREIN is without a doubt one of the best known players in the industry. </p>
<p>The group, which receives support from Hollywood and other content industries, has shuttered hundreds of smaller sites in recent history and took on the likes of Mininova and The Pirate Bay.</p>
<p>In 2016 <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/tag/brein/">BREIN</a> continued its enforcement actions in full swing. Besides targeting pirate sites throughout the world, it also increased its focus on individual uploaders of infringing content. </p>
<p>The group just published a detailed overview of what it accomplished over the past 12 months. This provides some clear insights into its anti-piracy priorities and offers a glimpse of what to expect in the near future. </p>
<p>To begin, BREIN stresses that copyright enforcement is needed to make sure that legal offerings can flourish. The main reason why people pirate is because the content is free, it says.  </p>
<p>&#8220;This means that enforcement is essential. Not only for creation and production, but also for online and offline distribution and further investment in innovation in these areas.&#8221;</p>
<p>To ensure a broad impact, BREIN targets a wide range of pirate sources, services, and facilitators. While it&#8217;s impossible to make piracy go away completely, it hopes to disrupt the ecosystem enough to lower its prevalence.  </p>
<p>&#8220;The purpose of enforcement is the disruption of illegal supply and use. BREIN therefore uses a &#8216;full spectrum&#8217; approach that covers all players,&#8221; the group notes. </p>
<p>This strategy includes targeting websites and their hosting providers, search engines, social media, advertisers, payment providers, but also uploaders of infringing content and those who consume it. </p>
<p>Looking at the numbers we see that the anti-piracy group is closing the books on a productive year.</p>
<p>BREIN pulled 231 illegal sites and services offline, for example. This includes 84 linking sites, 63 streaming portals, and 34 torrent sites. Some of these shut down completely and others were forced to leave their hosting providers.</p>
<p>In addition, BREIN also took action against or caught 26 prolific uploaders, removed 18 Facebook groups where infringing content was being shared, removed 2,559,525 search results from Google, and took down 4,159 ads for illegal content.</p>
<p>With regards to uploaders, the anti-piracy group relied on ex-parte court orders in several cases. With these orders in hand it managed to secure several settlements. This includes actions against people who shared content on <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-kickasstorrents-uploader-stung-for-e7500-160505/">torrent sites</a>, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/usenet-pirate-hit-with-e7500-fine-for-sharing-1500-tv-shows-161111/">Usenet</a> and <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/brein-tracks-down-facebook-music-pirate-settles-for-e7000-160818/">Facebook</a>.</p>
<p>BREIN says it always keeps the personal financial circumstances of its targets in mind when determining a settlement. While these never come cheap, this approach can certainly be seen as more reasonable than the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-kickasstorrents-music-uploader-jailed-for-a-year-161216/">jail sentence</a> that was handed out in the UK for a similar offense. </p>
<p>The targeted uploaders and site operators were identified using a variety of forensic tools and techniques, including IP-address monitoring and requests for personal information to hosting providers or other intermediaries. </p>
<p>Looking ahead, BREIN plans to continue its efforts in the new year. It&#8217;s also looking forward to the conclusion of several pending cases, such as the local Pirate Bay blockade, which is currently under review by the European Court of Justice.</p>
<p>In addition, BREIN has started to collect the IP-addresses of pirating users. Ideally, they would like to cooperate with Internet providers to send them warnings, similar to the UK alerts system that will be rolled out soon.</p>
<p>&#8220;A warning system can contribute to compliance and prevent naively pirating consumers being faced with settlement claims from individual rightsholders. If compliance increases, only persistent offenders will be targeted,&#8221; BREIN writes.</p>
<p>More details on the full review and BREIN&#8217;s outlook for the new year are available in Dutch, on their <a href="http://stichtingbrein.nl/index.php">official website</a>.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=W7fyoatg4Iw:Kxh_PHYgB60:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=W7fyoatg4Iw:Kxh_PHYgB60:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=W7fyoatg4Iw:Kxh_PHYgB60:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/W7fyoatg4Iw" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133479
title: UK ‘Piracy Warnings’ Are Coming This Month; Here’s How it Works
uri: UK-Piracy-Warnings-Are-Coming-This-Month-Here-s-How-it-Works
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/0ORdrG9ZYoo/
content:
<p><img src="media/4d28e669.uk-flag.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/uk-flag.jpg" alt="uk-flag" width="200" height="179" class="alignright size-full wp-image-86005">In an effort to curb online piracy, the movie and music industries reached an agreement with the UK’s leading ISPs to send &#8220;educational alerts&#8221; to alleged copyright infringers.</p>
<p>The piracy alerts program is part of the larger Creative Content UK (CCUK) initiative which already introduced several anti-piracy <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/uk-anti-piracy-education-campaign-launched-quietly-151201/">PR campaigns</a>, targeted at the general public as well as <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/anti-piracy-education-enters-uk-classrooms-160104/">the classroom</a>.</p>
<p>The plan to send out email alerts was first <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/uk-isps-agree-to-send-out-music-movie-piracy-warnings-140509/">announced several years ago</a> and is about to kick off. According to ISPReview the first providers will start sending out emails <a href="http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2017/01/big-uk-isps-send-first-internet-piracy-warning-letters-month.html">later this month</a>.</p>
<p>The four ISPs who are confirmed to be participating are BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media, but other providers could join in at a later stage. Thus far CCUK hasn&#8217;t announced a lot of detail or specifics on how the program will operate exactly, but here&#8217;s what TorrentFreak has learned so far.</p>
<h3>What will be monitored?</h3>
<p>The &#8220;alerts&#8221; system will <strong>only apply to P2P file-sharing</strong>. In theory, this means that the focus will be almost exclusively on BitTorrent (including apps such as Popcorn Time), as other P2P networks have relatively low user bases. </p>
<p>Consequently, those who use Usenet providers, streaming services (such as 123movies), or file-hosters such as Zippyshare and 4Shared, are not at risk. In other words, the program only covers a part of all online piracy. </p>
<p>A spokesperson from CCUK&#8217;s &#8220;Get it Right&#8221; campaign stressed that the alerts represent only one part of the broader program, which also aims to reach other infringers through its other initiatives.</p>
<h3>How many people will be targeted?</h3>
<p>The system will apply to everyone whose Internet account has been used to share copyrighted material via P2P networks.</p>
<p>That said, copyright holders and ISPs have agreed to cap the warnings at <strong>2.5 million over three years</strong>. This means that only a fraction of all UK pirates will receive a notice.</p>
<p>Some people may also receive multiple notices if their account is repeatedly used to share copyrighted material. </p>
<p>&#8220;This ensures that people who might have missed an earlier email receive another one – but also allows time for account holders to take steps to address the issue,&#8221; a Get It Right spokesperson informed us.</p>
<h3>What&#8217;s in the notices?</h3>
<p>While the exact language might differ between ISPs, the notices are primarily meant to inform subscribers that their accounts have been used to share infringing material, while pointing them to <strong>legal alternatives</strong>.</p>
<p>&#8220;The purpose is to educate UK consumers about the many sources of legal content available, highlight the value of the UK’s creative industries and reduce online copyright infringement,&#8221; we were told.</p>
<h3>Who will be monitoring these copyright infringements?</h3>
<p>While ISPs take part in the scheme, they will not monitor subscribers&#8217; file-sharing activities. The tracking will be done by third-party company <strong>MarkMonitor</strong>, who are also the <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/six-strikes-anti-piracy-system-gets-new-evidence-review-130817/">technology partner</a> for the U.S. Copyright Alert System. </p>
<p>This tracking company collects IP-addresses from BitTorrent swarms and sends its findings directly to the Internet providers. The lists with infringing IP-addresses are not shared with any of the rightsholders.</p>
<p>Each ISP will keep a database of the alleged infringers and send them appropriate warnings. In compliance with local laws and the best practices of the Information Commissioner’s Office, recorded infringements will be stored for a limited time.</p>
<h3>Will any Internet accounts be disconnected?</h3>
<p>There are <strong>no disconnections or mitigation measures</strong> for repeat infringers under the UK copyright alerts program. Early reports suggested that alleged file-sharers will get up to four warnings after which all subsequent offenses will be ignored.</p>
<p>This is in line with the overall goal of the campaign which is not targeted at the most hardcore file-sharers. The program is mostly focused on educating casual infringers about the legal alternatives to piracy.</p>
<h3>Can the monitoring be circumvented?</h3>
<p>The answer to the previous questions already shows that users have plenty of options to bypass the program. They can simply switch to other means of downloading, but there are more alternatives. </p>
<p>BitTorrent users could <strong>hide their IP-addresses</strong> through proxy services and VPNs for example. After the U.S. Copyright Alert Program launched in the U.S. there was a <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/six-strikes-boosts-demand-for-bittorrent-vpns-and-proxies-130311/">huge increase</a> in demand for this kind of anonymity services.</p>
<h3>So how scary are the alerts?</h3>
<p>CCUK&#8217;s &#8220;Get it Right&#8221; stresses that the main purpose of the system is to inform casual infringers about their inappropriate behavior and point them to legal alternatives. </p>
<p>The focus lies on education, although the warnings also serve as a deterrent by pointing out that people are not anonymous. For some, this may be enough to cause them to switch to legal alternatives. </p>
<p>All in all the proposed measures are fairly reasonable, especially when compared to other countries where fines and internet connections are on the table. Whether it will be successful is an entirely different question of course. </p>
<p>The Creative Content UK team is confident that they can drive some significant change. Several benchmark measurements were taken prior to the campaign, so its effectiveness can be properly measured once the first results come in.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=0ORdrG9ZYoo:TbhJH7HKTmo:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=0ORdrG9ZYoo:TbhJH7HKTmo:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=0ORdrG9ZYoo:TbhJH7HKTmo:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/0ORdrG9ZYoo" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133483
title: Audible Magic Accuses YouTube of Fraud Over Content ID Trademark
uri: Audible-Magic-Accuses-YouTube-of-Fraud-Over-Content-ID-Trademark
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/riwHgacUfPA/
content:
<p><a href="media/b9f3b5ba.sadyoutube.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/sadyoutube.jpg"><img src="media/34e023fb.sadyoutube.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/sadyoutube.jpg" alt="sadyoutube" width="275" height="196" class="alignright size-full wp-image-117196"></a>Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technologies have been available to the public for a number of years. Perhaps the most visible is the mobile app Shazam, which allows users to identify the name of a song after listening to just a short clip.</p>
<p>The same kind of technology is famously deployed at YouTube. Its (in)famous Content ID system can spot copyrighted content uploaded by users and make a decision whether to take it down or allow rightsholders to monetize it. However, YouTube now faces a legal challenge over the Content ID trademark.</p>
<p>Audible Magic has been operating in the content recognition and fingerprinting market for more than fifteen years. In fact, during 2006, YouTube and Audible Magic signed an agreement which gave YouTube a license to use the latter&#8217;s content recognition technology.</p>
<p>Perhaps surprisingly, Audible Magic&#8217;s system was called Content ID, a term YouTube uses to this day, despite its agreement with the content recognition company being terminated in 2009.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s clear the Audible Magic still feels it has a claim to the name and that is the basis of the complaint the company has just filed with the United States Trademark and Patent Office. </p>
<p><center><b>Audible Magic&#8217;s website</b><a href="media/60444f50.am-contentid.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/am-contentid.png"><img src="media/3c8be68e.am-contentid.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/am-contentid.png" alt="am-contentid" width="675" height="300" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-133506"></a></center></p>
<p>Describing itself as &#8220;the leader in automated identification of audio and visual content for web media platforms,&#8221; Audible Magic says it has worked with the biggest names in media, including Warner Bros, Sony, Disney and Facebook. As highlighted above, between 2006 and 2009 it also worked with Google.</p>
<p>In its complaint to USPTO, Audible Magic says that during 2006, YouTube was facing accusations that it was a &#8220;prime enabler&#8221; of copyright infringement and pirating.</p>
<p>&#8220;The television and movie industries were complaining that YouTube was allowing third-parties to upload copyright materials from television and movies and was not instituting any controls or checks on third-party content. This negative publicity was particularly damaging to YouTube in 2006 when Google was considering acquiring YouTube for over one billion dollars,&#8221; the company writes.</p>
<p>To address this problem, in October 2006 Audible Magic and Google signed an agreement for YouTube to license Audible Magic&#8217;s Content ID system. After YouTube had been bought by Google, the license was transferred to the search giant. </p>
<p>The agreement between the companies was terminated three years later in 2009, at which point Audible Magic says that all intellectual property rights in Content ID reverted back to its control. However, Google is now attempting to gain ownership of the trademark. As shown in the image below, <a href="http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&#038;state=4805:q91gqt.2.1">its application</a> with the USPTO is ongoing and claims first use nearly eight years ago.</p>
<p><center><b>Google&#8217;s registration for Content ID</b><a href="media/f9f5e9bc.uspto-contentid.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/uspto-contentid.png"><img src="media/36e1f350.uspto-contentid.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/uspto-contentid.png" alt="uspto-contentid" width="670" height="511" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-133501"></a></center></p>
<p>&#8220;According to the date of first use claimed in Google&#8217;s registration, Google asserts that it first used the Content ID mark in connection with its services on August 27, 2008,&#8221; Audible Magic writes.</p>
<p>&#8220;Audible Magic&#8217;s date of first use of Content ID in March 2006 is thus well before the claimed first use of the mark by Google (as it should be since Google sourced the mark and related services from Audible Magic), and Audible Magic&#8217;s use of Content ID therefore has priority over Google&#8217;s use and registration.&#8221;</p>
<p>While Audible Magic feels it has a claim over the name, one of its biggest concerns surrounds the confusion that is set to arise with Google using the term &#8216;Content ID&#8217; in a marketplace already occupied by Audible Magic.</p>
<p>&#8220;Such confusion may cause harm to Audible Magic and the consuming public and jeopardize the valuable goodwill and reputation Audible Magic has built up in connection with Content ID and its services,&#8221; the company explains.</p>
<p>In closing, Audible Magic asks the United States Patent and Trademark Office to cancel Google&#8217;s trademark registration on the basis the company &#8220;committed fraud&#8221; in 2013 when it signed a declaration which stated that it knew of no other company entitled to use the Content ID mark in commerce.</p>
<p>The full complaint to the USPTO can be found here <em>(<a href="media/fa98acc5.Audible_Magic_Petition_with_USPTO_Content_ID.pdf" data-original-source="http://www.audiblemagic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Audible_Magic_Petition_with_USPTO_Content_ID.pdf">pdf</a>)</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=riwHgacUfPA:v_FTcmeGfeU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=riwHgacUfPA:v_FTcmeGfeU:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=riwHgacUfPA:v_FTcmeGfeU:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/riwHgacUfPA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133545
title: Movie Studios Prepare New “Big Time” Wave of Aussie Site Blocks
uri: Movie-Studios-Prepare-New-Big-Time-Wave-of-Aussie-Site-Blocks
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/vyWcDR9y93g/
content:
<p><img src="media/b13e6c72.blocked-censor.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/blocked-censor.jpg" width="250" height="170" alt="" class="alignright size-large">Given that Australia is often credited with giving its consumers products that have been available in other regions for some time, it perhaps fits that the country has often been behind the times when it comes to anti-piracy measures.</p>
<p>Still, it&#8217;s doing its best to catch up now.</p>
<p>From having almost no way of dealing with unauthorized content consumption (besides giving consumers what they want in a timely fashion at a fair price), Australia is now blazing trails on the site-blocking front. Mid-December marked the beginning of the practice Down Under, when the Federal Court <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/the-pirate-bay-and-other-pirate-sites-will-be-blocked-in-australia-161215/">ordered ISPs</a> to block The Pirate Bay and several other sites.</p>
<p>Days later and the first blocks were in place but <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/first-aussie-pirate-bay-block-gets-defeated-in-seconds-161220/">defeated in seconds</a> by anyone with a basic knowledge of Windows settings. Nevertheless, the content industries feel this is the way forward and are now doubling down.</p>
<p>Speaking with <a href="http://mashable.com/2017/01/11/village-roadshow-more-site-blocking/">Mashable</a>, Graham Burke, co-chief of Village Roadshow, is warning that a new wave of blocks is already on the horizon, informing the publication that his company is determined to go after pirate sites &#8220;big time.&#8221;</p>
<p>Burke, who is Australia&#8217;s most out-spoken individual on piracy issues, says that pirate site users won&#8217;t have long to wait to find out which domains will be targeted. When the court resumes in February, it will be all systems go, he said.</p>
<p>&#8220;There&#8217;s a list as long as my arm,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>Of course, this revelation comes as no surprise. Over in the UK, where a similar model is in place, site blocking is now a regular occurrence. Often happening by stealth, site blocks are mainly put in place by rightsholders that have been granted permission to amend existing court orders. There&#8217;s now zero fanfare when another dozen or a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/uk-piracy-blocklist-expands-with-123movies-and-other-streaming-sites-161028/">hundred sites</a> get added to the nation&#8217;s unofficial blocklist.</p>
<p>Things will be slightly more public in Australia though, and new injunctions will be required for sites not already covered by earlier orders. That said, the process is now <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/the-future-of-aussie-pirate-site-blocking-six-additional-facts-161218/">fairly well understood</a> and having dozens of new sites blocked shouldn&#8217;t prove too difficult, once they are determined to be both infringing and based overseas.</p>
<p>But while site-blocking is certainly part of the puzzle, Burke has once again reiterated his intention to pursue one of the most unpopular anti-piracy strategies. Despite the practice failing to have much positive effect in any other region in the past 15 years, the studio boss says his company will stick to its plan of suing file-sharers.</p>
<p>&#8220;We have the legal ability and the right to do,&#8221; Burke told Mashable. &#8220;Unlike previous areas where that&#8217;s been explored, if anyone is of dire circumstances or poor health and they undertake to stop doing it, we will accept that.&#8221;</p>
<p>While suing the sick and disadvantaged has never ended well for copyright holders, Burke&#8217;s insistence that his strategy aims to &#8220;win people&#8217;s hearts and minds&#8221; is optimistic, to say the least.</p>
<p>Suing end-users is extremely messy and equally expensive unless large &#8216;fines&#8217; are handed out to supposed infringers to cover costs. When that&#8217;s the case, suing starts to look more like a profit center than a deterrent, at which point the moral high-ground is lost and hearts and minds disappear forever.</p>
<p>That being said, the vow to sue members of the public is hardly a new one. Burke made the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/australian-movie-giant-considering-legal-action-against-pirates-160311/">same comments</a> almost a year ago and the studio seems no closer to actually carrying out its threats. That&#8217;s not to say the company won&#8217;t try though.</p>
<p>While the copyright trolls behind the movie Dallas Buyers Club <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/dallas-buyers-club-gives-up-chasing-pirates-in-australia-160210/">failed in their quest</a> to &#8216;fine&#8217; pirates Down Under, a company like Village Roadshow that already has respect in the region would likely face fewer obstacles. It&#8217;s certainly possible, but still ill-advised.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=vyWcDR9y93g:56wj7pX9ntk:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=vyWcDR9y93g:56wj7pX9ntk:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=vyWcDR9y93g:56wj7pX9ntk:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/vyWcDR9y93g" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133556
title: Google Removes MEGA Frontpage From Search Results
uri: Google-Removes-MEGA-Frontpage-From-Search-Results
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/EqVA3Q6PqZU/
content:
<p><img src="media/7bd905c6.mega_logo.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/mega_logo.png" alt="mega_logo" width="200" height="109" class="alignright size-full wp-image-102194">Removing search results is nothing new for Google. The company has been cleaning up its search index for years, in response to complaints from copyright holders. </p>
<p>Every week the search engine processes millions of requests. In most cases these claims are legitimate, but every now and then webpages are targeted mistakenly. </p>
<p>This also happened to <a href="https://mega.nz/">Mega</a>, the cloud storage site originally founded by Kim Dotcom. For the past few days the site has become unfindable in Google as its homepage is no longer listed. </p>
<p>Instead, users get the following results, listing various Mega-related pages including the site&#8217;s Wikipedia entry. </p>
<p>In addition, they see a mention at the bottom of the page explaining that one result was removed in response to a DMCA request. That happens to be the Mega URL they were looking for.</p>
<p><center><strong>No Mega</strong><br></br></center><center><img src="media/9be6be0c.nomega.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/nomega.jpg" alt="nomega" width="600" height="361" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133559"></center></p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.lumendatabase.org/notices/13611984">DMCA notice</a> in question was sent on behalf of Metropolitan and claims that the Mega.nz homepage linked to an infringing copy of the movie John Wick. While there is no infringing material linked on that page, the link was removed from Google&#8217;s index. </p>
<p>To make matters even worse, Mega chairman Stephen Hall says that this isn&#8217;t the first time that their homepage was removed.</p>
<p>&#8220;This has occurred three times In recent months. Each time we file a counter-notice, which is then acknowledged by Google within 2-3 days and the search results are then reinstated 10-14 days after that,&#8221; Hall tells TF.</p>
<p>&#8220;The notices were filed by agents who are well aware of the DMCA process but clearly aren’t verifying the links as their claimed content is certainly not available at mega.nz.&#8221;</p>
<p>Needless to say, the decreased visibility in Google leads to a reduction in search traffic and arguably a dip in revenue as well. All based on one &#8220;simple&#8221; mistake. </p>
<p><center><strong>Mega.nz&#8230;</strong><br></br></center><center><img src="media/6594a63f.megatakedown.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/megatakedown.jpg" alt="megatakedown" width="600" height="140" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133560"></center></p>
<p>While Google will likely correct the error (again) following a DMCA counter-notification, the incident emphasizes that false takedown requests can do serious harm. </p>
<p>The search giant is generally quite good at spotting mistakes. At the moment, Google rejects roughly 10% of all takedown requests due to a variety of reasons, but it can&#8217;t catch them all.</p>
<p>Google has previously noted that it&#8217;s keeping an eye on these kinds of mistakes as well as clear cases of abuse, but thus far there is no real incentive for copyright holders to be more vigilant in their takedown efforts. </p>
<p>The U.S. Copyright Office is currently <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/u-s-copyright-office-undecided-about-future-of-dmca-takedowns-161114/">reviewing </a> the effectiveness of the DMCA takedown process and some stakeholders have suggested punishments for clear abuse by rightholders. For now, however, there are no consequences.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=EqVA3Q6PqZU:NX6Z2T-vYmY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=EqVA3Q6PqZU:NX6Z2T-vYmY:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=EqVA3Q6PqZU:NX6Z2T-vYmY:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/EqVA3Q6PqZU" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133609
title: Hollywood Lawsuit Expands Pirate Bay & ExtraTorrent Web Blockade
uri: Hollywood-Lawsuit-Expands-Pirate-Bay-ExtraTorrent-Web-Blockade
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/Su4m_v8S3JQ/
content:
<p><a href="media/e8c727cd.blocktpb1.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/blocktpb1.jpg"><img src="media/7134d54c.blocktpb1-300x224.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/blocktpb1-300x224.jpg" alt="FCT ty" width="250" height="170" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-87047"></a>In an expansion of their site-blocking campaign, several Hollywood studios under the banner of the MPA applied to a court in Norway during 2015 to have seven ‘pirate’ sites blocked at the ISP level.</p>
<p>Warner Bros, Paramount, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal, Sony, Disney, Columbia and several local industry groups argued that The Pirate Bay, ExtraTorrent, Viooz, PrimeWire, Swefilmer, DreamFilm and Movie4K, infringe their copyrights.</p>
<p>Local ISPs including Telenor, TeliaSonera, NextGenTel and Altibox were named as defendants in the case, which was handled by the Oslo District Court. In September 2015 the Court <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-sites-must-pay-legal-costs-of-own-blockade-court-rules-150902/">handed down its ruling</a>, ordering the ISPs to block the seven sites listed in the lawsuit.</p>
<p>While many observers believed the studios would be back immediately with more blocking requests, things went quiet for more than a year. Only recently did they return with fresh requests against more ISPs.</p>
<p>The Motion Picture Association filed a new lawsuit against seven Internet service providers, named by <a href="http://www.tek.no/artikler/na-ma-ogsa-de-mindre-internett-tilbyderne-blokkere-pirate-bay/367482">Tek.no</a> as Eidsiva Bredbånd, Lynet Internett, Breiband.no, Enivest, Neas Bredbånd, Tussa IKT and Opennet Norge.</p>
<p>Like before, the MPA and the studios wanted the ISPs to restrict access to a number of &#8216;pirate&#8217; sites including The Pirate Bay, Extratorrent, Viooz, SweFilmer, DreamFilm and Movie4K, which were all named in the original complaint. Additional sites named in the new complaint include Watch Series, Putlocker, TUBE+, Couch Tuner, Watch32, Project Free TV and Watch Free.</p>
<p>It now appears that the MPA found a sympathetic ear at the Oslo District Court, which has just issued a ruling in the studios&#8217; favor. Local media says the ruling is considerably shorter than the one handed down in 2015, which seems to indicate that the process has now been streamlined.</p>
<p>According to Tek, the Court made its decision based on the fact that the sites in question published links to copyrighted material already available online. The Court determined that the sites published the content to a &#8220;new public&#8221;, noting that they had not changed their modus operandi since the original ruling. </p>
<p>The ISPs were ordered to implement DNS blockades covering the domains currently in use. As illustrated on a a number of previous occasions, including in <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-party-offers-dns-to-bypass-pirate-bay-blockade-150907/">Norway itself</a>, DNS blocks are the weakest form of blocking and are easily circumvented by switching to a different provider, <a href="https://developers.google.com/speed/public-dns/">such as Google</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torgeir_Waterhouse">Torgeir Waterhouse</a> of Internet interest group ICT Norway says that while the DNS blocks might only amount to a &#8220;speed bump&#8221;, it&#8217;s more important to make it easier to access legal services.</p>
<p>&#8220;We must make it easy to pay, easy to access and easy to develop new services. Ultimately it is this that determines the levels of revenue for producers. Revenue does not occur &#8216;automagically&#8217; by preventing their access to an illegal service,&#8221; he says.</p>
<p>Waterhouse, who has campaigned on several intellectual property issues, also criticized the authorities for holding ISPs responsible for the actions of others.</p>
<p>&#8220;The government should make a law that says what they really want, namely that parts of the Internet should not be accessible to the population. They should have the courage to stand up and say that this is what they want, not create the impression that Internet service providers are doing something wrong,&#8221; he adds</p>
<p>In common with the 2015 ruling, the sites detailed in the lawsuit were all ordered to pay court costs. None of the sites&#8217; owners appeared in Court so it&#8217;s unlikely that any will pay the $1,800 they each now owe.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Su4m_v8S3JQ:y77f-ShTZvA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Su4m_v8S3JQ:y77f-ShTZvA:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=Su4m_v8S3JQ:y77f-ShTZvA:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/Su4m_v8S3JQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133676
title: Advertisers Promise to Boycott Pirate Sites After Police Visit
uri: Advertisers-Promise-to-Boycott-Pirate-Sites-After-Police-Visit
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/HIGfjkhysvA/
content:
<p><img src="media/357ad110.cityoflondonpolice.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/cityoflondonpolice.jpg" width="200" height="82" alt="" class="alignright size-large">One of the entertainment industries&#8217; main strategies for tackling &#8216;pirate&#8217; sites is to prevent them generating revenue from their activities. The theory is that such sites are profit-motivated and if none can be made, they will soon shut down.</p>
<p>With this in mind, industry bodies have sought to target companies who place or pay for advertising to appear on pirate sites. In many cases the companies don&#8217;t know exactly where their adverts are appearing, but in case they were in any doubt, this week the police stepped up to remind them.</p>
<p>According to information just released by City of London Police, this Wednesday, officers from the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) paid visits to eight organizations involved in placing adverts on pirate sites.</p>
<p>Accompanied by representatives from the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), British Phonographic Industry (BPI), International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and PRS for music, PIPCU targeted brands, advertising agencies and networks. </p>
<p>The visits took place as part of the multi-agency anti-piracy initiative Operation Creative. PIPCU says that the companies were made aware that their advertising is appearing on pirate sites. It is not clear whether any of them already knew, but the police got the result they were hoping for.</p>
<p>After discussion, all agreed to cooperate by ensuring that they no longer support any of the platforms listed on the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/city-of-london-police-launches-pirate-site-blacklist-for-advertisers-140331/">Infringing Website List</a> (IWL) maintained by police and rightsholders.</p>
<p>&#8220;All of the organisations were keen to support Operation Creative and have pledged to sign up to the IWL to ensure advert placement from their brand and clients do not appear on the 1,232 websites listed on the IWL,&#8221; PIPCU said.</p>
<p>PIPCU offered no further details on the companies visited this week, which suggests that it views them as partners moving forward.</p>
<p>“Operation Creative is key to ending the funding of websites involved in digital piracy. It is important we tackle this issue, not only for brands and businesses’ reputation, but for consumers too,&#8221; said Operation Creative’s lead officer Detective Constable Steven Salway.</p>
<p>“When adverts from established brands appear on these sites, they lend them a look of legitimacy. By working with industry to discourage reputable brands from advertising on piracy sites, we will help consumers realise these sites are neither official nor legal.”</p>
<p>Director General of FACT, Kieron Sharp, praised the IWL and said that his group is pleased to be raising awareness within the advertising community. </p>
<p>“PIPCU’s IWL is the first of its kind and is a great tool for businesses to protect their brand reputation by ensuring their adverts don’t appear on pirate sites,&#8221; Sharp said.</p>
<p>“Consumers need to be aware that not only are the criminals behind these websites making substantial amounts of money from adverts, but simply visiting the sites can put the public at risk of malware, viruses and click-through scams.”</p>
<p>While the police action is likely to have some effect, there are still <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/plenty-of-ad-networks-still-love-pirate-sites-150926/">plenty of advertisers</a> willing to show off their products on pirate platforms. It is clear, however, that the quality of advertising on such sites is steadily diminishing. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=HIGfjkhysvA:i1tefvXiuPc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=HIGfjkhysvA:i1tefvXiuPc:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=HIGfjkhysvA:i1tefvXiuPc:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/HIGfjkhysvA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133208
title: ‘Klingon Language’ Copyright Battle Ends, For Now
uri: Klingon-Language-Copyright-Battle-Ends-For-Now
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/ABVnY4H5J4E/
content:
<p><img src="media/19ce6742.klingon.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/klingon.jpg" alt="klingon" width="250" height="137" class="alignright size-full wp-image-120085">Last year Paramount Pictures and CBS Studios <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/movie-studios-sue-fan-funded-star-trek-spin-off-151231/">filed a lawsuit</a> against the makers of a Star Trek inspired fan film, accusing them of copyright infringement.</p>
<p>The case, which centers around the well-received short film <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prelude_to_Axanar">Star Trek: Prelude to Axanar</a> and the planned follow-up feature film Axanar, goes to trial later this month. </p>
<p>In the original complaint the rightsholders claimed ownership over various Star Trek related settings, characters, species, clothing, colors, shapes, words, short phrases and even the Klingon language.</p>
<p>In a pre-trial order earlier this month the court decided that the fan-film is <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/court-fan-funded-star-trek-film-is-not-fair-use-170105/">not entitled to a fair use defense</a>. In addition, it found that there is an objective substantial similarity between the fan-film and the original Star Trek works.</p>
<p>While no ruling was made on individual items such as the Klingon language, costumes, characters or species, as a whole the overall look and feel was found to be substantially similar.</p>
<p>This was disappointing for the makers of the fan film, but in a subsequent order this week there was also some good news. In particular for those who feared for the future of the Klingon language. </p>
<p>The court tentatively <a href="media/a535f976.limimotion.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/limimotion.pdf">granted</a> a motion (<a href="media/8db10554.lim.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/lim.pdf">pdf</a>) from the Axanar team to preclude evidence that is unoriginal, in the public domain or owned by third parties. This motion specifically included the Klingon language, which now can&#8217;t be brought up at trial.</p>
<p>The news is welcomed by the Language Creation Society (<a href="http://conlang.org/">LCS</a>), a non-profit that promotes the art and craft of language creation. </p>
<p>LCS openly protested Paramount&#8217;s copyright claim over the Klingon language in recent months. They also tried to get officially involved in the case by filing an amicus brief and reply, which both used fierce Klingon statements throughout.</p>
<p>The language is a tool for people to communicate and express ideas, something people should be allowed to do freely under U.S. law, LCS argued. </p>
<p><center><strong>Klingon in court *<sup><a href="media/5aaea12e.means.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/means.png">7/8</a></sup></strong><br></br></center><center><img src="media/407344c5.klingon2.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/klingon2.jpg" alt="klingon2" width="540" height="326" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133215"></center></p>
<p>Paramount disagreed and the court decided that LCS was not allowed to file their motion because the issue was moot. Looking back, however, LCS believes that their efforts did make an impact. </p>
<p>&#8220;We used Klingon in our brief to show that Klingon is a living language that anyone should be able to use without Paramount’s permission,&#8221; LCS <a href="http://conlang.org/axanar/#updates">notes</a>.</p>
<p>&#8220;It also serves a real purpose beyond this one case. IP law can be dry and technical. The use of Klingon — and humor — helped spread our point that languages are not copyrightable.&#8221;</p>
<p>The good news for Klingons and their fans is that, while Paramount still claims ownership, there are no <em>additional</em> roadblocks to use the language. And without an order stating that Paramount has exclusive rights over the language&#8217;s use, LCS and others will continue to spread it.</p>
<p>In fact, the legal battle actually helped it to grow and evolve. After several decades, the name Paramount now finally has a Klingon translation: pa&#8217;ra&#8217;mon.</p>
<p>
&#8220;We have not sought, nor do we need, any permission from Paramount for our use of Klingon — not even when we have created a new Klingon name for Paramount itself: <img src="media/3ec469e4.para-1.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/para-1.jpg" alt="para" width="119" height="30" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133594">pa&#8217;ra&#8217;mon,&#8221; LCS writes.</p>
<p></p>
<p>&#8220;<img src="media/f04ff69d.neversurrender.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/neversurrender.png" alt="neversurrender" width="228" height="26" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133625" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/neversurrender.png 228w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/neversurrender-220x26.png 220w" sizes="(max-width: 228px) 100vw, 228px">Never surrender! Success!&#8221;</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ABVnY4H5J4E:l3OrNWGWCSA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ABVnY4H5J4E:l3OrNWGWCSA:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=ABVnY4H5J4E:l3OrNWGWCSA:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/ABVnY4H5J4E" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133542
title: Pirate Apps Corrupt Kids & Bust Your TV, Industry Warns
uri: Pirate-Apps-Corrupt-Kids-Bust-Your-TV-Industry-Warns
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/GfCAQW3X_qw/
content:
<p><a href="media/db6dafe8.warez.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/warez.jpg"><img src="media/0fdc72be.warez.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/warez.jpg" alt="warez" width="200" height="139" class="alignright size-full wp-image-45883"></a>There are all kinds of strategies aimed at curtailing piracy but in the end it is only a change in human behavior that can really make a difference. Tempting people to do the &#8216;right thing&#8217; by offering cool services is a nice one but there are other options available.</p>
<p>Writing in the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/liz-bales/is-your-family-aware-of-t_b_14084528.html">Huffington Post</a> this week, Liz Bales, CEO of The Industry Trust for IP Awareness, asked parents if they were aware of the dangers posed by piracy-enabled set-top boxes &#8211; aka Kodi devices with third-party addons.</p>
<p>&#8220;Unauthorised apps installed on the boxes and sticks ‘scrape’ content from illegal file-sharing sites, cyber-lockers and streaming sites to download and stream infringing film, TV and sports content,&#8221; Bales said.</p>
<p>&#8220;In doing so, they expose users to many of the security and safety risks traditionally associated with pirate websites, but deliver these through a much more trusted and social family viewing medium &#8211; the television.&#8221;</p>
<p>Bales then went on to cite statistics from a new study that reportedly found that 10% of people engaging in this kind of piracy have been exposed to either age-inappropriate or adult content.</p>
<p>TF contacted The Industry Trust hoping to get a look at the full report, but they were only prepared to share a small set of figures due to an exclusivity deal with another publication. </p>
<p>Nevertheless, if we take Bales&#8217; reporting at face value, we still have room for meaningful discussion.</p>
<p>At the core of the issue appears to be pirate services&#8217; lack of adherence to the British Board of Film Classification&#8217;s age ratings system when offering up content. For example, films that are only suitable for teenagers can be available to younger children while 18+ content isn&#8217;t fenced off from either group.</p>
<p>&#8220;What’s most concerning in the research is the tendency for families to engage in Digital TV Piracy, usually through their trusted family TV and, more often than not, leaving children to use the technology on their own,&#8221; Bales continued. </p>
<p>&#8220;In fact, more than three quarters (79%) of parents who have participated in Digital TV Piracy report that their children are allowed to access unauthorised content unattended, with 7% saying they have actually installed the technology in their children’s bedrooms.&#8221;</p>
<p>To the casual reader, this might sound like an apocalypse waiting to happen. Kids, sitting alone in their rooms, huddled around dangerous technology somehow intent on polluting their young minds with violent filth.</p>
<p>To others, who understand a little bit more about the technology at play here, Welcome to the Internet.</p>
<p>The devices featured in the survey are Android-type mini computers with access to the Internet &#8211; nothing more, nothing less. Kids have computers already, whether they come in desktop, tablet, or mobile phone form. No matter which device we use to access it, the Internet as a whole does not know the age of the person browsing its pages. </p>
<p>Perhaps what we should be concentrating on here is parents&#8217; role in deciding what content children should have access to, no matter how it&#8217;s delivered. Let&#8217;s not forget, since they were almost certainly the people to buy the Kodi stick and plug it into their kids&#8217; TV in the first place, parents already know what these devices can do.</p>
<p>Equally, they also know what the Internet as a whole serves up on a daily basis. If the Kodi stick needs parental guidance controls, so does the Internet, period. Parents should perhaps think about this problem as a whole, not on a per device basis.</p>
<p>Fortunately, help is at hand. TVaddons, one of the world&#8217;s largest repositories of third-party Kodi addons, has already considered that parents might want to restrict their kids&#8217; access to inappropriate content.</p>
<p>To that end they published a guide some time ago, which gives concerned adults the ability to <a href="https://www.tvaddons.ag/parental-controls-kodi/">lock down any addons they like</a> with a secret code. </p>
<p>In closing, Bales points to a resource published by FindAnyFilm, a site that enables consumers to find places where they can obtain legitimate content. It&#8217;s a good service that many people find useful. It too mentions a new set-top box study, almost certainly the one commissioned by the Industry Trust.</p>
<p>In addition, FindAnyFilm offers up some advice of its own, including getting content from legitimate &#8216;safe&#8217; sources such as the iPlayer. While the <a href="http://theguide.findanyfilm.com/set-top-box-safety/">rest of the advice</a> is mostly reasonable too, the site does make one last-ditch effort to scare parents away from using TV apps that aren&#8217;t available from places such as Google Play or Samsung and LG&#8217;s stores. </p>
<p>&#8220;Never install apps from an unofficial source,&#8221; FindAnyFilm warns. &#8220;Doing so could put your TV at risk and could void your manufacturer’s warranty.&#8221;</p>
<p>Protecting children and indeed hardware from harm is always welcome, but it&#8217;s not difficult to read between the lines here. Kodi sticks with third-party addons are now considered a major threat to IP holders, so diminishing their attractiveness in the eyes of the general public is now a priority.</p>
<p>We look forward to reading the full report, whenever it becomes available.</p>
<p><em>Update: An earlier version of this piece noted that the iPlayer only has a tick box to access age-restricted content. It does in fact have a code option if parents set it up in advance</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=GfCAQW3X_qw:D0B-G2iBsvs:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=GfCAQW3X_qw:D0B-G2iBsvs:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=GfCAQW3X_qw:D0B-G2iBsvs:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/GfCAQW3X_qw" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=132030
title: Porn Pirate Sites Use ‘Backdoor’ to Host Videos on YouTube
uri: Porn-Pirate-Sites-Use-Backdoor-to-Host-Videos-on-YouTube
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/LJ1_uaQ78b8/
content:
<p><img src="media/7381a5f2.doorcat.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/doorcat.jpg" alt="doorcat" width="290" height="210" class="alignright size-full wp-image-133574">With YouTube as one of its flagship services, Google has a dominant market share when it comes to online video. </p>
<p>However, behind the scenes it is also becoming a primary source for pirate streaming sites, generating millions of views per day.</p>
<p>While it&#8217;s no secret that there are pirated videos on YouTube, there is an even greater concern for copyright holders behind the scenes. As highlighted before, streaming sites often use Google&#8217;s services as a hosting &#8216;provider.&#8217;</p>
<p>On YouTube, they likely upload material without publicly publishing it. Instead, they grab &#8220;private&#8221; direct links to these videos and embed them on their websites. </p>
<p>These videos are served directly from the GoogleVideo.com domain without being listed on YouTube. This means that they also bypass the Content-ID takedown system. </p>
<p>Interestingly, the adult community has discovered this trick as well. While YouTube doesn&#8217;t allow people to upload porn, there are many adult sites that use the site as a hosting provider.</p>
<p>This hasn&#8217;t gone unnoticed by the California-based adult producer Dreamroom Productions, which is <a href="https://www.google.com/transparencyreport/removals/copyright/searchdata/owners/?id=22611">very active</a> on the anti-piracy front.</p>
<p>“There is a big loophole on YouTube. Copyright infringers take advantage of a private-video-share setting. They upload and store videos, and freely use them on third party websites to earn profits,” the company informed us.</p>
<p>According to Dreamroom, the embedded videos are available on a wide variety of streaming sites. Since the content is not publicly listed on YouTube it&#8217;s harder to take down. </p>
<p><center><strong>A typical link, tied to an IP-address and with an expiry time</strong><br></br></center><center><img src="media/7d5987ee.youtubeabuse.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/youtubeabuse.png" alt="youtubeabuse" width="557" height="199" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133568"></center></p>
<p>While the content is eventually removed, the adult producer says that this can take up to three weeks. However, instead of removing the videos they would rather have YouTube plug this hole, to stop the abuse once and for all.</p>
<p>“YouTube should be aware of this. They are allowing the situation to continue by not plugging this hole, which could be done by disabling the sharing function of videos under those special settings.”</p>
<p>TorrentFreak contacted Google several weeks ago asking for a comment, but the company has yet to release an official statement. </p>
<p>As said before, the issue isn&#8217;t limited to adult content or even YouTube. The Google hosting &#8216;exploit&#8217; <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-video-streaming-sites-exploit-googles-servers-140417/">has been and still is</a> used by a wide variety of popular streaming sites, with some clearly revealing what their sources are.</p>
<p><center><strong>Googlevideo.com&#8230;.</strong><br></br></center><center><img src="media/30487aaa.googlevideo.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/googlevideo.jpg" alt="googlevideo" width="600" height="314" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133569"></center></p>
<p>Google&#8217;s own Transparency Report also shows that the search giant received <a href="https://www.google.com/transparencyreport/removals/copyright/searchdata/domains/?id=googlevideo.com">tens of thousands</a> of notices for the Googlevideo.com domain. These links typically have source=youtube or source=drive as a referrer. </p>
<p>The latter suggests that videos are also uploaded to Google&#8217;s cloud hosting service, Drive.</p>
<p>For pirate streaming sites the trick provides a cheap way to store videos, although they still have plenty of other options as well. According to Dreamroom, however, YouTube itself could very well be the largest pirate service of all now.</p>
<p>“The world biggest TUBE site may have become one of the world’s largest databases of copyright infringing material,” a company spokesperson said.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=LJ1_uaQ78b8:6uGUGaYmlVw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=LJ1_uaQ78b8:6uGUGaYmlVw:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=LJ1_uaQ78b8:6uGUGaYmlVw:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/LJ1_uaQ78b8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133554
title: Piracy Notices? There Shouldn’t Be Many UK Torrent Users Left to Warn
uri: Piracy-Notices-There-Shouldn-t-Be-Many-UK-Torrent-Users-Left-to-War
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/Pg0r37tQ_HU/
content:
<p>Later this month in partnership with the Creative Content UK (CCUK) initiative, four major ISPs will begin <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/uk-piracy-warnings-coming-month-heres-works-170111/">sending warning notices</a> to subscribers whose connections are being used to pirate content. </p>
<p>BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media are all involved in the scheme, which will be educational in tone and designed to encourage users towards legitimate services. The BBC obtained a copy of the email due to be sent out, and it&#8217;s very inoffensive.</p>
<p>&#8220;Get it Right is a government-backed campaign acting for copyright owners who think their content&#8217;s been shared without their permission,&#8221; the notice reads.</p>
<p>&#8220;It looks like someone has been using your broadband to share copyrighted material (that means things like music, films, sport or books). And as your broadband provider, we have to let you know when this happens.&#8221;</p>
<p>The notice then recommends where people can obtain tips to ensure that the unlawful sharing doesn&#8217;t happen again. Since the scheme will target mainly BitTorrent users, it&#8217;s likely that one of the tips will be to stop using torrents to obtain content. However, that in itself should be an eyebrow-raising statement in the UK.</p>
<p>For the past several years, UK Internet service providers &#8211; including all of the ones due to send out piracy notices this month &#8211; have been blocking all of the major torrent sites on the orders of the High Court. The Pirate Bay, KickassTorrents (and all their variants), every site in the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2017-170107/">top 10 most-visited torrent list</a> and hundreds more, are all blocked at the ISP level in the UK.</p>
<p>By any normal means, no significant public torrent sites can be accessed by any subscriber from any major UK ISP and it&#8217;s been that way for a long time. Yet here we are in 2017 preparing to send up to 2.5 million warning notices a year to UK BitTorrent users. Something doesn&#8217;t add up. </p>
<p>According to various industry reports, there are around six million Internet pirates in the UK, which give or take is around 10% of the population. If we presume that a few years ago the majority were using BitTorrent, they could have conceivably received a couple of notices each per year.</p>
<p>However, if site-blocking is as effective as the music and movie industries claim it to be, then these days we should be looking at a massive decrease in the number of UK BitTorrent users. After all, if users can&#8217;t access the sites then they can&#8217;t download the .torrent files or magnet links they offer. If users can&#8217;t get those, then no downloads can take place.</p>
<p>While this is probably true for some former torrent users, it is obvious that massive site blocking efforts are being evaded on an industrial scale. With that in mind, the warning notices will still go out in large numbers but only to people who are savvy enough to circumvent a blockade but don&#8217;t take any other precautions as far as torrent transfers are concerned. </p>
<p>For others, who already turned to VPNs to give them access to blocked torrent sites, the battle is already over. They will never see a warning notice from their ISP and sites will remain available for as long as they stay online.</p>
<p>There&#8217;s also another category of users who migrated away from torrents to streaming sites. Users began to notice web-based streaming platforms in their millions when The Pirate Bay was first blocked several years ago, and they have only gained in popularity since. Like VPN users, people who frequent these sites will never see an ISP piracy notice.</p>
<p>Finally, there are those users who don&#8217;t understand torrents or web-based streaming but still use the latter on a daily basis via modified Kodi setups. These boxes or sticks utilize online streaming platforms so their users&#8217; activities cannot be tracked. They too will receive no warnings. The same can be said about users who download from online hosting sites, such as Uploaded and Rapidgator.</p>
<p>So, if we trim this down, we&#8217;re looking at an educational notice scheme that will mainly target UK pirates who are somehow able to circumvent High Court blockades but do not conceal their IP addresses. How many of these semi-determined pirates exist is unclear but many are likely to receive &#8216;educational&#8217; notices in the coming months.</p>
<p>Interestingly, the majority of these users will already be well aware that file-sharing copyrighted content is illegal, since when they&#8217;ve tried to access torrent sites in recent years they&#8217;ve all received a &#8220;blocked&#8221; message which mentions copyright infringement and the High Court.</p>
<p>When it comes to the crunch, this notice scheme has come several years too late. Technology has again outrun the mitigation measures available, and notices are now only useful as part of a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/a-bunch-of-weak-anti-piracy-measures-are-still-a-pest-to-pirates-170107/">basket of measures</a>.</p>
<p>That being said, no one in the UK will have their Internet disconnected or throttled for receiving a notice. That&#8217;s a marked improvement over what was being proposed six years ago as part of the Digital Economy Act. Furthermore, the notices appear to be both polite and considered. On that basis, consumers should have little to complain about.</p>
<p>And, if some people do migrate to services like Netflix and Spotify, that will only be a good thing. Just don&#8217;t expect them to give up pirating altogether since not only are pirates the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/uk-movie-pirates-spend-way-more-at-the-box-office-121122/">industry&#8217;s best customers</a>, site blockades clearly don&#8217;t work.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Pg0r37tQ_HU:nyb_uCJJ1ao:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Pg0r37tQ_HU:nyb_uCJJ1ao:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=Pg0r37tQ_HU:nyb_uCJJ1ao:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/Pg0r37tQ_HU" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133728
title: More Pirated Movie Screeners Leak Online
uri: More-Pirated-Movie-Screeners-Leak-Online
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/vK-JIuNa774/
content:
<p><img src="media/6ab00d3b.scr.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/scr.png" alt="scr" width="232" height="178" class="alignright size-full wp-image-132129">Towards the end of the year, movie screeners are sent out to industry insiders who have to cast their votes for the Oscars and other awards. </p>
<p>Usually, quite a few of these films start to leak on various pirate sites around Christmas, but this year it remained <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/screener-season-is-here-but-where-are-the-piracy-leaks-161218/">surprisingly quiet</a>. </p>
<p>In fact, it took until early January before the first pirated screener <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/first-dvd-screener-leak-of-2017-is-denzel-washingtons-fences-170103/">showed up</a>, a copy of the Denzel Washington movie Fences.</p>
<p>While the slow start remains largely unexplained, it appears that at least some pirate groups have become a bit more cautious with their release strategies. The infamous Hive-CM8, which put out the lion&#8217;s share of screeners last year, said it would <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/hive-cm8-apologizes-for-leaking-hateful-eight-dvd-screener-151230/">no longer</a> release any films before their theatrical release, for example.</p>
<p>Cautious or not, this week the screener ball started to get rolling again when five DVD screeners appeared online. &#8216;Hidden Figures&#8217; and &#8216;Patriots Day&#8217; were the first two to become available, followed by &#8216;La La Land,&#8217; &#8216;Moonlight&#8217; and &#8216;Arrival&#8217; this weekend.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/44c68946.dvdscr.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/dvdscr.png" alt="dvdscr" width="529" height="194" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133750"></center></p>
<p>The copies were released and distributed by various P2P pirate groups, not just a single source. The most popular Arrival copy is tagged by the unknown group &#8220;4rrived,&#8221; for example, and Hive-CM8 is also back in the game with screener copies of La La Land and Moonlight. </p>
<p><center><strong>Arrival screener</strong><br></br></center><center><img src="media/9d4ca027.arrived.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/arrived.jpg" alt="arrived" width="600" height="250" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133732"></center></p>
<p>A few weeks ago,  Hive-CM8 said they were ready to <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/infamous-piracy-group-says-it-ready-to-start-leaking-screeners-161229/">release screeners</a> and a few hours ago they uploaded their first copy of the year.</p>
<p>&#8220;Finally first quality release, we do think this is a hot title and we decided to share it with the public,&#8221; the group writes in the release note of La La Land.</p>
<p>While some people believe that the group already has access to additional disks, they are still in the market for more material. They hope that insiders with access to screeners are in a sharing mood. </p>
<p>&#8220;We are looking for the guys sitting at home with all the 30 discs and posting pictures all over the net, but not sharing with anyone. Not sure why you are hiding it can be done safe and secure, for private viewing only if requested. Just msg us if you need help, we dont bite.&#8221;</p>
<p>Pirates will certainly welcome all the activity, but it&#8217;s unlikely that we&#8217;ll see a leak-fest similar to last year. Not from Hive-CM8 at least, who say that they don&#8217;t plan to share everything they have with the public this year.</p>
<p>It will be interesting to see how many screeners will leak during the weeks to come. With five releases so far this year, the leaked screener count is still at an all time low for now. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=vK-JIuNa774:jxug7RjTnuM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=vK-JIuNa774:jxug7RjTnuM:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=vK-JIuNa774:jxug7RjTnuM:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/vK-JIuNa774" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133765
title: Landmark Movie Streaming Trial Gets Underway in Sweden
uri: Landmark-Movie-Streaming-Trial-Gets-Underway-in-Sweden
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/cxgN39Pt4Pg/
content:
<p><a href="media/22594a44.swefilmlogo.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/swefilmlogo.png"><img src="media/b4fea55b.swefilmlogo.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/swefilmlogo.png" alt="swefilmlogo" width="180" height="111" class="alignright size-full wp-image-108710"></a>Founded half a decade ago, Swefilmer grew to become Sweden’s most popular movie and TV show streaming site. Together with Dreamfilm, another site operating in the same niche, Swefilmer is said to have accounted for 25% of all web TV viewing in Sweden.</p>
<p>In the summer of 2015, local man Ola Johansson <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/swedens-largest-streaming-site-will-close-after-raid-150729/">revealed</a> that he’d been raided by the police under suspicion of being involved in running the site. In March 2015, a Turkish national was arrested in Germany on a secret European arrest warrant. The now 26-year-old was accused of receiving donations from users and setting up Swefilmer’s deals with advertisers.</p>
<p>In a subsequent <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/streaming-site-operators-face-jail-1-7m-forfeiture-160626/">indictment</a> filed at the Varberg District Court, the men were accused of copyright infringement offenses relating to the unlawful distribution of more than 1,400 movies. However, just hours after the trial got underway last June, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/landmark-piracy-trial-suspended-pending-eu-ruling-160630/">it was suspended</a>, when a lawyer for one of the men asked to wait for an important EU copyright case to run its course.</p>
<p>That case, between Dutch blog GeenStijl.nl and Playboy, had seen a Dutch court ask the EU Court of Justice to rule whether unauthorized links to copyrighted content could be seen as a ‘communication to the public’ under Article 3(1) of the Copyright Directive, and whether those links facilitated copyright infringement.</p>
<p>Last September, the European Court of Justice <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/eu-court-not-for-profit-hyperlinking-usually-not-infringement-160908/">ruled</a> that it is usually acceptable to link to copyrighted content without permission when people are not aware content is infringing and when they do so on a non-profit basis. In commercial cases, the rules are much more strict.</p>
<p><center><b>The Swefilmer site</b><a href="media/2a35813c.swefilmer.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/swefilmer.png"><img src="media/491050b7.swefilmer.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/swefilmer.png" alt="swefilmer" width="600" height="515" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-108704"></a></center></p>
<p>In light of that ruling, the pair return to the Varberg District Court today, accused of making more than $1.5m from their activities between November 2013 and June 2015.</p>
<p>While Swedish prosecutions against sites such as The Pirate Bay have made global headlines, the case against Swefilmer is the first of its kind against a stream-links portal. Prosecutor Anna Ginner and Rights Alliance lawyer Henrik Pontén believe they have the evidence needed to take down the pair.</p>
<p>&#8220;Swefilmer is a typical example of how a piracy operation looks today: fully commercial, well organized and great efforts expended to conceal itself. This applies particularly to the principal of the site,&#8221; Pontén <a href="http://www.idg.se/2.1085/1.673630/swefilmer-streaming-rattegang">told</a> IDG.</p>
<p>According to Ginner, the pair ran an extensive operation and generated revenues from a number of advertising companies. They did not act alone but the duo were the ones that were identified by, among other things, their IP addresses.</p>
<p>The 26-year-old, who was arrested in Germany, was allegedly the money man who dealt with the advertisers. In addition to copyright infringement offenses, he stands accused of money laundering.</p>
<p>According to IDG, he will plead not guilty. His lawyer gave no hints why but suggested the reasons will become evident during the trial.</p>
<p>The younger man, who previously self-identified as Ola Johansson, is accused of being the day-to-day operator of the site, which included uploading movies to other sites where Swefilmer linked. He is said to have received a modest sum for his work, around $3,800.</p>
<p>&#8220;I think what&#8217;s interesting for the Swedish court is that this case has such clear elements of organized crime compared to what we have seen before,&#8221; Anna Ginner concludes.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=cxgN39Pt4Pg:ctILV9LAFaw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=cxgN39Pt4Pg:ctILV9LAFaw:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=cxgN39Pt4Pg:ctILV9LAFaw:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/cxgN39Pt4Pg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133758
title: Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week – 01/16/17
uri: Top-10-Most-Pirated-Movies-of-The-Week-01-16-17
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/SntmoOyW3Tc/
content:
<p><img src="media/e3e13c28.traint.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/traint.jpg" alt="traint" width="300" height="202" class="alignright size-full wp-image-133761">This week we have four newcomers in our chart. </p>
<p>The Girl on The Train 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 weekly movie download chart.</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="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-pirated-movies-week-010917/">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="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3631112/">The Girl on The Train</a> </td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3631112/">6.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkoEE1i0CX8">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>2</strong></td>
<td>(2)</td>
<td><a href="http://torrentfreak.com/accountant-torrent-downloads/">The Accountant</a> </td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2140479/">7.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBfsgcswlYQ">trailer</a></td>
<tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>3</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4572514/">Patriots Day</a> (DVDscr)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4572514/">7.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJXqh2rDehg">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>4</strong></td>
<td>(1)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3393786">Jack Reacher: Never Go Back</a> (Subbed HDRip)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3393786">6.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRwrdbcAh2s">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543164/">Arrival</a> (DVDscr)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543164/">8.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFMo3UJ4B4g">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td>(6)</td>
<td><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/doctor-strange-torrent-downloads/">Doctor Strange</a> (HDTS)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1211837">8.0</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSzx-zryEgM">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3783958/">La La Land</a> (DVDscr)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3783958/">8.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pdqf4P9MB8">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3183660/">Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them</a> </td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3183660/">7.1</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vso5o11LuGU">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>9</strong></td>
<td>(3)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2387499/">Keeping Up with the Joneses</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2387499/">5.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGtVJ48GMAI">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>10</strong></td>
<td>(8)</td>
<td><a href=" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3748528/">Rogue One: A Star Wars Story</a> (HDTS)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3748528/">8.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frdj1zb9sMY">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="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=SntmoOyW3Tc:VMrWi7z92TQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=SntmoOyW3Tc:VMrWi7z92TQ:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=SntmoOyW3Tc:VMrWi7z92TQ:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/SntmoOyW3Tc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133766
title: Record Labels Target ‘Singing’ President Obama with Takedown Notices
uri: Record-Labels-Target-Singing-President-Obama-with-Takedown-Notic
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/mUOzrWvJvho/
content:
<p><img src="media/9b005287.barrrack-victory-1.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/barrrack-victory-1.jpg" alt="barrrack-victory" width="180" height="132" class="alignright size-full wp-image-133796">Every hour of the day dozens of anti-piracy outfits scour the web to find copyright-infringing content, which they then target with takedown notices.</p>
<p>At TorrentFreak we keep a close eye on the notices that are sent to Google search, through the <a href="https://lumendatabase.org/">Lumen database</a>, and every now and then we see some unusual requests. </p>
<p>Most recently, we spotted several takedown notices that reference President Obama. </p>
<p>In some of these cases, it was pretty clear that someone had made a mistake. For example, when a few links related to Obama&#8217;s &#8220;State of the Union&#8221; speech were confused with a song from the band &#8220;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/StateOfTheUnionOfficial/">State of the Union</a>.&#8221; </p>
<p>As a result, several pages linking to copies or downloads of the President&#8217;s yearly address were deindexed by Google. </p>
<p><center><strong>The wrong &#8220;State of the Union&#8221;</strong><br></br></center><center><img src="media/1ed4f233.statunion.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/statunion.jpg" alt="statunion" width="600" height="251" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133783" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/statunion.jpg 600w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/statunion-500x210.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></center></p>
<p>A broader trend, however, is record labels going after the President&#8217;s musical talents. </p>
<p>More specifically, the parodies produced by the popular YouTube channel &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvHn0MTf40rdEQu6Y2yNL5g">baracksdubs</a>.&#8221; These videos, which have millions of views, are also on the &#8216;watchlists&#8217; of anti-piracy groups. </p>
<p>The &#8216;cover&#8217; of Justin Bieber&#8217;s Sorry, for <a href="https://www.lumendatabase.org/notices/13708536">example</a>. Copies and links to this and other &#8216;dubbed&#8217; tracks were targeted <a href="https://www.lumendatabase.org/notices/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&#038;sort_by=date_received+desc&#038;term=obama+parody+singing&#038;term-require-all=true">many times</a> in recent takedown requests, with claims that they&#8217;re &#8220;allegedly infringing&#8221; Justin Bieber&#8217;s rights.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/8d0d7e09.sorry.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/sorry.jpg" alt="sorry" width="600" height="75" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133791"></center></p>
<p><center><strong>Barack Obama Singing Sorry&#8230;(original) </strong><br></br></center><center><iframe width="600" height="338" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IG0OIice9to?rel=0&amp;controls=0&amp;showinfo=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></p>
<p>So have the associated record labels lost their sense of humor?</p>
<p>Since the original YouTube videos are still online, it&#8217;s unlikely that the labels are intentionally targeting these parodies. They are probably getting flagged by mistake based on keyword triggers.</p>
<p>Some of the links in question are from sites that often link to copyrighted content as well. Many <a href="http://gurumedia.xyz/mp3/barack-obama-singing-no-by-meghan-trainor/">index YouTube videos</a>, allowing users to download them as MP3s. This makes it harder to spot these kinds of errors, especially when most of the takedown process is automated.</p>
<p>The &#8220;baracksdubs&#8221; people probably don&#8217;t mind the issue, as long as their videos remain online, but it shows that mistakes are easily made.</p>
<p>Oh. And for what it&#8217;s worth, the issue doesn&#8217;t apply exclusively to President Obama. President Elect Trump is getting the same treatment, so we can probably see plenty more of this in the future.</p>
<p><center><strong>Trump too&#8230;</strong><br></br></center><center><img src="media/423bb28a.trumptoo.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/trumptoo.png" alt="trumptoo" width="600" height="67" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133789"></center></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=mUOzrWvJvho:zGdpRTB6ONo:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=mUOzrWvJvho:zGdpRTB6ONo:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=mUOzrWvJvho:zGdpRTB6ONo:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/mUOzrWvJvho" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133818
title: BT’s Piracy Warning Information is Confusing and Outdated
uri: BT-s-Piracy-Warning-Information-is-Confusing-and-Outdated
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/iBdj_E7O_FM/
content:
<p><a href="media/09e70d01.bt.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/bt.jpg"><img src="media/b4b1ed1e.bt.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/bt.jpg" alt="bt" width="200" height="109" class="alignright size-full wp-image-52791"></a>As recently reported, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/uk-piracy-warnings-coming-month-heres-works-170111/">UK ISPs will soon partner up</a> with the Get it Right From a Genuine Site campaign to send warning notices to users whose accounts have been used to share copyright content.</p>
<p>While the campaign is educational in both tone and aim, it is still likely to worry warning recipients, even though there are no immediate repercussions for being caught. With that in mind, ISPs are preparing to inform their users as to what the scheme is all about.</p>
<p>A couple of hours ago via its website, it appears that BT became the first ISP to officially announce the campaign&#8217;s arrival. Virgin Media has had a section bookmarked on its site for some time but currently there is no information available.</p>
<p>The other ISPs involved, TalkTalk and Sky, seem less prepared at this point, so well done to BT for going first. However, BT&#8217;s announcement has the potential to cause confusion, despite starting well.</p>
<p>&#8220;Peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing is the transfer of data from one person’s computer directly to multiple other computers without the use of an intermediate server. This is known as a file sharing network and is set up using peer-to-peer software on your computer (also known as a programme, application or client),&#8221; it reads.</p>
<p>From here, BT gets its apples and pears a bit mixed up.</p>
<p>&#8220;You may have heard of networks like Gnutella, Napster, Torrentz and ThePirateBay. If your computer is online and you make files available for sharing in a peer-to-peer network, other members within that network can download files from you without you noticing,&#8221; the ISP writes.</p>
<p>While Gnutella and Napster are indeed the names of peer-to-peer networks, both Torrentz and ThePirateBay are torrent index sites. What makes the situation even more confusing is that the Napster peer-to-peer service has been dead for 15 years and is now a legitimate content platform. That could make less well-informed Napster customers believe they&#8217;re paying for a product that could get them a warning notice.</p>
<p>The Gnutella network (on which the LimeWire operated) is technically alive but on continual life support, and Torrentz shut down last year so doesn&#8217;t even exist. And suggesting that people can download files from torrent users without them knowing is clearly a step too far.</p>
<p>That said, BT correctly gives The Pirate Bay a prominent position, since the vast majority (if not all) of the warning notices going out will target BitTorrent users. However, instead of telling users how BitTorrent sharing works, the ISP focuses on how old-fashioned and largely redundant applications offer content for download.</p>
<blockquote><p><em>By default, peer-to-peer software applications search for and share content on your computer with others. Normally, peer-to-peer software usually runs as soon as you turn on your computer and continues to run in the background. Even if you disable sharing/uploading, copyrighted content in a “shared” folder on your computer it can still be seen by others using the same peer-to-peer network. Some peer-to-peer software can even reset your preferences to resume uploading.</em></p></blockquote>
<p>While the above might have been true when KaZaA, LimeWire and Morpheus ruled the pirate seas way over a decade ago, this is not the way BitTorrent works at all. BitTorrent users are completely aware of what they&#8217;re sharing, because they have to obtain a torrent file first to get the content. BitTorrent software does not search users&#8217; computers for content to share without their permission, users are in complete control.</p>
<p>In fact, the &#8216;shared folder&#8217; applications referenced by BT are more or less antiques in today&#8217;s file-sharing landscape. Like VHS and cassette tapes, there are still people out there using &#8216;shared folder&#8217; applications, but these people are not the focus of the GetitRight campaign. Giving them a prominent mention is confusing and makes little to no sense.</p>
<p>Things also get messy when BT ventures into the world of file-sharing protocols and clients.</p>
<blockquote><p>
<em>There are many different file types (also called protocols) that are used for the file sharing, such as BitTorrent, Deluge, iLivid, and Tixati etc. Each Protocol will have its own client. Popular BitTorrent clients are Vuze, Transmission, Deluge, uTorrent, Tribler, Tixati, BitComet, Torch etc.</em></p></blockquote>
<p>First off, the term &#8216;file types&#8217; is not interchangeable with the term &#8216;protocol&#8217;. A file type is something like .doc, .mp3 or .avi. A protocol is the technical communications system a file-sharing client relies upon to share with other clients. While BitTorrent is indeed a file-sharing protocol, Deluge, iLivid and Tixati are either torrent clients or download managers, they are not file-sharing protocols at all.</p>
<p>All that being said, in the rest of the announcement BT does a good job of explaining how users are tracked by copyright holders and detailing when notices will be sent out. It also offers reassurance that users&#8217; details have not been shared with copyright holders and that broadband services will not be affected as a result of receiving a warning.</p>
<p>Finally, BT also provides some new information which indicates that users will able to see what content they&#8217;re being accused of downloading by following a link in warning notices. BT customers will be required to login using their BTID and password which will get them access to the Get it Right Information Portal.</p>
<p>&#8220;Once you click through the link on the email you will land on a BT page which from where you can go through to the portal. BT only provides you a secure access to the Get It Right Information Portal so that your data is kept completely confidential,&#8221; the company concludes.</p>
<p>While there&#8217;s clearly no intent on BT&#8217;s behalf to mislead, its advisory (<a href="http://home.bt.com/tech-gadgets/internet/what-is-the-get-it-right-from-a-genuine-site-campaign-and-why-have-i-had-an-email-about-it-11364136284839">here</a>) could be improved by the removal of several paragraphs and the editing of others.</p>
<p><em>Received a warning notice from any UK ISP? Contact TF in confidence <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/contact/">here</a>.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=iBdj_E7O_FM:bxmDuGUqUhY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=iBdj_E7O_FM:bxmDuGUqUhY:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=iBdj_E7O_FM:bxmDuGUqUhY:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/iBdj_E7O_FM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133819
title: Netflix is ‘Killing’ DVD Sales, Research Finds
uri: Netflix-is-Killing-DVD-Sales-Research-Finds
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/O_2Eb1HEMaw/
content:
<p><img src="media/b310fc7c.netflix-logo.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/netflix-logo.png" alt="netflix-logo" width="200" height="121" class="alignright size-full wp-image-69714">We&#8217;re all familiar with the claims that piracy is &#8220;killing&#8221; the movie industry, but legal alternatives are in constant competition as well.</p>
<p>Over the past decade, TV and movie companies have taken part in a massive &#8216;experiment&#8217; in which they’ve had to reinvent their business models, adapting to rapidly changing demands from consumers.</p>
<p>In part responding to piracy, the movie industry started offering their own online video download options, and with bandwidth becoming cheaper and more readily available, streaming services such as Netflix soon followed.</p>
<p>However, having more legal options available doesn&#8217;t automatically mean that more money is rolling in. The next challenge is to set them up in a way that doesn&#8217;t cannibalize existing products while optimizing long-term revenue. </p>
<p>For many years disc sales have been the <a href="media/763a4cbd.ment-Spending_Rev-3.0_01.04.17_-External_-Distribution_Final.pdf" data-original-source="http://degonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/2016-Q4-DEG-Home-Entertainment-Spending_Rev-3.0_01.04.17_-External_-Distribution_Final.pdf">prime revenue source</a> for the movie industry, bringing in billions of dollars a year in the U.S. alone. Netflix&#8217;s streaming service is a direct competitor to these sales, but to what effect?</p>
<p>A <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2897950">new study published</a> by researchers from Hong Kong universities provides some empirical evidence on this issue. Through a natural experiment, they looked at the interplay between Netflix availability and DVD sales in the United States. </p>
<p>The experiment took place when the Epix entertainment network, which distributes movies and TV-shows from major studios including Paramount and Lionsgate, <a href="http://variety.com/2015/digital/news/netflix-epix-deal-expiring-1201581520/">left Netflix for Hulu</a> in 2015. </p>
<p>Since Hulu has a much smaller market share, these videos no longer reached a large part of the audience. At least not by default. The researchers used difference to examine the effect on DVD sales, while controlling for various other variables.</p>
<p>The results, published in a paper this week, show that DVD sales increased significantly after the content was taken off Netflix, almost by a quarter.</p>
<p>&#8220;Our difference-in-difference analyses show that the decline in the streaming availability of Epix’s content leads to a 24.7% increase in their DVD sales in the three months after the event,&#8221; the paper reads. </p>
<p>&#8220;Our results validate the industry’s concern that video streaming services displace physical DVD sales.&#8221;</p>
<p>Of course, this doesn&#8217;t mean that all studios should pull their content from Netflix. It does show, however, that there are a lot of variables in play that require careful assessment from a business point of view. </p>
<p>For example, it appears that percentage-wise the bump in DVD sales is the largest for new movies and movies that did better in theatres.</p>
<p>&#8220;In addition, we find that the cannibalization between two media is stronger for DVDs released more recently and for movies with better box office performances,&#8221; the researchers note.</p>
<p>This may also be one of the prime reasons why most recent releases are not on Netflix, and why the most popular movies of the past decade <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/this-millenniums-best-picture-oscar-winners-are-not-on-netflix-160402/">are unavailable as well</a>. It&#8217;s not to annoy consumers, but to maximize profits.</p>
<p>The research above has its limitations. It only focused on DVD sales and not on other physical and digital revenue sources, for example. That said, the present data clearly suggests that content owners might be wise to keep titles off Netflix for a while, especially the blockbusters. Similarly, it affirms that there&#8217;s little harm in putting their older back catalogs on the streaming service. </p>
<p>Of course, this strategy will also keep piracy intact, which plays a role as well. However, that doesn&#8217;t necessarily have to be an oversight. It might also be a calculated risk, as lowering piracy might also lower legal revenues through other sales channels.</p>
<p>It might take a few extra years and many more experiments before we truly know what works and what doesn&#8217;t. And by then the rules of the game will have probably changed again.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=O_2Eb1HEMaw:BC_FB2rHuG4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=O_2Eb1HEMaw:BC_FB2rHuG4:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=O_2Eb1HEMaw:BC_FB2rHuG4:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/O_2Eb1HEMaw" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133849
title: ISP Says it Won’t Send BREIN’s Anti-Piracy Warnings
uri: ISP-Says-it-Won-t-Send-BREIN-s-Anti-Piracy-Warnings
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/pi8QGzCmLug/
content:
<p><a href="media/8878c0e1.breinlogo.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/breinlogo.png"><img src="media/62cd6b40.breinlogo.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/breinlogo.png" alt="breinlogo" width="204" height="72" class="alignright size-full wp-image-130823" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/breinlogo.png 204w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/breinlogo-200x72.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 204px) 100vw, 204px"></a>As one of Europe&#8217;s most prominent anti-piracy groups, BREIN is at the forefront of copyright enforcement in the Netherlands. In early January the outfit <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/brein-reveals-anti-piracy-tactics-and-achievements-170111/">revealed</a> some its achievements over the past year, including enforcement actions against hundreds of sites and prolific uploaders of pirate content.</p>
<p>While tackling those closer to the top of the tree, BREIN has had a tendency to leave regular &#8216;pirate&#8217; users alone. However, in recent times it has been developing plans to target Internet subscribers with &#8216;educational&#8217; warning notices.</p>
<p>This past weekend, BREIN chief Tim Kuik <a href="https://www.bnr.nl/nieuws/juridisch/10316540/brein-pakt-ook-digitale-cassettes-op-het-schoolplein-aan">said</a> that his group hopes to bring about behavioral change among downloaders by contacting them via their ISPs.</p>
<p>&#8220;The ISPs can then send the account holder a warning which informs them that their account has been used to infringe copyright. The message is that they are bringing you up to date with illegal activities,&#8221; Kuik said.</p>
<p>Last year, the Dutch Data Protection Authority (<a href="https://autoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl">Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens</a>) gave BREIN <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/brein-threatens-pirates-with-high-fines-warns-vpn-users-160314/">permission</a> to collect the IP-addresses of pirating BitTorrent users, allowing the group to target uploaders on a broader scale. But the group still needs help from service providers, since it needs to tie those addresses to individual accounts. </p>
<p>&#8220;The Data Protection Authority recommended we make arrangements with the ISPs on the processing of the personal data. Because we do not have the identity of the user,&#8221; Kuik said on Sunday.</p>
<p>However, unlike in the US and UK where similar programs are already underway, Dutch ISPs are giving the plan a less than warm welcome. In comments yesterday, leading cable provider Ziggo confirmed it will not participate in BREIN&#8217;s program.</p>
<p>&#8220;As an ISP we are a neutral access provider. This does not include the role of active enforcement of rights or interests of third parties, including BREIN,&#8221; said spokesman Erik van Doeselaar, as quoted by <a href="https://tweakers.net/nieuws/120081/ziggo-zal-niet-meewerken-aan-waarschuwen-van-illegale-downloaders.html">Tweakers</a>.</p>
<p>Other providers aren&#8217;t excited by BREIN&#8217;s plans either. KPN, based in The Hague, said that there are many unknowns when it comes to privacy.</p>
<p>&#8220;As an ISP we can not pass judgment on the legality and proportionality of the plan,&#8221; said spokesman Stijn Wesselink.</p>
<p>A third ISP, XS4All, said the anti-piracy outfit&#8217;s plans haven&#8217;t yet been made clear.</p>
<p>&#8220;I won&#8217;t the slam the door before I&#8217;ve seen [BREIN&#8217;s] plans, but it seems highly unlikely that ISPs will act as enforcers,&#8221; said spokesman Niels Huijbregts.</p>
<p>BREIN, on the other hand, believe that ISPs should cooperate, since when customers download and share copyrighted content without permission, they breach their providers&#8217; Terms of Service.</p>
<p>The anti-piracy outfit hopes to introduce a scheme similar to the one now <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/uk-piracy-warnings-coming-month-heres-works-170111/">underway in the UK</a>, which has received cooperation from four major ISPs.</p>
<p>BREIN says it wishes to mirror the UK effort by having ISPs send educational notices to encourage users towards legal services. However, the anti-piracy outfit is not on the best of terms with local providers and hasn&#8217;t been for many years.</p>
<p>Both Ziggo and XS4All are currently embroiled in <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-blocking-case-heard-by-european-court-of-justice-161028/">prolonged legal battle</a> with BREIN, who want the providers to block subscriber access to The Pirate Bay.</p>
<p>Thus far the ISPs have refused, steadfastly sticking to their position that, as a service provider, the copyright wars are not their battle. It now seems likely that the same stance will carry over to the proposed warning notice scheme.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=pi8QGzCmLug:Khfbnf5Ptcg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=pi8QGzCmLug:Khfbnf5Ptcg:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=pi8QGzCmLug:Khfbnf5Ptcg:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/pi8QGzCmLug" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133858
title: Internet Freedom Day: How Massive ‘Blackout’ Protests Killed Two Anti-Piracy Bills
uri: Internet-Freedom-Day-How-Massive-Blackout-Protests-Killed-Two-A
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/NSID50T9KCI/
content:
<p><img src="media/c3757a1a.internetfreedomsopa.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/internetfreedomsopa.png" alt="internetfreedomsopa" width="290" height="128" class="alignright size-full wp-image-133878">At the start of the decade several new bills were introduced in the United States, aiming to make it easier for copyright holders to enforce their rights online. </p>
<p>The proposals, including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act">SOPA</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PROTECT_IP_Act">PIPA</a>, would&#8217;ve streamlined the shutting down of allegedly infringing domain names and threatened to increase liability for third party services, among other things.</p>
<p>Fearing broad Internet censorship, the proposals ignited <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protests_against_SOPA_and_PIPA">a wave of protests</a> led by various activist groups. But, what started as a small protest movement was swiftly elevated to mainstream news, when tech giants such as Google and Wikipedia joined in. </p>
<p>Exactly five years ago, following months of scattered protests, the opposition peaked into a massive Internet blackout campaign.</p>
<p>As a result, the balance of power tipped and Hollywood and the music industry were forced into retreat. Soon after the blackout, both bills were declared dead, a victory which is still frequently referenced today. </p>
<p><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/happy-internet-freedom-day-but-was-sopa-really-defeated-130118/">A year after</a> the succesfull blackout campaign, January 18 was declared <a href="http://www.internetfreedomday.net/">Internet Freedom Day.</a> While the first celebration attracted international news <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/web-activists-celebrate-internet-freedom-day/2013/01/18/45655826-617d-11e2-9940-6fc488f3fecd_story.html">headlines</a>, it&#8217;s now become a <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23InternetFreedomDay&#038;src=typd">relatively small event</a>. </p>
<p>Still, many of the concerns that were brought up half a decade ago remain relevant today. Site blocking efforts and domain name seizures are still high on the agenda, and the same is true for search engine &#8216;censorship&#8217; and liability for ISPs and other third party services. </p>
<p>What has changed is that, instead of tackling these issues through legislation, rightsholders are now focusing on individual lawsuits and voluntary agreements. </p>
<p>This means that for activists, Internet Freedom Day could still be relevant now, both as a remembrance and as a call to action. In any case, it&#8217;s worth noting that without the protests things could have been very different today.</p>
<p>Below are a few of the many &#8216;blackout&#8217; pages that were up (or down) five years ago.</p>
<p><center><br>
<h3>Wikipedia</h3>
<p></center></p>
<p>Wikipedia was completely inaccessible for 24 hours, except the pages about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship">censorship</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PROTECT_IP_Act">PIPA</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Online_Piracy_Act">SOPA</a>, of course.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/20b99b6d.wikipedia-strike.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/wikipedia-strike.jpg" alt=""></center></p>
<p><center><br>
<h3>Google</h3>
<p></center></p>
<p><a href="http://google.com">Google</a> blacked out its logo to protest PIPA/SOPA and added a link to a resource page where people could take action.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/813b878c.google-strike.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/google-strike.jpg" alt="google strike"></center></p>
<p><center><br>
<h3>Reddit</h3>
<p></center></p>
<p><a href="http://reddit.com">Reddit</a> directed its users to a resource site where they could take action.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/2f778e45.reddit-strike.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/reddit-strike.jpg" alt="reddit"></center></p>
<p><center><br>
<h3>Imgur</h3>
<p></center></p>
<p>The image sharing site <a href="http://imgur.com">Imgur</a> offered information on the protests as well as steps to take action.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/90fc95ef.imgurprotest.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/imgurprotest.jpg" alt="imgurprotest" width="525" height="350" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133870"></center></p>
<p><center><br>
<h3>Demonoid</h3>
<p></center></p>
<p><a href="http://www.dnoid.me/">Demonoid</a>, one of the largest BitTorrent communities at the time, went dark completely, with a nice spotlight effect. </p>
<p><center><img src="media/aadf8640.demonoid-strike.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/demonoid-strike.jpg" alt="demonid"></center></p>
<p><center><br>
<h3>Firefox</h3>
<p></center></p>
<p>Firefox users were welcomed with a dark themed default homepage, alerting people about the looming PIPA/SOPA threats.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/f10f7a5e.firefox-strike.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/firefox-strike.jpg" alt=""></center></p>
<p><center><br>
<h3>Craigslist</h3>
<p></center></p>
<p>The online classified advertisements portal <a href="http://craigslist.org">Craigslist</a> directed the public to a resource site where they could take action.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/ced0ed95.craigslist-blackout.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/craigslist-blackout.jpg" alt="craigslist-blackout" width="515" height="279" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133873"></center></p>
<p><center><br>
<h3>WordPress</h3>
<p></center></p>
<p><a href="http://wordpress.com/">WordPress</a> joined the protest too, and decided to censor itself for the day.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/58512e37.wordpress-strike.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/wordpress-strike.jpg" alt="wordpress"></center></p>
<p><center><br>
<h3>Minecraft</h3>
<p></center></p>
<p><a href="http://www.minecraft.net/">Minecraft</a> protested as well, but in red with the tagline &#8220;PIPA &#038; SOPA, How About NOPA.&#8221;</p>
<p><center><img src="media/3530e194.minecraft1.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/minecraft1.jpg" alt="pipa"></center></p>
<p><center><br>
<h3>TorrentFreak</h3>
<p></center></p>
<p>Yes, we also took part, giving readers the option to save the Internet, or&#8230; Meh&#8230;</p>
<p><center><img src="media/39d78c6d.torrentfreak-blackout.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/torrentfreak-blackout.jpg" alt="torrentfreak-blackout" width="515" height="371" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133871"></center></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=NSID50T9KCI:A2nZIQqF4E0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=NSID50T9KCI:A2nZIQqF4E0:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=NSID50T9KCI:A2nZIQqF4E0:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/NSID50T9KCI" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133903
title: Movie Director Steals Clam Chowder to Avenge Illegal Downloads
uri: Movie-Director-Steals-Clam-Chowder-to-Avenge-Illegal-Downloads
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/irRz532Hjbc/
content:
<p><a href="media/b29c9fee.tebo.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/tebo.jpg"><img src="media/259d251d.tebo.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/tebo.jpg" alt="tebo" width="270" height="255" class="alignright size-full wp-image-133905"></a>Among most copyright holders and some artists there is an insistence that illegal downloading is tantamount to stealing. A download can result in a lost sale, they argue, thereby depriving creators (or distributors) of revenue.</p>
<p>File-sharers, on the other hand, have their own theories as to what their hobby amounts to. Conclusions vary, from &#8220;try before you buy&#8221; to satisfying demand unmet by authorized sources. Some merely want content for free but still argue that a copy does not amount to theft.</p>
<p>Director Casey Tebo, on the other hand, strongly disagrees.</p>
<p>Tebo, who has directed live performances for Aerosmith, Mötley Crüe, Judas Priest and Run DMC, believes that piracy is just like stealing. And, after becoming a victim himself, decided to do something about it.</p>
<p>According to the 42-year-old, who won an Emmy for his work on ESPN E:60&#8217;s <a href="http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=12650292">Dream On: The Stories of Boston&#8217;s Strongest</a>, the final straw was when he discovered people had been pirating one of his movies.</p>
<p>Tebo wrote and directed 2016 horror movie <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3620846/">Happy Birthday</a> and recently discovered that an old friend from school had watched it.</p>
<p>&#8220;He said &#8216;Bro, I saw your movie, it was amazing!&#8217;,&#8221; Tebo recalled.</p>
<p>When the director asked where he&#8217;d seen it &#8211; iTunes, Walmart etc &#8211; the guy dropped the bombshell. Someone at work supplied it.</p>
<p>&#8220;What do you mean, he brings the DVDs into work?&#8221; the director asked. &#8220;I don&#8217;t know what that means?&#8221;</p>
<p>In a mocking tone impersonating his <em>former</em> friend&#8217;s recollection, Tebo continued.</p>
<p>&#8220;He gets &#8217;em off, you know, King Torrent, uTorrent, your fucking mother&#8217;s torrent, whatever the fuck it is.&#8221;</p>
<p>Noting that his movie only had a small budget with just three investors putting in $500K between them, Tebo said that one of his buddies came up with a plot to get revenge.</p>
<p>&#8220;You should go to the fuckin grocery store this cat works at and just fuckin steal some shit,&#8221; his buddy said. &#8220;And, if you get caught by the cops, just say &#8216;Hey, he steals my shit, why can&#8217;t I steal his shit?'&#8221;</p>
<p>In a video posted on YouTube, which he describes as a PSA (Pirates Suck Ass), Tebo reveals what happened next. A sped-up clip shows the director &#8216;shopping&#8217; for $30 worth of &#8216;free&#8217; ingredients to make a clam chowder. He then leaves the store without paying. Needless to say, Tebo (who apparently was born with six fingers on his right hand) didn&#8217;t get away with it.</p>
<p>Someone from the store came out to Tebo&#8217;s car after spotting him on the security camera and threatened to call the cops unless he came back and paid.</p>
<p>&#8220;Yeah I know, but this is like a really huge chain supermarket,&#8221; Tebo protested. Although subtle, this was almost certainly a dig at people who believe that downloading movies from big companies doesn&#8217;t hurt them.</p>
<p>&#8220;This is a store, you just robbed it,&#8221; the worker replied. Then, Tebo revealed his scheme.</p>
<p>&#8220;See, the guy who works at your store likes to download the movies and burn &#8217;em and give them to everybody who works there. You have people in your store who are stealing from my industry, so why can&#8217;t I just steal from you guys?&#8221; he asked.</p>
<p>The store worker was having none of it. &#8220;Give me the bags or i&#8217;m calling the cops,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>Again, Tebo underlined his point.</p>
<p>&#8220;I just want to know. If you&#8217;re the manager of this place and you got guys downloading illegal movies, why can&#8217;t I take groceries for free?&#8221; he questioned. </p>
<p>&#8220;Because it&#8217;s fucking stealing, asshole,&#8221; came the reply&#8230;..</p>
<p>Tebo says that he eventually gave the stuff back. He didn&#8217;t, however, explain why he thought it was fair to steal from the grocery store when his aim was to get revenge on one of its employees. Maybe this is the real-life equivalent of holding ISPs responsible for Internet pirates, who knows.</p>
<p>The whole bizarre affair is documented below.</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oIbugJvrYTI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=irRz532Hjbc:DswHl2CGC80:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=irRz532Hjbc:DswHl2CGC80:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=irRz532Hjbc:DswHl2CGC80:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/irRz532Hjbc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133917
title: 32% of All US Adults Watch Pirated Content
uri: 32-of-All-US-Adults-Watch-Pirated-Content
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/FHX92sP6Bk8/
content:
<p><img src="media/0fe8e43a.piratekay.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/piratekay.jpg" alt="piratekay" width="275" height="188" class="alignright size-full wp-image-108106">Despite the availability of many legal services, piracy remains rampant througout the United States.</p>
<p>This is one of the main conclusions of research conducted by anti-piracy firm <a href="https://irdeto.com/index.html">Irdeto</a>, which works with prominent clients including Twentieth Century Fox and Starz. </p>
<p>Through YouGov, the company conducted a representative <a href="https://irdeto.com/news-and-events/many-us-customers-don-t-care-about-revenue-damage-piracy-causes-media-industry.html">survey</a> of over 1,000 respondents which found that 32 percent of all US adults admit to streaming or downloading pirated video content.</p>
<p>These self-confessed pirates are interested in a wide variety of video content. TV-shows and movies that still play in theaters are on the top of the list for many, with 24 percent each, but older movies, live sports and Netflix originals are mentioned as well.</p>
<p>The data further show that the majority of US adults (69%) know that piracy is illegal. Interestingly, this also means that a large chunk of the population believes that they&#8217;re doing nothing wrong. </p>
<p>While the major copyright holders often stress that piracy results in massive revenue losses, the pirates themselves are not particularly bothered by this. In fact, 39 percent say that claimed losses don&#8217;t impact their download habits.</p>
<p>According to Lawrence Low, Irdeto&#8217;s Vice President of Business Development and Sales, piracy does more than just financial damage. It also limits the resources content creators have to make new content, which may ultimately lead to less choice.</p>
<p>“Piracy deters content creators from investing in new content, impacting the creative process and providing consumers with less choice,” Low says. </p>
<p>&#8220;It is becoming increasingly important for operators and movie studios to educate consumers on the tactics employed by pirates and to further promote innovative offerings that allow consumers to legally acquire content,” he adds.</p>
<p>This insight is not new of course. Over the past few years, various copyright groups have put a spotlight on legal services, even targeting pirates directly with educational copyright alerts. </p>
<p>However, for now that doesn&#8217;t seem to have had much of an effect. Piracy remains rampant, especially among younger people. Previously a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/millennials-love-piracy-ad-blockers-160920/">similar survey</a> revealed that among millennials, more than two-thirds admit to having downloaded or streamed pirated content.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=FHX92sP6Bk8:Nz9MpnTyqrI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=FHX92sP6Bk8:Nz9MpnTyqrI:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=FHX92sP6Bk8:Nz9MpnTyqrI:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/FHX92sP6Bk8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133936
title: London Has Fallen Copyright Trolls Test Norway After US Retreat
uri: London-Has-Fallen-Copyright-Trolls-Test-Norway-After-US-Retreat
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/cMadT3LdYxY/
content:
<p><img src="media/efd05bc4.trollsign.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/trollsign.jpg" width="250" height="167" alt="" class="alignright size-large">While the overall volume of lawsuits continues to fall, copyright trolling is still a live and viable business model in the United States. However, things don&#8217;t always go smoothly.</p>
<p>After demanding payments from alleged pirates for some time, last November it was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/copyright-troll-backs-down-when-faced-with-exposure-161109/">reported</a> that LHF Productions, the company behind the action movie London Has Fallen, was having difficulty with a spirited defendant in one of its cases.</p>
<p>In communications with LHF&#8217;s legal team, James Collins and his lawyer J. Christopher Lynch systematically took apart LHF&#8217;s claims, threatening to expose their foreign representatives, the notorious Guardaley, MaverickEye and Crystal Bay organizations, and their &#8220;fictitious witnesses.&#8221;</p>
<p>But just as LHF Productions were dismissing that case, new opportunities were opening up thousands of miles away. According to reports coming out of Norway this week, letters are now being sent out to locals accusing them of downloading London Has Fallen using Popcorn Time and other BitTorrent-based systems.</p>
<p>In common with similar claims elsewhere, the law firm involved (Denmark-based <a href="http://njordlaw.com">Njord Law</a>) is demanding a cash payment to make a supposed lawsuit go away.</p>
<p>A copy of the letter obtained by Tek.no <a href="media/ba79e477.Advokatbrev.jpg" data-original-source="http://img.gfx.no/1957/1957681/Advokatbrev.jpg">reveals</a> that 2,700 NOK (around US$320) can make the case disappear. Failure to comply, on the other hand, could result in a court case and damages of around $12,000, the company warns.</p>
<p>Like the UK, where the Citizens Advice Bureau has taken an interest in the activities of copyright trolls, in Norway The Consumer Council (Forbrukerrådet) has also been commenting this week.</p>
<p>&#8220;This is a very funny way of working, we think. An IP address is not an indicator that can be used to determine that someone has done something illegal. At least not the specific person &#8211; so this would not hold up in court,&#8221; their technical director <a href="http://www.tek.no/artikler/norske-pirater-far-trusselbrev-fra-dansk-advokatfirma/367784">explained</a>.</p>
<p>&#8220;First, we wondered if this was to do with fraud, then if the letters were part of a campaign by licensees to inform users that it is illegal to download movies,&#8221; he added.</p>
<p>While that was obviously not the case, even the local organization representing the rights of the major US movie studios was quick to distance itself from the activities of the trolls. Willy Johansen, chairman of Norwegian organization Rights Alliance, said the demands have nothing to do with them and his group had already refused to work with the law firm.</p>
<p>&#8220;Njord says they represent producer companies directly in the United States. We have told them clearly that in Norway we do not want to go against consumers in this way,&#8221; Johansen <a href="http://m.side3.no/teknologi/piratjegerne-i-norge---vi-har-ikke-noe-med-dette-a-gjre/3423303447.html">said</a>.</p>
<p>So what should recipients of these letters do? According to the Consumer Council, the answer is to dispute the claim. Torgeir Waterhouse of Internet interest group ICT Norway suggests going a step further.</p>
<p>&#8220;They claim to have a case, but they have not &#8211; at best they have identified the correct broadband subscription at the time the movie was downloaded. I strongly recommend that everyone who receives this letter does not pay,&#8221; he told Side3.no.</p>
<p>&#8220;We want the Norwegian Data Protection Authority to look at this. One thing is the collection of information, but another thing is that we know nothing about the processing of the information and if it can be presented as evidence in a trial.&#8221;</p>
<p>While it is clearly scary for people to receive these kinds of letters, it is only because recipients cave in and pay that the business model keeps rolling. Whether in the US, Europe, or elsewhere, trolls like Guardaley will continue until the money dries up &#8211; or someone in authority stops them.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=cMadT3LdYxY:dU4ZU0LkTM8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=cMadT3LdYxY:dU4ZU0LkTM8:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=cMadT3LdYxY:dU4ZU0LkTM8:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/cMadT3LdYxY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=134066
title: Steal This Show S02E09: The Information Apocalypse
uri: Steal-This-Show-S02E09-The-Information-Apocalypse
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/ShhDW9ty7-A/
content:
<p><strong><sup><em>If you enjoy this episode, consider becoming a patron and getting involved with the show. <a href="https://patreon.com/user?u=4275705">Check out Steal This Show&#8217;s Patreon campaign</a>: support us and get all kinds of&nbsp;fantastic benefits!</em></sup></strong></p>
<p><img src="media/d01749d9.stslogo180.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/stslogo180.png" alt="stslogo180" width="180" height="180" class="alignright size-full wp-image-113928">This episode features <a href="https://lbry.io/" target="_blank">LBRY</a>&#8216;s founder and CEO, Jeremy Kauffman. Jeremy introduces us to the soon-to-be-launched, blockchain-based, P2P content platform LBRY, and discusses the excitements, challenges and potential threats to liberty of running a completely decentralized, out-of-control platform.<br>
<P></p>
<p>We take on a variety of topics: upstart &#8216;shitcoins&#8217; and their similarities to currencies in the US before the Federal Reserve; whether the era of &#8220;too much information&#8221; is causing social instability &#8211; and if we need to rethink starting projects like LBRY as a consequence; the libertarian idea of &#8216;free anarchy zones&#8217; and Jamie&#8217;s idea for a Robot Slave Party; and whether Julian Assange&#8217;s problems are mostly a result of Wikileaks&#8217; centralized information infrastructure. </p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p><a href="https://stealthisshow.com">Steal This Show</a> aims to release bi-weekly episodes featuring insiders discussing copyright and file-sharing news. It complements our regular reporting by adding more room for opinion, commentary, and analysis. </p>
<p>The guests for our news discussions will vary, and we&#8217;ll aim to introduce voices from different backgrounds and persuasions. In addition to news, STS will also produce features interviewing some of the great innovators and minds. </p>
<p><strong>Host:</strong> Jamie King</p>
<p><strong>Guest:</strong> Jeremy Kauffman</p>
<p><center><iframe width="100%" height="180px" src="//stealthisshow.com/?lpe-frame=1&#038;lpe-season=2&#038;lpe-episode=09" frameborder="0"></iframe></center></p>
<p><strong>Produced </strong> <em>by </em>Jamie King<br>
<strong>Edited &#038; Mixed</strong> <em>by</em> Riley Byrne<br>
<strong>Original Music</strong> <em>by</em> David Triana<br>
<strong>Web Production</strong> <em>by</em> Siraje Amarniss</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ShhDW9ty7-A:USp4yw8-aTM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ShhDW9ty7-A:USp4yw8-aTM:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=ShhDW9ty7-A:USp4yw8-aTM:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/ShhDW9ty7-A" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133851
title: Megaupload 2.0 News Delayed By ‘Expected’ Roadblock
uri: Megaupload-2-0-News-Delayed-By-Expected-Roadblock
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/D6KLJ8IFPE8/
content:
<p><img src="media/b2f1e8b5.megaupload-mu2.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/megaupload-mu2.jpg" alt="megaupload-mu2" width="250" height="176" class="alignright size-full wp-image-129746">January 2012, New Zealand Police carried out the largest action ever against individuals accused of copyright infringement.</p>
<p><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/megaupload-shut-down-120119/">The raid</a> on Kim Dotcom’s Coatesville mansion was carried out on behalf of United States authorities, who are still trying to extradite him and several of his former colleagues.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Dotcom hasn&#8217;t been sitting still. Today, exactly five years after the raid on his house and the destruction of the original Megaupload, the entrepreneur planned to announce fresh details on a new and improved version, Megaupload 2.0. </p>
<p>Dotcom, who is not officially part of the venture but acts as its chief “evangelist,” informed us a few months ago that the launch was delayed but that more information would come out today.</p>
<p>“It is unlikely that we can make a full January 20th launch happen. The fund-raising was delayed and the legal team needed more time for the new setup. But we will reveal more details about Megaupload 2 and Bitcache on that special day,” Dotcom <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/megaupload-2-0-will-outsource-file-hosting-and-prevent-takedown-abuse-161025/">said at the time</a>.</p>
<p>Those who followed Dotcom&#8217;s Twitter updates were indeed promised some &#8220;big news,&#8221; but at the end of the day things turned out quite differently. The announcement had to be delayed due to an &#8220;expected&#8221; roadblock.</p>
<p>&#8220;Sorry but there has been an expected hiccup. Will tell you all about it later today. Let this play out and give me some time to update you,&#8221; Dotcom <a href="https://twitter.com/KimDotcom/status/822147849068515329">noted</a>.</p>
<p>No further details on the exact reason for the delay were provided, but the Megaupload 2.0 team is actively working on a solution. This may take a few days, according to a message posted by Dotcom a few hours ago.</p>
<p><center><strong>Operation Destroy roadblock</strong><br></br></center><center><img src="media/b1e905d6.roadblock.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/roadblock.jpg" alt="roadblock" width="597" height="415" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-134011"></center></p>
<p>This appears to be the first bump in the road after Megaupload 2.0 was first mentioned last summer. Prospective users who are eager for more details have to be patient for a little longer.</p>
<p>From what has been revealed thus far, Megaupload 2.0 and the associated Bitcache platform will allow people to share and store files, linking every file-transfer to a bitcoin transaction.</p>
<p>The bitcoin element is not the only part that&#8217;s new. Unlike the original Megaupload, the new incarnation isn’t going to store all files itself. Instead, it plans to use third-party providers such as Maidsafe and Storj.</p>
<p>This means that the new Megaupload will mostly act as a middleman between other file-storage platforms, adding a separate layer of encryption through Bitcache. </p>
<p>More information and perhaps some technical details are expected to follow in the near future.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=D6KLJ8IFPE8:LKDyVNGGixk:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=D6KLJ8IFPE8:LKDyVNGGixk:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=D6KLJ8IFPE8:LKDyVNGGixk:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/D6KLJ8IFPE8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133771
title: Netflix VPN Crackdown, A Year of Frustrations
uri: Netflix-VPN-Crackdown-A-Year-of-Frustrations
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/qvXcetjEBzo/
content:
<p><img src="media/b310fc7c.netflix-logo.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/netflix-logo.png" alt="netflix-logo" width="200" height="121" class="alignright size-full wp-image-69714">In an move to <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/why-netflix-vpn-pirates-shouldnt-terrify-hollywood-160116/">appease</a> Hollywood&#8217;s major studios, last year Netflix increased its efforts to <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/netflix-announces-crackdown-on-vpn-and-proxy-pirates-160114/">block customers</a> who circumvent geo-blockades. </p>
<p>As a result, it has become harder to use VPN services to access Netflix content from other countries. However, the measures also affect well-intentioned customers who merely use a VPN to protect their privacy.</p>
<p>This broad blocking policy has sparked <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/45000-people-ask-netflix-to-stop-vpn-crackdown-160511/">wide protests</a> and now that 12 months have passed, we take a closer look at where things stand today.</p>
<p>TorrentFreak spoke to several VPN providers who have to deal with the issue on a daily basis. Some are more open about it than others, but the overall consensus is that Netflix went a step too far by placing copyright protection above security.</p>
<p>&#8220;In my opinion, no one should have to sacrifice operational security for entertainment,&#8221; <a href="https://torguard.net/">Torguard</a>&#8216;s Ben Van Pelt tells TorrentFreak.</p>
<p>Private Internet Access (<a href="https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/">PIA</a>) sees the measures as a violation of pure Net Neutrality, noting the origin of traffic should be irrelevant. The Internet is a location by itself, they believe.</p>
<p>&#8220;It is an odd time when one can pay for a service and not be provided said service when not in the &#8216;correct physical&#8217; geographical location. The Internet is its own jurisdiction,&#8221; PIA&#8217;s Caleb Chen says.</p>
<p>It is still unclear how Netflix&#8217;s IP-blacklisting works. A few providers have noticed that some of their IP-ranges were already banned before they were active, suggesting that Netflix automatically flags IPs from certain organizations. </p>
<p>Also, there&#8217;s a strong suspicion that the streaming service keeps track of how many logins there are from a given IP-address. When this hits a threshold, the address is then supposedly added to the blacklist as well. </p>
<p>The question on many people&#8217;s minds is; how effective are Netflix&#8217;s measures? According to the providers we spoke with, a lot of their shared IP-addresses were blacklisted quickly.</p>
<p>But, when something&#8217;s censored on the Internet, people generally try to find ways around it. This is also true for the Netflix VPN block. The Internet is littered with circumvention tips and tricks and some VPN providers are actively advertising that their service still works. </p>
<p>In reality, however, no VPN provider can guarantee that their service works 100% of the time. In most cases, new IP-addresses are swiftly blocked causing a lot of frustration among users. </p>
<p>&#8220;The fact that we have to play this game at all is incredibly frustrating. Lots of people sign up because they hear from a friend that LiquidVPN still works and then they cancel because they can’t get it working without asking for help,&#8221; Dave Cox from <a href="https://www.liquidvpn.com/">LiquidVPN</a> tells us.</p>
<p>In terms of &#8220;help,&#8221; providers take a different approach as well. Some VPNs are taking a hands-off approach, but there are some that are willing to find solutions, often behind the scenes. </p>
<p>TorGuard has noticed that if users switch to a dedicated IP-address, which isn&#8217;t shared with others, Netflix works just fine. As a result, demand for these plans has increased quite a bit.</p>
<p>&#8220;We greatly expanded our Dedicated VPN IP pool and now offer Dedicated IP options in over 55 countries worldwide. This has proven to work flawlessly for users who wish to bypass VPN blockades with geo-restricted streaming services,&#8221; Torguard&#8217;s Ben Van Pelt says.</p>
<p>LiquidVPN informed us that bypassing the Netflix blocks on devices like phones, smart TVs, and streaming boxes requires technical know-how and is not for everyone. However, they are willing to offer assistance to people who want to access Netflix&#8217;s US catalog from a VPN.</p>
<p>Private Internet Access doesn&#8217;t offer any specific help but notes that they regularly add new IP-addresses. Although geo-unblocking is not a specific aim, they will do their best to ensure that users have access to an uncensored and unfiltered Internet.</p>
<p>&#8220;Private Internet Access will be introducing tens of thousands of fresh IP-addresses into rotation. Additionally, we are working on additional and aggressive new methods to ensure our clients receive a full, uncensored and net neutral Internet experience,&#8221; PIA&#8217;s Caleb Chen notes. </p>
<p>Then there are also providers who are not really interested in joining the blacklist whack-a-mole. <a href="https://www.mullvad.net/">Mullvad</a>, for example, doesn&#8217;t support Netflix&#8217;s goals but doesn&#8217;t plan to actively counter them.</p>
<p>&#8220;Netflix and their suppliers are being silly and are stuck in a laughably outdated geographic distribution model. Geoblocking is not one of our main areas though, so if they want to go out of their way to drive away their own customers, we&#8217;ll let them,&#8221; Mullvad&#8217;s Daniel Berntsson says.</p>
<p>Lastly, there&#8217;s the Fight Club treatment <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/">ExpressVPN</a> adheres to, avoiding public discussions on the topics wherever possible.</p>
<p>&#8220;To draw on the famous quote from the movie Fight Club, the first rule of Netflix is: do not talk about Netflix,&#8221; says David Lang, ExpressVPN&#8217;s Communications Manager.</p>
<p>While it&#8217;s impossible to draw any uniform conclusions, our general sense is that Netflix succeeded at making it very hard for casual VPN users to bypass geo-blockades. </p>
<p>Those who put some effort into it can probably find a way to access foreign Netflix catalogs, but even then it remains unclear how long these circumvention options will hold.</p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p><em>Disclaimer: PIA and ExpressVPN are TorrentFreak sponsors. </em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=qvXcetjEBzo:415EaYhE-IE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=qvXcetjEBzo:415EaYhE-IE:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=qvXcetjEBzo:415EaYhE-IE:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/qvXcetjEBzo" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133972
title: UK Police Threats Fail to ‘Impress’ Pirate Site Operator
uri: UK-Police-Threats-Fail-to-Impress-Pirate-Site-Operator
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/ssRjKThgcds/
content:
<p><img src="media/7d486e43.city-pipcu.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/city-pipcu.png" alt="city-pipcu" width="270" height="113" class="alignright size-full wp-image-133985">For most police departments, online piracy has no priority, but in recent years City of London Police have made copyright infringement one of their main targets.</p>
<p>In September 2013, the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (<a href="https://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/advice-and-support/fraud-and-economic-crime/pipcu/Pages/default.aspx">PIPCU</a>) was founded, marking the start of a broad enforcement campaign to decrease traffic to online pirate sites.</p>
<p>To achieve this goal PIPCU has targeted hosting services, advertisers and payment processors, asking them to <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/advertisers-promise-boycott-pirate-sites-police-visit-170113/">cut ties</a> with allegedly infringing sites. In addition, police also sent out warning letters to pirate site owners directly, asking them to <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/uk-police-launch-campaign-to-shut-down-torrent-sites-130604/">go legit or shut down</a>. </p>
<p>In recent years, hundreds of sites have been approached. This week it appears that another batch of letters was sent out which, compared to earlier versions, are extended with added references to UK legislation and increased threats.</p>
<p>One of the websites that was targeted is DNJ.to (DailyNewJams), a music portal that allows users to stream and download a wide variety of tracks.</p>
<p>In their letter, PIPCU accuses the site of facilitating copyright infringement. They state that the operator may be liable to prosecution for conspiracy to defraud, offences under the Fraud Act, the Copyright, Design &#038; Patents Act, as well as the Serious Crime Act.</p>
<p>&#8220;Should a conviction be brought for the above offences, UK courts may impose sentences of imprisonment and/or fines,&#8221; the letter reads, adding that &#8220;PIPCU has criminal and civil powers in UK law to seize money, belongings and any property in connection with these offences.&#8221;</p>
<p><center><strong>Part of PIPCU&#8217;s recent letter</strong><br></br></center><center><img src="media/2a29773e.pipcu2017.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/pipcu2017.png" alt="pipcu2017" width="553" height="389" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133980"></center></p>
<p>The new letter, which comes in the form of a flashy PDF, also references a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/eu-court-not-for-profit-hyperlinking-usually-not-infringement-160908/">recent ruling</a> from the European Court of Justice, which clarified that knowingly linking to infringing material for profit is against the law.</p>
<p>PIPCU suggests that DNJ.to is making copyright-infringing material available with a profit motive, and urges the site to stop doing so. If no action is taken in a few weeks, they may become subject to various enforcement efforts.</p>
<p>&#8220;If no contact is made before 3rd February 2017, then you and/or the DNJ.TO website may face further police action. This may include steps to disrupt revenue made from advertisements and/or payment services; alongside internet infrastructure disruption,&#8221; PIPCU writes. </p>
<p>TorrentFreak spoke to one of the people behind DNJ.to, who doesn&#8217;t appear to be impressed by the threatening language. Since the site has no direct ties with the UK, they plan to disregard the letter.</p>
<p>&#8220;They accuse us of breaking the UK Law but we have no relation to the UK nor do any of us live there. We don&#8217;t even try to actively drive UK traffic to the blog. In fact we completely don&#8217;t care about the UK,&#8221; DNJ.to&#8217;s operator says.</p>
<p>The various enforcement threats also fail to make an impact. While PIPCU had some success in convincing <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/advertisers-promise-boycott-pirate-sites-police-visit-170113/">advertising networks</a> to ban &#8216;pirate&#8217; sites, there are many lined up who are still eager to take the traffic. </p>
<p>Similarly, there are also plenty of webhosting providers who are more than happy to service these type of sites as long as they pay, despite the enforcement efforts from PIPCU and others.</p>
<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s not like they haven&#8217;t already been trying this for years. Is it working? Nope, its not. Did they ever take a look how many new advertising companies are opening every month? They would be happy if PIPCU would close some of the big [advertising networks].</p>
<p>&#8220;We get like five advertising offers a week from ad networks who beg us to join them. There are tons of hosting providers who absolutely don&#8217;t care about so-called &#8216;copyright infringement&#8217;,&#8221; DNJ.to&#8217;s operator adds.</p>
<p>Of course, this doesn&#8217;t mean that the letters are entirely useless. </p>
<p>It&#8217;s certainly possible that some smaller sites that will fold when facing PIPCU&#8217;s strong language. However, it&#8217;s clear that DNJ.to plans to keep its site running as usual. </p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p><em>A full copy of PIPCU&#8217;s letter is <a href="media/eaf3d41c.PIPCU2017letter.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/PIPCU2017letter.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="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ssRjKThgcds:tvA0jgF1Mw4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ssRjKThgcds:tvA0jgF1Mw4:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=ssRjKThgcds:tvA0jgF1Mw4:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/ssRjKThgcds" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133901
title: Powerful Copyright Alliance Mulls its Own Anti-Piracy Service
uri: Powerful-Copyright-Alliance-Mulls-its-Own-Anti-Piracy-Service
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/coh7ZOpvl2E/
content:
<p><a href="media/cf1a7590.copyrightalliance.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/copyrightalliance.jpg"><img src="media/8ef243a8.copyrightalliance.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/copyrightalliance.jpg" alt="copyrightalliance" width="278" height="152" class="alignright size-full wp-image-133930"></a>This week marked the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/internet-freedom-day-how-blackout-protests-killed-two-anti-piracy-bills-170118/">five year anniversary</a> of the SOPA/PIPA blackouts, an important occasion for free Internet advocates everywhere.</p>
<p>The event was less well-received by those on the &#8216;losing&#8217; side, with copyright advocate David Newhoff <a href="http://illusionofmore.com/12-things-still-do-if-sopa-had-passed/">describing</a> the anti-SOPA campaign as &#8220;one of the most effective fake news stories of all time.&#8221;</p>
<p>Newhoff is one of the many thousands of members that make up the powerful and growing Copyright Alliance. Formed in 2007 in direct opposition to the EFF, Public Knowledge and Consumer Electronics Association, this anti-piracy group claims to <a href="http://copyrightalliance.org/about/who-we-represent/">represent</a> the interests of more than 1.8 million creators and 13,000 organizations in the United States.</p>
<p>They include 350 record labels (RIAA), six movie studios (MPAA), two sports leagues including the NBA, not to mention 3,000 music publishers. It is an anti-piracy juggernaut that demands attention.</p>
<p>Interestingly, what happened after the SOPA protests is that rather than hearing fierce anti-piracy rhetoric directly from the likes of the MPAA and RIAA, one was more likely to hear it from Copyright Alliance members, Newhoff in particular.</p>
<p>In many respects, people like Newhoff have become a more common conduit for major copyright holder complaints. Meanwhile, the websites of the MPAA and RIAA have remained largely conflict-free, with the battle at least partially transferred to the Copyright Alliance.</p>
<p>This week the Alliance asked supporters to participate in a survey. The group provided little detail but with a title of &#8220;512 Study&#8221; it was clearly targeted at section 512 of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act which covers copyright takedown notices and service provider liability.</p>
<p>Reform of the DMCA is a hot topic but it appears that the Copyright Alliance expects copyright holders to be taking down content from the Internet for some time to come. Questions included:</p>
<p>&#8211; Have you ever monitored the internet for copyright infringement of your work?<br>
&#8211; Have you ever found infringing copies of your work online?<br>
&#8211; Which websites have you found infringing copies of your work on?<br>
&#8211; How do you monitor infringement of your work online?<br>
&#8211; How often do you monitor for infringement of your work online?<br>
&#8211; On average, how many hours weekly do you spend monitoring for infringement of your work online?</p>
<p>At this point in the survey, it became clear that the Copyright Alliance was guiding respondents towards the notion that the DMCA takedown process can be somewhat laborious, which indeed it may well be. With that in mind, it was no surprise when question 14 asked the following:</p>
<p><center><a href="media/4c87335a.alliance-dmca.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/alliance-dmca.png"><img src="media/2cc8a64d.alliance-dmca.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/alliance-dmca.png" alt="alliance-dmca" width="650" height="184" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-133928"></a></center></p>
<p>If the Copyright Alliance does create its own anti-piracy service, it will join dozens, perhaps hundreds of others, operating in the same space. Currently it&#8217;s a flourishing business but ironically, if the Copyright Alliance gets its way, takedowns could become less prevalent in the future.</p>
<p>The U.S. Government&#8217;s Copyright Office is in the middle of a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/u-s-copyright-office-undecided-about-future-of-dmca-takedowns-161114/">consultation</a> which seeks guidance on the future of the DMCA&#8217;s takedown process and safe harbor for service providers.</p>
<p>Groups like the Copyright Alliance want a &#8220;takedown, staydown&#8221; regime, to ensure that, once deleted, content doesn’t pop up elsewhere. Opponents believe such a mechanism would be impractical and could <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/takedown-staydown-would-be-a-disaster-internet-archive-warns-160607/">stifle free speech</a>.</p>
<p>Whatever the outcome, there will still be significant demand for a takedown service, should the Copyright Alliance choose to form one. And, with potentially close to a couple of million creators to represent, it could be very busy indeed.  </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=coh7ZOpvl2E:4y91zdTO7rY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=coh7ZOpvl2E:4y91zdTO7rY:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=coh7ZOpvl2E:4y91zdTO7rY:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/coh7ZOpvl2E" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133651
title: Piracy is Theft! Classic Anti-Piracy Ads From the ’90s
uri: Piracy-is-Theft-Classic-Anti-Piracy-Ads-From-the-90s
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/UT3L4mL-YfA/
content:
<p><img src="media/808849a4.piracytheft.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/piracytheft.png" alt="piracytheft" width="154" height="177" class="alignright size-full wp-image-133655">Every now and then it can be quite amusing to look back at some of the anti-piracy campaigns deployed by rightholders in the past. Especially, when contrasted with newer initiatives.</p>
<p>Last week we <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/uk-piracy-warnings-coming-month-heres-works-170111/">reported</a> on a new UK campaign where suspected pirates will get an &#8220;educational alert&#8221; in the mail if they are &#8216;caught&#8217; sharing infringing content using BitTorrent.</p>
<p>The initiative breaks with the more aggressive traditions of scaring pirates with high fines, and rewarding snitches who tell on them, although there are still some <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/bsa-pirates-busted-140322/">remnants</a> of this around.</p>
<p>How different was this in the early &#8217;90s when the (now defunct) European Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) ran a controversial series of ads, warning pirates of potential jail time.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/d7563170.piracywarn.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/piracywarn.jpg" alt="piracywarn" width="500" height="735" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133656"></center></p>
<p>In an attempt to connect with a predominantly young audience, ELSPA also promoted a series of cartoon PSAs in UK computer magazines.</p>
<p>These ads informed readers that &#8220;piracy is theft&#8221; and encouraged them to report suspicious behavior to the Federation Against Software Theft (<a href="http://www.fast.org/">FAST</a>). In return, the informants could look forward to a £1,000 reward. </p>
<p><center><img src="media/a00ef063.piratecartoon1.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/piratecartoon1.jpg" alt="piratecartoon1" width="500" height="667" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133657"></center></p>
<p>The cartoons showed teens how they could report suspicious software sellers at a local market, or even teachers who dare to allow students to make copies. </p>
<p><center><img src="media/62a60dc8.piratecartoon2.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/piratecartoon2.jpg" alt="piratecartoon2" width="500" height="667" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133664"></center></p>
<p>Or what about friends, who &#8216;gang up&#8217; on people so they can score a sizable reward? It was all possible, if the cartoons were to believed.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/55a2dc80.piratecartoon3.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/piratecartoon3.jpg" alt="piratecartoon3" width="500" height="667" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133662"></center></p>
<p>If ELSPA&#8217;s goal was to be noticed, the ads were definitely successful. Soon after the first ones were placed, angry parents started writing letters to computer magazines, including this one <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_Format">Commodore Format</a> <a href="https://commodoreformat.wordpress.com/fast-anti-software-piracy-ads/">received</a> in the early &#8217;90s.</p>
<p>&#8220;I would like to strongly object to the advert which appeared in your magazine,&#8221; a concerned parent wrote.</p>
<p>&#8220;It encourages young, vulnerable children to think that a phone call will lead to £1,000 very easily. It has caused a lot of ill feeling where I live between boys who were friends and then fell out, and thought this was a way to get back at one boy causing unnecessary upset to the families.&#8221;</p>
<p><center><img src="media/fcfd2f21.cf-elspa.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/cf-elspa.jpg" alt="cf-elspa" width="600" height="395" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133667"></center></p>
<p>ELSPA responded in the magazine and argued that these types of ads were needed to counter the growing threat of piracy. While the organization suggested that the cartoons were instrumental in lowering piracy rates, we now know that it certainly didn&#8217;t stop the copying.</p>
<p>Not even SIIA&#8217;s Don’t Copy that Floppy!, one of the all-time anti-piracy classics that turns 25 this year, could manage that.</p>
<p><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/up863eQKGUI?rel=0&amp;controls=0&amp;showinfo=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></p>
<p>In the years that followed many similar campaigns were launched, some more aggressive than others. And while the &#8220;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/piracy-is-theft-clean-and-simple-us-vice-president-says-100622/">piracy is theft</a>&#8221; mantra is still in circulation, the general sense is that a &#8216;scare approach&#8217; is not all that productive.</p>
<p>Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the latest UK anti-piracy effort relies more on carrots than sticks. Whether that will be successful has yet to be seen, but it&#8217;s certainly less &#8220;amusing.&#8221;</p>
<p><center><strong>You know who&#8230;</strong><br></br><img src="media/af55546e.youknowwho.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/youknowwho.jpg" alt="youknowwho" width="500" height="667" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133665"></center></p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p>The advertising images published here were <a href="http://worldofstuart.excellentcontent.com/antipiracy.htm">sourced from WoS</a>, where you can find some more examples. The Commodore Format scan is courtesy of the <a href="https://commodoreformat.wordpress.com/fast-anti-software-piracy-ads/">CF Archive</a>.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=UT3L4mL-YfA:RPdFkSS0IBg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=UT3L4mL-YfA:RPdFkSS0IBg:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=UT3L4mL-YfA:RPdFkSS0IBg:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/UT3L4mL-YfA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=133974
title: After ‘Pirate Shoplifting’ Stunt, Movie Director Speaks Out
uri: After-Pirate-Shoplifting-Stunt-Movie-Director-Speaks-Out
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/ZP-nsdNMouo/
content:
<p><a href="media/b29c9fee.tebo.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/tebo.jpg"><img src="media/259d251d.tebo.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/tebo.jpg" alt="tebo" width="270" height="255" class="alignright size-full wp-image-133905"></a>While Emmy-award winning director Casey Tebo is no stranger to movies, he&#8217;s only ever uploaded one video to YouTube. Unusually, it featured him committing a crime.</p>
<p>After discovering that pirate copies of his movie <a href="http://www.aerosmith.com/news?n_id=2344">Happy Birthday</a> (starring Aerosmith&#8217;s Steve Tyler) were being given away in a local store, Tebo decided to turn the tables.</p>
<p>Camera in hand, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/movie-director-steals-clam-chowder-to-avenge-illegal-downloads-170119/">he documented himself</a> stealing clam chowder ingredients from the same store. If they can steal from his industry, he can steal from them, he argued.</p>
<p>What most people didn&#8217;t know at the time is that the video was mostly a bit of fun. Many commenters on the YouTube video certainly didn&#8217;t notice, attacking Tebo with the kind of venom only YouTubers can.</p>
<p>&#8220;You look like a fucking asshole, you fucking asshole,&#8221; said one.</p>
<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s obvious. Never denied that!﻿&#8221; Tebo responded.</p>
<p>Throughout Thursday, Tebo fended off much of the same from several directions, even posting on Twitter that he&#8217;d received <a href="https://twitter.com/caseyshoots/status/822161694038360064">death threats</a>.</p>
<p>But despite the negative comments, not once did Tebo bite. In fact, <a href="https://twitter.com/RypeDub/status/823257309656727553">one person</a> who decided to provoke the director by posting links to downloads of his movie was won over by his charm and voluntarily took them down. They now follow each other on Twitter. Might he actually be this friendly in real life?</p>
<p>&#8220;One thing we could use in this modern day is people being nicer! I honestly don&#8217;t understand some of the hate and insults on the web, holy shit, my god people!!!&#8221; Tebo told TF.</p>
<p>Noting that he&#8217;d been called a &#8216;Rob Zombie Wanna Be&#8217; and even a &#8216;Duck Dynasty Asshole&#8217; this week, Tebo says he&#8217;s always wanted to make movies since he was really small.</p>
<p>&#8220;I took that same path, making movies with my video camera etc. Then worked my way up doing small music videos, then bigger music videos, then live events, then live tv. Then a <a href="https://vimeo.com/23654359">short film</a> (one that all the people on YouTube cursing me out now seem to love?) and eventually my first feature, Happy Birthday.&#8221;</p>
<p>So how does Tebo, who has directed for Aerosmith, Mötley Crüe, Judas Priest and Run DMC, end up in a grocery store on a piracy protest? Has he been that badly affected by the phenomenon?</p>
<p><center><a href="media/faf134a3.caseytebo.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/caseytebo.jpg"><img src="media/5fb9d2e2.caseytebo.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/caseytebo.jpg" alt="caseytebo" width="530" height="796" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-134046"></a></center></p>
<p>&#8220;I honestly can’t say it has affected me, a lot, yet. But I like to take risks, and I was quite angry at the time when I found out that a guy I knew was getting pirated copies of movies at work, that’s all. Adam [Tebo&#8217;s friend] came up with the idea and it was funny to me,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>&#8220;There are arguments for and against piracy, and I can totally see both sides, I really can, but it seems to be a generational split. My kids will NEVER know what it’s like to pay for music &#8211; but I will never let them download movies, we buy everything. It goes into the work and money spent making movies.&#8221;</p>
<p>While not endorsing piracy in any way, Tebo seems to draw a somewhat wavy line between the effect piracy has on big movies versus the effect on smaller independent productions. Nevertheless, not even he&#8217;s 100% sure.</p>
<p>&#8220;I think if a hundred million people go see Avengers, then does [piracy] hurt? No. Because those people pay for tickets. But a movie like mine, it’s $500,000 &#8211; we sold it for less than that. It doesn’t mean go and steal Avengers, or does it? I’m not sure.&#8221;</p>
<p>Casey is in his forties now, so probably quite a bit older than the average YouTube comment assassin. As a result, he can still remember the days when cassette tapes ruled the waves and, more recently, when the CD was king. These days, the former is all but dead and the latter is about to join it. Does holding something physical give content more value?</p>
<p>&#8220;I really think it’s a generational thing. We LOVED tapes and CDs. We loved the art, the liner notes, the photos. Kids today will NEVER know that. They just play it on YouTube, and the quality is terrible, so to them, they’re doing nothing wrong,&#8221; he explains.</p>
<p>&#8220;If you went to a town beach for your whole childhood, then suddenly some asshole bought it and wanted to charge, you’d be like &#8216;Fuck this guy!&#8217; &#8211; and so would I. Trust me, I get it. I really do.</p>
<p>&#8220;I guess my argument is, mine was a small film, and if the investors on an indie film lose money, guys who did it strictly for the passion, that kind of sucks for everyone involved. Once you see Transformers 5 make $400 million, if you’re okay with it, download it.&#8221;</p>
<p>The whole grocery store stunt began because people downloaded Tebo&#8217;s movie Happy Birthday for free. It&#8217;s available in a number of places, such as iTunes and Amazon, but there are issues.</p>
<p>When TF tried to buy a copy on Amazon, the US version of the site wouldn&#8217;t allow an overseas purchase. Equally, when we asked the US movie industry&#8217;s WhereToWatch site for advice, we got nothing. Same result for the UK industry&#8217;s FindAnyFilm site. Nothing on Netflix either, which is a shame since Tebo sees services like that as part of the solution.</p>
<p>&#8220;I think subscription-based is the way of the future. If Netflix has the best selection, why would you download stuff? Although, people probably like being a little naughty, you know? Like smoking a joint or doing a line of cocaine. This doesn’t mean you’re going to become Escobar &#8211; but, hey, have a little fun,&#8221; he says.</p>
<p>Grocery video aside, what pushed us to speak with Tebo was the way he handled his critics this week. Is he really this calm in real life when the haters let loose?</p>
<p>&#8220;There are homeless people, vets with missing limbs, Donald Trump is going to be our president when you post this. People have family members with cancer, etc. Life is fucking hard, it’s stressful &#8211; I honestly don’t understand that kind of hate, I really don’t,&#8221; he says.</p>
<p>&#8220;People calling me an asshole, haha, okay. I worked my ass off for five years getting coffee and stuff in the music industry, and in 2015 I won an Emmy Award, call me an asshole all you want. I read bed time stories to my kids, I hold the door for people.</p>
<p>&#8220;What I’ve experienced in real life, is that you think you hate someone, then you have a few drinks and dinner, and you&#8217;re laughing about how much you thought you hated them. Everyone has something negative to say. Take all that time, and go down to the homeless shelter and help out, put some things in perspective. The world is scary, but it&#8217;s amazing as well.&#8221;</p>
<p>And that was the end of our interview &#8211; or so we thought.</p>
<p>On Friday, after carrying out our interview and writing all of the above, we contacted Tebo again, with a request for some photographs for the piece, which he sent through. However, he also had a confession to make.</p>
<p>&#8220;I have to be completely honest about something as it kept me up last night &#8211; as you guys are so nice. The whole video was a prank. The &#8216;manager&#8217; was an actor friend &#8211; and I would never ever steal anything. Who makes a point on stealing by stealing??!?!?&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>&#8220;My intention was always and only to get both sides of the piracy argument talking and it worked! For better or worse. And to get people talking about my movie. Whatever indie filmmakers can do to promote their movies.  With piracy there are great arguments on both sides. And maybe I can help both sides better understand each other.&#8221;</p>
<p>From here, we understand that Tebo has another video up his sleeve that will appear in the coming days. While the route was unconventional, his opinions are still valid, and he&#8217;s certainly got people talking about piracy. And that can&#8217;t be a bad thing.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ZP-nsdNMouo:bfbaoCO3IqI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ZP-nsdNMouo:bfbaoCO3IqI:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=ZP-nsdNMouo:bfbaoCO3IqI:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/ZP-nsdNMouo" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=134082
title: ‘Star Trek’ Fan Film Settles Copyright Battle with Movie Studios
uri: Star-Trek-Fan-Film-Settles-Copyright-Battle-with-Movie-Studios
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/2YsmGBi8i6Y/
content:
<p><img src="media/19ce6742.klingon.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/klingon.jpg" alt="klingon" width="250" height="137" class="alignright size-full wp-image-120085">Last year Paramount Pictures and CBS Studios <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/movie-studios-sue-fan-funded-star-trek-spin-off-151231/">launched a legal battle</a> against the makers of a Star Trek inspired fan film, accusing them of copyright infringement.</p>
<p>The case, which revolved around the well-received short film <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prelude_to_Axanar">Star Trek: Prelude to Axanar</a> and the planned follow-up feature film Axanar, put the future of the crowdfunded project at risk. </p>
<p>In the original complaint, the rightsholders claimed ownership over various Star Trek related settings, characters, species, clothing, colors, shapes, words, short phrases and even the Klingon language.</p>
<p>In a pre-trial order earlier this month the court decided that the fan-film is <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/court-fan-funded-star-trek-film-is-not-fair-use-170105/">not entitled to a fair use defense</a>. In addition, it found that there is an objective substantial similarity between the fan-film and the original Star Trek works.</p>
<p>This meant that Axanar was about to head into trial with a significant disadvantage, but in the end it didn&#8217;t come to that. Instead, both parties agreed to a settlement while asking the court to dismissed the case.</p>
<p>&#8220;Paramount Pictures Corporation, CBS Studios Inc., Axanar Productions, Inc. and Alec Peters are pleased to announce that the litigation regarding Axanar’s film Prelude to Axanar and its proposed film Axanar has been resolved,&#8221; reads a joint statement, published by <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/cbs-paramount-settle-lawsuit-star-trek-fan-film-966433">HWR</a>. </p>
<p>With a settlement, the Axanar team avoids having to pay a high amount in damages if they had lost. However, it also means that the planned film for which it raised over a million dollars through crowdfunding, will look substantially different. </p>
<p>Although most of the settlement terms remain confidential, it is clear that the film&#8217;s length will be significantly shorter. Instead of a planned 100-minute feature, Axanar will be reduced to two fifteen minute segments. </p>
<p>&#8220;Terms of the settlement agreement include an agreement to allow Axanar Productions to continue showing Prelude to Axanar commercial-free on YouTube and to allow Axanar Productions to produce the Axanar feature film as two fifteen-minute segments that can be distributed on YouTube,&#8221; Axanar announced.</p>
<p>While the films are allowed to appear on YouTube, they can&#8217;t be monetized through ads. Also, several copyrighted elements will be removed from the original script to satisfy the movie studios. One of the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/klingon-language-copyright-battle-ends-for-now-170113/">hot irons</a> was the use of Klingon language, but it&#8217;s unclear whether that is still permitted. </p>
<p>Many fans who backed the project financially are disappointed with the outcome, but in comments on social media the filmmakers are clear that they really had no other viable option. </p>
<p><center><img src="media/10a4c319.commentsaxan.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/commentsaxan.png" alt="commentsaxan" width="469" height="155" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-134089"></center></p>
<p>&#8220;And your solution is? Maybe you haven&#8217;t been following the multi-million $ lawsuit that we have been going through the past 13 months,&#8221; Axanar commented after someone suggested they had caved-in to the movie studios&#8217; restrictive demands.</p>
<p>In response to the lawsuit, Paramount and CBS <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/tv/news/paramount-cbs-establish-star-trek-fan-film-guidelines-20160624">issued</a> a set of fan film guidelines last summer, hoping to avoid similar legal battles in the future. While this comes too late for director Alec Peter and his crew, they are glad that their project can continue in an edited form.</p>
<p>&#8220;Axanar Productions was created by lifelong Star Trek fans to celebrate their love for Star Trek. Alec Peters and the Axanar team look forward to continuing to share the Axanar story and are happy to work within the Guidelines for Fan Films for future projects.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Live Long and Prosper,&#8221; the Axanar team concludes.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=2YsmGBi8i6Y:a2n_eMToTVs:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=2YsmGBi8i6Y:a2n_eMToTVs:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=2YsmGBi8i6Y:a2n_eMToTVs:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/2YsmGBi8i6Y" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=134072
title: Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week – 01/23/17
uri: Top-10-Most-Pirated-Movies-of-The-Week-01-23-17
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/ozpgS9Aeaw4/
content:
<p><img src="media/82043bb4.jack-reacher-torrent-download-stats.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/jack-reacher-torrent-download-stats.jpg" alt="jack-reacher-torrent-download-stats" width="300" height="164" class="alignright size-full wp-image-130126">This week we have two newcomers in our chart. </p>
<p>Jack Reacher: Never Go Back 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 weekly movie download chart.</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="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-pirated-movies-week-011617/">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="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3393786">Jack Reacher: Never Go Back</a> </td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3393786">6.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRwrdbcAh2s">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>2</strong></td>
<td>(5)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543164/">Arrival</a> (DVDscr)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543164/">8.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFMo3UJ4B4g">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>3</strong></td>
<td>(7)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3783958/">La La Land</a> (DVDscr)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3783958/">8.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pdqf4P9MB8">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>4</strong></td>
<td>(8)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3183660/">Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them</a> (Subbed HDRip)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3183660/">7.1</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vso5o11LuGU">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td>(1)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3631112/">The Girl on The Train</a> </td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3631112/">6.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkoEE1i0CX8">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3416532/">A Monster Calls</a> (DVDscr)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3416532/">7.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2Xbo-irtBA">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td>(2)</td>
<td><a href="http://torrentfreak.com/accountant-torrent-downloads/">The Accountant</a> </td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2140479/">7.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBfsgcswlYQ">trailer</a></td>
<tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td>(3)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4572514/">Patriots Day</a> (DVDscr)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4572514/">7.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJXqh2rDehg">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>9</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2119532/">Hacksaw Ridge</a> (DVDscr)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2119532/">8.5</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2-1hz1juBI">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>10</strong></td>
<td>(6)</td>
<td><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/doctor-strange-torrent-downloads/">Doctor Strange</a> (HDTS)</td>
<td><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1211837">8.0</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSzx-zryEgM">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="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ozpgS9Aeaw4:F8AbEobHC-w:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ozpgS9Aeaw4:F8AbEobHC-w:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=ozpgS9Aeaw4:F8AbEobHC-w:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/ozpgS9Aeaw4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=134107
title: French Police Shut Down Pirate Streaming Site, Arrest Operator
uri: French-Police-Shut-Down-Pirate-Streaming-Site-Arrest-Operator
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/34hLLAZYd5g/
content:
<p><img src="media/468f0769.streamingkey.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/streamingkey.jpg" alt="streamingkey" width="250" height="167" class="alignright size-full wp-image-125426">Working in tandem with copyright holders, French authorities are cracking down hard on various pirate sites. </p>
<p>They have managed to shut down several prominent players in recent months, including the private music tracker <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/what-cd-shuts-down-following-reported-raids-in-france-161117/">What.cd</a> and France&#8217;s largest pirate site, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/police-shut-down-frances-largest-pirate-site161129/">Zone-Telechargement.com</a>.</p>
<p>Last week, police targeted another significant player, the popular streaming portal <a href="http://films-regarder.co/">Films-regarder.co</a>. Founded in 2013, the site accumulated an estimated one million unique visitors per month, mostly French.</p>
<p>The site was a thorn in the side of the local Association Against Audiovisual Piracy (ALPA) who reported the site to law enforcement. This prompted the desired effect, as the website&#8217;s administrator was arrested by the police last week and at the same time, the site went dark.</p>
<p>According to ALPA, the man admitted being the sole operator of the site through which he generated a significant amount of revenue over the past one-and-a-half years.</p>
<p>&#8220;The administrator of Films-regarder.co acknowledged that he had acted alone in the administration of the site and admitted having received about 200,000 euros during the last 18 months. Money from foreign advertising agencies was cashed on foreign accounts,&#8221; ALPA informs TorrentFreak. </p>
<p><center><strong>Films-regarder</strong><br></br></center><center><img src="media/c78c6a08.regarder.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/regarder.png" alt="regarder" width="524" height="403" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-134112"></center></p>
<p>ALPA is pleased with the shutdown and arrest. According to the movie industry group, Films-regarder.co caused its members substantial financial harm. </p>
<p>&#8220;The damage to the beneficiaries could amount to more than 30 million euros,&#8221; the group says.</p>
<p>The operator went before the Public Prosecutor last Friday, who decided to open a full investigation. Meanwhile, the defendant remains under judicial supervision facing a potential jail sentence of three years as well as 300,000 euros in fines.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=34hLLAZYd5g:beL5RmU4Tmo:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=34hLLAZYd5g:beL5RmU4Tmo:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=34hLLAZYd5g:beL5RmU4Tmo:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/34hLLAZYd5g" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=134079
title: China Bans Unauthorized VPN Services in Internet Crackdown
uri: China-Bans-Unauthorized-VPN-Services-in-Internet-Crackdown
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/iQmVR0mWK5w/
content:
<p><a href="media/0702e6e5.blocked-censor.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/blocked-censor.jpg"><img src="media/2759597c.blocked-censor.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/blocked-censor.jpg" alt="blocked-censor" width="250" height="170" class="alignright size-full wp-image-124850"></a>While the Internet is considered by many to be the greatest invention of modern time, to others it presents a disruptive influence that needs to be controlled.</p>
<p>Among developed nations nowhere is this more obvious than in China, where the government seeks to limit what citizens can experience online. Using technology such as filters and an army of personnel, people are routinely barred from visiting certain websites and engaging in activity deemed as undermining the state.</p>
<p>Of course, a cat-and-mouse game is continuously underway, with citizens regularly trying to punch through the country&#8217;s so-called &#8216;Great Firewall&#8217; using various techniques, services, and encryption technologies. Now, however, even that is under threat.</p>
<p>In an announcement yesterday from China&#8217;s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the government explained that due to Internet technologies and services expanding in a &#8220;disorderly&#8221; fashion, regulation is needed to restore order.</p>
<p>&#8220;In recent years, as advances in information technology networks, cloud computing, big data and other applications have flourished, China&#8217;s Internet network access services market is facing many development opportunities. However, signs of disorderly development show the urgent need for regulation norms,&#8221; MIIT said.</p>
<p>In order to &#8220;standardize&#8221; the market and &#8220;strengthen network information security management,&#8221; the government says it is embarking on a &#8220;nationwide Internet network access services clean-up.&#8221; It will begin immediately and continue until March 31, 2018, with several aims.</p>
<p>All Internet services such as data centers, ISPs, CDNs and much-valued censorship-busting VPNs, will need to have pre-approval from the government to operate. Operating such a service without a corresponding telecommunications business license will constitute an offense.</p>
<p>&#8220;Internet data centers, ISP and CDN enterprises shall not privately build communication transmission facilities, and shall not use the network infrastructure and IP addresses, bandwidth and other network access resources&#8230;without the corresponding telecommunications business license,&#8221; the notice reads.</p>
<p>It will also be an offense to possess a business license but then operate outside its scope, such as by exceeding its regional boundaries or by operating other Internet services not permitted by the license. Internet entities are also forbidden to sub-lease to other unlicensed entities.</p>
<p>In the notice, VPNs and similar technologies have a section all to themselves and are framed as &#8220;cross-border issues.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Without the approval of the telecommunications administrations, entities can not create their own or leased line (including a Virtual Private Network) and other channels to carry out cross-border business activities,&#8221; it reads.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.miit.gov.cn/n1146295/n1652858/n1652930/n3757020/c5471946/content.html">notice</a>, published yesterday, renders most VPN providers in China illegal, SCMP reports.</p>
<p>Only time will tell what effect the ban will have in the real world, but in the short-term there is bound to be some disruption as entities seek to license their services or scurry away underground.</p>
<p>As always, however, the Internet will perceive censorship as damage, and it&#8217;s inevitable that the most determined of netizens will find a way to access content outside China (such as Google, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter), no matter how strict the rules.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=iQmVR0mWK5w:JHwjzpNysiM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=iQmVR0mWK5w:JHwjzpNysiM:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=iQmVR0mWK5w:JHwjzpNysiM:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/iQmVR0mWK5w" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=134131
title: The Pirate Bay Suffers Downtime, Tor Domain is Up
uri: The-Pirate-Bay-Suffers-Downtime-Tor-Domain-is-Up
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/49ecnYW3qbo/
content:
<p><img src="media/2a43984f.pirate-bay.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/pirate-bay.jpg" alt="pirate bay" width="200" height="207" class="alignright size-full wp-image-53470">The Pirate Bay has been unreachable for more than half a day now.</p>
<p>The site currently displays a CloudFlare error message across the entire site, and many proxies are affected by the downtime as well. </p>
<p>TorrentFreak reached out to the TPB team who are aware of the issues. They informed the responsible people and hope to have the site back online soonish.</p>
<p>No further details are available to us and there is no ETA for the site&#8217;s return either. However, judging from past experience, it&#8217;s likely a small technical issue that needs fixing.</p>
<p><center><img src="media/1778e5d4.cloud522.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/cloud522.jpg" alt="cloud522" width="600" height="400" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-134135"></center></p>
<p>There&#8217;s also some good news for those who desperately need to access the notorious torrent site. </p>
<p>TPB is still accessible via its <a href="http://uj3wazyk5u4hnvtk.onion/recent">.onion</a> address via the Tor network, via the popular Tor Browser for example. The Tor traffic goes through a separate server and works just fine.</p>
<p>Others will have to be patient, but seasoned TPB probably know the drill by now&#8230;</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=49ecnYW3qbo:TfjYg65kMVI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=49ecnYW3qbo:TfjYg65kMVI:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=49ecnYW3qbo:TfjYg65kMVI:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/49ecnYW3qbo" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=134129
title: President Trump Told That Strong Copyright Laws Are in His Interest
uri: President-Trump-Told-That-Strong-Copyright-Laws-Are-in-His-Interest
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/O96LVB9TeEw/
content:
<p><a href="media/ad2d3321.trumpd.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/trumpd.png"><img src="media/295ce35c.trumpd.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/trumpd.png" alt="trumpd" width="275" height="193" class="alignright size-full wp-image-127311"></a>On Friday January 20, Donald J. Trump was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States after one of the most controversial election campaigns of modern times.</p>
<p>For those who watched the historic inauguration, the message from the new president was clear. </p>
<p>From now on and even at the expense of outsiders, America will come first. Time and time again the president reiterated that the power would be put back into the hands of the people to &#8220;Make America Great Again.&#8221;</p>
<p>With vows to boost America&#8217;s economy by supporting local businesses ringing loud, President Trump has now received a letter from a powerful group hoping that their interests will receive a boost from his incoming policies.</p>
<p>The Copyright Alliance, which claims to represent 1.8 million creators and 13,000 pro-copyright organizations in the United States, begin by reminding the President that they&#8217;re already on the very same page.</p>
<p>&#8220;Throughout the long history of our country, few, if any, Presidents have had a more sizable and diverse copyright portfolio than you,&#8221; CEO Keith Kupferschmid writes.</p>
<p>&#8220;Your experiences as a businessman have afforded you insights into the value and importance of copyright and how copyright protections help drive the U.S. economy and create millions of well-paying jobs and small businesses.&#8221;</p>
<p>With the RIAA, MPAA and 3,000 music publishers as members, the Copyright Alliance believes that its sheer horsepower should be enough to grab the President&#8217;s attention, particularly alongside reminders that in 2015 the copyright industries&#8217; 5.5 million workers added $1.2 trillion to the US GDP.</p>
<p>&#8220;The growth within core copyright industries far surpasses the average growth rate for other industries; in fact, between 2012 and 2015, those industries grew at a rate of more than 127% greater than the remainder of the economy,&#8221; Kupferschmid notes.</p>
<p>But this huge contribution to the economy doesn&#8217;t exist in a vacuum, the Alliance adds. It only works thanks to a strong copyright system that rewards creativity and discourages piracy, which in turn is good for the economy and indeed, President Trump himself.</p>
<p>&#8220;You, as an author and holder of numerous copyrighted works, know first-hand that creators rely on copyright law for their livelihood and careers, and they are harmed when the system fails to adequately protect their valuable creations in the United States and abroad,&#8221; Kupferschmid adds.</p>
<p>Noting that piracy in the Internet age has an adverse effect on U.S companies and the economy as a whole, the Copyright Alliance says that stronger copyright law boosts culture and as a result supports Trump&#8217;s mission to &#8216;Make America Great Again.&#8217; </p>
<p>&#8220;We need to enhance the protections afforded to the creative communities, not dilute them. We hope you will support a strong and vibrant copyright system in the United States that protects copyright holders from online theft and ensures that creators share in the massive profits being made by internet platforms from these copyrighted works,&#8221; the Alliance concludes.</p>
<p>While the Copyright Alliance certainly expects action against mainly overseas &#8216;pirate&#8217; sites, the use of the word &#8220;share&#8221; in the above paragraph suggests companies a little closer to home. Google&#8217;s YouTube, for example, that stands accused by the music industry of &#8220;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/youtube-games-copyright-law-to-avoid-license-fees-ifpi-says-150801/">gaming</a>&#8221; the safe harbor provisions of the DMCA.</p>
<p>When compared to the outgoing Democrats, Hollywood in particular has a <a href="http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/donald-trump-hollywood-barack-obama-214654">less than great relationship</a> with President Trump. Nevertheless, Trump will be acutely aware of the contributions made by the creative industries as a whole and how largely overseas websites have some capacity to undermine that.</p>
<p>Only time will tell how America&#8217;s new President will respond, but keeping in mind his promise to always put the United States first, the next <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/us-government-targets-pirate-bay-and-other-piracy-havens-161221/">report from the USTR</a> has the potential to be quite a read. Will it maintain the status quo? Or will it serve as a shot across the bows of countries who dare to undermine the US economy? Stay tuned.</p>
<p>The full letter is available here (<a href="media/2570f96c.Letter-to-President-Donald-Trump-Jan-23-2017.pdf" data-original-source="http://copyrightalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Letter-to-President-Donald-Trump-Jan-23-2017.pdf">pdf</a>)</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=O96LVB9TeEw:WzLqHEPMbz0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=O96LVB9TeEw:WzLqHEPMbz0:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=O96LVB9TeEw:WzLqHEPMbz0:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/O96LVB9TeEw" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=134009
title: Canadian Stock Exchange Blocked Megaupload 2.0 Plans
uri: Canadian-Stock-Exchange-Blocked-Megaupload-2-0-Plans
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/jbDJrGBEarE/
content:
<p><img src="media/b2f1e8b5.megaupload-mu2.jpg" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/megaupload-mu2.jpg" alt="megaupload-mu2" width="250" height="176" class="alignright size-full wp-image-129746">Last Friday it was exactly five years ago that the original Megaupload service was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/megaupload-shut-down-120119/">taken offline</a> as part of a U.S. criminal investigation. </p>
<p>Kim Dotcom wanted to use this special date to announce new details about its successor Megaupload 2.0 and the associated Bitcache service. However, minutes before the announcement, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/megaupload-2-0-news-delayed-by-expected-roadblock-170120/">something got in the way</a>.</p>
<p>Today, Kim Dotcom, chief “evangelist” of the service, explains what happened. The original idea was to announce a prominent merger deal with a Canadian company that would bring in an additional $12 million in capital. </p>
<p>Megaupload 2.0 and Bitcache already secured its initial investment round last October. Through Max Keiser’s crowdfunding platform <a href="https://bnktothefuture.com/pitches/megaupload-2-0-bitcache">Bank to the Future</a>, it raised well over a million dollars from 354 investors in just two weeks.</p>
<p>To bring in more capital, the startup had quietly struck a stock and cash merger deal with a publicly listed company on the Canadian stock exchange, at a $100 million valuation. </p>
<p>This news was supposed to break last Friday, but just minutes before going public the Canadian Securities Exchange got in the way, according to Dotcom. </p>
<p>The Canadian company sent a draft press release of its merger plans to the exchange, which swiftly came back with some objections, effectively blocking the announcement.  </p>
<p>&#8220;Trading of the stock was halted while waiting for a response. The Exchange demonstrated a bias against the merger and requested further detailed and intrusive information,&#8221; a <a href="https://twitter.com/KimDotcom/status/823704671399227392">statement</a> released by Dotcom says.  </p>
<p>Dotcom doesn&#8217;t reveal what the concerns of the Exchange were, but it&#8217;s not unlikely that the links to a pending criminal Megaupload case in the United States may play a role. </p>
<p>Megaupload 2.0 and Bitcache put their lawyers on the case, but the company eventually decided to back away from the planned merger.</p>
<p>&#8220;Bitcache feels it is important as a technology startup to stay nimble and reduce corporate complexity in favor of technology development. The experience of dealing with the Exchange has only served to encourage that view,&#8221; Dotcom&#8217;s announcement reads. </p>
<p>While the original plan has been scuppered, Dotcom and his team will now focus on getting the service ready for a first beta release. A proof of concept is scheduled to come out during the second quarter of the year, soon followed by a closed beta. </p>
<p>The first open release is penned for the end of the year according to the current planning, Dotcom informs us.</p>
<p>From what has been <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/megaupload-2-0-will-outsource-file-hosting-and-prevent-takedown-abuse-161025/">revealed thus far</a>, Megaupload 2.0 and the associated Bitcache platform will allow people to share and store files, linking every file-transfer to a bitcoin transaction.</p>
<p>Unlike the original Megaupload, the new version isn’t going to store all files itself. Instead, it plans to use third-party providers such as Maidsafe and Storj.</p>
<p>“Megaupload 2 will be a caching provider for popular files on special high-speed servers that serve the files from ram. Long term storage will mostly be provided by numerous third-party sites that we are partnering with. You can expect more details on January 20,” Dotcom previously told us.</p>
<p>Prospective users who are eager to see what the service has in store have to be patient for a little longer, but Dotcom is confident that it will be a game-changer on multiple fronts. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=jbDJrGBEarE:tPErKtpK4Ho:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=jbDJrGBEarE:tPErKtpK4Ho:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=jbDJrGBEarE:tPErKtpK4Ho:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/jbDJrGBEarE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=134127
title: Usenet Provider Giganews Wins Landmark Copyright Battle
uri: Usenet-Provider-Giganews-Wins-Landmark-Copyright-Battle
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/DqHYx-G5v_c/
content:
<p><img src="media/e272ee63.giganews.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/giganews.png" width="267" height="149" alt="" class="alignright size-large">Over the years, adult image publisher Perfect 10 developed a reputation for <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/?s=giganews">making a business</a> out of suing Internet services for alleged copyright infringement.</p>
<p>The company targeted Google, Amazon, MasterCard and Visa, even hosting providers such as LeaseWeb and OVH. After securing several private settlements in earlier actions, the company sued Usenet provider Giganews after Perfect 10 images appeared on Giganews servers. Things didn&#8217;t go well.</p>
<p>In November 2014, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California found that Giganews was not liable for the infringing activities of its users. Perfect 10 was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/giganews-wins-perfect-10-copyright-battle-150209/">subsequently</a> ordered to pay Giganews <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/perfect-10-ordered-to-pay-giganews-5-6m-after-failed-copyright-battle-150325/">$5.6m in attorney’s fees and costs</a>.</p>
<p>With Perfect 10 not quite done the case went to appeal, but in an opinion just handed down by the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the adult publisher has received a crushing defeat. The panel held that to be held liable for direct copyright infringement, Giganews must have committed some voluntary act that caused the infringement to occur. The requirements for such &#8220;volitional conduct&#8221; were not met.</p>
<p>&#8220;The panel concluded that the evidence showed only that Giganews’ actions were akin to passively storing material at the direction of users in order to make that material available to other users upon request, or automatically copying, storing, and transmitting materials upon instigation by others,&#8221; the ruling reads.</p>
<p>The panel also found that Giganews was not liable for contributory infringement after Perfect 10 failed to show that Giganews &#8220;materially contributed to or induced infringement.&#8221;</p>
<p>On Perfect 10&#8217;s claim for vicarious infringement, the panel upheld the district court&#8217;s summary judgment in Giganews&#8217; favor, noting that Perfect 10 failed to show a &#8220;causal link between the infringing activities and a financial benefit to Giganews.&#8221;</p>
<p>Ron Yokubaitis, Co-CEO of Giganews, said that his company&#8217;s decision not to give in to Perfect 10 had resulted in a long and hard-fought battle, but the end result meant it had been worth it.</p>
<p>&#8220;We decided that it would be important to stand up to Perfect 10 and not be bullied by its abusive litigation tactics.  We were not going to settle this case just to avoid the risk of potentially catastrophic statutory damages in today&#8217;s crazy copyright world, a threat that unscrupulous plaintiffs like Perfect 10 use to extract unjust settlements from more timid companies,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>&#8220;We took a stand for Usenet, for technology and online platforms, for the public, and for ultimate benefit of rational copyright law.  We were not just battling Perfect 10:  standing behind Perfect 10 – and even sharing in its oral argument at the court of appeals – was the Recording Industry Association of America(RIAA), <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/riaa-and-tech-giants-clash-in-usenet-piracy-case-160303/">which tried to argue</a> that it was voicing the interests of small copyright holders.&#8221;</p>
<p>Giganews went on to thank several groups that gave it support during its battle with Perfect 10, including the Internet Infrastructure Coalition, EFF, and Public Knowledge. While Giganews will continue in the Usenet business, Perfect 10&#8217;s efforts to extract billions in damages from the provider have essentially developed into a suicide mission.</p>
<p>&#8220;With this decision, Perfect 10&#8217;s days as a copyright troll masquerading as a porn company are now finished,&#8221; Giganews said.</p>
<p>&#8220;The case now moves to its final stage to collect attorney&#8217;s fees from Perfect 10.  Giganews is seeking the appointment of a receiver to take charge of all of Perfect 10&#8217;s copyrights, trademarks, and domain names and to liquidate them in partial satisfaction of Giganews&#8217; judgment against Perfect 10.&#8221;</p>
<p>The only area where Giganews failed to convince the court was in its request to add Perfect 10 founder Norman Zada to the verdict. The district court already denied that request and the panel at the court of appeal upheld that decision.</p>
<p>The full ruling is available <a href="media/39667993.Giganews-Perfect-10-2017-01-23.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/Giganews-Perfect-10-2017-01-23.pdf">here</a></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=DqHYx-G5v_c:lEi4_bDJNxM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=DqHYx-G5v_c:lEi4_bDJNxM:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=DqHYx-G5v_c:lEi4_bDJNxM:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/DqHYx-G5v_c" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=134191
title: UK ‘Pirates’ Get 20-Day Grace Period After Each Warning
uri: UK-Pirates-Get-20-Day-Grace-Period-After-Each-Warning
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/hMgH8c9cQaA/
content:
<p><img src="media/ce27ed62.getitright.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/getitright.png" alt="getitright" width="254" height="132" class="alignright size-full wp-image-134194">In an effort to lower piracy rates in the UK, rightsholders have reached an agreement with leading ISPs to send “educational emails” to alleged copyright infringers.</p>
<p>The initiative, branded the &#8220;Get It Right&#8221; program, is expected to start <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/uk-piracy-warnings-coming-month-heres-works-170111/">any day now</a>. In anticipation of the launch, the campaign&#8217;s <a href="https://get-it-right.org/abouttheeducationalemails.html">official information portal</a> has quietly been made available online. </p>
<p>It is expected that the emails will point suspected copyright infringers to this site where they can find pretty much any answer they need about the campaign. &#8220;Are you monitoring my online activity,&#8221; for example, or &#8220;Will this programme shut down my internet connection?&#8221;</p>
<p>We have covered most of these topics already in our <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/uk-piracy-warnings-coming-month-heres-works-170111/">earlier overview</a>, but there is some new information as well. For example, it turns out that after an Internet subscriber receives a warning email, there is a 20-day grace period before they&#8217;ll receive another.</p>
<p>&#8220;After an Educational Email has been sent, there is a 20 day grace period during which time you will not receive any further emails. However, if further copyright infringement activity occurs and is detected after the 20 day grace period, you may receive another email from your ISP,&#8221; the FAQ reads.</p>
<p>Almost three weeks is significantly longer than the 7-days the U.S. equivalent has. Also good to know is that if no other piracy incidents are recorded in the future, all data is scrapped from the database after 12 months.</p>
<p>&#8220;If no further infringements occur and are detected and verified to be associated with your account, you will receive no more Educational Emails. Furthermore, all data related to this and to previous Educational Emails will be deleted after 12 months.&#8221;</p>
<p>Of course, it is pretty much irrelevant how many emails subscribers receive, as there&#8217;s no &#8216;stick&#8217; involved. Even after more than a dozen warnings, ISPs are not handing down any penalties or punishments as part of the &#8220;Get It Right&#8221; campaign. </p>
<p>Another piece of new information is the fact that <a href="http://www.nowtv.com/">NOW TV</a> (owned by Sky) and <a href="https://www.plus.net/">PlusNet</a> (owned by BT) are now listed among the ISPs that will send out warning emails. Previously only BT, Sky, Talk-Talk and Virgin Media were mentioned publicly.</p>
<p>Overall the information portal does a pretty good job at answering the most poignant questions. It even lists several videos, partly &#8216;copied&#8217; from the U.S. Copyright Alert System, to show how they work and how people to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLAeEuU_AOY">secure their wireless network</a>, for example.</p>
<p><center><strong>How people are tracked</strong><br></br></center><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/coyK2819T-s?rel=0&amp;controls=0&amp;showinfo=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></p>
<p>What appears to be lacking is an official appeal process. From what we can see there is no option to dispute an infringement claim. Then again, this shouldn&#8217;t lead to any problems since people are not directly at risk of being punished under the program.</p>
<p>Finally, the makers of the information portal appear to be living in the past as the terms &#8220;shared&#8221; and &#8220;sharing&#8221; folder are mentioned on a few occasions, even in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT8Z_aH8MMw">one of the educational videos</a>. </p>
<p>This &#8220;shared folder&#8221; terminology refers to dated or defunct peer-to-peer applications such as Limewire (which is also mentioned) while the &#8220;Get It Right&#8221; campaign mostly focuses on torrent transfers.</p>
<p>BT <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/bts-piracy-warning-information-confusing-outdated-170117/">made a similar mistake</a> in their advisory last week, but the ISP swiftly updated its information after we pointed it out. </p>
<p>It will be interesting to see how the public will respond to the notices. ISPs and rightsholders have agreed to cap the number of emails at 2.5 million per year, and the program will stay active for a minimum of three years.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=hMgH8c9cQaA:vXCLZ9rfwqc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=hMgH8c9cQaA:vXCLZ9rfwqc:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=hMgH8c9cQaA:vXCLZ9rfwqc:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/hMgH8c9cQaA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: http://torrentfreak.com/?p=134210
title: Researchers Issue Security Warning Over Android VPN Apps
uri: Researchers-Issue-Security-Warning-Over-Android-VPN-Apps
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/-zO8t7YCtzU/
content:
<p><a href="media/9ef6a551.warning.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/warning.png"><img src="media/40fc3a89.warning.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/warning.png" alt="warning" width="250" height="213" class="alignright size-full wp-image-109065"></a>There was a time when the Internet was a fairly straightforward place to navigate, with basic software, basic websites and few major security issues. Over the years, however, things have drastically changed.</p>
<p>Many people now spend their entire lives connected to the web in some way, particularly via mobile devices and apps such as Facebook and the countless thousands of others now freely available online.</p>
<p>For some users, the idea of encrypting their traffic has become attractive, from both a security and anti-censorship standpoint. On the one hand people like the idea of private communications and on the other, encryption can enable people to bypass website blocks, wherever they may occur and for whatever reason.</p>
<p>As a result, millions are now turning to premium VPN packages from reputable companies. Others, however, prefer to use the all-in-one options available on Google&#8217;s Play store, but according to a new study, that could be a risky strategy.</p>
<p>A study by researchers at CSIRO&#8217;s Data 61, University of New South Wales, and UC Berkley, has found that hundreds of VPN apps available from Google Play presented significant security issues including malware, spyware, adware and data leaks.</p>
<p>Very often, users look at the number of downloads combined with the &#8216;star rating&#8217; of apps to work out whether they&#8217;re getting a good product. However, the researchers found that among the 283 apps tested, even the highest ranked and most-downloaded apps can carry nasty surprises.</p>
<p>&#8220;While 37% of the analyzed VPN apps have more than 500K installs and 25% of them receive at least a 4-star rating, over 38% of them contain some malware presence according to VirusTotal,&#8221; the researchers write.</p>
<p>The five types of malware detected can be broken down as follows: Adware (43%), Trojan (29%), Malvertising (17%), Riskware (6%) and Spyware (5%). The researchers ordered the most problematic apps by VirusTotal AV-Rank, which represents the number of anti-virus tools that identified any malware activity.</p>
<p><center><b>The worst offenders, according to the report</b><a href="media/3f006d88.vpn-worst.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/vpn-worst.png"><img src="media/9d4c4bc0.vpn-worst.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/vpn-worst.png" alt="vpn-worst" width="638" height="329" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-134226"></a></center></p>
<p>The researchers found that only a marginal number of VPN users raised any security or privacy concerns in the review sections for each app, despite many of them having serious problems. The high number of downloads seem to suggest that users have confidence in them, despite their issues.</p>
<p>&#8220;According to the number of installs of these apps, millions of users appear to trust VPN apps despite their potential maliciousness. In fact, the high presence of malware activity in VPN apps that our analysis has revealed is worrisome given the ability that these apps already have to inspect and analyze all user’s traffic with the VPN permission,&#8221; the paper reads.</p>
<p>The growing awareness of VPNs and their association with privacy and security has been a hot topic in recent years, but the researchers found that many of the apps available on Google Play offer neither. Instead, they featured tracking of users by third parties while demanding access to sensitive Android permissions.</p>
<p>&#8220;Even though 67% of the identified VPN Android apps offer services to enhance online privacy and security, 75% of them use third-party tracking libraries and 82% request permissions to access sensitive resources including user accounts and text messages,&#8221; the researchers note.</p>
<p>Even from this low point, things manage to get worse. Many VPN users associate the product they&#8217;re using with encryption and the privacy it brings, but for almost one-fifth of apps tested by the researchers, the concept is alien.</p>
<p>&#8220;18% of the VPN apps implement tunneling protocols without encryption despite promising online anonymity and security to their users,&#8221; they write, adding that 16% of tested apps routed traffic through other users of the same app rather than utilizing dedicated online servers.</p>
<p>&#8220;This forwarding model raises a number of trust, security, and privacy concerns for participating users,&#8221; the researchers add, noting that only <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/hola-vpn-sells-users-bandwidth-150528/">Hola</a> admits to the practice on its website.</p>
<p>And when it comes to the handling of IPv6 traffic, the majority of the apps featured in the study fell short in a dramatic way. Around 84% of the VPN apps tested had IPv6 leaks while 66% had DNS leaks, something the researchers put down to misconfigurations or developer-induced errors.</p>
<p>&#8220;Both the lack of strong encryption and traffic leakages can ease online tracking activities performed by inpath middleboxes (e.g., commercial WiFi [Access Points] harvesting user’s data) and by surveillance agencies,&#8221; they warn.</p>
<p>While the study (<a href="media/cc35f377.paper-1.pdf" data-original-source="https://research.csiro.au/ng/wp-content/uploads/sites/106/2016/08/paper-1.pdf">pdf</a>) is detailed, it does not attempt to rank any of the applications tested, other than showing a table of some of the worst offenders. From the perspective of the consumer looking to install a good VPN app, that&#8217;s possibly not as helpful as they might like.</p>
<p>Instead, those looking for a VPN will have to carry out their own research online before taking the plunge. Sticking with well-known companies that are <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-anonymous-review-160220/">transparent</a> about their practices is a great start. And, if an app requests access to sensitive data during the install process for no good reason, get rid of it. Finally, if it&#8217;s a free app with a free service included, it&#8217;s a fair assumption that strings may be attached.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2016-160102/">torrent sites</a> and  <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-provider-anonymous-review-160220/">ANONYMOUS VPN services</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=-zO8t7YCtzU:AIR8U7EmYTE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=-zO8t7YCtzU:AIR8U7EmYTE:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=-zO8t7YCtzU:AIR8U7EmYTE:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/-zO8t7YCtzU" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


