# articles

feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177347
title: MPAA Unifies Global Brand and Becomes MPA America
uri: MPAA-Unifies-Global-Brand-and-Becomes-MPA-America
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/WR4Ey9i7sm4/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/29821a2c.mpaamerica.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/mpaamerica.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177349"/></figure></div>



<p>The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) is known as one of the world&#8217;s leading anti-piracy organizations. </p>



<p>The trade association has been around for nearly a century. After its inception, the group mostly operated from California but in today&#8217;s world that&#8217;s no longer the case.</p>



<p>Today the organization has tentacles in nearly every corner of the world and its offices stretch from Brazil, through Belgium, to Singapore. These overseas branches have been operating under the Motion Picture Association (MPA) brand, which the MPAA has now decided to adopt as well. </p>



<p>This means that going forward, all operations will take place under the MPA name, with an optional indicator of the relevant region. The head &#8216;branch&#8217; formerly known as the MPAA is now MPA America.</p>



<p>“In the nearly 100 years since our founding, the film and television industry has rapidly grown and evolved, and the stories we tell now reach every corner of the world,” MPA Chairman and CEO Charles H. Rivkin comments on the change. </p>



<p>“This new, unified global brand better reflects today’s dynamic content creation industry, the multi-platform distribution models of our companies, and the worldwide audiences we all serve,” Rivkin adds. </p>



<p>The change comes with several new and unified logos, which can be <a href="https://mpaa.box.com/s/x1glufbf9j3cq5x28v1gdur65f1j4ajm">downloaded</a> without repercussions. The organization&#8217;s website has also changed from MPAA.org to <a href="https://www.motionpictures.org">Motionpictures.org</a>, dropping the America mention.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/26185574.MPA-Logos.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/MPA-Logos.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177358"/><figcaption>MPA logos</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>While the changes to the logo and name appear minimal, the unified branding will certainly be more clear to outsiders. Previously, the MPAA and MPA names were used in tandem, even though they were operating under the same parent organization.</p>



<p>The name change comes at a time of change for the MPA. The organization recently added <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/netflix-becomes-a-member-of-the-mpaa/">Netflix as a new member</a>, breaking from its long tradition of backing only major Hollywood studios. </p>



<p>At the same time, the group has <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/inside-the-mpaa-netflix-amazon-global-anti-piracy-alliance-170918/">taken the lead</a> at a new international anti-piracy outfit, the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), which is comprised of many international rightsholders. The new MPA branding will follow this international trend. </p>



<p>For TorrentFreak, the departure of the MPAA &#8216;name&#8217; is significant as well. If we look through our archive we see 1,621 articles where the MPAA is referenced, making it one of the most common topics at the site. As such, we may need a few weeks to properly adjust to the new name.</p>



<p> </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=WR4Ey9i7sm4:gsoxlskTs8E:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=WR4Ey9i7sm4:gsoxlskTs8E:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=WR4Ey9i7sm4:gsoxlskTs8E:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/WR4Ey9i7sm4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=176734
title: Piracy Boosts Sales of Some Manga Comics, Research Shows
uri: Piracy-Boosts-Sales-of-Some-Manga-Comics-Research-Shows
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/hCQfeIku52U/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/edcfdab9.time.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/time.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177318"/><figcaption><a href="https://medium.com/mrcomics/a-mini-comic-why-are-comic-scans-free-96c1cedb220">Manga Rock comic</a></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>Manga piracy has been in the news quite a bit this month. </p>



<p>The popular manga comic scanlation platform Manga Rock&nbsp;announced that it will <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-site-mangarock-shuts-down-and-goes-legal-190905/">shut down</a> and a few days later Japanese publishers sued the pirate site <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/manga-publishers-sue-pirate-site-hoshinoromi-in-new-york-court/">Hoshinoromi in a U.S. court</a>. </p>



<p>By now, it&#8217;s commonly known that you are not supposed to republish copyrighted works without permission. However, people have different views on what the effect of manga piracy is on the revenues of publishers. </p>



<p>Rightsholders often stress that the industry is endangered by people who &#8216;steal&#8217; their content, while manga consumers can see it as a form of promotion. Free sampling can satisfy the reading needs that are beyond their budget, expanding their horizons.</p>



<p>Newly published research by Professor Tatsuo Tanaka of the Faculty of Economics at Keio University suggests that both sides have a point. </p>



<p>The findings come from a natural experiment that uses a massive takedown campaign conducted by anti-piracy group CODA in 2015. This campaign reduced the availability of pirated comics on various download sites, which allowed Professor Tanaka to analyze how this affected sales of 3,360 comic book volumes. </p>



<p>The results, recently published in the article titled&nbsp;&#8220;<a href="https://ideas.repec.org/p/keo/dpaper/2019-016.html">The Effects of Internet Book Piracy: Case of Comics</a>,&#8221; show that the effect of piracy differs between ongoing and completed series. In other words,  the effect of piracy is heterogeneous.</p>



<p>&#8220;Piracy decreased the legitimate sales of ongoing comics but stimulated legitimate sales of completed comics,&#8221; Professor Tanaka writes.  </p>



<p>The overall effect of piracy could not be measured with this methodology but the findings clearly show that piracy does have some positive effects. In this case, it shows the number of sales of completed comic book series increase. </p>



<p>This heterogeneous piracy effect on sales is not unique. Previously, research has shown that the Megaupload shutdown increased box office revenues for bigger films, but <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/megaupload-shutdown-hurt-smaller-films-helped-blockbusters-130823/">hurt smaller releases</a>. </p>



<p>The manga piracy findings are particularly relevant for the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-site-mangarock-shuts-down-and-goes-legal-190905/">Manga Rock situation</a>. Following discussions with publishers, the site plans to remove all its pirated titles at the end of this month and return with a completely legal platform in a few months&#8217; time. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/d33025ce.mangarocktimeline.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/mangarocktimeline.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177373" width="575" height="400"/></figure></div>



<p>Interestingly, that goes against the recommendation of Professor Tanaka, who writes the following in his paper:</p>



<p>&#8220;If the effect of piracy is heterogeneous, it is not the best solution to shut down the piracy sites uniformly but to delete harmful piracy files selectively if possible. In this case, deleting piracy files of ongoing comics only is the first best strategy for publishers regardless of whether the total effect is positive or negative, because the availability of piracy files of completed comics is beneficial to both publishers and consumers.&#8221;</p>



<p>The paper was published in August and is based on older, previously-released <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/online-piracy-can-boost-comic-book-sales-research-finds/">data</a>. So, one should be careful when applying it to the Manga Rock case, which is newer and deals with fan-made scanlation copies. That said, it could give the publishers some food for thought. </p>



<p>Manga Rock is massively popular and has millions of engaged Mmanga fans in its user base. Keeping some of these on board, even with a smaller library, could be smarter than simply driving them towards the next pirate site. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=hCQfeIku52U:Q3X-TCmGCow:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=hCQfeIku52U:Q3X-TCmGCow:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=hCQfeIku52U:Q3X-TCmGCow:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/hCQfeIku52U" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177383
title: Massive Legal Bills Force TVAddons’ Adam Lackman Towards Bankruptcy
uri: Massive-Legal-Bills-Force-TVAddons-Adam-Lackman-Towards-Bankruptcy
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/JcSZeTQe-8g/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/ba2090ec.image-120.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-120.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177384" width="257" height="223"/></figure></div>



<p>TVAddons was once the go-to place for the vast majority of Kodi addons, regardless of who authored them or how they were ultimately used.</p>



<p>Visitors to the platform today, which is still doing <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/tvaddons-boast-over-14-million-active-users-per-month-190608/">relatively well</a>, find a much more sober operation, with listed addons carefully vetted, to weed out any that might help end-users breach copyright law.</p>



<p>This current mode of business is the result of two punishing lawsuits, one filed against founder Adam Lackman in&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/dish-network-sues-zemtv-and-tv-addons-for-copyright-infringement-170605/">the US</a>&nbsp;by DISH Networks and the other in&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/tvaddons-returns-ugly-war-canadian-telcos-kodi-addons-170801/">Canada</a>. While the former was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/tvaddons-and-dish-network-settle-copyright-infringement-lawsuit-180826/">settled</a> in 2018, the latter &#8211; filed by media giants Bell Canada, TVA, Videotron, and Rogers &#8211; is very much alive.</p>



<p>Progression in the lawsuit appears glacial with an end nowhere in sight. This week Lackman informed TorrentFreak that the companies don&#8217;t appear to be in a mood to settle as DISH had done before them. As a result, every legal twist and turn contributes to the mountain of debt Lackman says he&#8217;s struggling beneath.</p>



<p>At several points since the case began, Lackman has turned to <a href="https://www.tvaddons.co/">TVAddons</a>&#8216; users and other supporters to help raise funds. He believes it&#8217;s worth putting up a fight but the Canadian is clearly facing an uphill battle.</p>



<p>Unable to bankroll him any further, his original legal team quit, leaving him with two separate bills of CAD$83,991 and CAD$38,989 to settle before he can move on.</p>



<p>&#8220;I was lucky enough to find my original lawyers, however their firms couldn&#8217;t handle devoting the time needed unless they were to be paid in full within a timely manner. They couldn&#8217;t afford to ignore other business while defending my case on credit,&#8221; he explains.</p>



<p>In his latest fundraising effort, <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/tvaddonsdefense">launched this week</a>, he&#8217;s seeking a total of CAD$171,981 &#8211; an amount which includes close to CAD$50,000 to cover some of the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/tvaddons-telco-bailiffs-enter-operators-home-over-unpaid-attorneys-fees-180614/">plaintiffs&#8217; legal fees</a>, previously awarded to them by the court.</p>



<p>If Lackman raises the full amount anytime soon, he will only break even, leaving him to raise additional funds to continue the fight. Even then, it appears that future battles will have to take place supported by a relatively tight budget.</p>



<p>&#8220;As of now I am acting in my own defense, with the help of some legal experts in the background,&#8221; he told us recently. &#8220;I am looking for new potential representation, but regardless the current debt is not one that I can comfortably carry.</p>



<p>&#8220;By defending myself, I hope to avoid incurring too much additional debt. I&#8217;m obviously not capable of doing all the paperwork on my own, so I&#8217;m getting help with that. I&#8217;m hoping that the court recognizes this and protects my right to a fair trial in the process.&#8221;</p>



<p>Given the scale of the debt and Lackman&#8217;s apparent inability to pay, he says the specter of bankruptcy is never far away. He seems keen to avoid that, not least since his adversaries would achieve an immediate victory.</p>



<p>&#8220;I could easily go into bankruptcy right now, but then the plaintiffs would win by default. I feel the fight is too important, and my defense is too strong, to give up now,&#8221; he says.</p>



<p>However complicated and expensive the case has become, Lackman believes that he has the law on his side. While TVAddons indexed code that could scrape external sources for content, he insists that the site never hosted or directly linked to any infringing material.</p>



<p>But more importantly, Lackman says, the companies suing him and/or their affiliates never sent the platform a takedown notice before taking action, something he describes as a &#8220;prerequisite to their claim being eligible for damages.&#8221;</p>



<p>While that assertion may yet prove correct, having that definitively determined by a court of law is proving a supremely costly endeavor. Lackman is working under the assumption that the plaintiffs are trying to break him financially, a theory supported by Pirate Bay co-founder Peter Sunde.</p>



<p>&#8220;To this day the copyright cartels are still suing people for anything they dislike,&#8221; he <a href="https://twitter.com/brokep/status/1174015447974502400">wrote</a> on Twitter this week, commenting on the TVAddons case.</p>



<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a mob using bullying methods, trying to force people into bankruptcy so they can&#8217;t defend themselves and thus the cartel wins on financial walkover.&#8221;</p>



<p>Whether that doomsday scenario will play out in Lackman&#8217;s case seems wholely dependent on whether people donate to his latest and future fundraisers. At the time of writing, he&#8217;s just $2,471 closer to his <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/tvaddonsdefense">$171,981 goal</a>.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=JcSZeTQe-8g:R_trJLmJfzw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=JcSZeTQe-8g:R_trJLmJfzw:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=JcSZeTQe-8g:R_trJLmJfzw:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/JcSZeTQe-8g" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175357
title: MPA America Quietly Takes Over Yet More ‘Pirate’ IPTV Domains
uri: MPA-America-Quietly-Takes-Over-Yet-More-Pirate-IPTV-Domains
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/WDfV5d95qWo/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/68dde2a6.mpaamerica.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/mpaamerica.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177349" width="248" height="240"/></figure></div>



<p>When pirate sites are taken down following legal action, it&#8217;s not uncommon for the plaintiffs to try and take control of their domains.</p>



<p>The practice has been going on for years, with domains like <a href="https://isohunt.com">isoHunt.com</a> and the affiliated <a href="http://podtropolis.com/">Podtropolis.com</a> still redirecting to an anti-piracy page operated by the MPAA.</p>



<p>More recently we&#8217;ve reported on the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (which is headed up by the MPAA or <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/mpaa-unifies-global-brand-and-becomes-mpa-america-190919/">MPA America as it&#8217;s now known</a>) taking over domains previously used to offer &#8216;pirate&#8217; IPTV services. They include <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/mpaa-ace-shut-down-pirate-iptv-service-seize-domain-190517/">OneStepTV</a>, <a href="http://TVStreamsNow.com">TVStreamsNow and DoozerIPTV</a> but none of these &#8216;seizures&#8217; have been reported by the organization.</p>



<p>Behind the scenes, however, many more additional takeovers are taking place, all without fanfare.</p>



<p>Visitors to former IPTV provider <a href="https://BestTVStream.com">BestTVStream</a>, for example, are now being directed to ACE&#8217;s anti-piracy portal. The signs suggest that the service may have come to some agreement with ACE which included handing over its domain to MPA A, but no public details are available.</p>



<p>A similar scenario faces former customers of IPTV provider <a href="https://xcalibertv.com">XCaliberTV</a> who are now being informed that the service has been shut down due to copyright infringement before being diverted to ACE&#8217;s site in the same manner.</p>



<p>Exactly the same can be said of More Media Solutions, which operated from <a href="http://moremediabox.com">MoreMediaBox.com</a>. One day last month it was working, the next it began diverting to ACE, with no one saying a word.</p>



<p>One of the more curious &#8216;seizures&#8217; involves two domains with the same initial name &#8211; <a href="http://rveal.biz">rveal.biz</a> and <a href="http://rveal.xyz">rveal.xyz</a>. According to a <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20190514234205/http://rveal.biz/">capture</a> by the Wayback Machine, the former of these domains previously diverted to Rveal.com, which is a still-functioning site offering Android-style TV boxes. Previously, it appears that Rveal <a href="http://www.rveal.com/collections/all/products/rveal-streaming-media-player-android-smart-tv-box-with-upgraded-rveal-mini-touchpad-remote-keyboard">sold devices</a> that claimed to provide access to premium content for free.</p>



<p>We contacted Rveal for comment a little while back but in common with similar inquiries placed with some former operators of other apparently &#8216;seized&#8217; or &#8216;commandeered&#8217; domains, we received no response.</p>



<p>We cannot draw any firm conclusions from that silence but not wanting to say much &#8211; if anything at all &#8211; does seem to be the norm in many of these domain cases, both before, during, and after &#8216;seizure&#8217;.  The <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vader-iptv-domains-now-divert-to-anti-piracy-warning-190826/">Vaders.tv and Minihosts.org takedowns were well-publicized</a>, but many others are quietly being dealt with, quite probably with the agreement of the parties involved.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=WDfV5d95qWo:H609WYjinWc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=WDfV5d95qWo:H609WYjinWc:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=WDfV5d95qWo:H609WYjinWc:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/WDfV5d95qWo" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177388
title: House Judiciary Committee Doesn’t Want ‘DMCA-Style’ Safe Harbor in Trade Agreements
uri: House-Judiciary-Committee-Doesn-t-Want-DMCA-Style-Safe-Harbor
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/u8fyrApbMfc/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/bcdfe1dd.us-united-america-flag.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/us-united-america-flag.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-116015"/></figure></div>



<p>When President Clinton signed the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) into law in 1998, its goal was to ready copyright law for the digital age.</p>



<p>The law introduced safe harbors for Internet services (DMCA <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_Copyright_Infringement_Liability_Limitation_Act#Other_safe_harbor_provisions">Section 512</a>), meaning that they can’t be held liable for their pirating users as long as they properly process takedown notices and deal with repeat infringers.</p>



<p>Today the four-letter acronym is known around the world and the United States appears keen to export it in future trade agreements. Most recently, a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_Copyright_Infringement_Liability_Limitation_Act#Other_safe_harbor_provisions">DMCA-style</a> provision was added to the &nbsp;United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/nafta-replacement-extends-canadas-copyright-term-to-life-70-years-181001/">USMCA</a>),&nbsp;which covers a wide variety of trade issues including copyright-related topics. </p>



<p>While this would have been welcomed by rightsholders twenty years ago, the situation looks quite different today. The music industry, in particular, believes that the DMCA is <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/music-industry-u-s-copyright-law-is-obsolete-and-harmful-160401/">obsolete, dysfunctional, and even harmful</a>. For these reasons, major industry groups would like to see it replaced with something &#8216;better.&#8217;</p>



<p>When the first draft of the USMCA was published, the RIAA made this clear in no uncertain terms. “Modern trade treaties should advance the policy priority of encouraging more accountability on public platforms, not less,&#8221; RIAA President Mitch Glazier said.</p>



<p>The issue was crucial enough to be specifically mentioned in the RIAA&#8217;s <a href="https://soprweb.senate.gov/index.cfm?event=getFilingDetails&amp;filingID=3A49FBC9-6F7E-4928-819F-C149DED677C3&amp;filingTypeID=60">lobbying disclosures</a> at the U.S. House and Senate. This may have had an effect, as this week the concerns were picked up by the House Judiciary Committee. </p>



<p>In a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), the Judiciary Committee points out that Section 512 of the DMCA is widely debated and that &#8220;some&#8221; have called on Congress to update it. </p>



<p>The Committee notes that the U.S. Government conducted an in-depth review over the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/u-s-govt-reviews-impact-and-efficacy-of-dmca-safe-harbor-160105/">past years</a> of which the results are expected soon. This may in part be impacted by the European Union&#8217;s new Copyright Directive which hints at potential upload filters and increases in liability for online service providers.</p>



<p>&#8220;The U.S. Copyright Office is expected to produce a report on Section 512 around the end of this year, the result of a multi-year process that started in 2015. Moreover, the European Union has recently issued a copyright directive that includes reforms to its analogous safe harbor for online platforms, which may have an impact on the U.S. domestic policy debate,&#8221; the letter reads.</p>



<p>The Judiciary Committee doesn&#8217;t take a position in this debate but it stresses that adding the widely contested safe harbor language to the USMCA and other trade agreements, would not be wise at this point.</p>



<p>&#8220;[W]e find it problematic for the United States to export language mirroring this provision while such serious policy discussions are ongoing,&#8221; the letter, signed by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler and Ranking Member Doug Collins reads.</p>



<p>&#8220;For that reason, we do not believe a provision requiring parties to adopt a Section 512-style safe harbor system of the type mandated by Article 20.89 should continue to be included in future trade agreements,&#8221; the letter adds. </p>



<p>The Committee urges the USTR to take the matter seriously and consider the possible changes that are coming. This largely reflects the position of several major copyright industry groups, including the RIAA.</p>



<p>If the language is indeed removed or changed it will be a major setback for Internet services and various digital rights groups. This includes the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.recreatecoalition.org/">Re:Create Coalition</a>, which <a href="https://www.recreatecoalition.org/usmca-should-better-reflect-americas-legal-standards/">welcomed</a> the inclusion&nbsp;of these protections last year.</p>



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



<p><em>A copy of the letter sent by the House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary to the USTR is <a href="media/90ad2cba.Ambassador-Lighthizer-USMCA-letter-9.17.19.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/Ambassador-Lighthizer-USMCA-letter-9.17.19.pdf">available here (pdf)</a>. </em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=u8fyrApbMfc:juGn8JlAamw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=u8fyrApbMfc:juGn8JlAamw:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=u8fyrApbMfc:juGn8JlAamw:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/u8fyrApbMfc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=176711
title: Anti-Piracy Outfit “Works With ISPs” to Monitor Pirate Consumption
uri: Anti-Piracy-Outfit-Works-With-ISPs-to-Monitor-Pirate-Consumption
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/BCF6JfZ7QTE/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/bc003361.network-round.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/network-round.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-126170" width="238" height="238"/></figure></div>



<p>For as long as peer-to-peer (P2P) networks such as BitTorrent have existed, anti-piracy companies have been monitoring the activities of those who use them.</p>



<p>This is to be expected. Not only do the companies have a vested interest in keeping an eye on what&#8217;s going on, by their very nature P2P networks are open and easily trackable.</p>



<p>The rise of streaming piracy &#8211; computer servers streaming video directly to end-users &#8211; has presented a new problem, however. Unlike P2P systems, there&#8217;s no easy way for an anti-piracy company to get in between the user and the server to see what&#8217;s going on. Only ISPs can see that data, which is why a recent interview caught our eye.</p>



<p>Friend MTS (FMTS) is an anti-piracy company based in Birmingham, UK. They&#8217;re perhaps best known for their live IPTV blocking work carried out on behalf of the Premier League, for which they have to partner to a greater or lesser extent with ISPs in the UK. FMTS tells them which servers to block, and the ISPs carry out it, broadly speaking.</p>



<p>However, in a recent interview, Simon Hanna of FMTS spoke about a different type of collaboration with ISPs, one that has the potential to raise eyebrows among privacy advocates, especially those who hoped all of their Internet traffic would remain completely their business.</p>



<p>Quite soon into the interview, Hanna correctly points out that broad availability of pirated content online tends to give an indication of how popular particular content is but isn&#8217;t always a great indicator of how much is actually being consumed.</p>



<p>&#8220;Consumption is a much more valuable indicator than pure availability of content and consumption has always been very difficult to monitor. People often throw numbers out but they are guesswork at best and we don&#8217;t really put a lot of faith in the numbers that have been made available in the past,&#8221; Hanna said.</p>



<p>With this in mind, FMTS say they have developed a system that allows them to work with content owners and ISPs to form a greater understanding of the consumption of media from online &#8216;pirate&#8217; sources. The company does this by first tracking the servers down from where the content is being streamed and handing this information to the ISPs.</p>



<p>&#8220;We can see through our monitoring activities the range of servers that are available globally delivering this pirate content and we can provide that information to an ISP who are monitoring the flows of data requests in and out of the networks all day long,&#8221; Hanna explained.</p>



<p>&#8220;They can use these lists of IP addresses to really focus on consumption of content from those servers by the broadband subscribers within the ISP network and that will then give information around the scale of the problem.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="media/9ef68100.image-114.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/image-114.png" alt="" class="wp-image-176724"/><figcaption><em>Image credit: <a href="media/4d4defe8.FMTS_12pp_A6_PIRACY_IQ_mini_brochure_AW_v5.pdf" data-original-source="https://www.friendmts.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/FMTS_12pp_A6_PIRACY_IQ_mini_brochure_AW_v5.pdf">FMTS</a></em></figcaption></figure>



<p>That&#8217;s probably a bit of a &#8220;wow&#8221; moment for many Internet subscribers who believed that once their traffic entered their ISP&#8217;s network it wouldn&#8217;t be closely monitored until it left to access a BitTorrent swarm, for example. </p>



<p>If FMTS&#8217; statement is what it seems, some ISPs might be following their customers&#8217; broadband usage habits a little bit more intimately than previously thought.</p>



<p>On the plus side, at least as far as individual subscribers are concerned, FMTS say they don&#8217;t look at or care about &#8220;the individuals themselves&#8221;. They&#8217;re not looking for any personally identifiable information and are just trying to get a handle on the volume of content being consumed.</p>



<p>Whether dual broadband/TV supplying companies are more interested in this data remains open to question, however.</p>



<p>&#8220;Because inevitably, if a large proportion of the ISP&#8217;s broadband subscribers are actually consuming content, they are not paying for the associated operator&#8217;s TV services,&#8221; Hanna added.</p>



<p>In many cases, of course, the broadband provider/ISP is also a supplier of TV content to the same customers &#8211; Sky, Virgin Media, and BT in the UK, for example. There&#8217;s no claim that these ISPs are indeed teaming up with FMTS in this project but any and all might be interested in the information it reportedly makes available.</p>



<p>&#8220;We work with content owners to basically go out and find pirate sources of the content. We can then real-time update these lists, feed this information into the ISPs and the ISPs can then use this information to generate the reporting real-time but with the flow monitoring, more in-depth reports of three-months plus worth of data, to actually get a real picture of consumption habits, both of TV channels but also specific events and pieces of content,&#8221; Hanna revealed.</p>



<p>FMTS says that monitoring consumption is important because it allows action previously taken to reduce availability to be measured at the end where it really matters.</p>



<p>&#8220;If you can then reduce the availability, then inevitably you should be able to reduce the consumption but you keep monitoring to observe that you do actually have this effect. If you can reduce the availability and reduce the consumption, chances are you would expect you would then preserve and reinforce your pay-TV revenues,&#8221; Hanna concluded. </p>



<p><em>The full interview, which covers many aspects of anti-piracy activity, from general enforcement to fingerprinting and watermarking, can be viewed </em><a href="https://advanced-television.tv/index.php/video/244/friend-mts-fighting-streaming-piracy/"><em>here</em></a><em>.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=BCF6JfZ7QTE:Q0PwVGr89qM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=BCF6JfZ7QTE:Q0PwVGr89qM:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=BCF6JfZ7QTE:Q0PwVGr89qM:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/BCF6JfZ7QTE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175936
title: Pirate Bay is Not Getting Rich From Bitcoin Donations…
uri: Pirate-Bay-is-Not-Getting-Rich-From-Bitcoin-Donations
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/DXQT7SSjaFY/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/d4dd039c.thepirate-e1470829181981.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/thepirate-e1470829181981.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-116122"/></figure></div>



<p>The Pirate Bay has been both an early adopter and a pioneer when it comes to cryptocurrencies.</p>



<p>The popular torrent site first embraced Bitcoin in 2013 and soon after many other pirate sites followed suit. </p>



<p>The advantage of bitcoin donations is that they are relatively anonymous. This is an upside for the operators, but also a major concern for rightsholders who feared that it may become a stable revenue stream that can&#8217;t be touched. </p>



<p>The RIAA, for example, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/riaa-bitcoin-makes-it-hard-to-track-or-seize-pirate-bay-donations-131030/">previously told</a> the U.S. Trade Representative that Bitcoin could make it harder to crack down on pirate sites.</p>



<p>“There are no central authority or banks involved which makes it very difficult to seize or trace Bitcoin funds,” the music industry group wrote in a letter.</p>



<p>While it&#8217;s no secret that Bitcoin is indeed fueling some criminal operations, The Pirate Bay&#8217;s donations certainly can&#8217;t keep the notorious torrent site afloat. Today, more than six years after the site first accepted cryptocurrency donations, it adds up to little more than a small daily tip.</p>



<p>If we take a look at The Pirate Bay&#8217;s most recent Bitcoin legacy address, which it started advertising late 2017, we see that a total of  0.49 Bitcoin was received. Translated to US dollars (current value for simplicity purposes), this is $4,838, or $7.63 per day. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/f3bc49e3.tpbcoin.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/tpbcoin.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177410"/></figure></div>



<p>The Bitcoin Segwit address looks more promising. Here we see a total of  1.48 BTC coming in. However, on closer inspection, most of that comes from one transaction which was sent by TPB&#8217;s old Bitcoin wallet, so we scrapped that. </p>



<p>This leaves us with 0.33, or $3,255, which adds another $5.13 per day. It&#8217;s worth noting that more than <a href="https://btc.com/5b9298211b1f5f82f39704180ac95487be2ccd1e3967522a99c23536eb7e2779">half of this</a> came from one donation. It came from a rather generous person apparently, as he or she also sent roughly the same amount to ProtonMail.</p>



<p>Bitcoin is not the only cryptocurrency The Pirate Bay accepts of course. The torrent site also lists a Litecoin and Monero address. Monero can&#8217;t be tracked, but the Litecoin address received 3.40 LTC, or $252, which is $0.40 per day.</p>



<p><strong>When we add up all these figures we come to a total of  $13.16 per day, which clearly can&#8217;t keep The Pirate Bay afloat.  </strong></p>



<p>That said, the Bitcoin donation income is relatively stable. When we did the same calculations <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-gets-a-massive-9-in-donations-per-day-160501/">a few years ago</a>, we arrived at a donation average of $9.34 per day. At the time, one Bitcoin was about $425, so if the site didn&#8217;t sell any, the value will have gone up remarkably.</p>



<p>That brings us to the unavoidable &#8220;<em>what if</em>.&#8221; Looking back further, we see other Pirate Bay Bitcoin wallets dating back as far as 2013, which received <a href="https://www.blockchain.com/btc/address/1KeBs4HBQzkdHC2ou3gpyGHqcL7aKzwTve?offset=650&amp;filter=6">dozens of BTC</a>. At the time that wasn&#8217;t worth that much (1BTC ~ $120, May 2013), but the position is different today. <em>If</em> the team kept those, of course.</p>



<p>Perhaps that&#8217;s TPB&#8217;s long-term exit strategy. If one Bitcoin eventually reaches a value of over a million dollars, The Pirate Bay crew may start thinking of their retirement and buying an island. <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/the-pirate-bay-to-buy-sealand/">Sealand anyone?</a> </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=DXQT7SSjaFY:JvGnhNsF6aY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=DXQT7SSjaFY:JvGnhNsF6aY:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=DXQT7SSjaFY:JvGnhNsF6aY:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/DXQT7SSjaFY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177440
title: Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week on BitTorrent – 09/23/19
uri: Top-10-Most-Pirated-Movies-of-The-Week-on-BitTorrent-09-23-19
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/vfy6Hp98ee4/
content:
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-177444" src="media/d3a6cd52.spiderhome.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/spiderhome.png" alt="" width="289" height="215" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/spiderhome.png 289w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/spiderhome-200x150.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 289px) 100vw, 289px">This week we have three newcomers in our chart.</p>
<p>Spider-Man: Far from Home is the most downloaded movie.</p>
<p>The data for our weekly download chart is estimated by TorrentFreak, and is for informational and educational reference only. All the movies in the list are Web-DL/Webrip/HDRip/BDrip/DVDrip unless stated otherwise.</p>
<p><a href="http://torrentfreak.com/category/dvdrip/feed/"><strong>RSS feed</strong></a> for the articles of the recent weekly movie download charts.</p>
<h5>This week&#8217;s most downloaded movies are:</h5>
<table class="css hover">
<thead>
<tr>
<th width="12%"><strong>Movie Rank</strong></th>
<th width="15%"><strong>Rank <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-pirated-movies-of-the-week-on-bittorrent-09-16-19/">last week</a></strong></th>
<th><strong>Movie name</strong></th>
<th width="18%"><strong>IMDb Rating / Trailer</strong></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tfoot>
<tr>
<td colspan="4">Most downloaded movies via torrents</td>
</tr>
</tfoot>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>1</strong></td>
<td>(2)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6320628/">Spider-Man: Far from Home</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6320628/">7.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzKkTC0ZiXs">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>2</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6806448/">Fast &amp; Furious Presents: Hobbs &amp; Shaw</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6806448/">6.7</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ7PAyCDwEg">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>3</strong></td>
<td>(9)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1979376/">Toy Story 4</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1979376/">8.1</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmiIUN-7qhE">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>4</strong></td>
<td>(1)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6565702/">Dark Phoenix</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6565702/">6.0</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azvR__GRQic">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td>(3)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6146586/">John Wick: Chapter 3 &#8211; Parabellum</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6146586/">7.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU8-7BX9uxs">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td>(5)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4154796/">Avengers: Endgame</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4154796/">8.7</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcMBFSGVi1c">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td>(4)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6139732/">Aladdin</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6139732/">7.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcMtWwiyzpU">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5792656/">Running with the Devil</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5792656/">5.4</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF96ePDER1Q">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>9</strong></td>
<td>(8)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3741700/">Godzilla: King of the Monsters</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3741700/">6.5</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFxN2oDKk0E">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>10</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8350360/">Annabelle Comes Home</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8350360/">8.0</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCxm7cTpBAs">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=vfy6Hp98ee4:3PU6c_snAsc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=vfy6Hp98ee4:3PU6c_snAsc:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=vfy6Hp98ee4:3PU6c_snAsc:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/vfy6Hp98ee4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177436
title: Investigation Targets Telegram & WhatsApp-Based Newspaper Pirates
uri: Investigation-Targets-Telegram-WhatsApp-Based-Newspaper-Pirates
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/Z7ZccyYHi58/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/033dfb54.image-121.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-121.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177456" width="241" height="204"/></figure></div>



<p>Last week, chaos was widespread in the &#8216;pirate&#8217; IPTV market after authorities in Italy took <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/xtream-codes-iptv-system-targeted-in-massive-police-operation/">unprecedented action</a> against the operators of Xtream Codes.</p>



<p>Undoubtedly prompted into action by entertainment and media industry groups, the same authorities are now tackling another perceived threat to revenues &#8211; piracy of daily newspapers.</p>



<p>In common with the IPTV crackdown, the latest effort is somewhat unusual in that it tackles fairly unconventional methods and techniques for distribution. Rather than above-ground and obvious websites, Italian authorities are chasing down suppliers to and users of various chat groups.</p>



<p>Authorities reportedly have three key individuals on their radar who are suspected of providing digital copies of daily newspapers to WhatsApp and Telegram groups with many thousands of subscribers.</p>



<p>Italy&#8217;s Postal and Communications Police recently provided the prosecutor of Cagliari a report with the details of the three men. According to <a href="https://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2019/09/21/news/giornali-236557592/">La Repubblica</a>, they include a man from Sardinia born in 1974 and another from Milan born in 1964.</p>



<p>The newspaper titles they reportedly distributed to the groups were available officially via monthly subscriptions costing a few euros. However, one of the suspects, an unemployed computer technician from Turin, somehow managed to crack or &#8216;steal&#8217; the passwords used to access the newspapers.</p>



<p>After the discovery of this unlawful access and distribution, the publishers of newspaper L&#8217;Unione Sarda filed a complaint. Then, in collaboration with the Postal Police, the company placed &#8216;markers&#8217; in downloaded copies of their paper which allowed them to see where the copies were being distributed.</p>



<p>After identifying two channels distributing their content, the investigators found a third, more important channel. However, when Telegram was approached for assistance, the company failed to respond, so the investigators carried out their own work, &#8220;cross-checking financial transactions&#8221; of paying channel users to uncover the identity of the channel operator/uploader.</p>



<p>Once identified, the alleged operator received a visit at his home in Turin and was reportedly caught in the act of uploading pirated copies of newspapers, accessed with &#8216;stolen&#8217; passwords, to the channels being investigated.</p>



<p>But despite this apparent success, the problem of &#8216;pirate&#8217; newspapers continues.</p>



<p>According to the Italian Federation of Newspaper Publishers (<a href="http://www.fieg.it/">FIEG</a>), Telegram is refusing to respond to its complaints about &#8220;repeat and massive infringement, meaning that there are at least eight additional groups still in existence, servicing an alleged 500,000 &#8216;pirate&#8217; users.</p>



<p>In a follow-up and subscription-only interview with La Repubblica, Giuseppe Zafarana, general commander of Italy&#8217;s Guardia di Finanza (the force behind last week&#8217;s IPTV raids), wondered how many pirates would be reading his words without paying for them.</p>



<p>Estimating &#8220;several dozen thousand&#8221; illegal readers, Zafarana said that they will now be getting the message that they &#8220;will know no rest&#8221; and these types of anti-piracy actions are only the beginning of a drive to protect cinema, TV, sports and journalistic content.</p>



<p>&#8220;We will identify and we will seize the servers, wherever they are, that are used for piracy and we will hit and confiscate the assets of those who enrich themselves by violating copyright,&#8221; he said.</p>



<p>Finally, in addition to tackling those who supply pirate content, authorities are also threatening to go after those who consume it too. It was mentioned last week that customers of IPTV providers could be tracked down and given fines and it seems they feel the same way about consumers of &#8216;pirated&#8217; newspapers too.</p>



<p>Whether that&#8217;s bluster will remain to be seen but prosecuting millions of consumers through an already under-pressure legal system is unlikely to be a simple prospect. Perhaps a handful of &#8216;show trials&#8217; will be the more likely outcome.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Z7ZccyYHi58:RDHlBXxYdY0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Z7ZccyYHi58:RDHlBXxYdY0:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=Z7ZccyYHi58:RDHlBXxYdY0:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/Z7ZccyYHi58" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177428
title: RomUniverse Aims to Crowdfund Legal ‘Piracy’ Battle With Nintendo
uri: RomUniverse-Aims-to-Crowdfund-Legal-Piracy-Battle-With-Nintendo
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/5XmmEeZ9AFc/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/6e83e2c1.romuniverselogo.png" data-original-source="http://torrentfreak.com/images/romuniverselogo.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177133"/></figure></div>



<p>Two weeks ago, Nintendo <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/nintendo-sues-romuniverse-for-mass-copyright-infringement/">filed a lawsuit</a> against the game download portal RomUniverse.</p>



<p>The website, which also allows users to download movies and books, stands accused of massive copyright infringement, including that relating to many Nintendo titles.</p>



<p>“The Website is among the most visited and notorious online hubs for pirated Nintendo video games. Through the Website, Defendants reproduce, distribute, monetize, and offer for download thousands of unauthorized copies of Nintendo’s video games,” the Japanese gaming giant wrote.</p>



<p>In the complaint filed at a federal court in California, Nintendo further stated that the site, which reportedly has 375,000 members, offers downloads for nearly every video game system it has ever produced.</p>



<p>According to the game company, “hundreds of thousands of copies” have been illegally downloaded through RomUniverse. The site, meanwhile, profits from this by offering premium memberships that allow users to download as many games as they want. </p>



<p>The alleged operator of RomUniverse is California resident Matthew Storman. He was served shortly after the action was filed but has yet to file a response to the allegations. Going up against a major company such as Nintendo is no easy feat and to foot the legal bills, Storman is now asking the public for help. </p>



<p>The operator has added a donation option to the <a href="https://www.romuniverse.com/#">RomUniverse homepage</a> and also launched a crowdfunding <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/romuniverse-legal-battle">campaign</a> on GoFundMe, setting a goal of $100,000 to assist with the defense. </p>



<p>&#8220;RomUniverse.com was founded in 2009 under the notion that users like you should have easy access to the content that you purchased and the ability to relive those childhood moments.&nbsp; It is because of this, that I am asking for your help,&#8221; Storman writes.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/c2afaeb7.romcrowdf.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/romcrowdf.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177450"/></figure></div>



<p>A representative of RomUniverse previously informed TorrentFreak that the site responds to takedown notices, but that it didn&#8217;t receive any from Nintendo recently. While it&#8217;s not hard to see that pirated games are indeed shared on the site, Storman is determined to put up a fight. </p>



<p>&#8220;Now I know what you&#8217;re thinking, this one person is going to take on one of the largest console/gaming manufacturers in the world?&nbsp; And the short answer is YES,&#8221; he notes.</p>



<p>&#8220;I believe that I have a solid defense, and considering that other romsites have folded and settled, this has never been done before,&#8221; Storman adds. </p>



<p>The RomUniverse operator likely refers to the&nbsp;now-defunct ROM sites LoveROMS.com and LoveRETRO.co. These were sued by Nintendo last year and the owners, a married couple, agreed to resolve the matter in exchange for a&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/nintendo-wins-12-million-from-pirate-rom-site-operators-181112/">$12 million</a> consent judgment.</p>



<p>The &#8216;admin&#8217; of the official discord channel shared the link to the GoFundMe campaign with us, so the crowdfunding campaign is indeed linked to the ROM site. We subsequently requested more information on the forthcoming defense but, at the time of publication, we have yet to hear back.  </p>



<p>On the GoFundMe page, Storman notes that he&#8217;s not &#8220;greedy&#8221; or a scammer. He merely wants to defend his rights and those of others in this &#8220;unknown&#8221; landscape. In the meantime, the site remains online.</p>



<p>While some people may have donated to the site directly, thus far, the crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe hasn&#8217;t gained any traction. After two days, the donation counter is still at $0.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=5XmmEeZ9AFc:VaLZgLN4Tk4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=5XmmEeZ9AFc:VaLZgLN4Tk4:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=5XmmEeZ9AFc:VaLZgLN4Tk4:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/5XmmEeZ9AFc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177491
title: ESET: 91% of Russians Prefer Pirated Content Over Legal
uri: ESET-91-of-Russians-Prefer-Pirated-Content-Over-Legal
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/mmVVrDqUyGs/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/3d5a45b0.pirateflag.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/pirateflag.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-175547" width="263" height="165"/></figure></div>



<p>In common with most major countries around the world, Russia has problems with piracy, a situation its government is constantly trying to address.</p>



<p>In an effort to deter citizens from using illicit sources, Russia has already developed one of the most aggressive site-blocking regimes anywhere in the world. Thousands of sites are blocked by ISPs on copyright grounds, some permanently </p>



<p>Right now, it is also working on further <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/search-engines-given-six-hours-to-delete-pirate-links-under-new-law-190903/">legislative amendments</a> that will compel search engines to query online databases to ensure that links to allegedly-infringing content are <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/landmark-anti-piracy-database-agreement-signed-in-moscow-181101/">removed from indexes</a> in a matter of minutes. </p>



<p>But while all of that plays out, a new survey carried out by security company ESET suggests that the problem is unusually deep-seated, with just a fraction of respondents stating that they always obtain content from licensed sources.</p>



<p>The study was carried out in September among 2,000 people who were asked, among other things, what type of content they pirate most often. ESET says that many users highlighted more than one type of content but there was a clear leader.</p>



<p>52% of respondents said that &#8216;cracked&#8217; games are their content of choice, closely followed by 43% who obtain movies and TV shows from unlicensed sources. Just over a third (34%) say they prefer to listen to music from illegal platforms rather than their legal equivalents.</p>



<p>While &#8216;pirate&#8217; eBook and <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/sci-hub-pirate-bay-of-science-blocked-in-russia-over-medical-studies-181130/">similar sites</a> have been the subject of several lawsuits in Russia to date, only 14% said that they obtain content from these services. Just under a fifth (19%) of respondents say they install &#8216;cracked&#8217; software. Perhaps predictably, ESET points out that since malware can come with such releases, its products can come in handy.</p>



<p>Overall, just 9% of all respondents in the study admit to obtaining content exclusively from licensed sources, a pretty measly figure. However, the information released by ESET doesn&#8217;t reveal how many of the 91% are &#8216;dual buyers&#8217;, an omission that could prove crucial.</p>



<p>People who pirate content but also obtain some content from licensed sources have been an <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirates-are-valuable-customers-not-the-enemy-180606/">important factor</a> in more detailed studies carried out elsewhere. These people are regularly viewed as potential converts to 100% legal consumption in the future while offering some hope that the piracy puzzle can be solved in time.</p>



<p>But of course, people in Russia have their own reasons to pirate and it&#8217;s the old boogeyman at the top of the list &#8211; cost. According to ESET, 75% of respondents said that high prices are the reason to pirate, with just over a third (34%) stating that legal services fall short of their requirements. </p>



<p>Interestingly, ESET says that 25% refuse to pay for licensed content on &#8220;ideological&#8221; grounds, although it doesn&#8217;t elaborate on what they might be. That&#8217;s followed up by 16% who say they prefer pirate content because payment systems utilized by legal providers are &#8220;inconvenient&#8221;.</p>



<p>Finally, while ESET Russia encourages people to comply with relevant anti-piracy laws, it predictably gets in a plug for its own products. Nothing that unlicensed products and &#8216;cracked&#8217; games can sometimes come with unwanted extras, the company suggests using its anti-virus solutions to combat the threat.</p>



<p>Given the results of the study, there&#8217;s plenty of scope for sales, if the company can get anyone to pay.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=mmVVrDqUyGs:VZsZQ6IkS_g:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=mmVVrDqUyGs:VZsZQ6IkS_g:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=mmVVrDqUyGs:VZsZQ6IkS_g:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/mmVVrDqUyGs" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177505
title: Music Piracy Drops Dramatically, IFPI Shows
uri: Music-Piracy-Drops-Dramatically-IFPI-Shows
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/Fed1qPYGj94/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/a34c6170.cassettapemusic.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/cassettapemusic.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175024"/></figure></div>



<p>Music piracy, in various forms, has been a problem for decades but more recently stream-ripping has emerged as the dominant source.</p>



<p>Three years ago music industry group IFPI sounded the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/stream-ripping-problem-worse-than-pirate-sites-ifpi-says-160913/">alarm bell</a>. Stream-ripping had become a bigger piracy threat than other forms of piracy, including torrent sites, the group said.</p>



<p>This awareness motivated various music labels and publishers to crack down on ripping tools. That also led to the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/youtube-mp3-settles-with-riaa-site-will-shut-down-170904/">demise of&nbsp;YouTube-MP3</a>, which once was the most popular ripping site.</p>



<p>While there was no shortage of enforcement actions, the stream-ripping problem only appeared to increase. By this time last year, IFPI&#8217;s yearly consumer insight report revealed that 32% of all Internet users were stream rippers, up from 30% in 2016. </p>



<p>Online piracy, in general, was also substantial, as 38% of the surveyed Internet users classified themselves as pirates. That number includes the stream-rippers, obtaining content from various legal sites.</p>



<p>These statistics are certainly concerning but what IFPI failed to note was that a downward trend was starting to emerge, one that continues today.</p>



<p>IFPI just released its latest consumer insight report, which it renamed to the &#8220;<a href="https://www.ifpi.org/news/IFPI-releases-music-listening-2019">Music Listening</a>&#8221; report. The main focus is on legal consumption, which is thriving. However, stream-ripping piracy is still highlighted as a major threat. </p>



<p>&#8220;Copyright infringement remains a challenge for the music ecosystem.&nbsp;27% of all those surveyed used unlicensed methods to listen to or obtain music in the past month, while 23% used illegal stream ripping services – the leading form of music piracy,&#8221; IFPI notes.</p>



<p>There is little further context in the full report as IFPI doesn&#8217;t compare the numbers to earlier years, as it does with other statistics. We don&#8217;t know whether this is intentional or not, but the music industry group fails to observe one of the largest changes in piracy consumption in recent years. </p>



<p>This year 27% of Internet users classify themselves as music pirates, compared to 38% last year. Similarly, the percentage of stream-rippers dropped from 32% to 23% between 2018 and 2019, which is a rather dramatic decrease.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/ec88db06.2019.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/2019.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177510"/><figcaption>2019 piracy stats (credit: <a href="https://www.ifpi.org/">IFPI</a>)</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>To put this into perspective, out of every 100 persons who were classified as music pirates last year, 29 kicked the habit. And for every 100 stream-rippers, 28 stopped. These groups obviously overlap, but it&#8217;s certainly a major shift.</p>



<p>Another thing we observed is that the role of search engines is no longer highlighted. This used to be a top priority. In 2016 IFPI reported that 66% of all music pirates used general search engines (e.g. Google) to find pirated music. A year later this went down to 54%, last year it dipped under 50%, and in 2019 it&#8217;s not mentioned at all. </p>



<p>For some reason, we think this may have been different if these trends had gone in the other direction. For example, in 2016, IFPI sounded the alarm bell when stream-ripping <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/stream-ripping-problem-worse-than-pirate-sites-ifpi-says-160913/">grew 10%</a> while the 28% drop this year isn&#8217;t mentioned.</p>



<p>Perhaps the music industry group has its reasons not to discuss these newsworthy changes, but we definitely think it is at least worth pointing them out. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Fed1qPYGj94:P5b1GVb8u30:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Fed1qPYGj94:P5b1GVb8u30:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=Fed1qPYGj94:P5b1GVb8u30:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/Fed1qPYGj94" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177525
title: Alleged Mangamura Admin Arrested By Japan During Deportation Flight
uri: Alleged-Mangamura-Admin-Arrested-By-Japan-During-Deportation-Flight
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/fy9OKKyMGWM/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/2945a765.image-122.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/image-122.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177531" width="268" height="282"/></figure></div>



<p>Over the years, many piracy-related sites and services have been accused of facilitating massive copyright infringement but on sheer scale, few come close to now-shuttered manga site Mangamura.</p>



<p>According to Japan-based anti-piracy group CODA, Mangamura caused around $2.91 billion in damages to the local manga industry. And that was from a standing start in 2016.</p>



<p>While the site closed in 2018, apparently voluntarily, authorities worked to bring its alleged operator to justice. In July 2019 there was a breakthrough when the Bureau of Immigration in the Philippines <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/alleged-mastermind-of-giant-pirate-manga-site-arrested-in-manilla-190710/">announced</a> they&#8217;d arrested the Japanese-German-Israeli &#8220;fugitive&#8221; Romi Hoshino.</p>



<p>The 28-year-old, also known online as Zakay/Sakay, was arrested at Ninoy Aquino International Airport as he attempted to board a plane to Hong Kong. The arrest was coordinated with Japanese authorities who were seeking his deportation to face charges connected with the operation of Mangamura.</p>



<p>After reportedly being held in custody at a detention facility in Taguig City,  Hoshino boarded a deportation flight to Japan yesterday. Once onboard, he was arrested by Japanese police and flown to Narita Airport, near Tokyo.</p>



<p>A <a href="https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190924/p2g/00m/0dm/090000c">Mainichi</a> report states that Hoshino was arrested in Japan under suspicion of copyright violations.</p>



<p>A video shot at the airport shows the suspect wearing a blue t-shirt displaying the text &#8216;Manila Mura&#8217; with his personal web address &#8211; https://romihoshino.com &#8211; printed underneath. That site currently displays a &#8216;maintenance mode&#8217; message.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube aligncenter wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe title="??????????  ???????????" width="694" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3QjYw-mTIpk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>Hoshino was interviewed by Japanese police last year, before he flew to the Philippines in May 2018. According to unnamed sources, he denied being involved in the Mangamura site. He further denied fleeing from Japan, instead citing business and other reasons for his departure.</p>



<p>In addition to action against Hoshino, the noose appears to be tightening on other players allegedly involved in Mangamura.</p>



<p>Earlier this month, 26-year-old Kota Fujisaki pleaded guilty at Fukuoka District Court to uploading copyrighted images to the site, contrary to copyright law. On the same day, a 24-year-old woman, Shiho Ito, pleaded not guilty to the same charges.</p>



<p>The prosecution claimed that images from the 866th episode of manga series &#8216;One Piece&#8217; were uploaded to Mangamura from Fujisaki’s home in May 2017, where Ito also lived at the time. It&#8217;s further claimed that the pair conspired with Hoshino, with Ito receiving payment for the uploads.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=fy9OKKyMGWM:tVOLcTfHzCw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=fy9OKKyMGWM:tVOLcTfHzCw:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=fy9OKKyMGWM:tVOLcTfHzCw:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/fy9OKKyMGWM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177481
title: .To Registry Must Identify Owner of Fmovies and Other ‘Pirate’ Domains
uri: To-Registry-Must-Identify-Owner-of-Fmovies-and-Other-Pirate-Dom
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/ZOPtLnZx0IU/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/d2d46883.tonic.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/tonic.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177550"/></figure></div>



<p>Millennium Films is continuing its quest to identify and shut down pirate sites and services. </p>



<p>In recent weeks the company managed to take the widely popular app <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/piracy-app-cotomovies-shuts-down-apologizes-and-exposes-users-190911/">CotoMovies offline</a> and the popular torrent site <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/popular-torrent-site-mkvcage-faces-lawsuit-and-goes-offline/">MKVCage also disappeared </a>following legal pressure.</p>



<p>To identify the operators of these sites and apps the movie outfit, alongside several of its daughter companies, uses a relatively simple weapon. Through their attorney, they request DMCA subpoenas, ordering hosts, domain registries, and other intermediaries to share personal information of their targets.</p>



<p>While foreign companies may not always be responsive to such requests, US-based corporations usually are. </p>



<p>The most recent effort from Millennium Films is particularly interesting in this regard. The company requested a subpoena to compel the .To registry to hand over information connected to the domains of streaming sites FMovies.to, Yesmovies.to and Cmovieshd.to, as well as torrent site iBit.to.</p>



<p>According to information submitted to the court, the sites are linked to pirated copies of the film &#8220;London Has Fallen.&#8221; </p>



<p>While .To is the top-level domain of the island kingdom of Tonga, the <a href="https://www.tonic.to/">Tonic registry </a>operates through Tonic Domains Corp., which clearly has a U.S. presence with a <a href="https://www.tonic.to/faq.htm">California address</a>. As such, it will generally fall under the jurisdiction of US courts.</p>



<p>As is usually the case with DMCA subpoenas, this request was swiftly approved by a court clerk without oversight from a judge. As such, the registry is required to hand over emails, phone numbers, payment details, and other information it has on the domain owners.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/3f7cc99a.tonicsub.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/tonicsub.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177555"/></figure></div>



<p>Interestingly, the subpoena <a href="media/60a603d7.culpepper-request.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/culpepper-request.pdf">request</a> contains several errors. It repeatedly refers to Cloudflare, for example. This is likely because it was copied from a previous submission. In addition, it addresses &#8220;Tonics Domain&#8221; corp, instead of &#8220;Tonic Domains,&#8221; but the court clerk approved it nonetheless. </p>



<p>Responding to our inquiry, the Tonic registry said that it will, and has always complied with valid US subpoenas. This means that it will respond to this request as well, unless it sees the misspelled name as problematic. </p>



<p>The question remains what Millennium Films can do with the information. While some pirate sites and services are responsive to legal pressure, not all are. </p>



<p>FMovies, for example, which is the largest site targeted in this instance, didn&#8217;t flinch when it was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/major-pirate-movie-streaming-site-fmovies-sued-in-us-court-161026/">sued by ABS-CBN</a> three years ago. The site operators simply didn&#8217;t respond to the complaint, resulting in a default judgment of $210,000 in damages.</p>



<p>The same judgment, issued by a federal court in Florida, also came with an injunction allowing ABS-CBN to <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/us-court-orders-pirate-streaming-site-fmovies-to-pay-210000-170609/">take over the FMovies.to domain name</a>, but that never happened. </p>



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



<p><em>A copy of the subpoena issued by the US District Court for the District of Hawaii is <a href="media/2624ade9.tonics.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/tonics.pdf">available here (pdf).</a></em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ZOPtLnZx0IU:NLMQLhJQCPg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ZOPtLnZx0IU:NLMQLhJQCPg:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=ZOPtLnZx0IU:NLMQLhJQCPg:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/ZOPtLnZx0IU" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177404
title: Denmark Blocks Sci-Hub Plus Streaming, Torrent & YouTube-Ripping Sites
uri: Denmark-Blocks-Sci-Hub-Plus-Streaming-Torrent-YouTube-Ripping-Sites
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/h92KteqsWVI/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/b1b33e9f.pageblocked.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/pageblocked.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-147564" width="267" height="201" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/pageblocked.jpg 275w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/pageblocked-200x150.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 267px) 100vw, 267px"></figure></div>



<p>While many countries around Europe have frameworks in place to block &#8216;pirate&#8217; sites on copyright grounds, Denmark can take credit for being a pioneer.</p>



<p>As long ago as 2006, music industry group IFPI began targeting Russian MP3 download site AllofMP3 and in 2008, the country became the first in the region to compel an ISP to <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-blocked-by-isp-080204/">block The Pirate Bay</a>.</p>



<p>Since then, rightsholders &#8211; under the leadership of anti-piracy group RettighedsAlliancen (Rights Alliance) &#8211; have taken selective action to target further sites for blocking, specifically those that have proven themselves most popular with local audiences.</p>



<p>Last week, Rights Alliance indicated that it had won a new blocking order following a process at a court in Holbæk. The group said that it had targeted 11 sites in various sectors, including streaming, torrent, file-hosting and ripping sites but few other details were made available.</p>



<p>Information provided by Rights Alliance to TorrentFreak can now put more meat on those bones.</p>



<p>The action was taken on behalf of many content-related companies covering music, movies, TV shows and publishing. They include IFPI, Sony Music, Elsevier, the Danish Producers&#8217;​ Association, film company Zentropa Productions, Nimbus Film, Nordisk Film, and Scanbox Entertainment, to name a few.</p>



<p>The single torrent site targeted was the popular platform TorrentFunk followed by six streaming platforms &#8211; Filme3d, Filmi2k, GoMovies, HDfilmcehennemi2, PopcornTime-online, and Watch32.</p>



<p>Given the participation of IFPI and Sony in the process, it&#8217;s no surprise that stream-ripping platforms also make an appearance. The two sites targeted in this sector are named as YouTube converter sites Converto and MP3-YouTube. In 2018, Denmark became the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/in-world-first-danish-court-rules-stream-ripping-site-illegal-180710/">first country in the world</a> to compel an ISP to block a YouTube-ripping site.</p>



<p>That publisher Elsevier is involved naturally points to the blocking of Sci-Hub and Library Genesis (Libgen). These &#8216;pirate&#8217; libraries of scientific papers have been blocked in a number of regions already, including <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/court-orders-french-isps-to-block-sci-hub-and-libgen-190331/">France</a>, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vodafone-blocks-libgen-following-elsevier-springer-macmillan-injunction-180808/">Germany</a>, and <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/sci-hub-pirate-bay-of-science-blocked-in-russia-over-medical-studies-181130/">Russia</a>. Neither are strangers to direct legal action either, but both sites continue their <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/anti-piracy-efforts-are-unlikely-to-beat-sci-hub/">stated mission</a> regardless.</p>



<p>In common with many similar procedures, the action was targeted at a local ISP, in this case <a href="https://www.fibia.dk/">Fibia</a>. The Court ultimately determined that all of the sites infringe the plaintiffs&#8217; copyrights and that Fibia enables its customers to access the sites in question.</p>



<p>As a result, Fibia was directed to block subscriber access to the sites within seven days of receiving the court order. In line with a code of conduct agreed among ISPs in Denmark, other ISPs will also block the above-named sites, despite not being named in the complaint.</p>



<p>Rights Alliance Director Maria Fredenslund informs TorrentFreak that this latest action represents &#8220;blocking wave 14&#8221; in Denmark and more sites will be targeted in the future.</p>



<p>&#8220;We file about 5-6 cases per year targeting the most popular infringing sites,&#8221; Fredenslund concludes.</p>



<p>Users attempting to visit the newly-blocked sites (and the hundreds blocked following previous actions) will be directed to the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/share-with-care-danish-isp-blocks-point-pirates-to-legal-alternatives-181009/">Share With Care campaign portal</a> which contains advice supported by a dedicated film search engine, pointing visitors to legal sources.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=h92KteqsWVI:DdDDQL7AueQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=h92KteqsWVI:DdDDQL7AueQ:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=h92KteqsWVI:DdDDQL7AueQ:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/h92KteqsWVI" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177430
title: Kodi is Sick of Pirate Addons But Banning Them is Not an Option
uri: Kodi-is-Sick-of-Pirate-Addons-But-Banning-Them-is-Not-an-Option
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/i9GLrVAipVk/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/33d532a8.kodilo.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/kodilo.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177497"/></figure></div>



<p>Streaming has become the preferred way for pirates to enjoy movies and TV-shows which, unwittingly, boosted the profile of the <a href="https://kodi.tv/">Kodi</a> media center.</p>



<p>The term &#8220;Kodi&#8221; often shows up in piracy-related headlines and was even <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/amazon-bans-kodi-app-over-piracy-concerns-150616/">banned by Amazon&#8217;s app store</a> and removed from Google&#8217;s <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/google-adds-kodi-to-autocomplete-piracy-filter-180328/">autocomplete suggestions</a> for its links to copyright infringement. </p>



<p>Those who don&#8217;t know better may think that Kodi itself is illegal but that&#8217;s certainly not the case. The bad reputation is the result of dozens of unofficial addons and builds, which can turn the software into a piracy tool, something the Kodi team can do little about.</p>



<p>While this is well-known to insiders, the people behind Kodi are faced with the piracy stigma pretty much every day. Questions like &#8220;is Kodi legal&#8221; are often asked and this week the Kodi team makes an effort to answer this question as clearly as it can.</p>



<p>Kodi&#8217;s Darren Hill notes that the piracy associations are in large part driven by sources that fail to make the distinction between the Kodi media center and third-party addons. Kodi itself doesn&#8217;t offer access to pirated media, but third-party addons can.</p>



<p>&#8220;Due to various 3rd party addons, the app has gained an unwanted reputation as being a way to get movies and TV shows for free. This is not helped at all by certain unscrupulous websites and YouTube bloggers who encourage and perpetuate the myth, simply to increase their traffic from web users and earn more cash from the site sponsors,&#8221; Hill writes. </p>



<p>Indeed, Kodi related searches on either Google or YouTube return plenty of results that feature its &#8216;piracy&#8217; capabilities, which are of great interest to a certain audience. On YouTube, there are entire channels dedicated to Kodi piracy, which get millions of views.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="media/a5d8aca3.kodiyouvpn.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/kodiyouvpn.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177601"/><figcaption>Some Kodi related videos</figcaption></figure>



<p>The Kodi team isn&#8217;t happy with this situation. They stress that their media player is meant to play people’s locally stored media files or to use any of the Kodi-vetted addons. There are no piracy traces or options in the default software.</p>



<p>&#8220;As we supply it, Kodi is totally legal,&#8221; Hill clarifies. </p>



<p>People who do want to use third-party addons have the option to do so. However, this capability is disabled by default. Those who enable it, do it at their own risk, which, based on the usage numbers, millions of people are willing to take. </p>



<p>That begs the question. If third-party addons are causing all this trouble, why not ban them altogether? </p>



<p>While that seems like a simple step, it&#8217;s also one that goes against the very nature of the Kodi project. The Kodi team informs TorrentFreak that it believes in an open ecosystem, much like Android and Windows. Especially since Kodi itself is open-source software (OSS).</p>



<p>&#8220;Similar to how Android allows you to install any APK, which can provide 3rd party store access we have a similar belief/idea,&#8221;  Kodi&#8217;s Keith Herrington tells us. </p>



<p>&#8220;Our purpose isn&#8217;t to be a gatekeeper of how folks use our software. Most OSS is designed to remove these restrictions and barriers to entry, leveling the playing field so anyone can utilize technology how they wish to see it,&#8221; he adds. </p>



<p>The intention was never to make Kodi a &#8216;consumable&#8217; product, although it can be. As an open ecosystem, it&#8217;s first and foremost something others can build upon and enjoy. It&#8217;s a breeding ground for developers, many of whom contribute to the project. </p>



<p>That there are bad actors is a given by now. Theoretically, Kodi could restrict &#8216;unsigned&#8217; addons but it doesn&#8217;t believe that there&#8217;s a safe and constructive manner to do so. Other have tried this, but often without success.</p>



<p>&#8220;Google has tried, failed, and then gave up on this, so if a billion-dollar+ company can&#8217;t figure this out, I doubt our loosely organized group of volunteers doing this all for fun can, either,&#8221; Herrington says.  </p>



<p>The last part is something most people forget. Kodi is created and supported by volunteers &#8211; it&#8217;s not a for-profit operation. While many outsiders have built businesses, legal or not, based on the software, those who code and support the media center do it for free. And people promoting piracy addons are ruining Kodi&#8217;s image in the process.</p>



<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s sad how many &#8216;social media influencers&#8217; think they&#8217;ve &#8216;helped us&#8217; in some way, by getting us &#8216;more followers&#8217;. That isn&#8217;t how this works,&#8221; Herrington notes. &#8220;Nobody is paid here. Many others are making money off the backs of our hard work, and its a struggle, and it sucks to see how the media treats us.&#8221;</p>



<p>The Kodi team does <a href="https://kodi.tv/contribute/donate">accept donations</a> and every now and then users send over $5 or $10, or even a bit more. This helps the core team to meet up and go to conferences and pay for administrative costs, but not much more than that. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/9490869a.keepkodigreat.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/keepkodigreat.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177603"/><figcaption>Keep Kodi Great</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>In fact, while we are writing this piece the main Kodi website is down because its &#8220;sponsor&#8221; Acquia pulled the plug as it was using <a href="https://twitter.com/KodiTV/status/1176651221542694912">too many resources</a>. One dedicated server can easily run the website, but apparently that&#8217;s already a challenge to get.</p>



<p>Coming back to the third-party addon issue, Kodi&#8217;s Darren Hill informs TorrentFreak that the team believes in freedom of choice. Kodi shouldn&#8217;t police its users, nor does it intend to. </p>



<p>&#8220;We specifically do not tell the user what to do and how to use&nbsp;Kodi, that should be up to them. All we ask is that their choice is an enlightened one, and they fully understand what they are doing. Equally, if there are any repercussions from their actions, then those too are entirely their responsibility,&#8221; Hill says. </p>



<p>That outsiders are hurting Kodi&#8217;s image is unfortunate, but that doesn&#8217;t stop the team from continuing its work. While some rightsholders have threatened legal action, there&#8217;s also a growing group that&#8217;s better informed and doesn&#8217;t blame the media center.  </p>



<p>Just recently, the Copyright Alliance made this pretty clear <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/copyright-alliance-warns-u-s-about-pirate-streaming-apps-and-devices-190825/">in a submission to</a> the US Customs and Border Protection Bureau. </p>



<p>&#8220;While the Kodi system itself is a legitimate media center, the system is open source – meaning that just about anybody can use the device’s original blueprint to create software that configures Kodi boxes to access illegal streams of films and shows that are available online – and unfortunately, they do,&#8221; the group wrote.</p>



<p>So, while the Kodi team cautions users to be aware of unlawful third-party addons it&#8217;s not going to try to ban them anytime soon. Instead, it will focus on making the media center better. That includes the official addon library, which can use some extra addons.</p>



<p>&#8220;We hope someday our curated addon repo will be so good and have so much content that everything a user could want would be available. This is not the case today. We&#8217;ve made great strides with our PVR addons, but we&#8217;d love to work with any content provider out there, and hope more will reach out,&#8221; Kodi&#8217;s Keith Herrington concludes.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=i9GLrVAipVk:lfkHFmwgLbo:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=i9GLrVAipVk:lfkHFmwgLbo:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=i9GLrVAipVk:lfkHFmwgLbo:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/i9GLrVAipVk" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177572
title: Piracy will Surge if More Legal Streaming Services Launch, Research Shows
uri: Piracy-will-Surge-if-More-Legal-Streaming-Services-Launch-Research-Sh
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/eMZb0YJi_ps/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/fdb4ba62.streamingkey.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/streamingkey.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-125426"/></figure></div>



<p>When Disney announced that it would launch its own streaming service, two years ago, some noted that this would <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/disney-ditching-netflix-keeps-piracy-relevant-170809/">keep piracy relevant</a>. </p>



<p>People had just become used to having access to a broad movie and TV library in one or two places, and any increased fragmentation appeared to be a step backward. </p>



<p>Fast forward to 2019 and Disney is about to launch its new service. At the same time, more and more streaming subscription platforms are coming up with exclusive releases. If you want to see those, you have to sign up. </p>



<p>While that may not be a problem for some, there is an audience of millions who don&#8217;t want to or simply can&#8217;t pay for a handful of streaming subscriptions. This means that they have to pick the ones they want the most. </p>



<p>That&#8217;s the hard reality for modern consumers, at least, for those who don&#8217;t want to break the law. </p>



<p>As it turns out, many people are willing to cross the line, and the increased fragmentation of video streaming service is indeed driving people back to pirate sites. This problem may actually be worse than some think, based on new research that was just published by <a href="https://www.broadbandgenie.co.uk/">Broadband Genie</a>.</p>



<p>The broadband comparison/advice site conducted a survey among  UK streaming users and found that 18% confessed to using pirate sites on the side. However, this number could more than double to 37% if the legal streaming subscription market continues to fragment.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/2b6e1ea9.consider.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/consider.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177653"/><figcaption>Credit: Broadband Genie</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>The cost of these services is the driving factor behind the findings. Two thirds (67%) of the surveyed UK streamers feel that they are already paying too much. The average expenditure is roughly £15 a month, where a maximum of £10 is seen as ideal. </p>



<p>Interestingly, those people who consider becoming pirates are not doing so without taking precautions. More than half (60%) of the prospective pirates say they will invest in a VPN to prevent copyright holders from tracing their steps.</p>



<p>Alex Tofts, Broadband Expert at Broadband Genie, notes that we&#8217;re still a long way from having all video entertainment in one place. People have options to save costs, through family discounts, for example. But instead, many people prefer to pay for a VPN so they can go the pirate route.</p>



<p>&#8220;It’s disheartening that consumers are prepared to turn to streams and file sharing to access the content they want. The price consumers are willing to pay is the equivalent of subscribing to one service,&#8221; Tofts says.</p>



<p>Rightsholders, meanwhile, keep repeating that availability is no longer a problem. They are right. In most countries, people can watch pretty much everything they want, but it comes at a price which, according to the survey, they are not willing to pay.</p>



<p>If fragmentation increases most people will still pay for legal services, but an increasing number will additionally use pirate services to watch content that&#8217;s otherwise only available at platforms they don&#8217;t have access to.</p>



<p>Availability is no longer the key issue. Instead, the focus has shifted to convenience and affordability. The prospect of signing up and using four or even five different streaming service is not affordable for many people, nor is it convenient. </p>



<p>The solution would be to provide universal access to a multitude of services through a single interface at a decent price. That&#8217;s what people also get at pirate sites. But this is easier said than done, as it won’t bring in enough revenue, at least not at the subscription rates we have now.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=eMZb0YJi_ps:wwRTv2MTJ6M:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=eMZb0YJi_ps:wwRTv2MTJ6M:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=eMZb0YJi_ps:wwRTv2MTJ6M:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/eMZb0YJi_ps" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177527
title: ‘Pirate’ IPTV Traffic “Dropped 50%” After Xtream Codes Raid
uri: Pirate-IPTV-Traffic-Dropped-50-After-Xtream-Codes-Raid
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/Zwg1MktZFJg/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/a7c0897c.iptv.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/iptv.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-135034" width="260" height="172"/></figure></div>



<p>Last week the illicit IPTV market was thrown into turmoil when Italian authorities teamed up with law enforcement groups in the EU.</p>



<p>Their operation, dubbed &#8216;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/xtream-codes-iptv-system-targeted-in-massive-police-operation/">Black IPTV</a>&#8216;, targeted individuals and equipment behind at least one Italy-based IPTV provider. More importantly, however, it also targeted Xtream Codes, a management system utilized by many providers and sellers of IPTV services.</p>



<p>While Xtream Codes claimed to be a content-agnostic system, its popularity in the unlicensed market is hard to understate. With an estimated 5,000 providers of varying kinds on its books servicing around 50 million end-users, its closure had an immediate and dramatic impact.</p>



<p>In the immediate aftermath of the raids, suppliers reported an inability to sign up new customers or renew customer subscriptions. Within several hours, it became clear that anyone reliant on the system would be more seriously affected, with IPTV services going dark and paying customers seeing red.</p>



<p>As soon as news of the raids appeared on our radar, we contacted several previously responsive players in the IPTV market. Precisely zero responded to our requests for comment amid the chaos, which was widespread and by some estimates affected up to 90% of the market. Data from Google Trends does seem to indicate that plenty of people hit its search engine for news.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/a78ce9b3.xtream-IPTV-GoogleTrends.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/xtream-IPTV-GoogleTrends.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177565" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/xtream-IPTV-GoogleTrends.png 650w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/xtream-IPTV-GoogleTrends-500x210.png 500w" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px"><figcaption><em>Searches for &#8216;Xtream Codes&#8217; and &#8216;IPTV&#8217; just after the raids</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>With no obvious central source for information on the impact of the operation, the day after the raids TorrentFreak contacted Sandvine, a networking equipment company that has previously provided detailed analysis on general Internet and piracy-related traffic.</p>



<p>An external source that requested anonymity told us that due to technical issues the full force of the raid may not be felt until Thursday or Friday, the two days directly after the raids took place. So, we asked Sandvine if the company had noticed any significant drop in illicit streaming traffic during that period &#8211; it had.</p>



<p>This week a spokesperson for the company told TorrentFreak that on Friday September 20, Sandvine estimated that illicit streaming traffic had decreased 50% from the levels seen on Thursday, a massive drop by any standards.</p>



<p>That many illicit IPTV providers had been seriously affected by Xtream Codes&#8217; removal from the market didn&#8217;t really come as a shock. Equally, it wasn&#8217;t really a surprise when providers began to adapt to the loss either. </p>



<p>Slowly but surely, some providers and sellers began migrating to alternative management systems, as detailed in emails to subscribers seen by TF. By Saturday, better news for them began to filter through, with services not only returning but also with subscriber payment and subscription information intact.</p>



<p>Sandvine gave TF a brief list of five providers, all of which went down completely between the 19th and 21st of September. By 21st/22nd all were recovering to a greater or lesser extent, with only one failing to return at all.</p>



<p>That being said, the overall market is huge, so it&#8217;s almost impossible to say how many have now returned, in whole or in part. It isn&#8217;t difficult to find complaints that services are still down even today but there are also several reports of providers that weren&#8217;t affected at all by the Xtream Codes situation.</p>



<p>Typically, there are individuals and groups out there trying to make hay even before the storm clouds have cleared. TF has heard of a handful of hopeful end-users who believed they were paying to access a service that was still up, only to have their &#8216;supplier&#8217; cut and run.</p>



<p>Equally, we were pointed to a service that claims to be an Xtream Codes replacement but is probably nothing more than an elaborate scam. Since the prices were so high, we didn&#8217;t feel tempted to test that theory out.</p>



<p>On the other hand, real Xtream Codes alternatives are out there but how vulnerable they are to similar action will remain to be seen. In particular, one service seems happy to take orders and is reportedly in use by a number of previously stranded providers and resellers.</p>



<p>If nothing else, most of those in the chain should now be more prepared if there&#8217;s similar action in the future. Or less surprised at least.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Zwg1MktZFJg:QQLLavIoq_0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Zwg1MktZFJg:QQLLavIoq_0:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=Zwg1MktZFJg:QQLLavIoq_0:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/Zwg1MktZFJg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177610
title: Travis McCrea’s Answer to Ebook.bike Piracy Lawsuit Cites DMCA & Religious Defenses
uri: Travis-McCrea-s-Answer-to-Ebook-bike-Piracy-Lawsuit-Cites-DMCA-Rel
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/PAyeL3lREDA/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/24879ea8.3geINt6a_400x400.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/3geINt6a_400x400.jpg" alt="" width="248" height="248"/></figure></div>



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



<p>The direction of the case has been somewhat disorganized but rests on Van Stry&#8217;s basic claims that his books appeared on eBook.bike without his permission and weren&#8217;t taken down, resulting in breaches of copyright law.</p>



<p>McCrea, on the other hand, says that the DMCA notices he received from the author <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/ebook-bike-owner-says-deficient-dmca-notices-means-no-case-to-answer-190727/">were deficient</a>, meaning he has no case to answer. In August, a motion for default judgment filed by Van Stry <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/ebook-bike-copyright-case-heading-towards-trial-default-set-aside-190824/">was set aside</a>, as was a motion to dismiss filed by McCrea. At that time, a trial date was provisionally set for June 2020.</p>



<p>This week, McCrea &#8211; who is defending himself &#8211; filed his answer to the 54-page complaint filed by Van Stry in March. In many respects it covers old ground, such as restating McCrea&#8217;s defense under the safe harbor provisions of the DMCA and reiterating the claim that Van Stry&#8217;s notices were deficient and thus contributed to any problems he may have faced.</p>



<p>Even more fundamentally, McCrea&#8217;s answer states that no evidence has been presented to the Court to back up Van Stry&#8217;s claim that eBook.bike ever advertised, imported, or distributed any copyrighted material. On that basis, McCrea denies all the claims to the contrary.</p>



<p>&#8220;No files have been submitted for evidence, nothing that proves that infringement actually happened at all, nothing that even shows the files were in fact on the servers,&#8221; he writes.</p>



<p>A significant portion of Van Stry&#8217;s original complaint focused on McCrea&#8217;s character and alleged previous conduct, describing him as having a &#8220;proud history of pervasive, blatant, and egregious violations of other persons’ intellectual property rights&#8221; as a key figure in the Pirate Party movement.</p>



<p>The complaint adds that McCrea was president/reverend of the Kopimist Church of Idaho &#8211; a spin-off from the pro-file-sharing Church of Kopimism which was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/file-sharing-recognized-as-official-religion-in-sweden-120104/">recognized as a religion</a> in Sweden back in 2012. </p>



<p>&#8220;&#8216;Reverend&#8217; McCrea is on record as having said that &#8216;giving away other people’s intellectual property&#8217; is his &#8216;religious vocation&#8217;,&#8221; the complaint noted. </p>



<p>In his answer, McCrea says that none of these things should be taken as evidence that he breaks the law.</p>



<p>&#8220;[T]he Plaintiff shows that the Defendant is active politically but does not show a link between the political action and the Defendant’s desire to engage in illegal activities,&#8221; McCrea writes.</p>



<p>&#8220;The Defense accepts that the Defendant has both religious and political beliefs that deal with the concept of intellectual property laws. However, the 1st Amendment of the constitution protects the Defense for having political and religious beliefs.</p>



<p>&#8220;It is no more appropriate to allow the belief in Kopimism and the Pirate Party to be evidence for actually infringing in copyright as it would be to assume Baptists and/or a Republican are going to bomb an abortion clinic.&#8221;</p>



<p>Further underlining that someone&#8217;s religious beliefs don&#8217;t necessarily lead to them following every &#8216;rule&#8217; to the letter, McCrea states that Leviticus 21:17-24 &#8220;essentially&#8221; tells follows to &#8220;shun ugly people&#8221; but Catholic Priests don&#8217;t do that. Jacob 2:24-30, he continues, references &#8220;plural marriage&#8221; but Mormons largely reject that because it&#8217;s illegal.</p>



<p>&#8220;You can believe in something without practicing it. The defense denies wrongdoing and will make a subsequent motion to have religious references struck from the case,&#8221; he adds.  </p>



<p>But even with that said, McCrea cites religion as at least part of his defense. Noting that Van Stry has provided no proof of infringement and that in any event eBook.bike is protected under the DMCA, he accuses the author of introducing conjecture of a nature that potentially violates his human rights and ability to practice religion without persecution.</p>



<p>&#8220;An argument will be made that in a worst case scenario where the Defendant had failed to adequately address the copyright infringement per the DMCA it was only acting in a way to balance their religious beliefs against the societal laws that also bound them,&#8221; the answer reads.</p>



<p>&#8220;When a religion is acting without harm to those around them, leeway must be given to allow them to exercise their right to free expression as per the First Amendment.&#8221;</p>



<p>In closing, McCrea calls for Van Stry to &#8220;take nothing&#8221; and judgment to be awarded in his favor, including recovering all costs related to the lawsuit from the author and any additional relief the Court deems appropriate.</p>



<p><em>McCrea&#8217;s answer can be obtained <a href="media/ca490c54.Stry-v-McCrea-et-al-2-19-cv-00104-Answer-to-Complaint-190925.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/Stry-v-McCrea-et-al-2-19-cv-00104-Answer-to-Complaint-190925.pdf">here</a> (pdf)</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=PAyeL3lREDA:XnJP_rDtP-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=PAyeL3lREDA:XnJP_rDtP-s:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=PAyeL3lREDA:XnJP_rDtP-s:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/PAyeL3lREDA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177539
title: U.S. Navy Fights Off Mass Software Piracy Lawsuit
uri: U-S-Navy-Fights-Off-Mass-Software-Piracy-Lawsuit
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/fymbqDTmOZQ/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/cd2185f3.usnavy.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/usnavy.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-125100"/></figure></div>



<p>In 2011 and 2012, the US Navy began using BS Contact Geo, a 3D virtual reality application developed by German company&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bitmanagement.com/">Bitmanagement</a>.</p>



<p>After some initial testing, the Navy agreed to purchase licenses, understanding that these could be used across its network, as long as the number of simultaneous users was limited to a few dozen.</p>



<p>Bitmanagement saw things differently. The software vendor said it never authorized this type of use. When the company was informed that the Navy had installed the software on 558,466 computers, that came as a surprise.</p>



<p>This stance was repeated in a&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/u-s-government-sued-for-software-piracy-maker-claims-600m-160720/">Federal Claims Court complaint</a>&nbsp;filed by Bitmanagement three years ago. The German company accused the US Navy of mass copyright infringement and demanded damages totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.</p>



<p>In the years that followed, both parties conducted discovery. Initially, most of the court documents were made public, but more recently they were shielded from public view. What we do know, however, is that a week-long trial took place in Washington in April.</p>



<p>Following the trial and the post-trial briefs, the Court has now decided to dismiss the copyright infringement claim against the US Government. </p>



<p>&#8220;Although Bitmanagement established a prima facie case of copyright infringement, the evidence shows that Bitmanagement authorized the U.S. Navy’s copying of BS Contact Geo version 8.001. Therefore, the Court finds in favor of Defendant, the United States, and Plaintiff’s Complaint is hereby dismissed,&#8221; the verdict reads.</p>



<p>In a detailed opinion and order, published this week, Senior Judge  <br>Edward J. Damich explains how this conclusion was reached. </p>



<p>The dispute appears to have begun when the US Navy decided that it would like to run the software across its entire network. This meant that it would be installed on hundreds of thousands of computers, with &#8220;Flexera&#8221; software keeping track of the number of simultaneous users.</p>



<p>Bitmanagement didn&#8217;t offer such a license by default, so the Navy requested this option separately.  These requests took place through a reseller, Planet 9 Studios, which complicated matters. After several back and forths, the Navy was convinced that it had permission, but Bitmanagement later disagreed. </p>



<p>What&#8217;s clear is that the Navy never had a direct contractual relationship with Bitmanagement, so there was no direct permission given. This means that the Court had to review the conversations and exchanges that took place, to determine which side was right.</p>



<p>Here, the Court concluded that it&#8217;s clear that Bitmanagement authorized the Navy to use the software across its network with the network use (Flexera) license.</p>



<p>The evidence shows that Bitmanagement itself offered a custom license and changed the software installer to be used with a Flexera license. Through email communication, the German software company was repeatedly informed about this intended use, which it confirmed.</p>



<p>In addition, Bitmanagement cited the Navy&#8217;s &#8216;networked&#8217; use of its software to a potential customer, with the following statement. </p>



<p><em>&#8220;After five years of testing, approval for the use of the BS Contact Geo on 350,000 PCs of the US Navy took place in May 2013 and central distribution has begun. In a second step, the distribution of the BS Contact Geo on 800,000 PCs in the largest computer network in the world will take place.&#8221;  </em></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/8613768b.navypermit.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/navypermit.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177639"/><figcaption>From the order and opinion</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>Based on these and many other pieces of evidence, the Court concluded that the US Government can&#8217;t be held liable for copyright infringement. </p>



<p>&#8220;Together, these interactions unequivocally show that Bitmanagement was not only aware that the Navy planned to install BS Contact Geo “across a broad spectrum of the NMCI realm” but also that Bitmanagement authorized such installations,&#8221; the Court writes.</p>



<p>This means that after three years the US Navy has successfully defended the piracy claims. Instead of a potential $600 million judgment in its favor, Bitmanagement has no other option than to retreat.</p>



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



<p><em>A copy of the order and opinion of  Senior Judge Edward J. Damich of the United States Court of Federal Claims is <a href="media/59247836.usnavy-bitmanagement.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/usnavy-bitmanagement.pdf">available here (pdf)</a>.</em><br></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=fymbqDTmOZQ:NFbY3xMwQyo:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=fymbqDTmOZQ:NFbY3xMwQyo:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=fymbqDTmOZQ:NFbY3xMwQyo:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/fymbqDTmOZQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177509
title: DISH to Subpoena Google, Facebook, PayPal & Twitter to Identify ‘Pirate’ IPTV Operators
uri: DISH-to-Subpoena-Google-Facebook-PayPal-Twitter-to-Identify-Pir
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/cbIEzGtie58/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/a7c0897c.iptv.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/iptv.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-135034"/></figure></div>



<p>DISH Networks&#8217; efforts to disrupt, take down, or obtain settlements from unlicensed IPTV operators are continuing with force through the US legal system.</p>



<p>The broadcaster is currently tied up in a number of lawsuits, each targeting companies and individuals that allegedly provide the company&#8217;s content to the public, without having first obtained appropriate licensing.</p>



<p>A <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/dish-files-10m-copyright-infringement-lawsuit-against-easybox-iptv-190818/">complaint</a> filed in August targets Easybox IPTV, an allegedly-infringing IPTV outfit that supplies both subscriptions and ready-configured (aka ‘fully-loaded’) devices to the United States market.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="media/02758c6f.image-108.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-108.png" alt=""/><figcaption><em>Easybox IPTV&#8217;s offering</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>The DISH lawsuit, which demands around $10 million in damages, was filed in a Texas federal court. It lists up to five &#8216;John Does&#8217;, claiming that individually and collectively they do business under the Easybox IPTV banner.</p>



<p>DISH earlier explained that it doesn&#8217;t actually know who these people are but its investigations indicated that they might be from China. Now, however, it has now been given the opportunity to discover their identities after gaining permission from the Court.</p>



<p>A discovery order signed September 19 by District Judge Lynn N. Hughes grants DISH permission to subpoena and obtain information from some of the world&#8217;s largest Internet companies that have done or are still doing business with Easybox.</p>



<p>The list is comprehensive and a potential eye-opener for other IPTV providers operating without cast-iron licensing agreements.</p>



<p>Top of the list is payment processor PayPal. The Easybox website is currently down for supposed maintenance but according to archive copies of the site, PayPal isn&#8217;t clearly listed as a payment option for direct customers. Nevertheless, the company is probably head of the list for good reason.</p>



<p>Second up is Google. Like many companies, Easybox is likely to have used Google in several ways but a cursory review of the site&#8217;s source reveals an analytics account and links to the now-defunct Google+.</p>



<p>On the domain front, DISH has permission to subpoena Washington-based domain name registrar Enom and domain registry Namecheap. The Easybox.tv domain has clear links to both and could provide useful information.</p>



<p>When it comes to hosting, Miami-based Netrouting Inc. makes an appearance. In common with the domain companies, these may also have valuable information for DISH.</p>



<p>Easybox&#8217;s Facebook and Twitter pages are no longer active. The former is listed as unavailable but the <a href="https://twitter.com/easyboxiptv">latter appears to have been suspended</a> after violating the platform&#8217;s rules. But whatever the reasons for their demise, both companies are likely to have plenty of additional information to offer up.</p>



<p>Finally, DISH will be able to enter the physical world to request information from entities that appear to have distributed or sold Easybox IPTV devices. Michigan-based fulfillment company Xpert Fulfillment Inc., Finest Bargain Inc. (which appears to sell via Amazon), and Ace Discount Store are all listed and should expect calls for information soon.</p>



<p>&#8220;By November 4, 2019, DISH must replead this case identifying the defendant as Easybox IPTV. When the other defendants are identified, they may be named,&#8221; Judge Hughes concludes.</p>



<p><em>The discovery order can be obtained <a href="media/881e0e29.4-19-cv-02994-DISH-v-Easybox-IPTV-Discovery-order-190919.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/4-19-cv-02994-DISH-v-Easybox-IPTV-Discovery-order-190919.pdf">here</a> (pdf)</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=cbIEzGtie58:U1PR3m2FnRI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=cbIEzGtie58:U1PR3m2FnRI:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=cbIEzGtie58:U1PR3m2FnRI:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/cbIEzGtie58" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177576
title: Facebook Takes Down TorrentFreak Post Over ‘Infringing’ Meme
uri: Facebook-Takes-Down-TorrentFreak-Post-Over-Infringing-Meme
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/w0QPUF_Abu0/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/ac853dd6.banmemes.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/banmemes.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-177661"/></figure></div>



<p>When the EU Copyright Directive protests were in full swing earlier this year, many people warned that upload filters would &#8220;kill memes.&#8221;</p>



<p>We <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/censorship-machines-are-destroying-the-internet-as-we-speak-180624/">weren&#8217;t particularly fond</a> of this oversimplification, but the problems with upload filters are obvious, with or without the new EU directive. </p>



<p>In fact, even without automated filters copyright enforcement efforts can be quite problematic. Today we present a rather unusual example, where one of the &#8220;memes&#8221; we published in the past, was effectively taken down by Facebook. </p>



<p>To put things in a proper context, we take you back to 2014. At the time we reported that photographer Christoffer Boffoli had filed<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/photographer-sues-imgur-for-failing-to-remove-copyrighted-photos-140929/"> a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against the popular image sharing site Imgur, which allegedly ignored his takedown requests. </p>



<p>Boffoli hoped to protect his copyrights, but this effort soon backfired. A few weeks after he filed the complaint someone uploaded an <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/photographer-who-sued-imgur-now-has-a-pirate-bay-problem-141022/">archive of 20,754 of his photos to The Pirate Bay</a>, specifically mentioning the lawsuit against Imgur. The torrent in question remains online today.</p>



<p>In recent years we haven&#8217;t heard much from the photographer, until this week, when someone alerted us to a rather unusual issue. The person in question, who prefers not to be named, had one of his Facebook posts removed over alleged copyright infringement. </p>



<p>The post in question was a link to our news article covering the Pirate Bay &#8216;issue.&#8217; At the time, this was by default shared with a portrait of Boffoli that someone <a href="media/139672f9.boffoli1.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/boffoli1.jpg">turned into a meme</a>, as can be seen below (meme text cropped). </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/ca2cd97a.meme.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/meme.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177659"/></figure></div>



<p>The Facebook notice mentions that the content in question was &#8220;disabled&#8221; due to a third-party copyright complaint. While it didn&#8217;t specify what the infringing content was, our article was listed as the &#8220;source,&#8221; and the link and the associated image were indeed removed.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/3b229e2b.boffoliface.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/boffoliface.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-177577"/></figure></div>



<p>Since Boffoli doesn&#8217;t own any copyrights to our work, and since we didn&#8217;t link to the Pirate Bay archive, we assume that the takedown notice is targeted at the meme image, which includes the photographer&#8217;s portrait. Whether it&#8217;s justified is another question though. </p>



<p>Memes are generally seen as fair use. As such, people can share them without repercussions. A photographer may contend this, and fight it out in court, but in this case that could prove difficult.</p>



<p>When looking into the matter, we noticed that the original portrait has been <a href="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en">hosted by Wikipedia</a> for more than 15 years. This shows that the photo is credited to Boffoli himself, and shared with a<a href="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en"> public domain &#8216;license&#8217;</a>, allowing anyone to use it freely. </p>



<p>This means that creating a meme out of it is certainly not a problem. But perhaps there was another reason for the takedown?</p>



<p>Since Facebook doesn&#8217;t share any further details, and our own original Facebook posting is still up, we can&#8217;t be 100% sure what the alleged infringement is. However, looking through Facebook&#8217;s archive we see that another user <a href="media/dadaf44b.imageremoved.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/imageremoved.png">had the meme image removed</a> as well (TF link remains online here), suggesting that this is indeed the problem.</p>



<p>So there we have it. Facebook effectively <strike>&#8216;killed&#8217;</strike> removed a meme. In at least once instance, it removed a link to a perfectly legitimate news article, based on a takedown request that doesn&#8217;t seem to hold water. The meme isn&#8217;t quite dead yet though, it&#8217;s on the Internet after all.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=w0QPUF_Abu0:1bRhNuH7p0A:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=w0QPUF_Abu0:1bRhNuH7p0A:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=w0QPUF_Abu0:1bRhNuH7p0A:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/w0QPUF_Abu0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177692
title: Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week on BitTorrent – 09/30/19
uri: Top-10-Most-Pirated-Movies-of-The-Week-on-BitTorrent-09-30-19
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/buoGKJ246ts/
content:
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-177696" src="media/ece8e3e8.fastfu.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/fastfu.png" alt="" width="298" height="159">This week we have three newcomers in our chart.</p>
<p>Fast &amp; Furious Presents: Hobbs &amp; Shaw is the most downloaded movie.</p>
<p>The data for our weekly download chart is estimated by TorrentFreak, and is for informational and educational reference only. All the movies in the list are Web-DL/Webrip/HDRip/BDrip/DVDrip unless stated otherwise.</p>
<p><a href="http://torrentfreak.com/category/dvdrip/feed/"><strong>RSS feed</strong></a> for the articles of the recent weekly movie download charts.</p>
<h5>This week&#8217;s most downloaded movies are:</h5>
<table class="css hover">
<thead>
<tr>
<th width="12%"><strong>Movie Rank</strong></th>
<th width="15%"><strong>Rank <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-pirated-movies-of-the-week-on-bittorrent-09-23-19/">last week</a></strong></th>
<th><strong>Movie name</strong></th>
<th width="18%"><strong>IMDb Rating / Trailer</strong></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tfoot>
<tr>
<td colspan="4">Most downloaded movies via torrents</td>
</tr>
</tfoot>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>1</strong></td>
<td>(2)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6806448/">Fast &amp; Furious Presents: Hobbs &amp; Shaw</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6806448/">6.7</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ7PAyCDwEg">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>2</strong></td>
<td>(3)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1979376/">Toy Story 4</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1979376/">8.1</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmiIUN-7qhE">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>3</strong></td>
<td>(1)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6320628/">Spider-Man: Far from Home</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6320628/">7.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzKkTC0ZiXs">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>4</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8364368/">Crawl</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8364368/">6.4</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6MLJG0RdDE">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td>(4)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6565702/">Dark Phoenix</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6565702/">6.0</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azvR__GRQic">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td>(5)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6146586/">John Wick: Chapter 3 &#8211; Parabellum</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6146586/">7.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU8-7BX9uxs">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8110640/">In The Shadow of The Moon</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8110640/">6.2</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ3_biTbeRM">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td>(6)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4154796/">Avengers: Endgame</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4154796/">8.7</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcMBFSGVi1c">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>9</strong></td>
<td>(7)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6139732/">Aladdin</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6139732/">7.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcMtWwiyzpU">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>10</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8772262/">Midsommar</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8772262/">7.4</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vnghdsjmd0">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=buoGKJ246ts:_CgMGvZMlAE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=buoGKJ246ts:_CgMGvZMlAE:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=buoGKJ246ts:_CgMGvZMlAE:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/buoGKJ246ts" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177686
title: Facebook Blocks Users from Sharing Pirate Bay Links
uri: Facebook-Blocks-Users-from-Sharing-Pirate-Bay-Links
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/HTttZmFPQvo/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/9dd69e0d.tpb-piratebay-thepiratebay-logo.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/tpb-piratebay-thepiratebay-logo.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-142141"/></figure></div>



<p>Ten years ago <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/facebook-blocks-all-pirate-bay-links-090408/">Facebook reached out to The Pirate Bay</a>, asking the torrent site to remove the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/spread-pirate-bay-torrents-via-facebook-090328/">&#8216;share&#8217; button</a> from its site. </p>



<p>At the time, the torrent site was at the center of a high profile copyright infringement lawsuit, something the social media network didn&#8217;t want to be associated with.</p>



<p>Perhaps unsurprisingly, The Pirate Bay wasn&#8217;t very cooperative. The request remained unanswered which left Facebook with no other option than to block Pirate Bay URLs at its end. </p>



<p>&#8220;The Pirate Bay has not responded and so we have blocked their torrents from being shared on Facebook,” the company&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/facebook-blocks-all-pirate-bay-links-090408/">told us</a>&nbsp;at the time. </p>



<p>Today, more than a decade later, the &#8220;share&#8221; button on The Pirate Bay is long gone. Somewhere during this period, Facebook&#8217;s ban was also lifted. When the social media site started blocking several other torrent sites a few weeks ago, we noticed that <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/facebook-blocks-sharing-of-links-to-prominent-pirate-sites-100904/">TPB was not among them</a>. </p>



<p>However, this changed recently. When we reviewed Facebook&#8217;s blocking efforts a few days ago we noticed that The Pirate Bay is now blocked as well. Similar to the other pirate sites, it apparently violates the platform&#8217;s &#8220;community standards.&#8221;</p>



<p>People who want to use Facebook to post a link to The Pirate Bay will see the following error message instead; “You can’t share this link. Your post couldn’t be shared, because this link goes against our Community Standards.” </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/f00f9ae4.tpbbanned.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/tpbbanned.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177710"/></figure></div>



<p>Similarly, all Pirate Bay links are blocked in Facebook&#8217;s <a href="media/08232ac4.messenger.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/messenger.png">Messenger chats as well</a>, returning a similar notification. </p>



<p>Facebook&#8217;s Community Standards and its Terms of Service allow the platform to take action against potential <a href="https://www.facebook.com/communitystandards/respecting_intellectual_property">intellectual property</a> infringements, which is likely what triggered this action. </p>



<p>While The Pirate Bay is now blocked again by Facebook, the current ban is substantially different from the previous one. Ten years ago the site only prevented people from linking to actual torrent pages, while all URLs, including the homepage, are banned today. </p>



<p>It is apparent that Facebook is gradually expanding its &#8216;piracy&#8217; blocking efforts. In addition to adding The Pirate Bay, 1337x.to was recently added as well, and it wouldn&#8217;t be a surprise if more URLs will follow. <br> </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=HTttZmFPQvo:jEGBbPycIno:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=HTttZmFPQvo:jEGBbPycIno:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=HTttZmFPQvo:jEGBbPycIno:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/HTttZmFPQvo" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177699
title: Nintendo Takes Down Facebook-Tooled Donkey Kong Remake
uri: Nintendo-Takes-Down-Facebook-Tooled-Donkey-Kong-Remake
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/9_EWZHb6eh8/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/698a9334.image-123.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-123.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177704" width="254" height="122"/></figure></div>



<p>If one took a broad overview of the entire history of video gaming, few would dare to argue Nintendo&#8217;s legend status over the past several decades.</p>



<p>The Japanese company&#8217;s games, both old and new, are renowned for their brilliance and enduring characters. Arguably the most iconic is Mario, who first made his appearance as the hero in the timeless 1981 release Donkey Kong.</p>



<p>Even today, dangerously close to 40 years on, countless players still enjoy this and other classics on emulators and similar tools but Nintendo&#8217;s tolerance is becoming increasingly fragile. Over the past couple of years, as players toil in the shadows to defeat Kong, Nintendo has become a litigation machine throwing <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/nintendo-targets-amazing-c64-port-of-super-mario-bros-after-7-years-development-190423/">takedown notices</a> and even lawsuits (<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/nintendo-sues-console-rom-sites-for-mass-copyright-infringement-180720/">1</a>,<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/nintendo-sues-romuniverse-for-mass-copyright-infringement/">2</a>,<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/romuniverse-aims-to-crowdfund-legal-piracy-battle-with-nintendo-190923/">3</a>) at sites and alleged infringers.</p>



<p>The company&#8217;s latest effort came on Friday when it sent a <a href="https://github.com/github/dmca/commit/0d5647a213dad26fa57e7c80cb97628c512073ac">copyright complaint</a> to development platform Github. The target was a remake of Donkey Kong built with React Native, the open-source mobile application framework created by Facebook.</p>



<p>Created by developer &#8216;bberak&#8217;, this React Native version of Donkey Kong isn&#8217;t an emulation, it was created from the ground up for iOS and Android and documented in a <a href="https://hackernoon.com/making-a-platforming-game-with-react-native-4682b4d4d209">detailed post</a> on Hackernoon in April 2018.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/7ac8eb41.1dEArjUdatshK951QpDlWhw.gif" data-original-source="https://hackernoon.com/hn-images/1*dEArjUdatshK951QpDlWhw.gif" alt="" width="330" height="595"/><figcaption><em>The jumps and gameplay quirks reveal this is no emu</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>Perhaps a little unusually, given the risks associated with stepping on Nintendo&#8217;s toes lately, the original repo &#8211; which was now been taken down &#8211; basically acknowledges that parts of the project may infringe copyright. The game&#8217;s code may have been created independently but the visual and audio assets are undoubtedly Nintendo&#8217;s. And the repo happily pointed to the company behind the project too.</p>



<p>&#8220;Copyright Notice: All content, artwork, sounds, characters and graphics are the property of Nintendo of America Inc, its affiliates and/or subsidiaries,&#8221; the repo read.</p>



<p>&#8220;Get in Touch: We are Neap &#8211; a development and design team in Sydney. We love building stuff and meeting new people, so get in touch with us at https://neap.co.&#8221;</p>



<p>The <a href="https://neap.co/about.html">Neap website</a> reveals that &#8216;bberak&#8217; is Boris Berak, co-founder and Technical Director of the Australia-based company. TF contacted them for comment but at the time of publication, we hadn&#8217;t received a response.</p>



<p>In hindsight, it was probably a mistake to use Donkey Kong as a technical demo since Nintendo has already shown an aversion to such projects in the past. Back in June 2017, the company targeted a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/nintendo-shuts-down-donkey-kong-remake-for-roku-170630/">Donkey Kong remake for Roku</a>, also hosted on Github. Interestingly, the complaint filed Friday appears to have an artifact from that two-year-old notice.</p>



<p>Stating the content being targeted most recently, Nintendo states: &#8220;Nintendo&#8217;s Donkey Kong video game, covered by U.S. Copyright Reg. No. PA0000115040 (supplemented by PA0000547470). The reported repository contains a recreation of Nintendo&#8217;s Donkey Kong video game for Roku, which was created and published without Nintendo&#8217;s authorization.&#8221;</p>



<p>The text is an exact match with that in the earlier complaint, even going as far as referencing Roku, which appears to be an error. Nevertheless, those details are irrelevant to the claim and won&#8217;t be good grounds for a counter-notice.</p>



<p>As Nintendo&#8217;s notice points out, at least another 30 developers forked this Donkey Kong variant on Github, so all those repositories have been taken down too. They could probably be restored if Berak removed all the original Donkey Kong references, graphics, and sound, but that seems unlikely.</p>



<center><figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rIcbgMdxKdw" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></figure></center>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=9_EWZHb6eh8:N1-Dy2iI1gc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=9_EWZHb6eh8:N1-Dy2iI1gc:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=9_EWZHb6eh8:N1-Dy2iI1gc:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/9_EWZHb6eh8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177749
title: Mega.nz and Openload Blocked in Brazil Following Court Order
uri: Mega-nz-and-Openload-Blocked-in-Brazil-Following-Court-Order
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/6g3lFdqCX8Q/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/6bb9a941.MEGA-logo.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/MEGA-logo.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177756" width="283" height="154"/></figure></div>



<p>Founded in 2013, Mega quickly grew to become one of the world&#8217;s dominant file-hosting and sharing platforms.</p>



<p>Launched by Kim Dotcom, who later appeared to distance himself from the site, Mega was promoted as a privacy solution, a place where files could be kept safe from prying eyes. However, in common with file-hosting sites of all kinds, some people use it to store copyrighted content, with large volumes being offered publicly.</p>



<p>This has created friction between Mega and some rightsholders, despite the former insisting that it does all it can within the law to respond to claims. Nevertheless, some rightsholders prefer the strong-arm approach.</p>



<p>During yesterday, reports from Brazil indicated that Mega had become inaccessible via some ISPs. The problem was spotted at Mega too, which tweeted to one ISP, Vivo, to sort out the issue.</p>



<p>&#8220;Hello @vivobr,&#8221; Mega <a href="https://twitter.com/MEGAprivacy/status/1174787049490014208">wrote</a> in Portuguese. &#8220;We are receiving reports from our users that Vivo is blocking https://mega.nz through a DNS block. Please rectify this as soon as possible! You are interfering with your customers&#8217; Internet.&#8221;</p>



<p>Soon after, however, it became clear that Vivo and indeed additional ISPs weren&#8217;t in a position to do anything about the problem.</p>



<p>According to legal resource <a href="https://www.jusbrasil.com.br/diarios/261303463/djsp-judicial-1a-instancia-capital-12-09-2019-pg-1166?ref=serp">JusBrasil</a>, there was a court process on September 12, 2019, which ordered four Internet service providers &#8211; Claro Brasil, Vivo-Telefonica, Oi and Algar Telecom &#8211; to prevent their subscribers from accessing 10 domains, including Mega.nz. </p>



<p>The most recognizable of the other nine domains is oload.tv, which appears to be a domain operated by file-hosting giant Openload. Last December, Vivo told a <a href="https://www.techtudo.com.br/noticias/2018/12/clientes-da-vivo-reclamam-de-bloqueio-a-openload.ghtml">local publication</a> that it had been forced to block Openload in Brazil following an earlier court decision but declined to provide additional details.</p>



<p>The rest of the list consists of Alfastream.cc, which doesn&#8217;t present itself as a regular hosting service but has URLs listed online which indicate content is available on the platform. Similarly, Akugyash.com only displays a brief message but elsewhere on the web is described as a video balancer.</p>



<p>Verystream.net is helpful in that it describes its function on its homepage as the CDN (Content Delivery Network) used by file-hosting site Verystream.com. Fembed.net and Ruvid.nl both point to the same file-hosting service with the former&#8217;s branding, with ClipWatching.com and VideoShare.club acting as file-storage sites.</p>



<p>The final and most strange domain on the list is <a href="https://centrelinguistique.com">centrelinguistique.com</a>, which appears to be a French language school, which doesn&#8217;t fit the file-storage theme of the other domains in any way.</p>



<p>According to Brazil&#8217;s <a href="https://tecnoblog.net/309066/mega-bloqueado-operadoras-brasil-decisao-judicial/">Technoblog</a>, the details of the blocking case are being kept secret, which does nothing to unravel the language school mystery. However, it does claim to have identified ABTA &#8211; the Brazilian Association of Subscription Television &#8211; as the plaintiff in the matter.</p>



<p>Documents that are publicly available suggest that this is probably an expansion of an earlier ruling, with a note that the plaintiff requested an &#8220;extension&#8221; of an earlier action due to the &#8220;distributor and facilitator websites&#8221; adopting &#8220;new techniques to circumvent the blockages made by the providers.&#8221;</p>



<p>In any event, the operators of Mega feel that its domain has been blocked inappropriately.</p>



<p>&#8220;With respect to the block in Brazil, we respectfully believe that the order is wrong and that the Court has been misled,&#8221; the company <a href="https://twitter.com/MEGAprivacy/status/1178757663796031488">wrote</a> in Portuguese this morning.</p>



<p>&#8220;MEGA has excellent compliance. We are working on a solution. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience!&#8221;</p>



<p>Whether that solution is legal or technical in nature isn&#8217;t yet clear. However, there are reports that the targeted ISPs are employing different blocking measures, with some targeting IP addresses (which can be bypassed using a VPN) and others meddling with DNS (which can be circumvented by using an alternative, such as OpenDNS).</p>



<p>There&#8217;s no mention of the action on the <a href="http://www.abta.org.br/pirataria.asp">website</a> of the Brazilian Association of Subscription Television but they do have a selection of ominous anti-piracy videos, one of which is embedded below.</p>



<center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l2T1ysTk_OQ" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></center>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=6g3lFdqCX8Q:nAsc87-4h_Q:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=6g3lFdqCX8Q:nAsc87-4h_Q:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=6g3lFdqCX8Q:nAsc87-4h_Q:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/6g3lFdqCX8Q" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177730
title: ISP Bahnhof Must Log Subscriber Data, But ‘Copyright Mafia’ Won’t Get Any
uri: ISP-Bahnhof-Must-Log-Subscriber-Data-But-Copyright-Mafia-Won
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/z8DD1TgvZ2s/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/ae654011.bahnhof.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/bahnhof.png" alt="" class="wp-image-128056"/></figure></div>



<p>Founded in 1994, Swedish Internet provider <a href="https://www.bahnhof.se/">Bahnhof </a>has been serving local Internet users for a quarter of a century. </p>



<p>During this time the company has fought hard to protect the privacy of its subscribers. This includes those who are accused of copyright infringement. </p>



<p>Unlike many other ISPs, Bahnhof aims to minimize its data logging practices only to the extent it is required to under the law. In recent years the ISP set up its logging policies in such a way that it can refuse requests for IP-address information from so-called copyright trolls, by deleting all relevant data after 24 hours. </p>



<p>The company based this practice on a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/eu-court-overturns-data-retention-directive-140408/">European Court of Justice ruling </a>which concluded that the European Data Retention Directive is invalid. However, data retention is now back under the spotlight. </p>



<p>After going back to the drawing board, Swedish lawmakers revised the Electronic Communications Act (LEK) to institute Swedish data retention requirements. This resulted in an amended law which goes into effect today, requiring all Swedish ISPs to keep detailed subscriber logs for at least 10 months. </p>



<p>For the Internet providers who already kept logs little will change, but Bahnhof sees it as a disaster.  To minimize the privacy intrusions of its users the company has rolled out &#8220;<a href="https://www.bahnhof.se/plan-b">Plan B.</a>&#8221; </p>



<p>Starting today Bahnhof has no other option than to log individual IP-address allocations and other personal info for ten months. However, the company stresses that it will do so in a secure manner, making sure that it&#8217;s not available to the &#8220;copyright mafia.&#8221;</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/d2033a99.bahnmafia.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/bahnmafia.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177760"/><figcaption>Bahnhof&#8217;s <a href="https://www.bahnhof.se/press/press-releases/2019/09/30/bahnhof-infor-datalagring-men-endast-i-kassaskapet-som-inte-ar-avsedd-for-upphovsrattsmaffian">(translated) </a>press release</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>With the term &#8220;copyright mafia,&#8221; the company refers to the rightsholders who go after allegedly pirating Internet subscribers to demand settlements. Bahnhof has been a fierce opponent of this practice and ensures its customers that it won&#8217;t share any logs for this purpose.</p>



<p>&#8220;All Bahnhof customers can rest assured that their customer data is stored securely with us, that we delete after 10 months, and that we will never disclose information unless it&#8217;s in accordance with the Electronic Communications Act.</p>



<p>&#8220;This means that if someone else asks for customer data, including a court that handles civil litigation, we have nothing to disclose because our customers&#8217; information is locked away as &#8216;safe intended for LEK&#8217;,&#8221; Bahnhof adds. </p>



<p>Not all ISPs have separated this data and that&#8217;s why many do comply with copyright holder requests. However, Bahnhof&#8217;s strict data policies ensure that only law enforcement agencies can request this info.</p>



<p>Still, Bahnhof is not happy with the mandatory data retention and will continue to protest the law whenever it can. In addition, it also points its customers to an alternative option through which they can ensure their privacy. </p>



<p>Bahnhof also <a href="https://www.bahnhof.se/integrity">offers a VPN service</a> which is not required to keep any logs. If people use this, their IP-address information remains private. The VPN service was launched when earlier data retention requirements were put in place and is relevant once again.</p>



<p>&#8220;It is not enough to be a customer with us to be safe online, your subscription does not protect your data traffic automatically.&nbsp;You need to protect yourself and your data yourself with a VPN service as well,&#8221; Bahnhof writes. </p>



<p>While this sounds like a good opportunity to sell something &#8216;extra,&#8217; the ISP is offering everyone a rather generous six-month free trial without any further obligations. After that, the costs are pretty reasonable as well,  roughly $4 per month (SEK 40).</p>



<p>The six-month free VPN trial is open to anyone, which means that subscribers from other ISPs can try it as well.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=z8DD1TgvZ2s:7bRP2bGMDEs:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=z8DD1TgvZ2s:7bRP2bGMDEs:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=z8DD1TgvZ2s:7bRP2bGMDEs:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/z8DD1TgvZ2s" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177778
title: Russia Anti-Piracy Agreement Expires, Now Relies on Goodwill of Search Engines
uri: Russia-Anti-Piracy-Agreement-Expires-Now-Relies-on-Goodwill-of-Search
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/8A3xzdSMlRg/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/fb5bd049.deletemini.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/deletemini.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-150938"/></figure></div>



<p>Following intense pressure on local Internet companies, particularly search giant Yandex, last year an <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/google-yandex-discuss-creation-of-anti-piracy-database-180924/">important meeting</a> took place at the headquarters of Russian telecom watchdog Roscomnadzor.</p>



<p>Held between search engines and major copyright holders, the aim was to find a solution to the online proliferation of copyrighted content. By early November consensus had been reached, with Channel One, the National Media Group, Gazprom-Media, the Internet Video Association, the Association of Film and Television Producers, Yandex, Rambler Group, Mail.Ru Group, vKontakte, and RuTube <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/landmark-anti-piracy-database-agreement-signed-in-moscow-181101/">signing up</a> to a memorandum.</p>



<p>The voluntary agreement, which was timetabled to run until September 30, 2019, saw the creation of a centralized database of infringing content, maintained by rightsholders. Search companies agreed to query this database every few minutes in order to obtain the URLs of &#8216;pirate&#8217; material so that they could be removed from search results.</p>



<p>Since the agreement was voluntary and time-limited, it was envisioned that the terms would be written into law, before the memorandum ran out. However, there have been a few points of contention, including a requirement from rightsholders that some continuously-infringing sites should be completely delisted from results, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/search-engines-given-six-hours-to-delete-pirate-links-under-new-law-190903/">without a court process</a>.</p>



<p>These things naturally take time to work out but in this case, too much time. On Monday, as per the original timetable, the memorandum expired. According to local news outlet <a href="https://www.rbc.ru/technology_and_media/01/10/2019/5d920f129a79472fad9c54da">RBC</a>, the necessary amendments to copyright law were not submitted to the State Duma before that day, meaning that none of the signatories are bound by the agreement.</p>



<p>Sources at the companies involved told the publication that the memorandum has indeed timed-out but added that an informal agreement has now been reached by the parties to continue compliance for another two weeks. An extension of the agreement until December 31, 2019 had previously been agreed but its terms were not met by September 30.</p>



<p>According to Leonid Levin of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, the bill to write the terms of the memorandum into law was submitted to the State Duma in a non-finished form. There will reportedly be another meeting between the parties this week.</p>



<p>&#8220;As soon as we finalize the document, it will be submitted to the State Duma,” Levin said. &#8220;Until then, we hope that all interested parties will continue to adhere to those provisions that were enshrined in the so-called anti-piracy memorandum, which meets all the interests of the industry.&#8221;</p>



<p>Roscomnadzor declined to comment on the delay but the Internet Video Association said that it would be &#8220;very disappointed&#8221; if Internet companies stopped removing links to pirated content due to the memorandum expiring.</p>



<p>At the moment, it appears that the memorandum is surviving on goodwill but according to reports the issue is in the balance. The so-called &#8216;repeat infringer&#8217; clause, which would see sites permanently removed from search results, is still a point of contention moving into this week&#8217;s planned meeting.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=8A3xzdSMlRg:PQITDCwhcbI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=8A3xzdSMlRg:PQITDCwhcbI:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=8A3xzdSMlRg:PQITDCwhcbI:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/8A3xzdSMlRg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177797
title: RIAA Reports Telegram to US Govt. Over Piracy Concerns
uri: RIAA-Reports-Telegram-to-US-Govt-Over-Piracy-Concerns
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/cufdHd3atcw/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/f7af8c3c.telegram-1.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/telegram-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177800"/></figure></div>



<p>Responding to a request from the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), the RIAA has submitted its annual list of “notorious markets.” </p>



<p>The submission identifies online and offline piracy hubs to help guide the U.S. Government’s position towards foreign countries when it comes to copyright enforcement.</p>



<p>&#8220;The online and physical markets identified in our comments are harming American creators, businesses, and the American economy,&#8221; writes George York, the RIAA&#8217;s Senior Vice President of International Policy.  </p>



<p>Traditionally the online focus lies on classic pirate sites, such as torrent indexers, linking sites, cyberlockers, download portals, and stream-rippers.  These are also listed in the latest RIAA submission. It includes many of the usual suspects, such as The Pirate Bay, Flvto, Newalbumreleases, and Uploaded.</p>



<p>While these mentions were expected, there&#8217;s also a new &#8216;issue&#8217; highlighted by the music group &#8211; the encrypted messaging app <a href="https://telegram.org/">Telegram</a>. The software, which was launched by VKontakte founders&nbsp;Nikolai and Pavel Durov a few years ago, is frequently used by pirates, the RIAA notes.</p>



<p>The RIAA points out that messaging apps by themselves are of no special concern. However, Telegram also allows its users to share files of up to  1.5GB, a process that can be automated with scripts. This is a feature that many pirates have embraced.</p>



<p>&#8220;Telegram offers many user-created channels which are dedicated to the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted recordings, with some channels focused on particular genres or artists,&#8221; the RIAA notes. </p>



<p>Many of these files are hosted on Telegram&#8217;s servers and the RIAA says that it sent 18,000 DMCA notices to Telegram, identifying over 18,000 instances of copyright infringement. </p>



<p>The messaging app says that it forwards these requests to channel owners. However, according to the music group, this doesn&#8217;t have the desired effect, as many channel operators ignore the takedown requests. In addition, repeat infringers don&#8217;t appear to be punished in any way.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/01af372f.bastard.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/bastard.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177804" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/bastard.png 750w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/bastard-200x150.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px"><figcaption>One of the many channels</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>&#8220;We have found, however, that most channel operators appear to take no action in response to our notices, with nearly all of infringements listed in our notices remaining available,&#8221; the RIAA writes.</p>



<p>&#8220;Likewise, Telegram makes no apparent attempt to verify that channel operators have complied with our notices and does not seem to have any kind of repeat infringement policy.&#8221;</p>



<p>By putting Telegram on the USTR&#8217;s agenda the RIAA hopes to, directly or indirectly, motivate the messaging app to do more to prevent piracy. Interestingly, Telegram is registered as both a UK LLP and an American LLC, so it&#8217;s not clear to us whether it&#8217;s indeed a &#8220;foreign&#8221; market from a US point of view.</p>



<p>Telegram is by no means new to piracy complaints. Two years ago the application also made the news when it, for the first time, removed an entire channel where a pirated copy of Taylor Swift&#8217;s album Reputation was shared. The service took this action <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/google-apple-order-telegram-to-nuke-channel-over-taylor-swift-piracy-171123/">following pressure from Google and Apple</a>.</p>



<p>In addition to the issues discussed above, the RIAA&#8217;s submission mostly includes familiar topics.  In this year&#8217;s &#8216;issue focus,&#8217; the RIAA points out that malware remains a problem on pirate sites for example. This puts the public at risk and should be mitigated where possible, it says. </p>



<p>The music group also highlights problems with <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/bulletproof-hosting-is-an-emerging-piracy-threat-riaa-warns-181004/">bulletproof hosting</a> providers that ignore DMCA notices, and CDN services such as Cloudflare. In addition, it once again stresses that <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/whois-limits-under-gdpr-will-make-pirates-harder-to-catch-groups-fear-180413/">WHOIS data should become public</a> and verified.</p>



<p>The USTR will use the input above to make up its own list of notorious markets. This will help to identify current threats while calling on foreign governments to take appropriate action. </p>



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



<p><em>A copy of the RIAA&#8217;s latest submission to the Office of the US Trade Representative is <a href="media/dc46ff05.Notorious_Markets_Submission_for_2019_final.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/Notorious_Markets_Submission_for_2019_final.pdf">available here (pdf)</a>.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=cufdHd3atcw:XOo8EPr0RsU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=cufdHd3atcw:XOo8EPr0RsU:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=cufdHd3atcw:XOo8EPr0RsU:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/cufdHd3atcw" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177751
title: Netflix has Dwarfed BitTorrent Traffic, South African ISPs say
uri: Netflix-has-Dwarfed-BitTorrent-Traffic-South-African-ISPs-say
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/870iWq-lwI4/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/97118de6.netflixlogonew.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/netflixlogonew.png" alt="" class="wp-image-145677"/></figure></div>



<p>The effects that legal streaming services have on people&#8217;s motivation to pirate can be quite confusing.</p>



<p>On the one hand, legal services have been known to lower the piracy rates in some regions, but too many exclusive platforms <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/piracy-will-surge-if-more-legal-streaming-services-launch-research-shows-190927/">could boost piracy again</a>. </p>



<p>In South Africa, Internet providers are mostly noticing the first. Netflix first launched there in 2016, and since then, Netflix traffic has dwarfed BitTorrent traffic, ISPs say. While it&#8217;s not entirely clear to what degree torrent traffic decreased, if it did, the companies have all noticed a massive Netflix effect. </p>



<p>In a report published by<a href="https://mybroadband.co.za/news/internet/321668-netflix-has-killed-torrents-in-south-africa.html"> Mybroadband</a>, several ISPs were questioned about the topic. Without exception, they say that video services, Netflix in particular, have made BitTorrent traffic relatively insignificant. </p>



<p>RSAWEB, for example, noticed that Netflix traffic surged and that peak time data usage doubles every six months. This is in large part the result of a streaming boom. At the moment, the volume of Netflix traffic is 20x that of BitTorrent traffic. </p>



<p>&#8220;The ratios have significantly changed compared to a few years ago,&#8221; a RSAWEB spokesperson said. &#8220;The current ratio would be for every 50Mbps of aggregated torrent traffic we observe 1Gbps of aggregated Netflix streaming traffic.&#8221;</p>



<p>Webafrica noticed a similar trend, but perhaps even more pronounced. The company noted that during peak hours half of all traffic is generated by Netflix. BitTorrent traffic follows somewhere in the distance t the extent it&#8217;s not even worth tracking anymore. </p>



<p>&#8220;The growth of Netflix in recent years has been truly phenomenal, to the point where we no longer track torrent traffic separately,&#8221; Webafrica&#8217;s Greg Wright said. &#8220;Google (including Youtube) and Netflix are dominating the content currently,&#8221; he added. </p>



<p>Paul Butschi, co-founder of Internet provider Cool Ideas confirmed this trend. Netflix makes up roughly 30% of the company&#8217;s peak traffic and he believes that the increased popularity of online streaming had a pronounced impact on torrent traffic.</p>



<p>These opinions were largely shared by rival ISPs Cybersmart and Supersonic, with the latter noting that video streaming services have &#8220;completely overtaken the need for torrent sharing,&#8221; and that things will only get better if more competing services enter the market. </p>



<p>The last comment is something that&#8217;s up for debate, especially if new services all come with exclusive content. Looking at the relative traffic market share in North America over the past decade, a word of caution may be warranted. </p>



<p>Less than a decade ago nearly 20% of all traffic during peak hours was P2P related, mostly BitTorrent. As Netflix and other video streaming services grew, this relative share quickly dropped, but more recently it started to show <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/bittorrent-traffic-is-not-dead-its-making-a-comeback-180926/">signs of growth again</a>. </p>



<p>It could be that people have started to pirate again because they can&#8217;t afford to pay for several paid streaming subscriptions.</p>



<p>This notion is supported by a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/piracy-will-surge-if-more-legal-streaming-services-launch-research-shows-190927/">recent survey </a>which showed that piracy rates could potentially double again if the video streaming market continues to fragment. This can affect BitTorrent traffic, bus also pirate streaming sites and services, which the ISPs were asked about. These are the go-to piracy solution for most people nowadays.</p>



<p>Overall it&#8217;s safe to say that legal streaming services do indeed limit the demand for piracy, as the South African ISPs observe. This is particularly true if they&#8217;re convenient and affordable while providing access to a great content library. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=870iWq-lwI4:92Szunm2hVM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=870iWq-lwI4:92Szunm2hVM:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=870iWq-lwI4:92Szunm2hVM:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/870iWq-lwI4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177870
title: Steal This Show S04E27: ‘‘The Secret Satoshis’’
uri: Steal-This-Show-S04E27-The-Secret-Satoshis
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/ypmpOaBu_cY/
content:
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-113928" src="media/3f816ea2.stslogo180.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/stslogo180.png" alt="" width="180" height="180"></p>
<p>This is part one of a two-part interview with&nbsp;<a href="https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/people/finn-brunton" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Finn Brunton</a>, author of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Cash-Anarchists-Technologists-Cryptocurrency-ebook/dp/B07MDHTPB9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘Digital Cash: The Unknown History of the Anarchists, Utopians, and Technologists Who Created Cryptocurrency’</a>.</p>
<p>In this part we dig into the secret pre-history of Bitcoin, including the World War 2 origins of public/private key cryptography, how Proof Of Work was initially proposed as a means to fight spam,&nbsp; and how the&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extropianism" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘Extropian’</a>&nbsp;movement – which, Finn explains, stood for ‘more life, more energy, more time, more space, more money… more everything! – collected an uncanny number of the early engineers contributing to what would eventually become Bitcoin.</p>
<p>If there’s one key takeaway from this episode, it’s that there’s no one&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satoshi_Nakamoto" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Satoshi Nakamoto</a> — Bitcoin’s a bricolage of math, technology and ingenuity stretching back at least seventy years.</p>
<p>&#8212;</p>
<p><a href="https://stealthisshow.com">Steal This Show</a> aims to release bi-weekly episodes featuring insiders discussing crypto, privacy, copyright and file-sharing developments. It complements our regular reporting by adding more room for opinion, commentary, and analysis.</p>
<p><strong>Host:</strong> Jamie King</p>
<p><strong>Guest: <a href="https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/people/finn-brunton">Finn Brunton</a></strong></p>
<p><center><iframe src="//stealthisshow.com/?lpe-frame=1&amp;lpe-season=4&amp;lpe-episode=27" width="100%" height="180px" frameborder="0"></iframe></center></p>
<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><strong>Produced </strong> <em>by </em>Jamie King<br>
<strong>Edited &amp; Mixed</strong> <em>by</em> Lucas Marston<br>
<strong>Original Music</strong> <em>by</em> David Triana<br>
<strong>Web Production</strong> <em>by</em> Eric Barch</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ypmpOaBu_cY:tWsmOX3_Qk8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ypmpOaBu_cY:tWsmOX3_Qk8:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=ypmpOaBu_cY:tWsmOX3_Qk8:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/ypmpOaBu_cY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177872
title: DMCA Notice Confirms Trump Tweet Was Taken Down By Warner Music
uri: DMCA-Notice-Confirms-Trump-Tweet-Was-Taken-Down-By-Warner-Music
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/CxIXDUANq74/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/44005509.trump-1.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/trump-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-170934" width="276" height="212"/></figure></div>



<p>President of the United States Donald Trump is well-known for his love of Twitter.</p>



<p>He currently has well in excess of 65 million followers and regularly uses the platform to promote himself and attack his critics.</p>



<p>Earlier today, Twitter erupted when a tweet by the President, which contained a video attacking the integrity of political rival Joe Biden, received some serious editing thanks to Twitter.</p>



<p>While the words &#8220;LOOK AT THIS PHOTOGRAPH!&#8221; remained, the actual video had been removed following a copyright infringement complaint.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="media/b111990e.image-126.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/image-126.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177874"/><figcaption><em>No photograph to see&#8230;</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Trump&#8217;s tweet contained a video that has been doing the rounds featuring a photograph central to the recent <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/trump-spotlights-bidens-golf-outing-with-ukraine-exec-with-nickelback-video-look-at-this-photograph">Biden/Ukraine controversy</a>. However, the photograph itself wasn&#8217;t the reason the video was taken down by Twitter.</p>



<p>The viral video contains a clip from Nickelback’s 2005 video ‘Photograph’, prompting speculation that the band itself was behind the takedown sent to Twitter. While they may have had a hand in it, the actual DMCA served on Twitter and obtained by TorrentFreak reveals that the notice was sent by Warner Music.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/6c7016c4.image-127.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-127.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177875"/><figcaption><em>The DMCA notice sent to Twitter by Warner Music (<a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/19309383?access_token=aEellPDuplur9G_qHb-VCA">Lumen Database</a>)</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>The cited source material for the takedown indeed points to the &#8216;Photograph&#8217; video on YouTube, confirming the Nickelback link to the takedown.</p>



<p>Unfortunately, if Trump wanted to legally use the track in a political context, this would usually mean requesting permission from not only the publisher but also Nickelback, who may or may not wish to be associated with the effort. The copyright takedown suggests that the required pieces probably weren&#8217;t in place.</p>



<p>Perhaps the most interesting thing when one ignores the political angle of Trump&#8217;s tweet is that the President has been in this and similar positions several times before.</p>



<p>The Lumen Database, a repository to which Twitter sends its takedown notices, currently lists at least seven DMCA complaints filed against Trump this year alone, all of which have resulted in the removal of content.</p>



<p>On the other hand, people receiving DMCA notices from the IFPI, which acts as a copyright enforcer for Warner on Twitter and elsewhere, get their accounts terminated for fewer strikes. Perhaps there&#8217;s a presidential exemption from the DMCA repeat infringer policy at Twitter.</p>



<p><em>Notices filed against Trump on Twitter in 2019 can be found here <a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/19309383?access_token=aEellPDuplur9G_qHb-VCA">1</a>,<a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/18341587?access_token=rvJstg8yt1nsG3bb8t00Ug">2</a>,<a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/18101445?access_token=MckyeY4B_SQ0GOC5Glrklw">3</a>,<a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/18095290?access_token=HmDTCvXnLfoFjiy6cQnx4A">4</a>,<a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/18095303?access_token=Tao8oQKOe5nzmUMGxLFHPQ">5</a>,<a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/18095307?access_token=9GTez1FYQnlH9uOmlwWY3Q">6</a>,<a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/18075419?access_token=1VszMexeaWepNac9cTJjCQ">7</a> (pdf)</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=CxIXDUANq74:BlkjJqCL7i8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=CxIXDUANq74:BlkjJqCL7i8:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=CxIXDUANq74:BlkjJqCL7i8:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/CxIXDUANq74" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177745
title: French Govt. Has Sent 644,000+ Piracy Notices in 2019, Secured 86 Criminal Convictions
uri: French-Govt-Has-Sent-644-000-Piracy-Notices-in-2019-Secured-86-Crim
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/z_fD_XdxP24/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/1b721265.hadopilogo.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/hadopilogo.jpg" alt="" width="272" height="120"/></figure></div>



<p>In 2010, France became a pioneer of the so-called “graduated response” system for dealing with online piracy.</p>



<p>The plan was to deter users of peer-to-peer systems like BitTorrent to refrain from sharing copyrighted content by sending them escalating warnings, with the ultimate threat of Internet disconnection or other punitive measures.</p>



<p>The system is overseen by government agency&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hadopi.fr/en">Hadopi</a>, the High Authority for the Distribution and Protection of Intellectual Property on the Internet. Periodically the agency publishes its progress in the field, with the latest report made public this week.</p>



<p>Covering the period between January 2019 to August 2019, the report shows that Hadopi has been kept busy. The headline figure is that 479,177 Internet users received an email indicating they&#8217;d received a &#8216;first strike&#8217; after allegedly sharing copyrighted material online without permission.</p>



<p>The next step up the ladder, the so-called &#8216;second strike&#8217; notices, are sent to individuals who reportedly carried out a repeat infringement within six months of the first. Hadopi says it sent 165,683 of these to France-based Internet users by both email and physical letter, making a grand total of 644,860 notices sent overall.</p>



<p>The so-called &#8216;graduated response&#8217; means that after each warning there is an escalation of seriousness with the authorities. So, after a &#8216;third strike&#8217; in a 12 month period, Hadopi can refer cases to the public prosecutor. </p>



<p>Between January and August this year, 1,149 such cases were sent to the judicial authority. This is a considerable increase over the last set of published figures which showed that 1,045 similar cases were referred during the whole of 2018.</p>



<p>Of the 1,149 cases referred, Hadopi reports there are 387 known outcomes thus far. A total of 301 cases were settled without criminal prosecutions, with 199 people being cautioned. 64 cases were settled with fines of between 100 euros and 500 euros alongside a citizenship course, with the remainder dealt with in other ways.</p>



<p>A total of 86 cases ended in a criminal conviction. These included 31 sentences for &#8220;gross negligence&#8221; resulting in fines averaging 350 euros plus 300 euros in damages. These appear to have been cases where Internet connections were repeatedly used to infringe, without the connection owner taking preventative measures.</p>



<p>Of the 86 convictions, 47 concluded with repeat infringers receiving fines ranging from 150 euros to 1,000 euros. </p>



<p><em>Hadopi&#8217;s report for the first eight months of 2019 can be found <a href="media/5b2a695d.HADOPI_REPONSE20GRADUEE_N8_BD.pdf" data-original-source="https://hadopi.fr/sites/default/files/sites/default/files/ckeditor_files/HADOPI_REPONSE%20GRADUEE_N8_BD.pdf">here</a> (pdf)</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=z_fD_XdxP24:eAeRvyDCDt0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=z_fD_XdxP24:eAeRvyDCDt0:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=z_fD_XdxP24:eAeRvyDCDt0:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/z_fD_XdxP24" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177844
title: Gaming Giants Highlight the Latest Piracy Threats
uri: Gaming-Giants-Highlight-the-Latest-Piracy-Threats
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/LuGsdTZtPZM/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/3804a6d0.gamingesa1.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/gamingesa1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-177851"/></figure></div>



<p>Along with the&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/riaa-reports-telegram-to-us-govt-over-piracy-concerns-191002/">RIAA</a>&nbsp;and several other industry groups, the Entertainment Software Association (<a href="http://www.theesa.com/">ESA</a>) submitted its overview of “notorious markets” to the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) this week.</p>



<p>These submissions serve as input for the USTR&#8217;s yearly overview of piracy &#8216;markets&#8217; which helps to shape the Government&#8217;s global copyright enforcement agenda. </p>



<p>The ESA, which represents video game companies including EA, Nintendo, Sony, Take-Two Interactive and Ubisoft, hopes that the interests of its members will be taken into account. In its report, the group lists various pirate sites that allow the public to download games for free.</p>



<p>Torrent sites are among the most significant threats according to the ESA, with The Pirate Bay being a key player. According to the game companies, TPB is a &#8220;major source&#8221; of copyright infringement that operates &#8220;with the assistance&#8221; of an unnamed U.S.-based CDN provider. </p>



<p>The less popular Skytorrents is the only other torrent site that&#8217;s included, while the list of &#8216;rogue&#8217; sites also includes the linking sites oceanofganies.com and darkumbra.net, plus the cyberlockers rapidu.net,  ltichier.com.</p>



<p>Pirate sites are not the only rogue actors. A special mention goes out to the so-called bulletproof hosting service FlokiNET. ESA reports that this company ignores its takedown requests, which allows the sites team-xecuter.com and sx.xecuter.co to operate freely. </p>



<p>&#8220;FlokiNET is a hosting provider that does not respond to notices of infringement or warning letters concerning their hosting and support of infringing websites. Despite attempts to send notices to FlokiNET&#8217;s abuse contacts pursuant to FlokiNET&#8217;s Acceptable Use Policy, the notices go ignored,&#8221; ESA writes.</p>



<p>These two FlokiNET hosted sites enable piracy of Nintendo Switch games and similar sites were previously <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/nintendo-wins-blocking-injunction-against-four-piracy-enabling-sites-190911/">blocked in the UK</a>. </p>



<p>Finally, the ESA also highlights so-called “pirate servers” or &#8220;Grey Shards&#8221; that offer free access to subscription-based game services. Cloud-based games are less vulnerable to traditional forms of piracy but these “rogue” services circumvent the technological protection measures.  </p>



<p>&#8220;When users are diverted to play on such servers, video game publishers are not able to monetize their online content on as described above and thus face reduced opportunities to recoup their investment in new distribution platforms,&#8221; the ESA notes.</p>



<p>As an example, the ESA lists Firestorm-servers.com and Warmane.com. The latter allows over 20,000 people per day to play World of Warcraft without paying the monthly subscription fee Blizzard requires.</p>



<p>While the purpose of the submission is to identify &#8220;notorious markets&#8221; that operate outside of the US, ESA frequently mentions that pirate sites are assisted by a US-based CDN provider. The provider in question is not named, but the game companies are clearly referring to Cloudflare. </p>



<p>In a footnote, ESA mentions that CDN&#8217;s have legitimate purposes, but that they also allow pirate sites to hide their true hosting location, while speeding up file transfers. Roughly half of the highlighted sites work with the <em>unnamed</em> CDN, they note, stressing that this has to stop. </p>



<p>&#8220;[I]t is important that all U.S.-based CDNs join ISPs, search engines, payment processors, and advertising services that have successfully collaborated with rights holders in recent years to develop reasonable, voluntary measures to prevent sites focused on copyright infringement from using their services,&#8221; ESA writes. </p>



<p>In a few months, the US Trade Representative will use the submissions of the ESA and other parties to compile its final list of piracy havens. The U.S. Government can then alert the countries where ‘rogue’ sites operate, in the hope that local authorities take action.</p>



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



<p><em>A copy of ESA&#8217;s submission for the  2019 Special 301 Out-of-Cycle Review of Notorious Markets is <a href="media/729b65d6.ESA_Filing_on_2019_Notorious_Markets_Review-1.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/ESA_Filing_on_2019_Notorious_Markets_Review-1.pdf">available here (pdf)</a>.</em><br></p>



<p>  <br></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=LuGsdTZtPZM:4AsHVjg4_ho:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=LuGsdTZtPZM:4AsHVjg4_ho:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=LuGsdTZtPZM:4AsHVjg4_ho:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/LuGsdTZtPZM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177929
title: London Retailer Convicted for Selling Pirate Streaming Boxes
uri: London-Retailer-Convicted-for-Selling-Pirate-Streaming-Boxes
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/GlHbX5Itp-0/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/28facc52.premierleague.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/premierleague.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-116272"/></figure></div>



<p>Pirate streaming boxes remain widely appealing to a broad audience. At a fraction of the normal costs, they open the door to all sorts of broadcasts, including football matches. </p>



<p>On the sports side, BeoutQ has shown to be is a thorn in the side of many rightsholders. It launched in 2017 and ever since various parties have tried to stop it’s infringing activity.  </p>



<p>While BeoutQ remains widely available today, the <a href="https://www.premierleague.com/">Premier League</a> can chalk up a new victory with the conviction of a London seller of streaming boxes. The devices in question offered access to BeoutQ as well as several other illegal channels, such as beIN and Sky. </p>



<p>The conviction, handed down by the City of London Magistrates’ Court this week, follows a joint investigation from the English Football League and <a href="http://www.fact-uk.org.uk/">FACT</a>. The Premier League subsequently prosecuted the 39-year-old seller,  Ammar Al-Silawi, with success. </p>



<p>Following a trial earlier this month, Mr. Al-Silawi received a sentence of 300 hours of unpaid community service. In addition, the vendor is required to pay the Premier League&#8217;s legal costs. </p>



<p>The sentencing is unique, according to the Premier League. In the UK, it&#8217;s the first time that selling pirate set-top boxes was deemed to be an act of communicating infringing copies of copyright works to the public. This is in line with the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/selling-piracy-configured-media-players-is-illegal-eu-court-rules-170426/">Filmspeler judgment</a> from the&nbsp;European Court of Justice.</p>



<p>“The law is very clear that the sale of ISDs is illegal and it is an issue taken very seriously by both the police and the courts,&#8221; says Kevin Plumb, Premier League Director of Legal Services.</p>



<p>“We will continue to investigate and pursue all suppliers of illegal streaming services, regardless of the size or scale of their operation, to protect the intellectual property that enables the Premier League to be so competitive and compelling.”</p>



<p>FACT is equally pleased with the outcome and Chief Executive Kieron Sharp notes that it serves as a stark warning to other vendors. </p>



<p>“The message is now unequivocal; if you sell a device that provides access to content that is not licensed or owned by you, you will face a criminal conviction. Illicit retailers should be aware of the Court’s view that ignoring a cease and desist notice was a clear aggravating factor in this case,” Sharp says.</p>



<p>While the rightsholders certainly have something to be pleased about, the community order sentence pales in comparison with earlier pirate streaming vendor convictions, which resulted in <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/men-who-sold-pirate-iptv-service-to-pubs-jailed-for-4-5-years-180404/">multi-year</a> prison <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/three-pirate-tv-device-sellers-jailed-for-a-total-of-17-years-190321/">sentences</a>.</p>



<p> </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=GlHbX5Itp-0:qoG7tSZefa8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=GlHbX5Itp-0:qoG7tSZefa8:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=GlHbX5Itp-0:qoG7tSZefa8:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/GlHbX5Itp-0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177787
title: As RIAA Targets Yet More YouTube-Ripping Sites, Here’s the State of Play
uri: As-RIAA-Targets-Yet-More-YouTube-Ripping-Sites-Here-s-the-State-of
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/63r8TJVgeNI/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/b8a96610.ripper.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/ripper.png" alt="" class="wp-image-170902" width="269" height="244"/></figure></div>



<p>Over the past few years, users ripping music from sites like YouTube has been portrayed by the industry as a bigger problem than torrent sites.</p>



<p>According to stats published by  industry group IFPI last year, 32% of all Internet users were stream rippers, up from 30% in 2016. This, according to the group, made it the leading form of music piracy.</p>



<p>Last week, however, a new report revealed that the practice is actually on a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/music-piracy-drops-dramatically-ifpi-shows-190924/">downward trend</a>, with 23% of those surveyed admitting to using stream-ripping services. Despite the big decrease, the RIAA isn&#8217;t likely to step away from its enforcement efforts anytime soon, as evidenced by a new application filed at a US court.</p>



<p>The application for a DMCA subpoena filed in the District of Columbia targets three sites that are either directly or indirectly linked to YouTube-ripping. </p>



<p>In common with several previous applications, this one also requires domain registry Namecheap to hand over the personal details of their operators, providing names, physical addresses, IP addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, payment information and more.</p>



<p>The first, <a href="https://youtubemp4.biz/">YouTubeMP4.biz</a>, recently suffered a drop in traffic according to SimilarWeb stats but that blip aside, has been pulling in up to 1.2 million visits per month throughout 2019. It is most popular in the United States, followed by the UK, Thailand, India and Turkey.</p>



<p>Next up is <a href="https://keepvid.ws/">Keepvid.ws</a>, which at around three million visits per month is the most popular in the application. Perhaps unusually given the close interest of the RIAA, the YouTube-ripping platform is most popular in South Africa, with around 16% of its traffic coming from the region. India and the United States follow with around 10% each.</p>



<p>The last of the RIAA&#8217;s latest targets is <a href="http://hdmp4.net/">HDMP4.net</a>, which on the surface seems different from the rest. When accessing the site&#8217;s URL directly, visitors are greeted with a blank page, which is unusual for a stream-ripping platform.</p>



<p>Furthermore, Google reveals that HDMP4.net has had <a href="https://transparencyreport.google.com/copyright/domains/hdmp4.net">just a handful</a> of DMCA notices filed against it over the past several years, the last in 2015, with none coming from the music industry. However, checking in Google&#8217;s indexes reveals that the site isn&#8217;t indexed, so that makes sense.</p>



<p>The RIAA does mention some specific URLs carrying its content, including tracks by Cyndi Lauper and ZZ Top, which raises the question of whether other sites are using it in some way. Indeed, checks using various resources indicate that the site, which only gained significant traffic in June this year, seems connected to a number of other ripping services.</p>



<p>The big question remains whether the raft of DMCA subpoenas obtained by the RIAA against companies such as Namecheap and Cloudflare are having any direct effect on the operations of these platforms. While things are probably going on behind the scenes that we don&#8217;t know about, in the main most previously-targeted sites seem unaffected.</p>



<p><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/riaa-subpoenas-target-yet-another-huge-youtube-ripping-site-190527/">In May</a>, the RIAA tried to extract the personal details of huge ripping site Y2Mate.com from Cloudflare and Namecheap. At the time the site had around 60 million monthly visits and despite the efforts, remains stubbornly online today.</p>



<p>The only real difference now is that SimilarWeb reports the site enjoying in excess of 130 million monthly visits, more than double the traffic reported back in May. The company recently changed the way it calculates traffic but it seems unlikely to have had this much of an effect, particularly since other online measurement sites also show a big upward trend.</p>



<p>On the flip side, a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/riaa-obtains-subpoena-to-unmask-youtube-ripping-site-operator-190515/">separate effort</a> in May to unmask the operator of YouTubNow.com, a site with 15 million monthly visits, may have paid off. The site currently carries a &#8220;maintenance&#8221; message and its traffic has tanked to almost zero. That can probably go in the success column for the RIAA.</p>



<p><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/riaa-targets-14-new-sites-in-campaign-against-youtube-rippers-piracy-190606/">Back in June</a>, the RIAA homed-in on 10Convert.com, Amoyshare.com, AnythingtoMP3.cc, IMP3Juices.com, BigConverter.com, YouTubeMP4.to, QDownloader.net, GenYouTube.net, Break.TV, DL-YouTube-MP3.net, ConvertBox.net, and Downloaders.io.</p>



<p>At the time of writing, only ConvertBox.net seems completely down while BigConverter.com might have resorted to blocking UK traffic for reasons unknown. The rest are operational, which doesn&#8217;t sound like a notable success rate. That being said, the RIAA may have other goals in mind so the bigger picture may play out in time.</p>



<p>By the industry&#8217;s own accounting, stream-ripping is on a downward trend but whether that&#8217;s attributable to the RIAA&#8217;s takedown efforts remains open to speculation. That being said, the RIAA will argue it has to do <em>something</em>, so the pressure is likely to continue.</p>



<p><em>The latest DMCA subpoena granted by the court can be found <a href="media/0e266151.1-19-mc-00157-RIAA-youtubemp4-keepvid-subpoena-190919.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/1-19-mc-00157-RIAA-youtubemp4-keepvid-subpoena-190919.pdf">here</a> (pdf)</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=63r8TJVgeNI:5ppZufWdRh8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=63r8TJVgeNI:5ppZufWdRh8:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=63r8TJVgeNI:5ppZufWdRh8:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/63r8TJVgeNI" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177774
title: LEGO Upsets Fans by Taking Down Homebrew 3D Print Designs
uri: LEGO-Upsets-Fans-by-Taking-Down-Homebrew-3D-Print-Designs
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/QL2NlD-H7Zw/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/92d2c98a.legopirates.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/legopirates.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-169567"/></figure></div>



<p>While the 3D printing revolution is still in its early days, people are already able to download and print pretty much everything imaginable, including houses and cars.</p>



<p>Larger and more complicated objects still require specialist tools and other parts, but smaller things that consist of easily printable material are reasonably easy to make. </p>



<p>Take LEGO bricks, for example, which have relatively easy shapes and usually consist of plastic. Pair this with a userbase of millions of &#8216;fans&#8217; and it&#8217;s easy to see why these toys are popular among 3D hobbyists, if only for nostalgic reasons.  </p>



<p>And indeed, while browsing through some of the popular websites where people share homemade 3D printing designs, we see hundreds if not thousands of LEGO &#8216;inspired&#8217; designs. The associated&nbsp;STL files are generally available to other members of the public, who can download them for free. </p>



<p>While this seems like a relatively harmless niche activity, LEGO sees things differently. Last week we were alerted to various takedown notices the company had sent recently. Apparently, it sees some 3D blueprints as copyright and/or trademark infringements. </p>



<p>That&#8217;s also true for the &#8220;Customizable Wall Switch Plate +/- LEGO 2&#8221; Thingiverse user &#8220;Lucina&#8221; had uploaded. The design is question was targeted in a takedown notice and removed, as <a href="media/22cd9bef.rhqh6ecnqro31.jpg" data-original-source="https://i.redd.it/rhqh6ecnqro31.jpg">documented on Reddit</a>. The original LEGO brick patents have long <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lego_Group#Trademark_and_patents">expired</a>, so it&#8217;s not entirely clear what the alleged infringement is here.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/ceb8d9b3.legoswitch.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/legoswitch.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177890" width="440" height="362"/><figcaption>The Wall Switch Plate which is <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2913203/remixes">now gone</a>.</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>TorrentFreak spoke to Lucina, who actually had several designs taken down from Thingiverse and Cults3D, but never saw an actual complaint. Some people have since suggested that using the term LEGO in the designs could be an issue, but several other uploads that used that same term were not targeted. </p>



<p>To avoid any legal trouble Lucina chose to voluntarily remove all LEGO files from Thingiverse and Cults3D later did the same. </p>



<p>&#8220;They flagged two out of five of my Lego designs and prevented downloads. The other three were still active. Not wanting to be sued, I deleted all five. I later got an email from Cults3D saying that they deleted all of my Lego designs for me,&#8221; Lucina told us.</p>



<p>Earlier this week, the issue was picked up by 3D printing industry news site <a href="https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/3d-printing-community-hit-by-lego-takedown-notices-162451/">3D Printing Industry</a> which got in touch with LEGO, but without any real results. LEGO Group states that it sees 3D printing as a promising technology and is considering using it themselves, but the precise reason for the takedown remains a mystery. </p>



<p>It may take a while before LEGO&#8217;s motivations are revealed. The company&#8217;s Associate Manager Corporate Communications said that the company deals with a high volume of queries. As such, it might take weeks before it explains on what grounds it sent trademark and copyright takedown notices targeting 3D fan art. </p>



<p>Whatever the reason is, the creators and users of these homebrew creations are not happy. They just see their pastime as a fun hobby, but this fun swiftly disappears when files are taken down.</p>



<p>&#8220;This is absolutely ludicrous <a href="https://twitter.com/LEGO_Group">@LEGO_Group</a>!! You&#8217;re getting free marketing with ZERO potential loss of revenue. Who is going to print any of these things instead of buying LEGOS?! Maybe focus on continuing to make awesome stuff instead of punishing your fans who promote your cause?&#8221; Twitter user <a href="https://twitter.com/repkord/status/1176885694020517888">Repkord notes.</a></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/29de89bb.rep.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/rep.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177895"/></figure></div>



<p>Many others agree that, instead of protecting its brand, LEGO could actually be alienating its biggest fans.</p>



<p>&#8220;Thinking about what  @LEGO_Group  has been doing to their 3D printing and 3D modeling fans lately reminds me of how labels treated mp3 music and sampling a few years back or how print treated online. Stay in the past, die in the blast,&#8221; Twitter user <a href="https://twitter.com/jmtosses/status/1177644428212756482">jmtosses </a>added.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/94e48f98.jmtosses.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/jmtosses.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177889"/></figure></div>



<p>The overall sentiment from 3D designers is that LEGO&#8217;s actions went too far. While it certainly might have a legitimate complaint, going after some of the biggers fans may not be the best strategy. </p>



<p>If LEGO&#8217;s goal was to stop people from sharing anything LEGO-related they have at least booked some success. Lucina is never uploading a LEGO design again.</p>



<p>&#8220;Personally I don’t think Lego should have come at me, a 3D printing hobbyist. I might design other compatible parts, but I will never share another LEGO design online,&#8221; Lucina told us </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=QL2NlD-H7Zw:mwKsUnk_aJQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=QL2NlD-H7Zw:mwKsUnk_aJQ:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=QL2NlD-H7Zw:mwKsUnk_aJQ:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/QL2NlD-H7Zw" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177901
title: The Day Shall Come…When Content Companies Address the Streaming Farce
uri: The-Day-Shall-Come-When-Content-Companies-Address-the-Streaming-Farc
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/qAXCvT2jqqw/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/eede437f.Chris_Morris_2010.jpg" data-original-source="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Chris_Morris_2010.jpg" alt="Image result for chris morris" width="199" height="273"/><figcaption><em>Credit: <a href="media/847d7549.654px-Chris_Morris_2010.jpg" data-original-source="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Chris_Morris_2010.jpg/654px-Chris_Morris_2010.jpg">Petr Novák</a></em> </figcaption></figure></div>



<p>British writer, director, and satirical genius <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Morris_(satirist)">Chris Morris</a> has been body-slamming the media and establishment with biting dark, satirical comedy for decades in the UK.</p>



<p>With his groundbreaking <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_Today">The Day Today</a> series and the polarizing but brilliant <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass_Eye">Brass Eye</a>, Morris has established himself as a force to be reckoned with.</p>



<p>For those out of the loop, this is a man who managed to convince Conservative MP David Amess &#8211; who was later appointed chair of the&nbsp;<a href="https://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/psychoactivesubstances.html">Psychoactive Substances Bill Committee</a> &#8211; to bring up the horrors of a new street drug in a Parliamentary debate. The drug was a giant dinner plate-sized yellow pill called &#8216;Cake&#8217; and it didn&#8217;t even exist.</p>



<p>Adding to his notoriety, Morris also flashed a message containing one of the world&#8217;s most offensive words during the eventual TV airing of a show canceled by the UK&#8217;s Channel 4, declaring the channel&#8217;s then-chief executive to be that four-letter uttering. Morris is scared of no one, and that&#8217;s why people love him. </p>



<p>So, after waiting nine long years for Morris to follow up on his daring and unflinching 2010 terrorism-farce movie masterpiece Four Lions, you might understand why the build-up to his new movie The Day Shall Come has been excruciating for his fans, especially those who want to financially support him.</p>



<p>&#8220;Based on 100 true stories, the explosive new film from Chris Morris (Four Lions, Brass Eye) is an emotionally gripping, laugh out loud thriller that exposes the dark farce at the heart of the homeland security project: It is harder to catch a real terrorist than it is to manufacture your own,&#8221; the movie&#8217;s <a href="https://www.thedayshallcomefilm.co.uk/synopsis/">homepage reads</a>.</p>



<p>Sadly, I &#8211; one of Morris&#8217;s most enduring and fervent fans &#8211; will have to take his word for it. I shall indeed be in the UK when the movie goes on general theatrical release on October 11 but as I write this on Tuesday, Oct 1, frustration has set in like never before. And that really shouldn&#8217;t have happened.</p>



<p>On my regular news-tour of torrent sites I could see that the movie had already appeared online. It&#8217;s a so-called WEBRip release, meaning that it was ripped from a legitimate streaming service. Considering that Morris has built his celluloid history and fanbase, not to mention infamy in the UK, that means it must have been ripped from a UK source and available to buy, right?</p>



<p>Industry anti-piracy initiatives such as the UK&#8217;s GetitRight (from a Genuine Site) are 100% targeted at people who have the ability to pirate but might be persuaded to part with their money instead, so this was a great opportunity to test the system with something I actually care about.</p>



<p>So, with cash in hand, seeking out a source for a legitimate purchase, I headed off to the portal. It couldn&#8217;t help me directly and I was subsequently directed to FindAnyFilm.com, <a href="https://www.findanyfilm.com/film/day-shall-come-the~167000#watch">where the movie is indeed listed</a>.</p>



<p>With options to &#8216;Buy to Own&#8217; turning up nothing for Blu-ray, DVD, or Digital, the &#8216;Watch Now&#8217; option (streaming) seemed the final but perfect option. Unfortunately, both &#8216;buy&#8217; and &#8216;rent&#8217; turned up absolutely nothing. No options whatsoever, with no idea provided when they might become available.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s not FindAnyFilm&#8217;s fault, it&#8217;s not GetitRight&#8217;s fault, but that doesn&#8217;t make it any less frustrating. I was already two websites into this mission and it was not going well.</p>



<p>A direct search on Amazon.co.uk did reveal a DVD listing for £10.00 but that was accompanied by a message stating that &#8220;This title has not yet been released. You may pre-order it now and we will deliver it to you when it arrives.&#8221; Even if I wanted a DVD, which I do not, no release date was provided. Which is absolutely useless. Three websites in.</p>



<p>After various inquiries it soon became clear that Amazon.com was the only straightforwardly obvious place where Morris&#8217;s new film <em>might</em> be streamed in the UK. So I tried to log in and surprise &#8211; Amazon.com didn&#8217;t like it one bit.</p>



<p>The company sent me a one-time validation code, to prove I am indeed me, which I used after receiving it via email. Once logged-in I tried to &#8216;rent&#8217; the movie but of course, it was unavailable for purchase because I wasn&#8217;t in the United States and my payment method was apparently &#8220;invalid&#8221;. It wasn&#8217;t, I&#8217;d used it minutes earlier. Four websites in, and an email. No movie.</p>



<p>In my opinion, the steps taken above go way beyond reasonable. Exactly how many hoops do these companies, that combine to present these content distribution machines to the public, expect people to jump through to willingly part themselves from their money in order to support the industry?</p>



<p>For those who know Morris and appreciate his work, this is the kind of ridiculous situation he himself might dismantle with glee, particularly considering The Day Shall Come was in part <a href="https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/5c46157b2f619">funded by the UK National Lottery/BFI Film Fund</a>. The citizens of that country, who helped to fund it, cannot see it online at the same time as their US counterparts.</p>



<p>There will be pirates out there laughing to themselves wondering why I didn&#8217;t click on the magnet link I saw earlier and simply download the movie, there and then, and save all the headaches. After all, that would&#8217;ve been one site visited, one movie watched. For free.</p>



<p>But for someone who actually wants to support Chris Morris and in industry-speak, &#8220;make sure he can make more movies in the future&#8221;, why shouldn&#8217;t I be able to pay if I want to?</p>



<p>The answer is simple: &#8216;they&#8217; &#8211; whoever they are &#8211; won&#8217;t let me. The Day Shall Come when this nonsense gets sorted out but people&#8217;s patience may have run out by then, if they can be bothered to expend any at all. The content is available legally so for the sake of sanity, let us &#8211; the fans &#8211; buy it. </p>



<p>Our <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass_Eye">Shatner&#8217;s Bassoons</a> &#8211; even without Cake &#8211; can&#8217;t take any more.</p>



<center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xbq3kc29Tmg" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></center>



<p>    </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=qAXCvT2jqqw:_b5VkiduoGE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=qAXCvT2jqqw:_b5VkiduoGE:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=qAXCvT2jqqw:_b5VkiduoGE:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/qAXCvT2jqqw" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177794
title: RIAA Believes The Pirate Bay Blocks US Visitors, But it Doesn’t
uri: RIAA-Believes-The-Pirate-Bay-Blocks-US-Visitors-But-it-Doesn-t
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/HiQomCEeHb4/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/3151e70f.tpb-piratebay-thepiratebay-logo.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/tpb-piratebay-thepiratebay-logo.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-142141"/></figure></div>



<p>The Pirate Bay is without a doubt one of the most blocked websites around the world. </p>



<p>The first court-ordered blockade against the site was issued in Denmark, more than a decade ago, and dozens of other countries have followed since. </p>



<p>We have come to a point where &#8216;yet another&#8217; Pirate Bay blockade is hardly newsworthy, but this week something quite unusual appeared on our radar. Apparently, The Pirate Bay itself jumped on the bandwagon by starting to block US visitors, its largest userbase, out of the blue. </p>



<p>This revelation comes from the widely respected music industry group RIAA, which keeps a close eye on the popular torrent site. </p>



<p>A few days ago the group sent its latest overview of &#8220;notorious markets&#8221; to the US Trade Representative. As usual, The Pirate Bay was prominently featured. It is the single most popular BitTorrent index site in the world, the RIAA says, then adding that for some reason the site no longer accepts American visitors.   </p>



<p>&#8220;Earlier this year, thepiratebay began blocking U.S. IP addresses. However, the site remains easily accessible using a free proxy service that makes it appear the user is accessing the site from another jurisdiction,&#8221; the RIAA writes in its submission to the USTR. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/a08add7c.tpbblockip.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/tpbblockip.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177867"/></figure></div>



<p>That&#8217;s odd, to say the least. While the site has had some (localized) connectivity issues, perhaps due to routing problems, we had never heard of such a blockade. Interestingly, The Pirate Bay team itself has no clue what the RIAA is referring to either. </p>



<p>TorrentFreak reached out to a TPB moderator, who wasn&#8217;t aware of any US visitor ban and through a trusted source we learned that the people running the site are not blocking anything. </p>



<p>This makes sense, as we spoke to several people who can still access the site just fine from the US. Also, the United States remains the top traffic source for the site by far, as SimilarWeb data shows. That certainly wouldn&#8217;t be the case if US visitors were not allowed.</p>



<p>We have no idea why the RIAA believes otherwise. Perhaps the group was confused by an earlier outage that mainly affected US visitors, but it can be &#8216;assured&#8217; that this is definitely not intended by the Pirate Bay team.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=HiQomCEeHb4:4XE2IY973Oo:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=HiQomCEeHb4:4XE2IY973Oo:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=HiQomCEeHb4:4XE2IY973Oo:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/HiQomCEeHb4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177959
title: Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week on BitTorrent – 10/07/19
uri: Top-10-Most-Pirated-Movies-of-The-Week-on-BitTorrent-10-07-19
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/3hb5LWrD4O8/
content:
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-177696" src="media/ece8e3e8.fastfu.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/fastfu.png" alt="" width="298" height="159">This week we have two newcomers in our chart.</p>
<p>Fast &amp; Furious Presents: Hobbs &amp; Shaw 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>&nbsp;for the articles of the recent weekly movie download charts.</p>
<h5>This week&#8217;s most downloaded movies are:</h5>
<table class="css hover">
<thead>
<tr>
<th width="12%"><strong>Movie Rank</strong></th>
<th width="15%"><strong>Rank <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-pirated-movies-of-the-week-on-bittorrent-09-23-19/">last week</a></strong></th>
<th><strong>Movie name</strong></th>
<th width="18%"><strong>IMDb Rating / Trailer</strong></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tfoot>
<tr>
<td colspan="4">Most downloaded movies via torrents</td>
</tr>
</tfoot>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>1</strong></td>
<td>(1)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6806448/">Fast &amp; Furious Presents: Hobbs &amp; Shaw</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6806448/">6.7</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ7PAyCDwEg">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>2</strong></td>
<td>(7)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7349950/">It: Chapter Two</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7349950/">6.9</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6MLJG0RdDE">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>3</strong></td>
<td>(2)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1979376/">Toy Story 4</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1979376/">8.1</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmiIUN-7qhE">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>4</strong></td>
<td>(3)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6320628/">Spider-Man: Far from Home</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6320628/">7.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzKkTC0ZiXs">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td>(4)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8364368/">Crawl</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8364368/">6.4</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6MLJG0RdDE">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7734218/">Stuber</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7734218/">6.2</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5l6a5RiR1E">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td>(5)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6565702/">Dark Phoenix</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6565702/">6.0</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azvR__GRQic">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8752498/">Wonder Woman: Bloodlines</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8752498/">5.9</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=000aP84lPy8">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>9</strong></td>
<td>(6)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6146586/">John Wick: Chapter 3 &#8211; Parabellum</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6146586/">7.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU8-7BX9uxs">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>10</strong></td>
<td>(8)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4154796/">Avengers: Endgame</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4154796/">8.7</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcMBFSGVi1c">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=3hb5LWrD4O8:GaN2cfUjURI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=3hb5LWrD4O8:GaN2cfUjURI:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=3hb5LWrD4O8:GaN2cfUjURI:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/3hb5LWrD4O8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177969
title: Landmark Russian Anti-Piracy Agreement Extended Until End October 2019
uri: Landmark-Russian-Anti-Piracy-Agreement-Extended-Until-End-October-2019
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/M-Bl3vTjyR4/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/fb5bd049.deletemini.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/deletemini.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-150938" width="266" height="161"/></figure></div>



<p>Last year, leading Russia-based content companies and distributors plus Yandex, Rambler Group, Mail.Ru Group, vKontakte, and RuTube&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/landmark-anti-piracy-database-agreement-signed-in-moscow-181101/">signed up</a>&nbsp;to a landmark anti-piracy memorandum. </p>



<p>It would see search engines voluntarily query a centralized database of allegedly-infringing content before deleting links to the same from their search results. However, while waiting for the terms of that agreement to be written into law, last Monday the time-limited memorandum expired.</p>



<p>As <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/russia-anti-piracy-agreement-expires-now-relies-on-goodwill-of-search-engines-191002/">reported</a> last week, content companies hoped that search engines would continue the deletions, despite the agreement expiring. It now transpires that following further negotiations, the parties have agreed to an official extension of the memorandum.</p>



<p>According to sources cited by <a href="https://www.vedomosti.ru/technology/news/2019/10/03/812792-zakonoproekt-ob-udalenii-piratskih-ssilok">Vedomosti</a>, leading search engine Yandex didn&#8217;t disappoint rightsholders since it continued to delete &#8216;pirate&#8217; links even after the expiry date. One of the signatories to the agreement added that the parties now intend to carry on with the terms of the memorandum until the end of October 2019.</p>



<p>The official four-week extension has been put in place so that the draft law can be finalized and introduced to the State Duma before the end of the month.</p>



<p>If this happens as planned, the anti-piracy memorandum will receive an automatic secondary extension until the end of the year, telecoms watchdog Roscomnadzor reports.</p>



<p>&#8220;The memorandum has been extended until October 31, 2019. If the bill is submitted to the State Duma no later than October 31, 2019, the memorandum will be automatically extended until December 31, 2019,&#8221; a spokesperson told <a href="https://tass.ru/obschestvo/6960688">TASS</a>.</p>



<p>While the extra month&#8217;s worth of breathing space will be useful, there is still no news of agreement on the issue said to have played a key role in the delay.</p>



<p>Rightsholders and content companies have demanded the introduction of a so-called ‘repeat infringer’ clause, which would see sites permanently removed from search results if they are continually flagged as hosting or linking to &#8216;pirate&#8217; content.</p>



<p>Internet companies are strongly in opposition so a compromise may be needed, especially if the end-of-the-month deadline is to be met.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=M-Bl3vTjyR4:e0lgyzW2VFQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=M-Bl3vTjyR4:e0lgyzW2VFQ:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=M-Bl3vTjyR4:e0lgyzW2VFQ:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/M-Bl3vTjyR4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177918
title: Epic Games and ‘Cheating’ Fortnite Kid Settle Copyright Lawsuit
uri: Epic-Games-and-Cheating-Fortnite-Kid-Settle-Copyright-Lawsuit
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/EDUWfbD56Ko/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/f86b5932.epicfortnite.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/epicfortnite.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-177964" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/epicfortnite.jpg 266w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/epicfortnite-200x150.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 266px) 100vw, 266px"></figure></div>



<p>Frustrated by thousands of cheaters who wreak havoc in Fortnite’s “Battle Royale,” game publisher&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epicgames.com/site/en-US/home">Epic Games</a>&nbsp;has taken several to court.</p>



<p>The game developer isn’t trying to bankrupt these people financially. The main goal appears to be to stop the cheaters and prevent them from encouraging and facilitating others to do the same. </p>



<p>In most instances, the alleged cheaters are eager to settle the cases. However, a YouTuber called CBV, who was sued by Epic Games this summer, started out by returning fire. Despite his relatively young age of 14 years old, he showed no sign of backing off.</p>



<p>The alleged cheater lawyered up and responded by filing a&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cheating-fortnite-kid-wants-copyright-lawsuit-dismissed-190807/">motion to dismiss</a>&nbsp;at a North Carolina federal court. Among other things, his attorneys pointed out that the Court doesn’t have jurisdiction over this client and that requiring a minor to defend himself in another state would be unreasonable. </p>



<p>The games company, which hit the minor (referred to as C.B. in the complaint) with several claims, including copyright infringement and breaches of the DMCA’s anti-circumvention provision, wasn&#8217;t planning on letting CBV get away with it though.</p>



<p>Epic Games countered that it had a solid case, noting that the defendant&#8217;s cheating activity <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cheating-fortnite-kid-keeps-on-cheating-epic-games-tells-court-190901/">continued</a> despite the lawsuit. </p>



<p>With both sides choosing not to back off, the lawsuit seemed destined for a drawn-out fight. But it didn&#8217;t get to that. Behind the scenes, the parties came together to settle their differences without court intervention. This has now resulted in a settlement that&#8217;s formalized through an order of approval by the court.</p>



<p>With help from pro bono attorneys and his mother Kari as a General Guardian, C.B. reached a confidential settlement with Epic Games. It&#8217;s unclear whether there is a damages amount involved, but both sides have dropped their (counter)claims, effectively ending the dispute.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant’s General Guardian and Defendant agree and are satisfied that the Settlement Agreement that is the subject of this Order is fair and reasonable. In particular, Defendant’s General Guardian and Defendant believe that the terms of the Settlement Agreement properly account for C.B.’s status as a minor,&#8221; the order reads.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/6c855413.approvalfort.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/approvalfort.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177965"/><figcaption>From the <a href="media/036b9641.epicaproval.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/epicaproval.pdf">Order of Approval (pdf)</a></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>As part of the settlement,  the defendant likely agreed not to engage in any cheating activities. This includes uploading cheat videos on YouTube, which he initially continued to do on a new YouTube channel.</p>



<p>The defendant also continued to develop and sell cheat software, Epic Games previously said.  After the lawsuit was filed he created a new website, <a href="https://nexuscheats.us/">NexusCheats.us</a>, which was advertised through his YouTube videos. At the time of writing, this website is no longer online. </p>



<p>When the lawsuit was first announced (C.B.) CBV responded with some quite aggressive language <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRYKh19QPdc">on his YouTube channel</a>, but since then the channel has gone quiet. The last upload dates back three months and, given the settlement, it&#8217;s unlikely that any new Fortnite cheat videos will appear there going forward.</p>



<p>For Epic Games, these lawsuits are the only way to remove some cheat videos from YouTube. If a YouTuber continues to dispute a DMCA takedown request, as happened in this case, YouTube will restore the video unless a lawsuit is filed. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=EDUWfbD56Ko:n_Umi5_dz_g:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=EDUWfbD56Ko:n_Umi5_dz_g:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=EDUWfbD56Ko:n_Umi5_dz_g:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/EDUWfbD56Ko" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178027
title: Copyright Trolls Targeted Over 100,000 IP-addresses in Sweden
uri: Copyright-Trolls-Targeted-Over-100-000-IP-addresses-in-Sweden
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/JpejDWfwKxY/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/efd05bc4.trollsign.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/trollsign.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-108977"/></figure></div>



<p>In the early 2000s, Sweden was considered to be a relatively safe haven for pirates.</p>



<p>The country was the home of the Pirate Bay, the birthing ground of the Pirate Party, and a place where for many citizens file-sharing was second nature.</p>



<p>Today, this safe haven has long disappeared. The Scandinavian country has prosecuted several torrent site operators, including The Pirate Bay’s founders, while lawsuits targeting individual BitTorrent users are a common sight.</p>



<p>In many ways, Sweden has become a copyright enforcement hotspot. This includes the ‘copyright-trolling’ phenomenon, in which movie companies target hundreds or thousands of alleged pirates hoping to secure monetary settlements.</p>



<p>The first wave of these lawsuits started&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/attention-swedish-pirate-bay-users-copyright-trolls-have-arrived-160902/">three years ago</a>&nbsp;but the practice has grown exponentially since. According to Swedish Internet provider <a href="https://www.bahnhof.se/">Bahnhof</a>, which has kept track of these cases since early 2017, the number of new cases has already broken a record this year.</p>



<p>During the first three quarters of 2019, a total of 78 new applications were submitted&nbsp;to the Patent and Market Court. This is up from 72 during the whole of 2018, and substantially more than the 27 applications that were filed a year earlier. </p>



<p>While the number of applications has grown, the cases target fewer IP-addresses in total. Last year over 50,000 IPs were targeted and the 2019 total so far is 26,274 IP addresses. Combined with the 2017 numbers, we see that more than 100,000 IP-addresses have been targeted over the past three years. </p>



<p>It&#8217;s worth noting that this exceeds the number of targets in other, much larger countries, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/copyright-trolling-in-sweden-grows-massively-putting-us-efforts-in-the-shade-190127/">including the United States</a>. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/8afa00aa.trolliptarg.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/trolliptarg.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178039"/></figure></div>



<p>This type of data is not something an Internet provider would generally release, but it makes sense considering that Bahnhof is an active anti-copyright trolling advocate. The company categorically refuses to share data with copyright holders, as it also makes clear in its press release.</p>



<p>While Bahnhof must retain IP-address logs by law, it operates separate databases. Data is only disclosed to law enforcement authorities for specific purposes and not for this type of copyright enforcement.</p>



<p>&#8220;This means that Bahnhof&#8217;s customers have not suffered from this type of extortion letter,&#8221; the Internet provider <a href="https://www.bahnhof.se/press/press-releases/2019/10/08/bahnhof-avslojar-operatorerna-som-lamnar-ut-dina-uppgifter-till-utpressare-2019">notes</a>.</p>



<p>Looking at the targeted ISPs over the past year we see that most of the targeted IP-addresses belong to Telia subscribers, followed by Com Hem, and Telenor. The rightsholders who file these cases are represented by a variety of law firms, including the well known Njord Law.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="media/3ccecc28.trollisps.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/trollisps.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-178040"/></figure>



<p>While Bahnhof is indirectly using these figures to promote its own business, the company hopes that these ‘copyright-trolling’ practices will eventually end, perhaps following an intervention from the Government. According to the company, the entire process is based on extortion.</p>



<p>&#8220;The success factor of the letters is partly that they can easily be mistaken for genuine invoices or fines, and the threat of a legal process that drives people to pay out of pure fear, even when they are innocent. The business model is thus based on regular extortion,&#8221; Bahnhof notes. </p>



<p>The Swedish Internet provider also maintains a dedicated website called <a href="https://utpressningskollen.se/">Utpressningskollen</a> where it provides additional details and information on Swedish copyright-trolling efforts. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=JpejDWfwKxY:aKMDpA4W8Sc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=JpejDWfwKxY:aKMDpA4W8Sc:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=JpejDWfwKxY:aKMDpA4W8Sc:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/JpejDWfwKxY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178032
title: TorrentFreak Has a Newish Look
uri: TorrentFreak-Has-a-Newish-Look
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/P93c0yzrIt8/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/4a479df1.torrentfreak_logo.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/torrentfreak_logo.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178035"/></figure></div>



<p>To be honest, we don’t like change much here at TorrentFreak. We’ve used the same WordPress theme since 2011, but when it started to fall apart, we decided to go for something new. </p>



<p>With help from our designer <a href="http://ryandownie.com/">Ryan</a>, who also made the previous look, we can now present TorrentFreak v5.1. There will be plenty of bugs to sort out, so please bear with us.</p>



<p>Feedback is always welcome. So if you spot any issues feel free <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/author/ernesto/">to let us know via <strong>email</strong></a>. </p>



<p><em>Working on:</em></p>



<ul><li>comment loading needs work site-wide</li><li>some images are not displayed correctly</li></ul>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=P93c0yzrIt8:CMFVqeW8Gq8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=P93c0yzrIt8:CMFVqeW8Gq8:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=P93c0yzrIt8:CMFVqeW8Gq8:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/P93c0yzrIt8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178053
title: Popular IPTV Smarters App Removed From Google Play Following Complaint
uri: Popular-IPTV-Smarters-App-Removed-From-Google-Play-Following-Complaint
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/F7PCZrzLfok/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/7aa9d498.image-132.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-132.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178060" width="235" height="237"/></figure></div>



<p>People who want to view IPTV services on their mobile or set-top devices need a software player with which to do so. </p>



<p><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nst.iptvsmarterstvbox&amp;h">IPTV Smarters</a> is one of the most impressive and popular applications in the niche and is used by large numbers of users on both Android and iOS-based devices.</p>



<p>Up until today, people could just head off to Google&#8217;s Play Store to download a copy. However, visitors to the page are now advised that the URL no longer exists, a pretty clear indication that IPTV Smarters has been deleted from the service.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/68f10695.image-130.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-130.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178055"/><figcaption><em>The IPTV Smarters page before the deletion</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>Given the popularity of the software, TorrentFreak spoke with New Spark Technology, the company behind IPTV Smarters. Amanpreet Singh, who is listed as the person behind the Android app, says that the tool was indeed removed from Google Play following a complaint.</p>



<p>Singh says that he prefers not to share the details of the complaint, or reveal who sent it, because &#8220;it&#8217;s just a false complaint as usual.&#8221; The developer informs TF that this is the third time that the app has been deleted from Google Play and the company&#8217;s legal team is on the case.</p>



<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s normal [to receive such complaints] and [it has] happened three times so far. We had it sorted out last time and this time. We have executed the same procedure with the help of our lawyers,&#8221; he says.</p>



<p>The last time the app was taken down earlier this year it remained offline for 10 days. This time the company says it will &#8220;try to get it back as soon as possible.&#8221;</p>



<p>&#8220;As it&#8217;s just a video player, that&#8217;s why it will be back very soon,&#8221; Singh says.</p>



<p>While many people understand that IPTV Smarters doesn&#8217;t provide any content or IPTV streams to users, there are plenty out there who don&#8217;t seem to appreciate how it all works. They see IPTV Smarters getting recommended as a good IPTV-viewing solution and then expect the company to provide the streams as well.</p>



<p>In response, the company says it added a popup disclaimer to its site a few days ago, unconnected to the current disappearance of its app from Google Play, explaining that it doesn&#8217;t &#8220;endorse or guarantee&#8221; the use of its software by third parties &#8220;for streaming and subscriptions.&#8221;</p>



<p style="text-align:left">&#8220;We respects the Intellectual Property rights of others and does not endorse any of the Intellectual Property violation by third parties. Linking of New Spark Technology, WHMCS &amp; IPTV softwares to any of the third party links or platforms does not constitute any of the its endorsement or sponsorships [sic], it reads.&#8221; </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/5a09f4c8.image-129.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-129.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178054"/></figure></div>



<p>&#8220;We put the disclaimer on our website because many users keep asking for a subscription ( username / password and url ), that is what we don&#8217;t offer,&#8221; Singh informs TF.</p>



<p>&#8220;Also, many customers keep asking us why their channels are not working blah blah blah. So, to prevent us getting unnecessary&nbsp;questions, we updated the disclaimer.&#8221;&nbsp; </p>



<p>At the time of writing, the <a href="https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/iptv-smarters-player/id1383614816">App Store variant</a> for Apple devices is still online via the web and installable on iOS devices, suggesting that the problem is, at least for now, isolated to the Android variant.</p>



<p>Precisely when that will return for download is uncertain but Singh appears confident it won&#8217;t take too long.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=F7PCZrzLfok:S1SCXB9wOT0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=F7PCZrzLfok:S1SCXB9wOT0:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=F7PCZrzLfok:S1SCXB9wOT0:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/F7PCZrzLfok" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178101
title: Back to Piracy For Adobe Users in Venezuela But Most Pirate Anyway
uri: Back-to-Piracy-For-Adobe-Users-in-Venezuela-But-Most-Pirate-Anyway
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/_9HasscOlsg/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/d31db09d.piratekay.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/piratekay.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-108106" width="248" height="170"/></figure></div>



<p>This week, Adobe delivered a <a href="https://helpx.adobe.com/la/x-productkb/policy-pricing/executive-order-venezuela.html">worrying message</a> to legitimate users of its software and services in Venezuela.</p>



<p>In response to a sanctions-related executive order <em>(<a href="media/aaca4423.13884.pdf" data-original-source="https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/13884.pdf">pdf</a>)</em> handed down by the US Government, the software company said it would have to terminate business relations with subscribers in the country.</p>



<p>This means that legitimate users of Photoshop and other Adobe software and services will lose access to the tools they&#8217;ve paid for. With all accounts set to be terminated on October 29, 2019, many customers will be left high and dry, with only a refund to look forward to &#8211; hopefully.</p>



<p>&#8220;If you purchased directly from Adobe, we will refund you by the end of the month for any paid, but unused services. We are working with our partners on the same,&#8221; the company announced.</p>



<p>The withdrawal of Adobe from Venezuela will no doubt deliver serious inconvenience for the country&#8217;s licensed users. However, they are in the minority. Licensing software doesn&#8217;t appear to be a mainstream activity, even in the face of decreasing price tags for Adobe products, for example. </p>



<p><a href="http://www.producto.com.ve/pro/tecnolog/adobe-deja-colgada-brocha-venezuela">According</a> to Giampiero Posa of <a href="https://comunicacionvisual.com/">Posa Studio Creativo</a>, a certified Adobe training center in Venezuela, the annual $200 fee for Adobe suite is still a luxury given the dire economic situation in the country. Just a few years ago, the cost was $1,780, a headline figure which did nothing to help piracy rates in the country.</p>



<p>The most recent Global Software Survey <em>(<a href="media/0222eb7b.2018_BSA_GSS_Report_en.pdf" data-original-source="https://gss.bsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2018_BSA_GSS_Report_en.pdf">pdf</a>)</em> published in 2018 by the Software Alliance (BSA) shows that in the previous year, Venezuela had the world&#8217;s joint second-highest rate of unlicensed software installation. At 89%, the country tied with Zimbabwe and was edged out only by Libya with 90%.</p>



<p>Figures from the trade group show that the situation hasn&#8217;t improved at all in eight years. In 2011, unlicensed installs accounted for 88% of the Venezuelan market, a figure that remained stubbornly stable until a 1% increase in 2017 made the situation marginally worse.</p>



<p>Clearly, the removal of offerings from Adobe and other companies offers no hope of a decline anytime soon but of course, alternatives do exist. Open-source tools provide a legal alternative but given high piracy rates and the comfort with which unlicensed software is apparently consumed, even more piracy seems the likely outcome.</p>



<p>And the possibility of consequences for that, especially factoring in hostility from the United States, seem more distant than ever.</p>



<p>A <a href="https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com/w-010-5308?transitionType=Default&amp;contextData=(sc.Default)&amp;firstPage=true&amp;bhcp=1">review</a> of Venezuelan copyright litigation, published by Manuel Rodriguez of the Antequera Parilli &amp; Rodriguez law firm, states that to date &#8220;there have been few cases of copyright infringements being sued before the courts.&#8221;</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=_9HasscOlsg:CmqO10R3nUQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=_9HasscOlsg:CmqO10R3nUQ:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=_9HasscOlsg:CmqO10R3nUQ:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/_9HasscOlsg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177826
title: File-Sharing and VPN Traffic Grow Explosively
uri: File-Sharing-and-VPN-Traffic-Grow-Explosively
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/prSPEoxuR7I/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/0909e0fc.bomb-explosion-atomic.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/bomb-explosion-atomic.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-123056"/></figure></div>



<p>Today&#8217;s Internet traffic patterns are completely different from those roughly a decade ago. </p>



<p>The most pronounced change in recent years has been the dominance of streaming services, mostly IPTV providers, Netflix, and YouTube.</p>



<p>While streaming remains the key traffic generator on the Internet today, file-sharing traffic is making quite a comeback. The early signs of this trend were already visible last year but new data from the Canadian broadband management company <a href="https://www.sandvine.com/">Sandvine</a> show that this was no fluke.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/549ec405.globalapplication.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/globalapplication.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178087"/></figure></div>



<p>Looking at the global application traffic share, we see that video streaming accounts for 60.6% of all downstream and 22.2% of all upstream traffic. </p>



<p>File-sharing has a very modest downstream market share, at just 4.2%, but it beats streaming when it comes to utilized upload bandwidth, 30.2% worldwide.</p>



<p>The relatively large upstream share makes sense, as that&#8217;s part of the nature of file-sharing. What&#8217;s more telling, perhaps, is the year-over-year growth numbers. </p>



<p>From 2018 to 2019, the share of file-sharing traffic increased by roughly 50% while the upstream share grew by 35%. Keep in mind that these numbers are relative, so in absolute terms, the traffic increases are even larger, as bandwidth usage continues to increase.</p>



<p>There are some regional differences in this trend. BitTorrent traffic, which is the largest chunk of all file-sharing traffic, has grown mostly in the  EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) and APAC (Asia-Pacific) regions, for example.</p>



<p>BitTorrent is currently most popular in the EMEA region where it is good for 5.3% of all downstream traffic and a massive 44.2% of all upstream traffic. In the APAC region, the figures are 4.5% and 24.8% respectively.</p>



<p>According to Sandvine, the resurgence of file-sharing traffic can be largely attributed to the fragmentation of the legal video streaming landscape. With more legal options and a limited budget, people increasingly resort to piracy, the company argues.</p>



<p>&#8220;Netflix aggregated content and made piracy reduce worldwide. With the ongoing fragmentation of the video market, and increase in attractive original content, piracy is on the rise again,&#8221; Sandvine&#8217;s Cam Cullen notes. </p>



<p>HBO is a crucial &#8216;fragment&#8217; when it comes to torrent traffic. We have previously reported on the massive impact the last season of Game of Thrones had on BitTorrent traffic and this is confirmed by Sandvine&#8217;s data, as shown below. Interestingly, this bump wasn&#8217;t visible for Kodi-related traffic. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/b1c3928c.BitTorrent-1H.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/BitTorrent-1H.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178088"/></figure></div>



<p>This Game of Thrones boost may have elevated the overall file-sharing market share this year, but that will become apparent when Sandvine releases its new figures next year. </p>



<p>While BitTorrent and file-sharing traffic increased globally, the Americas form an exception to this trend. There, the relative market share dropped slightly. However, that doesn&#8217;t mean that fewer people are using BitTorrent or that less data is being transferred. </p>



<p>For one, market share is relative and a slight drop is possible even if overall traffic increased. In addition, Sandvine&#8217;s data show a growing trend in VPN usage. The company closely monitors data used by 70 popular commercial VPNs and has noticed a major boost in usage. </p>



<p style="text-align:left">Roughly 2% of all global downstream traffic can now be attributed to VPN traffic. Looking at the upstream traffic this percentage is even larger, 5%, suggesting that it&#8217;s often used for upload heavy purposes, such as file-sharing. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/129fc1a2.upsa.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/upsa.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178090"/></figure></div>



<p>In the Americas, this VPN boom is particularly pronounced with the percentage of IPSec VPN traffic tripling to 7.7% of all upstream data. This goes up to almost&nbsp;9% for all VPN traffic, Sandvine informs us. </p>



<p>It wouldn&#8217;t be a surprise if a lot of that traffic comes from BitTorrent transfers.</p>



<p>Finally, it&#8217;s worth noting that, while &#8216;file-sharing&#8217; is often linked to piracy, the majority of all unauthorized media distribution takes place through streaming nowadays. In other words, &#8216;file-sharing&#8217; is only a small fraction of the piracy landscape. </p>



<p>The streaming piracy traffic is part of Sandvine&#8217;s &#8220;http media stream&#8221; category which, for the first time in years, has a larger market share than Netflix. </p>



<p>The website Openload, which is often linked to streaming piracy, is even listed separately in the top 10 of all video streaming sources. With 2.4% of all downstream video streaming traffic on the global Internet, it&#8217;s safe to say that Openload uses a lot of bandwidth. </p>



<p>It will be interesting to see how these trends continue to develop during the coming years. It&#8217;s clear though, that file-sharing is not going anywhere, neither is BitTorrent, while the VPN boom only appears to be starting. A full copy of Sandvine&#8217;s latest Global Internet Phenomena report is <a href="https://www.sandvine.com/phenomena">available here</a>. <br></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=prSPEoxuR7I:sPQ3qmJGbb8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=prSPEoxuR7I:sPQ3qmJGbb8:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=prSPEoxuR7I:sPQ3qmJGbb8:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/prSPEoxuR7I" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178132
title: Ebook Pirate Fined & Handed 20-Day Suspended Sentence
uri: Ebook-Pirate-Fined-Handed-20-Day-Suspended-Sentence
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/14ra9Az3MZM/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/894f1af8.ebook-ereader.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/ebook-ereader.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-144637" width="254" height="174"/></figure></div>



<p>EBooks are widely available and relatively cheap in many cases but there is still a thriving market for pirated copies.</p>



<p>This can be down to straightforward convenience but when it comes to textbooks, titles aren&#8217;t always available digitally and in many cases are extremely expensive.</p>



<p>To fill this demand, various sites offer textbooks for free download but in some instances, members of the public provide more personal services to access them at reduced rates. The downside is that anti-piracy companies are <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/brein-burns-buttocks-of-pirate-who-forged-email-refused-to-pay-up-190807/">sometimes lying in wait</a>.</p>



<p>A student from Denmark was one of the unlucky ones. After he and some fellow students pirated a few books to save money, the 26-year-old went on to launch a company with a friend after leaving college. However, when that venture failed and he ended up on benefits, he found himself selling eBooks on Den Blå Avis (The Blue Newspaper), Denmark&#8217;s largest buying and selling site.  </p>



<p>Unfortunately for him, Danish anti-piracy outfit Rettighedsalliancen (Rights Alliance) noticed his activities. Under the alias &#8220;Michael R&#8221;, he sold one of their investigators an eBook that he&#8217;d previously converted to a PDF. After paying using MobilePay, the anti-piracy group collected it from Google Drive and reported the case to the police.</p>



<p>A couple of days ago, <a href="https://www.avisen.dk/piratsalg-af-skoleboeger-kan-udloese-faengsel-til-26_569095.aspx">Avisen</a> obtained information indicating that following an investigation, the Court of Frederiksberg would hear the case this week. The former student, who is trained in IT and marketing, had been charged with selling 228 copies of pirated textbooks related to his specialties.</p>



<p>He reportedly sold the books on The Blue Newspaper for between $12.50 and $88.00 each, a crime for which the prosecution sought a jail sentence for copyright infringement.</p>



<p>On Wednesday, Judge Poul Bisgaard-Frantzen at the Court of Fredericksberg handed the man, who currently lives in Copenhagen, a 20-day suspended jail sentence for copyright and financial offenses, <a href="https://politiken.dk/indland/uddannelse/art7432371/Piratkopiering-af-digitale-studieb%C3%B8ger-giver-26-%C3%A5rig-f%C3%A6ngselsstraf">Politiken</a> reports.</p>



<p>After admitting selling 155 copies of textbooks, the Court also ordered the confiscation of 27,640 kroner, around $4,075.</p>



<p>&#8220;[I]t is devastating for the copyright that the authors have, and also for the publishers, when the basis for their business is taken away. Therefore, the gain must be confiscated,&#8221; the Judge said.</p>



<p>During the hearing, the former student, who will now have to abstain from illegal activities if he is to avoid prison, entered into a settlement arrangement with Rights Alliance, agreeing to pay the anti-piracy group 34,870 kroner ($5,123) in compensation.</p>



<p>Wednesday&#8217;s verdict could be just the start as the police reportedly have several similar cases pending.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=14ra9Az3MZM:AQVKVzMgdHg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=14ra9Az3MZM:AQVKVzMgdHg:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=14ra9Az3MZM:AQVKVzMgdHg:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/14ra9Az3MZM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178145
title: Epic Games Wants Mother to Represent Persistent Fortnite Cheater ‘Sky Orbit’
uri: Epic-Games-Wants-Mother-to-Represent-Persistent-Fortnite-Cheater-Sk
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/ZCJa4_QSiGE/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/f86b5932.epicfortnite.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/epicfortnite.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-177964" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/epicfortnite.jpg 266w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/epicfortnite-200x150.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 266px) 100vw, 266px" /></figure></div>



<p>Two years ago, Epic Games decided to take several Fortnite cheaters to court, accusing them of copyright infringement.</p>



<p>Most of these lawsuits have now been settled, but there is one alleged cheater who is proving rather hard to catch.</p>



<p>The person in question, known in Fortnite and on YouTube as &#8220;Sky Orbit,&#8221; turned out to be a minor when Epic Games filed the complaint. This was made very clear by his mother, who sent a letter to the Court defending her son.</p>



<p>“This company is in the process of attempting to sue a 14-year-old child,” the mother&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/mom-defends-14-year-old-fortnite-cheater-in-court-171125/">informed the Court back in 2017</a>.</p>



<p>The letter was widely publicized in the press but Epic Games didn’t back off. Due to his young age, the Carolina District Court ordered that the kid should only be referred to by his initials C.R. The case itself continued, however, albeit slowly.</p>



<p>Without any follow-up responses from either the defendant or his mother, Epic Games requested a default judgment. However, the Court denied this a few weeks ago, arguing that the underage defendant <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/court-denies-default-judgment-against-cheating-fortnite-kid-190819/">was never properly represented by a guardian</a>. The mother&#8217;s letter was not sufficient to establish this.  </p>



<p>This was a major setback to Epic Games but the company had no plans to drop the case. Especially not when it heard &#8220;Sky Orbit&#8221; had teamed up with another alleged cheater, CBV, and found other evidence that he wasn&#8217;t done cheating yet.</p>



<p>This week Epic asked the Court to officially appoint C.R.&#8217;s mother, Lauren Rogers, as a legal guardian, so she can officially represent her son. If that&#8217;s not possible, another adult should take this role, the game company argues.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant has ignored the appropriate orders of this Court. It is now appropriate for his mother or another adult to be appointed to officially represent him so that his interests can be protected and this matter can move forward,&#8221; Epic writes.</p>



<p>In an associated memorandum and declaration, the company explains that C.R. allegedly continued cheating over the past several months. Part of the evidence comes from a video titled &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcEZMMEvQbY&amp;t=36s">Fortnite Streamer Caught Aimbotting LIVE!</a>&#8221; uploaded to YouTube by ShelbyRenae.</p>



<p>This video includes a captured video by another player, who&#8217;s allegedly cheating. Based on the voice of this person and several comments from people who watched the stream, this is C.R., aka &#8220;Sky Orbit.&#8221; </p>



<p>&#8220;The audio, including cheating player’s voice is available. On information and belief, the voice of the cheating player is Defendant’s,&#8221; Epic&#8217;s attorney Christopher Thomas writes.</p>



<p>&#8220;Although ShelbyRenae does not identify Defendant as the cheating player, at least 15 of the commenters separately identify &#8216;Sky Orbit&#8217; – the name used by Defendant on his YouTube channel – as the player cheating in the Captured Video.&#8221;  </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/78ca533d.orbi2.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/orbi2.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178157"/><figcaption>From the declaration</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>The same voice also appears in another high profile video on YouTube. Epic argues that C.R. also appeared <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRYKh19QPdc">in the video </a>where another teenager, CBV, responded to a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cheating-fortnite-kid-keeps-on-cheating-epic-games-tells-court-190901/">separate lawsuit</a> that Epic Games filed against him.  </p>



<p>&#8220;You guys can eat my ass once again!&#8221; C.R. allegedly says in the video.  </p>



<p>Based on this and other evidence, Epic believes that it&#8217;s important for the case to move forward so it can properly protect its rights. As such, the defendant should be represented by a guardian, which can be his mother. </p>



<p>In <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h1TbcLOUjo">another video discussing</a> the legal trouble, C.R. said that his mother &#8220;knew it all&#8221; and didn&#8217;t have to pay any lawyer fees, so appointing her as guardian would be appropriate, Epic states. </p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant’s statement that he and his mother got a lawyer but didn’t have to spend even &#8216;a little bit of money&#8217; because his &#8216;mom knew it all,&#8217; shows Defendant’s faith in Ms. Rogers. His comments also suggest that their decision not to answer in spite of the Court’s order was deliberate. </p>



<p>&#8220;His continued cheating, the foregoing and other public statements, and his open taunting of Epic all demonstrate that he thinks he is beyond the reach of this Court and is free to continue his unlawful conduct without consequence. This should not be permitted to continue.&#8221;</p>



<p>It&#8217;s clear that Epic Games is not letting this one go easily.  The Court now has to decide whether it will appoint Sky Orbit&#8217;s mother or another adult as the guardian in this case.</p>



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



<p><em>A copy of Epic Games&#8217; Memorandum to appoint Lauren Rogers as general guardian is <a href="media/352c1bed.rogersreturns.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/rogersreturns.pdf">available here (pdf)</a>.<br></em></p>



<p><br></p>



<p>In yet another video<br></p>



<p></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ZCJa4_QSiGE:-aKv0-EFKs4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ZCJa4_QSiGE:-aKv0-EFKs4:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=ZCJa4_QSiGE:-aKv0-EFKs4:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/ZCJa4_QSiGE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178048
title: ACE Also Wants Millions in Piracy Damages from SET TV Operator and Manager
uri: ACE-Also-Wants-Millions-in-Piracy-Damages-from-SET-TV-Operator-and-Man
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/rXdsztRbS0c/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/12fdf7b4.settv.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/settv.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-154559"/></figure></div>



<p>Last year the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), the anti-piracy alliance featuring several Hollywood studios, Amazon, Netflix, and other entertainment outfits, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/netflix-amazon-and-hollywood-sue-set-tv-over-iptv-piracy-180422/">sued Florida-based SET Broadcast, LLC</a>.</p>



<p>At the time, the company offered a popular software-based IPTV service and also sold pre-loaded set-top boxes. These were portrayed as legitimate, but ACE and its members disagreed. </p>



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



<p>Soon after the lawsuit was filed the IPTV service went offline, leaving its 180,000 subscribers behind. But that didn&#8217;t mean the case against&nbsp;SET TV, its owner Jason Labossiere, and its employee Nelson Johnson was over. ACE pressed on, hoping to get a judgment in its favor. </p>



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



<p>In a ruling handed down <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/iptv-service-set-tv-must-pay-7-6-million-in-piracy-damages-190801/">last July</a>, the court ordered SET TV to pay $7,650,000. This reflects the maximum statutory damages of $150,000 for each of the 51 works that were infringed by the defunct IPTV provider. </p>



<p>While ACE was pleased with the outcome, it wasn&#8217;t done yet. The default judgment only applied to the corporate entity, not the owner and its employee. With a new request, the anti-piracy alliance hopes to hold  Labossiere and Johnson liable as well. </p>



<p>While the other two defendants initially responded to the court, they didn&#8217;t answer any recent requests. As such, ACE is now requesting a similar default judgment against Labossiere and Johnson, holding them jointly and severally for the payment of the $7,650,000 in damages  </p>



<p>&#8220;Defendants Labossiere and Johnson are the individual Defendants who operated, managed, and ultimately profited from the willful, unlawful business of Set Broadcast. Settled law permits entry of default against willful infringers likeLabossiere and Johnson who refuse to participate in their own defense,&#8221; ACE writes. </p>



<p>&#8220;Plaintiffs therefore respectfully request that the Court enter default judgment against Labossiere and Johnson and hold them jointly and severally liable for the harm they inflicted upon Plaintiffs,&#8221; the Alliance adds.</p>



<p>In addition to the damages, ACE also requests a permanent injunction to prevent any future copyright infringement. Among other things, the defendants should be prohibited from operating the SetTV now service, as well as any website, system, software, or service that is substantially similar. </p>



<p>Without a response from the defendants, it&#8217;s likely that the court will grant the order. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=rXdsztRbS0c:EoXk1HlAs6Q:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=rXdsztRbS0c:EoXk1HlAs6Q:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=rXdsztRbS0c:EoXk1HlAs6Q:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/rXdsztRbS0c" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178008
title: Trump’s Sons, Attorney, & Social Media Chief All Got DMCA Notices Over ‘Photograph’ Meme
uri: Trump-s-Sons-Attorney-Social-Media-Chief-All-Got-DMCA-Notices-Ov
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/ezeCkhz4peg/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/82605338.trump-1.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/trump-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-170934" width="256" height="198"/></figure></div>



<p>Last week, US President Donald Trump made headlines when he tweeted a short video meme aimed at discrediting political rival Joe Biden.</p>



<p>It contained a clip of Nickelback&#8217;s video &#8216;Photograph&#8217; which resulted in the tweet being taken down for copyright infringement.</p>



<p>Soon after, a copy of the DMCA notice that caused the takedown was published on the Lumen Database, which <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/dmca-notice-confirms-trump-tweet-was-taken-down-by-warner-music/">revealed that the sender</a> was Warner Music Group. However, TF has learned that wasn&#8217;t the only takedown notice to target Trump and his supporters over the now-controversial clip.</p>



<p>Trawling through the latest notices sent to Lumen by Twitter we can see that not only were some of Trump&#8217;s closest allies also sent takedowns for copyright infringement, but also that other music companies got in on the act too.</p>



<p>The original complaint against Trump&#8217;s account (<a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/19309383?access_token=aEellPDuplur9G_qHb-VCA">here</a>) was quickly followed by <a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/19318571?access_token=-P1kOtKFvwXVrn40HenYig">another</a> against the account of his attorney, Rudy Giuliani. The notice was sent by <a href="http://www.ueginc.com/portfolio/nickelback-2/">Nickelback&#8217;s management</a> at Union Entertainment Group on behalf of Roadrunner Records, which in turn is owned by Warner.</p>



<p>As the DMCA notice below shows, the cited copyrighted material is &#8220;The Master Recording of &#8216;Photograph&#8217; by Nickelback and the accompanying music video.&#8221;</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/35f74665.image-128.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-128.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178011"/></figure></div>



<p><a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/19309447?access_token=iq9NMULC6AZwDo4CNuaGvw">Two other</a> DMCA complaints were also filed at Twitter detailing a pair of allegedly-infringing tweets posted Trump&#8217;s son, Donald Trump Jr. and Dan Scavino, the White House Director of Social Media and Assistant to the President.</p>



<p>These were sent on October 3, 2019 by anti-piracy company GrayZone on behalf of Warner Music. In common with the complaint filed against their father&#8217;s account, YouTube was cited as the source of the material.</p>



<p>Finally, the second son of Donald Trump, Eric, also received an <a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/19309472?access_token=xnWtgL-s2dEBQkeLOV9F_Q">additional notice</a> from Union Entertainment Group, again on behalf of RoadRunner Records.</p>



<p>While plenty of other people tweeted and retweeted the allegedly-infringing video, a flood of additional takedown notices doesn&#8217;t appear to be in the archives at Lumen. That doesn&#8217;t mean to say they don&#8217;t exist, however, since it&#8217;s certainly possible Twitter doesn&#8217;t pass everything on.</p>



<p>Interestingly, there is an ongoing debate as to whether the use of the video in the clip was actually fair use, with many Trump supporters claiming that as a parody, it should be protected from takedowns. Countering firmly, former RIAA executive vice president of communications Jonathan Lamy believes otherwise.</p>



<p>&#8220;This one was a clear cut no-brainer,&#8221; he said on Twitter. &#8220;On copyright grounds and also perhaps falsely implied endorsement.&#8221;</p>



<p>Since Giuliani also got a notice and presumably a strike against his Twitter account, it would be very interesting if &#8211; as an attorney &#8211; he decided to send a counter-notification. As fair use battles go it might get a little messy but things are pretty messy already.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ezeCkhz4peg:_B39esGZzSw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=ezeCkhz4peg:_B39esGZzSw:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=ezeCkhz4peg:_B39esGZzSw:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/ezeCkhz4peg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178139
title: International Day Against DRM 2019 Focuses on Education
uri: International-Day-Against-DRM-2019-Focuses-on-Education
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/i_SpuXC1HrQ/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/04dcad50.drm-no.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/drm-no.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-8535" width="203" height="239"/></figure></div>



<p>The Free Software Foundation&#8217;s Defective by Design campaign <em>International Day Against Digital Restrictions Management</em> is here again.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s been 12 months since the <a href="https://www.defectivebydesign.org/dayagainstdrm">campaign</a> celebrated <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/international-day-against-drm-celebrates-its-12th-anniversary-180918/">the 12th anniversary</a> of its quest to prompt, pressure and prevent companies from restricting what we can do with legitimately bought content and products.</p>



<p>This year the main focus is perhaps the noblest to date &#8211; the right to an education.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defective by Design is calling on you to stand up against Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) on the International Day Against DRM (IDAD) on October 12th, 2019,&#8221; the <a href="https://www.defectivebydesign.org/blog/help_defend_right_read_stand_against_drm_october_12th">campaign site</a> reads.</p>



<p>&#8220;This year we will be focusing specifically on everyone&#8217;s right to read, particularly by urging publishers to free students and educators from the unnecessary and cumbersome restrictions that make their access to necessary course materials far more difficult.&#8221;</p>



<p>The campaign homes-in on publishers including Pearson, which individually stands accused of placing &#8220;digital handcuffs&#8221; on students with a &#8220;Netflix-like&#8221; textbook model that requires constant Internet connections to validate purchases, limits how many pages of a title that can be read at a time, and monitors reading habits.</p>



<p>Defective By Design wants publishers to remove every piece of DRM from their educational materials, a lofty but particularly noble aim. There can be few students or educators out there who still believe that locking up papers, studies and similar material is the best way to impart knowledge and as a result, improve society.</p>



<p>Only time will tell whether that particular quest will bear fruit but reading the campaign&#8217;s notes one can&#8217;t help but feel there&#8217;s a mountain to climb in respect of the broader picture. While those with plenty of energy are invited to join in the chorus or even <a href="https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:Defective_by_Design/Day_Against_DRM_2019">stage their own events</a>, the section detailing how people can offer basic support is unintentionally depressing.</p>



<p>&#8220;The easiest way to participate is to join us in going a Day Without DRM, and resolve to spend an entire day (or longer!) without Netflix, Hulu, and other restricted services to show your support of the movement,&#8221; it reads.</p>



<p>&#8220;Document your experiences on social media using the tags &#8216;#idad&#8217; or &#8216;#dbd,&#8217; and let us know at info@defectivebydesign.org if you have a special story you&#8217;d like us to share.&#8221;</p>



<p>While a day without Netflix should be achievable, the site lists plenty of other companies that should be avoided, if one wants to seriously protest the spread of DRM. Doing without all of them will be a herculean task for any digital native.</p>



<p>For example, the black hole left by Netflix abstinence cannot be filled by listening to Spotify or Amazon Music, which are labeled by the campaign as &#8220;worst offenders&#8221; when it comes to DRM. Even with the benefit of music-free silence, people are encouraged not to use Amazon&#8217;s Kindle either.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s at this point you begin to realize how deeply entrenched DRM is and how difficult it will be to extract ourselves from it. The situation is further compounded when the list reveals that we should avoid using an iPad or indeed any Apple or Microsoft products.</p>



<p>Considering most desktop users are running Windows and millions of mobile users are Apple-based, spreading the hashtags &#8216;#idad&#8217; or &#8216;#dbd&#8217; on social media while strictly following the &#8220;boycott if possible&#8221; rules could rule out millions of participants. That is not what is needed today but so compromises will have to be made.</p>



<p>The moderately good news is that Android isn&#8217;t on the list as a &#8220;worst offender&#8221; but unfortunately it still incorporates DRM. And its developer, Google, has a <a href="https://www.defectivebydesign.org/google">page all of its own</a> on the Defective By Design site, called out for being a promoter of DRM and for lobbying in favor of restrictive web standards.</p>



<p>We wish the International Day Against Digital Restrictions Management every success because very few people are still fighting this battle and the education element, in particular, is hard to understate. But in a world where profit trumps moral ideals at every turn, this war becomes more difficult to win with every passing year.</p>



<p>And in many cases, it&#8217;s arguably our own fault.</p>



<p><em>Support the 2019 campaign by visiting Defective By Design <a href="https://www.defectivebydesign.org/dayagainstdrm/2019">here</a></em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=i_SpuXC1HrQ:a1stQqf-CG8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=i_SpuXC1HrQ:a1stQqf-CG8:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=i_SpuXC1HrQ:a1stQqf-CG8:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/i_SpuXC1HrQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177727
title: Ebook Piracy Grows, Contrary to The Trend
uri: Ebook-Piracy-Grows-Contrary-to-The-Trend
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/1OEJogeYgvY/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/894f1af8.ebook-ereader.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/ebook-ereader.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-144637"/></figure></div>



<p>Piracy statistics can be tricky. Trends often go in different directions, depending on the region, the type of media, as well as the research timeframe. </p>



<p>One of the most elaborate datasets collected in recent years comes from the University of Amsterdam. </p>



<p>Among other things, it suggested that <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/legal-options-are-a-better-way-to-beat-piracy-than-enforcement/">legal options are a better way to beat piracy than enforcement</a>. </p>



<p>The underlying data forms the basis of a new research article where two nearly identical piracy surveys from 2012 and 2017 were compared. This allowed the researchers to look at changes in media consumption and piracy habits among the Dutch public over the years.</p>



<p>The respondents were asked about both legal and unauthorized consumption of music, movies and TV, games, and books. One of the overall findings was that between 2012 and 2017 the interest in physical goods plummeted. </p>



<p>For example, the number of people who bought physical music carriers was slashed in half to 20% and for movies/TV the decline was even more pronounced, falling from 45% to 20%. Physical books saw the smallest drop, with 60% still buying real books, down from 69%.</p>



<p>This trend coincides with a massive boost in digital sales. The number of people who bought digital entertainment increased across all categories, nearly tripling for movies and TV, which is likely due to Netflix. That&#8217;s a positive sign for the entertainment industries, which is also reflected in the piracy frequencies.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="media/b0102251.tablepoort.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/tablepoort.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178163" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/tablepoort.png 607w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/tablepoort-220x130.png 220w" sizes="(max-width: 607px) 100vw, 607px" /><figcaption>Results, in Dutch</figcaption></figure>



<p>The survey found that the percentage of people who still download or stream content from unauthorized sources decreased for nearly every category. This effect is most significant for music and games, while movie and TV piracy remained relatively stable. </p>



<p>The only category for which the piracy rate went up was Ebooks. Between 2012 and 2017 the number of Ebook pirates increased from 6.3% to 7.7%, which is marginally significant. </p>



<p>According to the researchers, this shows that these book pirates are missing something in the current legal offering. A good subscription service for example, where people can access an unlimited number of books for a fixed price. </p>



<p>&#8220;Looking at the other markets, access-based subscriptions appear to be the most promising, where a large increase in the number of transactions compensates a lower average return per transaction,&#8221; the researchers write.</p>



<p>While not mentioned in the article, the massive increase in Ebook consumers may also play a role in the increased piracy rate. The number of people who bought Ebooks, and thus have e-readers, increased by 80% between 2012 and 2017. </p>



<p>Part of this new e-reader userbase apparently showed an interest in pirated books as well, which likely impacted the piracy rate. With that in mind, the piracy increase is relatively modest. </p>



<p>The research also looked at various pirate demographics and how these changed over time. This shows that between 2012 and 2017, women started to pirate more books and fewer games and music. These changes are more pronounced than for men. </p>



<p>In addition, the data reveal that, overall, less educated people pirate less. This is the case across all categories but the biggest difference can be found in the books category. </p>



<p>If anything, the findings show that generic statements about piracy rates and the average pirate are relatively meaningless. It is the finer detail that helps us to understand what&#8217;s really happening. </p>



<p>The present survey data shows that physical media is quickly losing popularity as more people consume legal content digitally. At the same time, piracy rates are dropping significantly for music and games, at least in the Netherlands, while Ebook piracy slowly increases.</p>



<p>&#8212;</p>



<p><em>A copy of the paper (in Dutch) titled &#8220;Polderpiraten voor anker&#8221; written by  Joost Poort, Martin van der Ende, and Anastasia Yagafarova</em><a href="http://www.tpedigitaal.nl/artikel/polderpiraten-voor-anker"><em> is available here</em></a><em>. </em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=1OEJogeYgvY:94K_aeOemO4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=1OEJogeYgvY:94K_aeOemO4:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=1OEJogeYgvY:94K_aeOemO4:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/1OEJogeYgvY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178085
title: Battle Against IPTV Continues As MPA & ACE Take Over Four More Domains
uri: Battle-Against-IPTV-Continues-As-MPA-ACE-Take-Over-Four-More-Domains
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/6xEk6Upa16Y/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/a7c0897c.iptv.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/iptv.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-135034"/></figure></div>



<p>If the figures that were cited following the recent international <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/xtream-codes-iptv-system-targeted-in-massive-police-operation/">police operation</a> against Xtream Codes are any yardstick, providers and sellers of &#8216;pirate&#8217; IPTV providers currently number in their thousands.</p>



<p>While there are relatively few sources at the very top of the pyramid, there could be in excess of 5,000 players selling IPTV subscriptions to the public, which by recent estimates could dwarf even the five million accounts cited by the authorities.</p>



<p>In common with the task of removing every torrent, streaming and similar site from the Internet, the possibility of handing a death blow to the entire IPTV industry seems a distant dream for content providers. But that doesn&#8217;t mean incremental efforts aren&#8217;t underway.</p>



<p>As previously documented, the massive Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment, which comprises dozens of the world&#8217;s largest content companies, is quietly taking down sellers and providers of IPTV. Today we can reveal that another four have had their domains commandeered by MPA America, the organization <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/mpaa-unifies-global-brand-and-becomes-mpa-america-190919/">previously known</a> as the MPAA.</p>



<p><a href="http://vstreamtv.com">VStreamTV.com</a> first appeared to gain traction back in 2015, selling an inconspicuous set-top box to the public. Promising no contract and no monthly fees, the $349 device boasted 100,000 movies and TV shows, plus 1,000 channels of live entertainment.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/4d47492b.image-133.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-133.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178097"/><figcaption><em>Also say &#8216;Yes&#8217; to an ACE takeover, apparently&#8230;.</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>By 2019, the site was offering its latest &#8216;VS4+&#8217; device, promising unlimited entertainment to customers looking to permanently cut the cord. Then, a few weeks ago, it all came to an end. The site shut down without notice after its domain was taken over by the MPA. Like many before it, it now directs to the anti-piracy portal operated by ACE.</p>



<p>According to web records, MaxTVLive.com only appeared on the scene in 2018. Among other things, the site seems to have offered a custom Android APK to be installed on users&#8217; own devices. For the price of $25 per month, Max TV users could enjoy live TV and other content on a single device, with extra devices costing an extra $5 per month.</p>



<p>However in common with VStreamTV, a few weeks ago the party came to an abrupt end. It seems likely that ACE came knocking with demands to shut down the business as the service&#8217;s website is now owned by the MPA and redirects to the ACE portal.</p>



<p>What ultimately happened with MyIQXTV.com isn&#8217;t in question &#8211; it was taken over by the MPA and now redirects to the ACE portal. We weren’t able to recover a copy of the operation’s website but if it was in any way connected to the IXQtv service <em>(note subtle difference in spelling)</em>, it&#8217;s no surprise it appeared on the MPA/ACE radar.</p>



<p>IXQtv shut down August 1st and was no ordinary operation. While many IPTV providers operate via resellers, IXQtv operated a ridiculously <a href="https://behindmlm.com/mlm-reviews/ixq-tv-review-spiritual-vstream-tv-reboot-still-pirated-content/">full-blown multi-level-marketing (MLM) scheme</a> which paid affiliates not only on sales of streaming packages but also commissions for recruiting yet more affiliates. Think Amway for IPTV.</p>



<p>Finally, the obviously-named JailbrokenBlackBox.co takes last place on today&#8217;s update of recent domain takeovers. Information on precisely what packages, services or tools the site offered isn&#8217;t clear but like the others, it clearly attracted the negative attention of the world&#8217;s biggest entertainment companies. </p>



<p>Details of earlier domain takeovers carried out by ACE and the MPA against IPTV-related operations can be found here (<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/mpaa-ace-shut-down-pirate-iptv-service-seize-domain-190517/">1</a>,<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/mpaa-now-controls-at-least-3-pirate-iptv-domains-190707/">2</a>,<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vader-iptv-domains-now-divert-to-anti-piracy-warning-190826/">3</a>,<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/mpa-america-quietly-takes-over-yet-more-pirate-iptv-domains-190920/">4</a>)</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=6xEk6Upa16Y:uMem9TzYsJg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=6xEk6Upa16Y:uMem9TzYsJg:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=6xEk6Upa16Y:uMem9TzYsJg:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/6xEk6Upa16Y" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178165
title: MPA Adds 1XBET and Baidu to Latest Piracy Threat Report
uri: MPA-Adds-1XBET-and-Baidu-to-Latest-Piracy-Threat-Report
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/xfWK38Ng1Jg/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/3a557dc4.1xbet-1.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/1xbet-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178200" width="241" height="131"/></figure></div>



<p>Alongside other entertainment industry groups, the Motion Picture Association (MPA) sends a yearly overview of notorious foreign piracy markets to the US Trade Representative. </p>



<p>These annual submissions help to guide the U.S. Government’s position toward foreign countries when it comes to copyright enforcement.</p>



<p>We previously covered the submissions from the&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/bulletproof-hosting-is-an-emerging-piracy-threat-riaa-warns-181004/">RIAA</a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/mpaa-reports-notorious-piracy-threats-to-the-us-government-181003/"> </a>and&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/mpaa-reports-notorious-piracy-threats-to-the-us-government-181003/">ESA</a>, which both listed a wide variety of pirate sites including torrent, streaming, MP3-downloaders, and ROM archives.</p>



<p>The MPA&#8217;s submission was published later than the others but is worth highlighting nonetheless. In recent years it has solely focused on online threats with familiar names such as The Pirate Bay, Openload, and Fmovies reappearing time and again. </p>



<p>This year is no different. Many of the threats the MPA highlights are identical to last year. Aside from traditional pirate sites, this includes mobile apps, unauthorized IPTV services, and hosting companies. While not a foreign company, CDN provider Cloudflare is repeatedly mentioned as well, as it has many piracy sites as customers. </p>



<p>&#8220;The Pirate Bay, and other notorious pirate sites, remain Cloudflare customers despite repeated notices of infringement to Cloudflare,&#8221; the MPA notes.</p>



<p>A complete list of all the identified notorious markets is listed below, but we will zoom in on two entities added as new entries this year. </p>



<p>The first one is 1XBET, a gambling company known for its<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-cam-king-1xbet-becomes-russias-3rd-largest-online-advertiser-190604/"> advertising</a> appearing in <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/1xbet-the-bizarre-cam-brand-that-movie-pirates-love-to-hate-190526/">&#8216;cam&#8217; copies of movies</a>. The casino, whose ads appear on <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/1xbet-ads-appeared-on-1200-pirate-sites-in-past-six-months-190906/">more than a thousand</a> pirate sites, is well known among people who frequent these platforms. Now, it&#8217;s on the MPA&#8217;s radar as well. </p>



<p>&#8220;1XBET is a Russian gambling site that has started to support some of the<br>earliest releases of infringing theatrical camcords and infringing streams of live television broadcasts. It has become the third most active online advertiser in Russia,&#8221; the MPA informs the USTR.   </p>



<p>The MPA&#8217;s report cites research from Mediascope which found that <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-cam-king-1xbet-becomes-russias-3rd-largest-online-advertiser-190604/">only Google and&nbsp;PepsiCo ads</a> are more prevalent online in Russia. While that covers all publications, the movie industry group draws specific attention to the embedded ads that appear in popular pirate movie releases as well as their titles.</p>



<p>&#8220;Reportedly, the online casino pays to insert visual and audio advertisements into new piracy content sources incentivizing camcord and livestreaming piracy. 1XBET’s watermark with promotion codes is ‘burned’ into the video files of infringing camcord recordings. Thus, piracy is used as a vehicle to support this online gambling giant,&#8221; the MPA notes. </p>



<p>What&#8217;s not mentioned by the MPA is that 1XBET also sponsored several major UK football clubs and Italian football league <a href="http://www.legaseriea.it/en/players/giacomo-bongiorno/BNGGCM">Serie A</a>. Responding to some earlier controversy,  a 1XBET  spokesperson said that it takes the piracy advertising allegations <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/1xbet-ads-appeared-on-1200-pirate-sites-in-past-six-months-190906/">very seriously</a>.  </p>



<p>Another newcomer in the MPA&#8217;s list of notorious markets is Baidu Pan, the file-hosting service operated by the largest search engine in China. According to the movie industry group, it&#8217;s often used to share copyright-infringing material.</p>



<p>&#8220;Large quantities of infringing content are stored on Baidu Pan with<br>links disseminated through popular Chinese social media platforms and piracy linking sites,&#8221; the MPA writes in its submission. </p>



<p>The MPA points out that Baidu has a market share of over 75 percent in China, which makes it the second-largest search engine in the world. As such, it is vitally important that the company has rigorous content protection standards and that it cooperates with rightsholders, the group notes. </p>



<p>Baidu has made some progress in recent years when it comes to its takedown tools, but takedown rates and timeframes remain inconsistent or too long, the MPA says.</p>



<p>&#8220;Baidu should be encouraged to do more, including improve implementation of its takedown tools, apply rigorous filtering technology to identify infringing content, and take more effective action to suspend or terminate repeat infringers to ensure all rights holders are treated equally and infringing content and links are removed expeditiously,&#8221; the submission reads.</p>



<p>The MPA hopes that its recommendations will be helpful to the US Government, but whether adding 1XBET and Baidu Pan will have any effect has yet to be seen. </p>



<p>The MPA’s full report is <a href="media/2fadfe88.Motion_Picture_Association_2019_Notorious_Markets_OCR.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/Motion_Picture_Association_2019_Notorious_Markets_OCR.pdf">available here (pdf)</a>. The USTR will use this input to make up its own list of notorious markets. This will help to identify current threats and call on foreign governments to take appropriate action.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



<br></br><em>List of all the sites and services the MPAA identified as notorious markets.<br></br>Linking / Streaming<ul><li>B9good.com</li><li>CB01</li><li>Cda.pl  </li><li>Cimaclub.com &amp; cima4u.tv  </li><li> Cinecalidad.to  </li><li> Dytt8.net and Dy2018.com  </li><li> Fmovies.is/.to (formerly .se) </li><li> “Indo 21” (Indoxxi) and many related domains </li><li> Movie2free.com </li><li> MrPiracy.site and .xyz </li><li> Phimmoi.net  </li><li> Seasonvar.ru  </li></ul>Cyberlockers / video hosting<ul><li> 1fichier.com  </li><li>Baidu Pan</li><li> Clipwatching.com  </li><li> Gounlimited.to   </li><li> Netu.tv  </li><li> Openload.co/oload.tv  </li><li> Rapidgator.net   </li><li> Rapidvideo.com   </li><li> Streamango.com   </li><li> Uploaded.net  </li><li> Uptobox.com  </li><li> Verystream.com </li><li> VK.com   </li></ul>Illegal IPTV<ul><li> BestBuyIPTV.com  </li><li> Buy-IPTV.com  </li><li> GenIPTV  </li><li> ThePK.tv  </li><li> TVMucho.com  </li></ul>Apps<ul><li> RenRen Shi Pin  </li><li> ShowBox  </li><li> Unblock Tech (unblocktech.com)  </li></ul>P2P sites<ul><li> 1337x.to  </li><li> Rarbg.to  </li><li> Rutracker.org  </li><li> Tamilrockers.ws  </li><li> ThePirateBay.org  </li><li> Torrentz2.eu  </li><li> Zooqle.com  </li></ul>Hosting services<ul><li> Fishnet Communications LLC </li><li>M247  </li><li> Network Dedicated SAS </li><li> Private Layer </li></ul>Advertising<ul><li> 1XBET  <br></li></ul></em>



<p><br></p>



<p>&#8211;<br></p>



<p><br></p>



<p><br></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=xfWK38Ng1Jg:mB2kw6wrEww:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=xfWK38Ng1Jg:mB2kw6wrEww:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=xfWK38Ng1Jg:mB2kw6wrEww:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/xfWK38Ng1Jg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=177953
title: MPAA and RIAA’s Megaupload Lawsuits Remain on Hold, Perhaps For Years
uri: MPAA-and-RIAA-s-Megaupload-Lawsuits-Remain-on-Hold-Perhaps-For-Year
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/9Jn-mhkSPBA/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/498b7c06.megauploadsong.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/megauploadsong.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-146015"/></figure></div>



<p>In 2012, Microsoft first released its operating system Windows 8, Apple came out with the iPhone 5, and Google&#8217;s Sergey Brin showed off a Google Glass prototype in the wild. </p>



<p>It was also the year when armed police officers swarmed Kim Dotcom&#8217;s mansion in a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/kim-dotcom-wins-settlement-military-style-police-raid-171103/">military-style-raid</a> while his hosting service Megaupload was being taken down.</p>



<p>It was the beginning of the largest copyright infringement case the U.S. Government had ever launched and one that was far from straightforward. </p>



<p>While the earlier mentioned technology continued to progress, the Megaupload case has barely moved. In New Zealand, lawyers have been very busy with the extradition proceedings against Dotcom, but it could be years before that battle ends. This means that the criminal case against Megaupload and several former employees is in limbo. </p>



<p>The same is true for the civil cases the RIAA and MPAA filed back in 2014. Since the civil cases may influence the criminal proceedings, Megaupload’s legal team previously managed to put these cases on hold, and last week they requested another extension.</p>



<p>In line with other recent requests, the RIAA and MPAA didn&#8217;t object to the request. As a result, the court swiftly agreed to issue yet another extension, putting the cases on hold until the spring of next year. However, it would be no surprise if more delays followed in the future. </p>



<p>Earlier this year Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom predicted that he will lose his extradition battle at the Supreme Court. That&#8217;s not going to be the end of the line though. Using all legal options available, it might take more than five years before the extradition saga ends. </p>



<p>Meanwhile, copies of Megaupload&#8217;s servers, containing vast amounts of data from millions of users, remain locked up as evidence. Initially, there were some attempts to reunite former users with their personal files, but these appeared to have died off. </p>



<p>Interestingly, the most recent mention of any Megaupload &#8216;data&#8217; came <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/kim-dotcom-set-to-mobilize-former-megaupload-users-against-joe-biden-190812/">from Kim Dotcom himself</a>. “Still waiting to get access to your Megaupload files?” he wrote, adding that he will email 30 million former US Megaupload users a video link in 2020 explaining how Joe Biden destroyed the site.</p>



<p>Apparently, Dotcom still has access to email and IP-addresses of Megaupload users, which he might put to use.</p>



<p>In recent weeks, the New Zealand entrepreneur shifted his focus to a service that was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/megaupload-2-0-will-outsource-file-hosting-and-prevent-takedown-abuse-161025/">once billed as Megaupload 2</a>.  This project, now known as K.im, will, in fact, be quite different from its predecessor. While Dotcom is the founder, he no longer has an official position, but acts as its evangelist, helping to raise money through a <a href="https://tokensales.bitfinex.com/token-sale/5d808db1afa7a6721eefb13e/K.im">token sale</a>. </p>



<p>When we last covered the project its expected release date was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/kim-dotcom-wants-k-im-to-trigger-a-copyright-revolution-170831/">around </a>2018, but there have been some delays here as well. The latest roadmap indicates that the platform will launch in the third quarter of 2020. By then, we expect that the RIAA and MPAA lawsuits will still be pending.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=9Jn-mhkSPBA:oCnWPgNF1SQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=9Jn-mhkSPBA:oCnWPgNF1SQ:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=9Jn-mhkSPBA:oCnWPgNF1SQ:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/9Jn-mhkSPBA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178218
title: DISH Threatens to Sue IPTV Subscribers Because Suppliers Are Snitching
uri: DISH-Threatens-to-Sue-IPTV-Subscribers-Because-Suppliers-Are-Snitching
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/1kEb8LfsjkY/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/a7c0897c.iptv.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/iptv.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-135034"/></figure></div>



<p>When they don&#8217;t use protection such as VPNs, pirates who use BitTorrent-like peer-to-peer systems are relatively easy to track down. Their IP addresses are publicly viewable meaning that one subpoena later, content companies can obtain their names and addresses from ISPs.</p>



<p>The situation is quite different when it comes to users of regular &#8216;pirate&#8217; IPTV services. Their IP addresses and personal details are usually only known to their provider, so proving infringement is more difficult. Of course, if the IPTV provider itself is targeted by a company like DISH, it may decide to squeal to lessen the pain of its own demise.</p>



<p>In the summer it was revealed that NagraStar had been sending out settlement letters to people it accused of pirating DISH and Bell content using pirate IPTV services. The company <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/dish-and-bell-iptv-pirates-are-pressed-to-settle-or-face-legal-action-190612/">reportedly</a> asked for around $3,500 in compensation to make a potential lawsuit disappear.</p>



<p>Now, according to sources cited by <a href="https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/dish-is-threatening-more-lawsuits-against-iptv-subscribers-resellers/">CordCutters News</a>, NagraStar and DISH are upping the tempo by threatening yet more IPTV users with lawsuits. </p>



<p>The publication says that it has received multiple reports of people who have been tracked down and provided with copies of their PayPal transactions which showed they purchased a subscription from illicit IPTV services.</p>



<p>Which IPTV services are involved this time around isn&#8217;t currently public knowledge but a user of RocketIPTV was previously forced to apologize on NagraStar&#8217;s website as part of a settlement.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/c40ee523.rocket-1.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/rocket-1.png" alt=""/><figcaption><em>Sorry&#8230;</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>None of this should come as a surprise. There are plenty of stories from users around the web indicating that NagraStar has obtained their records from a &#8216;pirate&#8217; supplier, whether that was an IPTV provider or, more commonly, someone dealing in Internet Key Sharing (IKS) servers or codes.</p>



<p>In fact, when examining some of DISH&#8217;s ongoing lawsuits last week, TF noticed a statement from the broadcaster clearly indicating that it had obtained business records from a company called Digital TV that was helping it to sue. An excerpt from the case <em>(<a href="media/dfd1f099.gov.uscourts.nyed.439365.1.0_1_1.pdf" data-original-source="https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.439365/gov.uscourts.nyed.439365.1.0_1_1.pdf">pdf</a>)</em>, filed on October 1, 2019, provides the details.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/20b69bd0.image-136.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-136.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178221"/><figcaption><em>Achievement unlocked: Business Records</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>While this is a new case, other cases involving DISH, NagraStar, NFusion Private Server, and its resellers have been ongoing for a very long time.</p>



<p>One case, which dates back six years, shows that handing over information to NagraStar is part of the plan and that the company is very thorough in chasing people right down the chain.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="media/8a77d507.image-137.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-137.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178223"/><figcaption><em>More records obtained&#8230;</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>While obtaining satellite programming using IKS was once rampant and is still an issue for broadcasters, IPTV is arguably a bigger problem today. With that in mind, it shouldn&#8217;t come as a surprise that DISH and its partners are branching out to target customers of IPTV services in the same manner.</p>



<p>And with IPTV resellers being asked to pay around $7,500 in settlements, it shouldn&#8217;t come as a surprise when they hand over subscribers&#8217; personal details either. After all, the skin-saving game is hardly new when people are faced with damages claims in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.</p>



<p>TorrentFreak was previously informed that most providers rarely care whether people supply their correct information when signing up for a service. But when PayPal addresses are involved, in most cases DISH is already too close to home.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=1kEb8LfsjkY:upwj76pBMWM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=1kEb8LfsjkY:upwj76pBMWM:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=1kEb8LfsjkY:upwj76pBMWM:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/1kEb8LfsjkY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178192
title: Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week on BitTorrent – 10/14/19
uri: Top-10-Most-Pirated-Movies-of-The-Week-on-BitTorrent-10-14-19
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/RMpyccJppkg/
content:
<p><img class="alignright wp-image-178235" src="media/4fc0e3fb.lionk.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/lionk.png" alt="" width="300" height="227" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/lionk.png 449w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/lionk-200x150.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />This week we have three newcomers in our chart.</p>
<p>The Lion King 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>&nbsp;for the articles of the recent weekly movie download charts.</p>
<h5>This week&#8217;s most downloaded movies are:</h5>
<table class="css hover">
<thead>
<tr>
<th width="12%"><strong>Movie Rank</strong></th>
<th width="15%"><strong>Rank <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-pirated-movies-of-the-week-on-bittorrent-09-23-19/">last week</a></strong></th>
<th><strong>Movie name</strong></th>
<th width="18%"><strong>IMDb Rating / Trailer</strong></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tfoot>
<tr>
<td colspan="4">Most downloaded movies via torrents</td>
</tr>
</tfoot>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>1</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6105098/">The Lion King</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6105098/">7.1</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Raf9bVk75s8">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>2</strong></td>
<td>(1)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6806448/">Fast &amp; Furious Presents: Hobbs &amp; Shaw</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6806448/">6.7</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ7PAyCDwEg">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>3</strong></td>
<td>(3)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1979376/">Toy Story 4</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1979376/">8.1</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmiIUN-7qhE">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>4</strong></td>
<td>(7)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6565702/">Dark Phoenix</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6565702/">6.0</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azvR__GRQic">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td>(4)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6320628/">Spider-Man: Far from Home</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6320628/">7.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzKkTC0ZiXs">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td>(2)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7349950/">It: Chapter Two</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7349950/">6.9</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6MLJG0RdDE">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1979376/">Joker</a> (HDCam)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1979376/">8.1</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAGVQLHvwOY">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td>(7)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8364368/">Crawl</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8364368/">6.4</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6MLJG0RdDE">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>9</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6146586/">El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6146586/">7.7</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JLUn2DFW4w">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>10</strong></td>
<td>(9)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6146586/">John Wick: Chapter 3 &#8211; Parabellum</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6146586/">7.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU8-7BX9uxs">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=RMpyccJppkg:G4E89gmhrks:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=RMpyccJppkg:G4E89gmhrks:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=RMpyccJppkg:G4E89gmhrks:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/RMpyccJppkg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178229
title: Twitter Suspends Trump Meme Creator…But Not For the ‘Kingsman’ Bloodbath Video
uri: Twitter-Suspends-Trump-Meme-Creator-But-Not-For-the-Kingsman-B
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/0XDaogfc-fs/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/82605338.trump-1.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/trump-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-170934" width="248" height="191"/></figure></div>



<p>There was uproar in the media this past weekend after a violent video meme was reportedly shown at a pro-Trump conference.</p>



<p>The video, a doctored version of the famous church scene from the movie Kingsman, depicts Trump killing his critics, from both the media and politics.</p>



<p>The video was made by TheGeekzTeam, an entity that creates content for a website run by Carpe Donktum, a prolific pro-Trump supporter and meme-maker. During the fallout on Monday, Carpe Donktum&#8217;s <a href="https://twitter.com/CarpeDonktum">Twitter account</a> was suspended, an event which led various media outlets to connect the events of the weekend with the suspension.</p>



<p>A Twitter spokesperson effectively confirmed that the suspension was DMCA related, noting that it responds to &#8220;valid copyright complaints sent us by a copyright owner or their authorized representatives.&#8221;</p>



<p>Twitter made no mention of which content had caused the suspension but the actual DMCA notice obtained by TorrentFreak confirms it had nothing to do with the &#8216;Kingsman&#8217; meme published over the weekend.</p>



<p>The DMCA notice, served not only against Carpe Donktum&#8217;s Twitter account but also around two dozen others, was actually filed by Universal Music Group. The offending Twitter URL is highlighted below.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/eea88eb6.image-138.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-138.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178245"/></figure></div>



<p>The Tweet in question dates back to February 5, 2018, and remains online, along with the text &#8220;In case you missed the T-Mobile Superbowl Commercial. Here it is!&#8221; However, the embedded video has been removed, indicating that this was the source of the DMCA complaint.</p>



<p>Comparing uploads on Carpe Donktum&#8217;s YouTube account on the very same day we find a video entitled &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&amp;v=d_OgqfKSYCo">T-Mobile Superbowl Commercial Fixed</a>&#8220;, which is a doctored version of T-Mobile&#8217;s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aruHC_1NQ7M">official Superbowl commercial</a>.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s pretty clear why Carpe Donktum&#8217;s video was taken down. While it contains other copyrighted music throughout not contained in the original video (a lullaby rendition of Nirvana&#8217;s &#8216;All Apologies&#8217; according to Shazam), it&#8217;s the last 14 seconds of the 80-second video causing the problems.</p>



<p>With Trump wearing a &#8216;Thug Life&#8217; hat, obligatory sunglasses and sporting a huge joint in his mouth, the track &#8216;Ultimate&#8217; by Denzel Curry booms from the video. This isn&#8217;t what Universal Music wanted and judging by comments made by Curry in 2017, it probably isn&#8217;t what he wanted either.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/f77028b0.image-139.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-139.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178251"/></figure></div>



<p>&#8220;I felt like I was part of the problem honestly. Being disillusioned and thinking, ‘nah, that’s not gonna happen, this nigga ain’t gonna be president.’ Then this nigga became president. So what the fuck just happened? I don’t get all the choices I want, but I definitely didn’t want this nigga to be my president,&#8221; Curry <a href="https://www.loudandquiet.com/interview/denzel-curry-trump-drake-helped-banish-despondency-new-lp-taboo/">said</a>. </p>



<p>One copyright complaint isn&#8217;t usually enough for Twitter to suspend an account but Carpe Donktum now has at least three against his. In addition to the notice sent Monday, two others are on record, <a href="https://www.lumendatabase.org/notices/18528196">one sent in April</a> and <a href="https://www.lumendatabase.org/notices/18712298">another in June</a>. Only the one sent by Universal Music has a listed sender, the other two have their details redacted.</p>



<p>Carpe Donktum&#8217;s Twitter account has now been restored but for how long remains open to question and probably dictated by future conduct.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=0XDaogfc-fs:qwBSMkZDzzc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=0XDaogfc-fs:qwBSMkZDzzc:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=0XDaogfc-fs:qwBSMkZDzzc:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/0XDaogfc-fs" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178238
title: Key Internet Players Call For Clarification of ‘Notorious Piracy Market’ Term
uri: Key-Internet-Players-Call-For-Clarification-of-Notorious-Piracy-Mar
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/Zem3AlTbwIY/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/3e6ad59d.i2coal.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/i2coal.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178241"/></figure></div>



<p>Earlier this month, several copyright holder groups sent their annual “notorious markets” submissions to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).</p>



<p>The U.S. Government uses this input for its annual review of notorious piracy markets, an overview of threats to various copyright industries. </p>



<p>The recommendations, including those from the RIAA, MPA, and ESA, traditionally include well-known piracy sites such as The Pirate Bay, but increasingly third-party technology providers are also being added to the mix.</p>



<p>For example, domain registrars and hosting services are regularly listed, and the same is true for advertising companies. Cloudflare has been frequently mentioned as well, although it&#8217;s not officially listed since the overview focuses on foreign entities. </p>



<p>The copyright holder groups who send these recommendations hope that the U.S. will include these companies in its final overview. That would put pressure on the sites and services as well at the countries from where they operate. </p>



<p>However, not everyone is pleased with this development.  According to the Internet Infrastructure Coalition (<a href="https://www.i2coalition.com/">I2Coalition</a>), which counts Amazon, Cloudflare, Google, OVH, Steadfast and Tucows among its members, third-party intermediaries don&#8217;t belong in this list. </p>



<p>&#8220;Notorious markets should not be confused with neutral intermediaries such as Internet Infrastructure providers,&#8221; the I2Coalition writes in a letter to the USTR.</p>



<p>The coalition notes that some submissions, including those from the International Intellectual Property Alliance, have gone too far by suggesting copyright protection measures that would harm Internet infrastructure and therefore the Internet as a whole.</p>



<p>The group notes that Internet infrastructure providers, such as DNS providers, route users of the web to the right online locations. These services simply refer requests and don&#8217;t control the information at the locations where people are directed. </p>



<p>&#8220;The nature of these kinds of businesses is that they have limited access to content information. There are intermediaries between various segments of the Internet as a whole. They are not markets.  Yet, these kinds of companies may be erroneously listed in the USTR notorious markets report,&#8221; the I2Coalition writes.</p>



<p>The Internet companies add that recent updates to the law have highlighted new enforcement options. However, it is not clear what must be enforced. This can become problematic when various stakeholders have different views on what the term &#8216;notorious market&#8217; means.</p>



<p>&#8220;It is in this lack of clarity where many who submit to the notorious markets either by mistake or intentionally mischaracterize the concept of notorious markets for the purposes of identifying intellectual property infringement.&#8221; </p>



<p>The coalition calls on the USTR to deliver clarity as some of the current submissions vilify specific technologies, it says. Instead, the process should be limited to the &#8216;notorious&#8217; sites and marketplaces themselves, not third-party intermediaries. </p>



<p>&#8220;We believe that the spirit and letter of the relevant IP laws are better upheld by going after true notorious markets, not throwing the baby out with the bathwater by going after Internet infrastructure providers,&#8221;  the I2Coalition stresses.</p>



<p>The letter doesn&#8217;t mention specific companies or services the coalition believes were mistakenly called out. However, the coalition makes it clear that an effort to clear up what a &#8216;notorious market&#8217; is should include a variety of stakeholders, not only those who represent the copyright industry.</p>



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



<p><em>A copy of the letter the Internet Infrastructure Coalition sent to the US Trade Representative is <a href="media/6eeb63f0.issue-outlines-notorious-markets-USTR-coa.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/issue-outlines-notorious-markets-USTR-coa.pdf">available here (pdf</a>).</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Zem3AlTbwIY:iDOco2JjJ5c:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Zem3AlTbwIY:iDOco2JjJ5c:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=Zem3AlTbwIY:iDOco2JjJ5c:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/Zem3AlTbwIY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178286
title: YouTube Settles Lawsuit With Alleged DMCA Extortion Scammer for $25,000
uri: YouTube-Settles-Lawsuit-With-Alleged-DMCA-Extortion-Scammer-for-25-00
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/RYO43XIYlcY/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/c6f570e0.youtubehappy.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/youtubehappy.png" alt="" class="wp-image-130150"/></figure></div>



<p>YouTube&#8217;s copyright takedown policy poses one of the biggest threats to the streaming platform&#8217;s content creators.</p>



<p>YouTubers who receive three copyright infringement strikes can easily lose their channel, which for some equates to their livelihood. </p>



<p>This looming threat also provides an opportunity for scammers. As we reported a few months ago, YouTube&#8217;s copyright takedown process was being <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/youtube-strikes-now-being-used-as-scammers-extortion-tool/">abused to extort YouTubers</a>, including &#8216;ObbyRaidz&#8217; and ‘Kenzo.’&nbsp;Both repeatedly received &#8216;strikes&#8217; against their channels.</p>



<p>The scammer in question pretended that he was the legitimate owner of the videos uploaded by the users and requested money to retract the false claims.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft is-resized"><img src="media/03678872.striked.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/striked.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178288" width="297" height="311"/></figure></div>



<p>&#8220;We striked you. Our request is $150 PayPal, or $75 btc. You may send the money via goods/ services if you do not think we will cancel or hold up our end of the deal,&#8221; the scammer wrote. </p>



<p>This abuse didn&#8217;t go unnoticed by YouTube, which tracked down the alleged offender and took action. </p>



<p>Last month the video streaming service <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/youtube-sues-alleged-scammer-over-dmca-extortion-scheme-190920/">sued Nebraska-resident Christopher Brady</a>, accusing him of violating the DMCA by falsely claiming the content of other YouTubers as his own.</p>



<p>According to YouTube, Brady repeatedly attempted to harass and extort money from content creators through his bogus copyright infringement claims. </p>



<p>The company believes Brady went as far as using the address of YouTube user Cxlvxn, which is shared with a rightsholder for the purpose of filing a lawsuit, in an attempt to dispatch a large number of police officers to his home.</p>



<p>In the complaint, YouTube demanded a jury trial but it didn&#8217;t get that far. A few hours ago they submitted an agreed judgment and permanent injunction to the Nebraska federal court, which settles the matter without any further bloodshed. </p>



<p>Under the <a href="media/4ae88d93.brady.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/brady.pdf">proposed injunction (pdf)</a>, Brady is prevented from filing any bogus copyright claims going forward. In addition, he separately agreed to pay $25,000 for his misconduct, offering a public apology to all the people who were hurt by his actions. </p>



<p>“I, Christopher L. Brady, admit that I sent dozens of notices to YouTube falsely claiming that material uploaded by YouTube users infringed my copyrights,” reads the apology, which YouTube shared with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/15/20915688/youtube-copyright-troll-lawsuit-settled-false-dmca-takedown-christopher-brady">The Verge</a>. </p>



<p>“I apologize to the YouTube users that I directly impacted by my actions, to the YouTube community, and to YouTube itself,” Brady adds. </p>



<p>The proposed judgment and injunction have yet to be signed off by the court, but this is expected to happen later this week. It&#8217;s not clear whether any of the affected users will receive compensation, but YouTube says that it&#8217;s happy with this outcome. </p>



<p>“This settlement highlights the very real consequences for those that misuse our copyright system. We’ll continue our work to prevent abuse of our systems,” a YouTube spokesperson said.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=RYO43XIYlcY:4b-dqkYjeFA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=RYO43XIYlcY:4b-dqkYjeFA:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=RYO43XIYlcY:4b-dqkYjeFA:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/RYO43XIYlcY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178281
title: Comcast Becomes First ISP to Join ACE Global Anti-Piracy Coalition
uri: Comcast-Becomes-First-ISP-to-Join-ACE-Global-Anti-Piracy-Coalition
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/Y6fiibPey0A/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/9a0f7d19.comcast-new.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/comcast-new.png" alt="" class="wp-image-105673" width="267" height="147"/></figure></div>



<p>In the summer of 2017, one of the most important anti-piracy initiatives of recent years was born.</p>



<p>After years of protecting their own content from unlicensed reproduction and distribution, 30 of the world&#8217;s most powerful media companies came together to form the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE).</p>



<p>Led by the MPAA (now MPA), the companies declared a pooling of resources to tackle piracy more efficiently and on a global scale. Since then, ACE has added several new members to bolster the ranks and this week added two more, one of which is particularly notable.</p>



<p>“We are excited to have Comcast and Viacom join ACE – our leading global content protection organization,” says Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association.</p>



<p>&#8220;As the parent companies of two of our original members, they have been supporters of our efforts and numerous successes, but now as members, they will strengthen the legal and operational work we’re able to do to reduce the threat of piracy and support creators.&#8221;</p>



<p>Viacom is the parent company of Paramount Pictures, which in turn is a current member of both the MPA and ACE. It also owns UK-based Channel 5, which <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/ace-expands-anti-piracy-coalition-with-discovery-viacom-companies/">joined ACE in March 2019</a>.</p>



<p>Comcast owns ACE members NBCUniversal, Sky, and Telemundo, all of which have been with the alliance from its inception. Comcast also operates telecoms giant Comcast Cable, which under the Xfinity brand is one of the largest telecoms companies in the United States.</p>



<p>The addition of Comcast to the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment is intriguing. Among almost three dozen other current members, it is the first Internet service provider to commit to the global anti-piracy initiative. How that will play out on the ground is currently unclear.</p>



<p>Given that three of its subsidiaries are already members, the addition of Comcast seems a logical move. ACE, however, seems to be placing emphasis on Comcast&#8217;s position as a major ISP which, with imagination, could have all kinds of implications when it comes to anti-piracy enforcement.</p>



<p>ACE plays its cards very close to its chest and we know it only publicizes a small percentage of its actions. As <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/battle-against-iptv-mpa-ace-take-over-four-more-domains-191013/">previously reported</a>, many others are kept deliberately quiet. What we know thus far though, is that ACE tends to focus on the provision and distribution of infringing content, rather than targeting end-users &#8211; customers of ISPs for example.</p>



<p>Nevertheless, that Comcast and by extension Xfinity are now part of the world&#8217;s largest anti-piracy coalition should give pause for thought. If nothing else it shows clear intent by an ISP to positively participate in the global fight against movie and TV show piracy, in all its forms. ACE will no doubt consider this a major achievement.</p>



<p><em>The full list of members of the ACE anti-piracy coalition now reads as follows: Amazon, AMC Networks, BBC Worldwide, Bell Canada and Bell Media, Canal+  Group, CBS Corporation, Channel 5, Comcast, Constantin Film, Discovery,  Foxtel, Grupo Globo, HBO, Hulu, Lionsgate, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM),  Millennium Media, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount Pictures, SF Studios,  Sky, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Star India, Studio Babelsberg, STX  Entertainment, Telefe, Telemundo, Televisa, Univision Communications  Inc., Viacom, Village Roadshow, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, and  Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. </em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Y6fiibPey0A:QICQlaTY17s:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Y6fiibPey0A:QICQlaTY17s:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=Y6fiibPey0A:QICQlaTY17s:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/Y6fiibPey0A" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178324
title: Police Raids Shut Down Share-Online.biz, Germany’s Largest File-Hoster
uri: Police-Raids-Shut-Down-Share-Online-biz-Germany-s-Largest-File-Host
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/3Db5Z9wrO3E/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/4f970f91.image-140.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-140.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178330"/></figure></div>



<p>Share-Online.biz was popular in many regions as a platform where users could upload all kinds of media. It was particularly popular in Germany, with around 72% of its users coming from the country, according to SimilarWeb stats.</p>



<p>Unregistered users could upload files up to a gigabyte but those paying for a premium account were given double the allocation. Yesterday, however, the site suddenly disappeared from the web, leading to the usual speculation about potential legal troubles.</p>



<p>This morning those fears were confirmed. According to local anti-piracy outfit GVU, at 14:00 Wednesday afternoon, the platform was raided and shut down following a joint investigation with the prosecutor&#8217;s office in Cologne and police 38 miles away in the city of Aachen.</p>



<p>&#8220;This unprecedented procedure was initiated by the GVU, whose employees filed a criminal complaint against the service providers in 2017 and have been supporting the authorities ever since,&#8221; GVU explains.</p>



<p>&#8220;Where previously all criminal and civil law approaches by various actors seemed to be going nowhere, the GVU was now able to achieve a groundbreaking success for its members and the creative industries as a whole.&#8221;</p>



<p>In Germany, both residential and business properties were raided in several regions. In France and the Netherlands, officers targeted data centers connected to the file-hosting platform. Precisely how many servers were seized isn&#8217;t clear but Share-Online.biz was a considerable operation, with GVU stating that it served up to 10 million visitors a month with millions of files stored across &#8220;hundreds&#8221; of servers.</p>



<p>Three individuals aged 40, 48, and 54 are currently under investigation for copyright infringement offenses.</p>



<p>According to GVU, just one of its anti-piracy partners sent in excess of eight million takedown notices to Share-Online in 2017 but the allegedly-infringing content reappeared shortly after it was apparently &#8220;deleted&#8221; by the platform.</p>



<p>This prompted GVU to file a complaint with the prosecutor&#8217;s office. Government investigators subsequently supported GVU&#8217;s investigation by carrying out their own analysis along with documented test downloads to substantiate claims that the site&#8217;s operators &#8220;aided and abetted&#8221; copyright infringement.</p>



<p>GVU says that infringing files stored on Share-Online were accessed via links posted to various file sharing forums which to a greater or lesser extent, collaborated with the platform.</p>



<p>&#8220;For the first time, file-hoster operators are the focus of a criminal copyright procedure because they use portal pages and forums such as DDL-Warez, Boerse, Movie-Blog and MyGully, supported by affiliate programs and commission payments,&#8221; says Evelyn Ruttke, Managing Director of GVU.</p>



<p>At the time of writing, Share-Online.biz is completely down, as is DDL-Warez. Two other sites cited by GVU as prominent users of Share-Online &#8211;  Serienjunkies.org and Canna.to &#8211; remain operational.</p>



<p> </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=3Db5Z9wrO3E:J_IL0ZA-GVw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=3Db5Z9wrO3E:J_IL0ZA-GVw:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=3Db5Z9wrO3E:J_IL0ZA-GVw:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/3Db5Z9wrO3E" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178309
title: Popular Torrent Uploader MKVCage ‘Returns,’ But Legal Troubles Remain
uri: Popular-Torrent-Uploader-MKVCage-Returns-But-Legal-Troubles-Rem
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/eSxriLK7Cis/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/aee95c07.mkv.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/mkv.png" alt="" class="wp-image-177110"/></figure></div>



<p>A group of movie companies, operating under the parent company Millennium Funding, has broadened its anti-piracy efforts over the past year.  </p>



<p>Where the makers of films such as Hellboy, Hitman’s Bodyguard, and Mechanic: Resurrection, previously focused on individual pirates, they&#8217;re now targeting site owners as well. </p>



<p>Through various copyright infringement lawsuits and DMCA subpoenas, the companies targeted prominent players in the piracy ecosystem, ranging from&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/movie-companies-sue-popcorn-time-operator-in-us-court-190102/">Popcorn Time</a>&nbsp;through&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/torrent-mogul-yts-is-being-sued-by-yet-another-movie-company-190808/">YTS</a>, to <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/showbox-site-owner-settles-piracy-case-for-150000-180930/">Showbox</a> and <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/popular-torrent-site-mkvcage-faces-lawsuit-and-goes-offline/">MKVCage</a>.</p>



<p>The case against MKVCage, filed last month, seemed to have had some effect. Not long after the complaint was submitted to a Hawaii District Court,  MKVCage <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/popular-torrent-site-mkvcage-faces-lawsuit-and-goes-offline/">became unreachable</a>. At the same time, the uploader stopped pushing torrents to other sites as well. </p>



<p>As is often the case when sites disappear, it didn&#8217;t take long for clones and scammers to jump in. Several unofficial MKVCage sites profited from the disappearance and fake MKVCage torrents were circulated as well, often bundled with malware. </p>



<p>However, more recently a site popped up that seemed more legitimate, MKVCage.nl. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/2222d17e.mkv-1.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/mkv-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178336"/><figcaption>MVKCage.nl</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>This .nl domain has identical posts of older MKVCage releases. On top of that, it publishes new movies and TV-shows, which also appear on the MKVCage uploader accounts at other torrent sites such as ETTV and 1337x. </p>



<p>What has changed is the formatting of the release notes, which no longer mention the old domain name MKVCage.com. This makes sense, as that&#8217;s no longer operational, but the new domain isn&#8217;t promoted either. </p>



<p>While we can&#8217;t be 100% sure that the new site is operated by the same person(s), most signs point in that direction. Many MKVCage followers are also convinced that it&#8217;s the official resurrection. This includes the aforementioned filmmakers who are going after the operator.</p>



<p>In a new filing submitted at the Hawaii District Court this week, HB Productions (Hellboy) informs the Court about the disappearance of MKVCage.com and the apparent resurrection at MKVCage.nl. </p>



<p>The movie company believes that MKVCage is operated by a person named Muhammad Faizan, who allegedly took the .com domain offline and removed his Gmail address after being informed about the legal action. </p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant Faizan took down his website Mkvcage.com upon being notified of the present litigation. He further deleted the email address &#8216;mkvcage@gmail.com&#8217; that he used when registering mkvcage.com and various other domains with the domain register Namecheap and to communicate with Plaintiff’s counsel,&#8221; the movie company&#8217;s attorney writes.   </p>



<p>The movie company also noticed the domain change and believes that the MKVCage.nl site is being operated by the same person.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant Faizan has since begun operating a new website &#8216;mkvcage.nl&#8217; where he promotes and distributes torrent files of motion pictures such as Hitman’s Bodyguard and Mechanic: Resurrection that are owned by Plaintiff’s parent company Millennium Funding, Inc. or affiliates thereof with the same misleading language.&#8221;</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/de876b61.mkvs.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/mkvs.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178355"/></figure></div>



<p>As the legal action continues, HB Productions continues to look further into the personal details of the alleged operator. In the latest filing, it points out that Faizan is employed at a Pakistani mobile phone repair shop, which apparently helps customers to access HD movies. </p>



<p>&#8220;Plaintiff has further discovered that Muhammad Faizan’s employer &#8216;HMA Mobiles &amp; Computers&#8217; provides a service of downloading and installing HD movies to the devices of individuals,&#8221; the company&#8217;s attorney <a href="media/daada7cf.mkvcage.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/mkvcage.pdf">writes (pdf)</a>, without saying anything about the legality of this activity. </p>



<p>TorrentFreak reached out to the MKVCage account at a popular torrent site to find out more about the new site and the allegations made by HB Productions, but at the time of writing, we have yet to hear back. </p>



<p>It&#8217;s clear, however, that while the MKVCage site is back, the legal troubles are not over yet. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=eSxriLK7Cis:v8c4lSr5X5c:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=eSxriLK7Cis:v8c4lSr5X5c:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=eSxriLK7Cis:v8c4lSr5X5c:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/eSxriLK7Cis" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178334
title: Mega Overturns Brazilian ISP Copyright Block
uri: Mega-Overturns-Brazilian-ISP-Copyright-Block
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/P06hgnXWa_U/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/dc35328e.MEGA-logo.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/MEGA-logo.png" alt="" width="266" height="145"/></figure></div>



<p>The inevitable situation facing any site that hosts user-uploaded files is that some users will attempt to store copyright-infringing content.</p>



<p>The bigger the site, the bigger the problem, as YouTube&#8217;s copyright department knows only too well. But while few rightsholders would attempt to take on YouTube by filing for an ISP blocking order, plenty of other sites are considered fair game, Mega for example.</p>



<p>After a standing start in 2013, Mega is now a major player in the file-hosting market. Due to its early connections with Kim Dotcom, the site was under huge scrutiny from the very beginning and as such, has always insisted that it is fully compliant when it comes to copyright issues.</p>



<p>Nevertheless, earlier this month it was discovered that users in Brazil could no longer access the service. ISPs in the country had begun <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/mega-nz-and-openload-blocked-in-brazil-following-court-order/">blocking the site</a> following a copyright complaint initiated by the Brazilian Association of Subscription Television (ABTA).</p>



<p>Following a September decision, the São Paulo Court of Justice ordered four Internet service providers – Claro Brasil, Vivo-Telefonica, Oi and Algar Telecom – to prevent their subscribers from accessing several domains on copyright grounds, Mega.nz included.</p>



<p>&#8220;With respect to the block in Brazil, we respectfully believe that the order is wrong and that the Court has been misled. MEGA has excellent compliance. We are working on a solution,” the company told its customers.</p>



<p>The nature of that solution wasn&#8217;t specified at the time but Mega Executive Chairman Stephen Hall says that the company mounted a legal challenge to a process that had actually begun months earlier and didn&#8217;t initially include Mega.</p>



<p>&#8220;The case started in January 2019 with various sites but not Mega,&#8221; Hall informs TorrentFreak.</p>



<p>&#8220;The case has been held in secret, apparently because the ABTA submitted that various sites included could change settings in order to evade the block.&#8221;</p>



<p>Hall says that Mega was added to the case in September 2019 based on the allegation that a single URL on the site led to infringing content. However, that URL had never been reported to the company as posing a problem.</p>



<p>&#8220;We submitted to the Appeal Court details of our rigorous compliance activity such as fast response to copyright takedown requests, suspension of accounts with repeat allegations of copyright infringement etc, as reported in our Transparency Report,&#8221; Hall says.</p>



<p>Mega&#8217;s Executive Chairman notes that Brazilian law only allows courts to suspend access to a service if it fails to respond to legal requests so Mega eventually came out on top.</p>



<p>&#8220;The Appeal Court ordered the block of Mega.nz to be reversed. I believe the lower Court will now reconsider its inclusion of Mega. We are confident that access won&#8217;t be blocked again,&#8221; Hall concludes. </p>



<p>Reports posted by Mega users to Twitter suggest that at least some previously-blocked users are now able to access the site once again but the company is urging that any still experiencing difficulties should contact their providers.</p>



<p>&#8220;Contact your ISP if you still cannot access https://mega.nz,&#8221; the company says.</p>



<p>According to SimilarWeb stats, there are more visitors to Mega from Brazil than any other country, together making up almost 10% of Mega&#8217;s traffic and making it the country&#8217;s 108th most popular site. </p>



<p>A report by Mega in January revealed the massive scale of its global operations since its launch six years ago.</p>



<p>&#8220;To date, more than 130 million registered MEGA users have uploaded over 53 billion files, utilizing the user-controlled end-to-end encryption we provide,&#8221; the company said.</p>



<p></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=P06hgnXWa_U:09pEsxeGu1s:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=P06hgnXWa_U:09pEsxeGu1s:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=P06hgnXWa_U:09pEsxeGu1s:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/P06hgnXWa_U" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178352
title: Cloudflare Refutes MPA and RIAA’s Piracy Concerns
uri: Cloudflare-Refutes-MPA-and-RIAA-s-Piracy-Concerns
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/w97OyDoETRY/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/c84f558d.cloudflarelogo.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/cloudflarelogo.png" alt="" class="wp-image-137767"/></figure></div>



<p>Earlier this month several copyright holder groups sent their annual “Notorious Markets” complaints to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).</p>



<p>The recommendations are meant to call out well-known piracy sites, apps, and services, but Cloudflare is frequently mentioned as well. </p>



<p>The American CDN provider can&#8217;t be officially listed since it&#8217;s not a foreign company. However, rightsholders have seizes the opportunity to point out that the CDN service helps pirate sites with their infringing activities.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/mpa-adds-1xbet-and-baidu-to-latest-piracy-threat-report/">MPA</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/riaa-reports-telegram-to-us-govt-over-piracy-concerns-191002/">RIAA</a>, for example, wrote that Cloudflare frustrates enforcement efforts by helping pirate sites to “hide” their hosting locations. In addition, the Hollywood-affiliated <a href="https://www.digitalcitizensalliance.org/">Digital Citizens Alliance</a> (DCA) pointed out that the company helps pirate sites to deliver malware.</p>



<p>This week Cloudflare responded to these allegations. In a rebuttal, sent to the USTR&#8217;s Director for Innovation and Intellectual Property, General Counsel Doug Kramer writes that these reports are not an accurate representation of how the company operates.</p>



<p>&#8220;My colleagues and I were frustrated to find continued misrepresentations of our business and efforts to malign our services,&#8221; Kramer writes.</p>



<p>&#8220;We again feel called on to clarify that Cloudflare does not host the referenced websites, cannot block websites, and is not in the business of hiding companies that host illegal content&#8211;all facts well known to the industry groups based on our ongoing work with them.&#8221;</p>



<p>Kramer points out that the copyright holder groups &#8220;rehash&#8221; previous complaints, which Cloudflare previously rebutted. In fact, some parts of the CDN provider&#8217;s own reply are rehashed too, but there are several new highlights as well. </p>



<p>For example, the USTR&#8217;s latest review specifically focuses on malware issues. According to Cloudflare, its services are specifically aimed at mitigating such threats.</p>



<p>&#8220;Our system uses the collective intelligence from all the properties on our network to support and immediately update our web application firewall, which can block malware at the edge and prevent it from reaching a site&#8217;s origin server. This protects the many content creators who use our services for their websites as well as the users of their websites, from malware,&#8221; Kramer writes.</p>



<p>The DCA&#8217;s submission, which included <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/digital-citizens-slam-cloudflare-for-enabling-piracy-malware-160722/">a 2016 report from the group</a>, is out of date and inaccurate, Cloudflare says. Several of the mentioned domains are no longer Cloudflare customers, for example. In addition, the DCA never sent any malware complaints to the CDN service.</p>



<p>Cloudflare did previously reach out to the DCA following its malware report, but this effort proved fruitless, the company writes.</p>



<p>&#8220;Despite our repeated attempts to get additional information by either<br>phone or email, DCA cancelled at least three scheduled calls and declined to provide any specific information that would have allowed us to verify the existence of the malware and protect users from malicious activity online,&#8221; Kramer notes. </p>



<p>Malware aside, the allegations that Cloudflare helps pirate sites to &#8216;hide&#8217; their hosting locations are not entirely true either. </p>



<p>Kramer points out that the company has a “Trusted Reporter” program which complainants, including the RIAA, use frequently. This program helps rightsholders to easily obtain the actual hosting locations of Cloudflare customers that engage in widespread copyright infringement. </p>



<p>Although Cloudflare admits that it can&#8217;t stop all bad actors online, it will continue to work with the RIAA, MPA, and others to provide them with all the information they need for their enforcement efforts.</p>



<p>None of this is new though. Year after year the same complaints come in and Cloudflare suggests that copyright holders are actually looking for something else. They would like the company to terminate accounts of suspected pirate sites. However, the CDN provider has no intention to do so.</p>



<p>&#8220;Their submissions to the Notorious Markets process seem intended to pressure Cloudflare to take over efforts to identify and close down infringing websites for them, but that is something that we are not obligated to do,&#8221; Kramer says. </p>



<p>While it would be technically possible, it would require the company to allocate considerable resources to the task. These resources are currently needed to pursue its primary goal, which is to keep the Internet secure and protect users from malware and other risks. </p>



<p>It&#8217;s clear that Cloudflare doesn&#8217;t want to take any action against customers without a court order. While it has occasionally deviated from this stance by kicking out <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cloudflare-kicking-daily-stormer-is-bad-news-for-pirate-sites-170817/">Daily Stormer</a> and <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/will-cloudflare-kicking-8chan-undermine-pirate-sites-190805/">8Chan</a>, pirate sites are on a different level.</p>



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



<p><em>A copy of the letter Cloudflare&#8217;s General Counsel Doug Kramer sent to the USTR&#8217;s Director for Innovation and Intellectual Property,  Jacob Ewerdt, is available here (pdf).<br></em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=w97OyDoETRY:yOT5DE34wEU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=w97OyDoETRY:yOT5DE34wEU:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=w97OyDoETRY:yOT5DE34wEU:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/w97OyDoETRY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178370
title: Guns N’ Roses Fans ‘Fear’ That the Band is Setting a Piracy Trap
uri: Guns-N-Roses-Fans-Fear-That-the-Band-is-Setting-a-Piracy-Trap
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/GYxVMZuvt9c/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/bd0d1f39.gnr.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/gnr.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178393"/></figure></div>



<p>Over the past three decades, Guns N&#8217; Roses has been one of the best-known bands in the world.</p>



<p>When it started in the mid-eighties most music was still sold on cassettes, while the World Wide Web has yet to be invented. </p>



<p>Today the web is the major driver of revenue when it comes to recorded music. However, it also poses quite a few challenges, especially when it comes to copyright. </p>



<p>Guns N&#8217; Roses&#8217; entourage appears to be particularly concerned with these rights, up to a point where it has started to annoy fans. Over the past several months, many people have had their bootleg concert recordings removed from YouTube, Instagram and elsewhere. </p>



<p>&#8220;My YouTube account I&#8217;ve had for 15 years was terminated on Thursday of last week.&nbsp; Roughly 20 GNR videos I&#8217;ve filmed from 2011-2016 were flagged and removed,&#8221; one fan <a href="http://www.mygnrforum.com/topic/222240-another-wave-of-copyright-strikes/?do=findComment&amp;comment=4711193">wrote a few weeks ago</a>.</p>



<p>These copyright takedowns don&#8217;t just affect full-length recordings. Smaller clips were apparently removed as well. Interestingly, even Meegan Hodges, the girlfriend of guitarist Slash, had some of her clips removed.</p>



<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m just putting this up to see if my video is taken down. Noticed that some are just gone. Hello Instagram I took this video.&nbsp;#iamwiththeband&nbsp;no seriously what&#8217;s up?&#8221; she<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B3VCTeZlvf0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=dlfix"> wrote</a> a few days ago </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/a4576c1b.removedmegan.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/removedmegan.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178396"/></figure></div>



<p>The band is of course completely within its right to remove unauthorized recordings. Even from Slash&#8217;s girlfriend, if she didn&#8217;t obtain explicit permission. That said, going after short clips can do more harm than good as it usually only upsets and annoys the fanbase.</p>



<p>In response to the removals, a subgroup of fans appears to have revolted. Some continued to publish concert footage on alternative outlets, such as Pornhub, for example.</p>



<p>While there will always be workarounds, the whole episode clearly signaled that fans shouldn&#8217;t post any Guns N&#8217; Roses footage online. Those who do, risk strikes and bans from YouTube, Instagram, or even Twitter. </p>



<p>Just when this idea started to sink in, Guns N&#8217; Roses posted a rather surprising request this week, as <a href="https://gnrcentral.com/2019/10/17/guns-n-roses-fans-slam-the-band-online-over-disrespectful-tweet/">highlighted by</a> Guns N&#8217; Roses Central. On Twitter, the band asked fans to share concert footage, which may then be included in the official tour video. </p>



<p>&#8220;Tag us in your videos from this tour to be part of the #NotInThisLifetime 2019 final tour video,&#8221; the band <a href="https://twitter.com/gunsnroses/status/1184521433483010050">tweeted</a>.  </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/34f1209a.shareguns.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/shareguns.png" alt="" class="wp-image-178399"/></figure></div>



<p>Needless to say, this request came as a surprise to many fans. First, they were actively hunted down for sharing concert video, and now the band wants them to share footage online? </p>



<p>As a result, fans were quite reserved with their responses. Some indeed posted short clips but many others suggested that this could be some kind of trap. At the very least, it&#8217;s not a well thought out plan. </p>



<p>&#8220;Yes, this will make it easier for you to demand that your fans remove their videos of you from the internet. Is your assistant getting tired of searching for copyright violations?&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/ClaireResWoman/status/1184522977532141568">Claire</a> replied.</p>



<p>&#8220;Is this &#8216;let s see how stupid our fans are&#8217; contest? We re not making music we&#8217;re deleting our fans accounts, we&#8217;re @gunsnroses,&#8221; Jaro <a href="https://twitter.com/Jaro_STC/status/1184555229829832704">notes</a>.</p>



<p>&#8220;So you can block them??  Sort yourselves out and do something for the fans for once,&#8221; Jan <a href="https://twitter.com/janslashslash1/status/1184559464462061571">adds</a>.</p>



<p>While the takedown requests are not being issued by the band directly, it&#8217;s clear that some fans are not happy with the request. While it&#8217;s most likely not an intentional trap, it could be an inadvertent one when followers get flagged by automated bots or overactive takedown outfits. </p>



<p>Considering the takedown outrage among many dedicated fans over the past few months, this week&#8217;s request to share footage certainly wasn&#8217;t well thought out. </p>



<p> </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=GYxVMZuvt9c:2500dEuxQ3k:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=GYxVMZuvt9c:2500dEuxQ3k:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=GYxVMZuvt9c:2500dEuxQ3k:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/GYxVMZuvt9c" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178231
title: Google Play Removes Perfect Player After “Bogus” Copyright Complaint
uri: Google-Play-Removes-Perfect-Player-After-Bogus-Copyright-Complai
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/UuIp8ZfFrFQ/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/ef9df3c8.facepalm.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/facepalm.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-127813"/></figure></div>



<p>&#8216;Pirate&#8217; IPTV services make the news every week, mostly in connection with streaming movies, TV shows, and sports without obtaining permission from rightsholders.</p>



<p>Enforcement actions against these entities are certainly on the increase and in most instances it&#8217;s easy to see why copyright holders have a problem with them. However, it&#8217;s clear that some companies either don&#8217;t understand what they&#8217;re dealing with or simply don&#8217;t care.</p>



<p>Case in point, the popular Android app Perfect Player. This software is effectively a network-capable media player that enables users to enter a playlist from an IPTV provider and watch video, no matter what the source. In common with Windows Media Player, it doesn&#8217;t involve itself with end-user conduct and can be used to watch legitimate streams.</p>



<p>This week, however, the software &#8211; which has in excess of a million downloads from Google Play &#8211; was <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niklabs.pp">removed by Google</a> because of a copyright complaint. It was filed by a major pay-TV provider, the name of which we&#8217;ve agreed not to publish while the complaint is ongoing.</p>



<p>It states that the software allows users to watch channels from unauthorized sources and is therefore illegal. However, there appears to be a considerable flaw in the pay-TV company&#8217;s arguments.</p>



<p>In common with the developers behind various torrent clients, Perfect Player&#8217;s developer doesn&#8217;t dictate how the software is used because no control can be exercised over that. Just like Windows Media Player, uTorrent, or even VLC (which has similar capabilities), it can be used for entirely legal purposes &#8211; or not, <em>depending on the choice of the user</em>.</p>



<p>To support its complaint, we understand that the pay-TV provider supplied screenshots showing Perfect Player playing content to which the company holds the rights. This is particularly odd because any content being played is actioned by and is the responsibility of the user.</p>



<p>To have received the content in the first place, the company (or whoever they obtained the app from) must&#8217;ve actively configured Perfect Player to infringe by loading it with the playlist from an illicit IPTV provider. Perfect Player contains no playlists when supplied directly from Google Play, it&#8217;s content-neutral.</p>



<p>To strike an analogy, you can&#8217;t put a bullet in a gun, shoot someone in the head, and then blame the gun manufacturer. Likewise, if you don&#8217;t want illicit streams turning up in a software player, don&#8217;t have someone load it with infringing playlists from third-parties and then blame a software developer.</p>



<p>&#8220;These guys told me that they own &#8216;Premier&#8217; channels and we should stop transmitting these channels. I answered that the app doesn&#8217;t contain any content or channels,&#8221; Perfect Player&#8217;s developer informs TorrentFreak.</p>



<p>&#8220;They then sent another email with a screenshot, showing that they are able to watch their channels in the app.&#8221;</p>



<p>TorrentFreak contacted the TV company&#8217;s anti-piracy team asking why they chose to target Perfect Player while gently pointing out the playlist issue detailed above. Unfortunately, at the time of publication, the company had not responded to our request for comment. </p>



<p>Giving the TV company the benefit of the doubt for a moment, it&#8217;s not beyond the realms of possibility that it acquired a ready-configured copy of Perfect Player from a third-party that already contained a URL for a &#8216;pirate&#8217; service. That could give the impression it&#8217;s a dedicated pirate app.</p>



<p>That being said, downloading a copy from Google Play would&#8217;ve highlighted the important differences between a non-configured player and one set up for piracy. That&#8217;s impossible now, of course, because Google has taken Perfect Player down.</p>



<p>With the help of a lawyer, the developer is now filing a DMCA counter-notice with Google Play which will require the pay-TV company to either double down or back off. Unless Google chooses to restore Perfect Player in the meantime, of course.</p>



<p>Earlier this month, Google also <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/popular-iptv-smarters-app-removed-from-google-play-following-complaint/">took down the IPTV Smarters app</a> from its Play Store following a &#8220;false complaint&#8221;, according to its developer. The company&#8217;s lawyers are reportedly working to have the software restored but at the time of writing, it remains unavailable on copyright grounds.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=UuIp8ZfFrFQ:MGaoQbfXvAg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=UuIp8ZfFrFQ:MGaoQbfXvAg:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=UuIp8ZfFrFQ:MGaoQbfXvAg:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/UuIp8ZfFrFQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=178379
title: ‘Sharing is Caring’ Once Described Piracy But Things Have Probably Changed
uri: Sharing-is-Caring-Once-Described-Piracy-But-Things-Have-Probably
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/AkMGR3pAo2k/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/70326b63.piratkeyb-e1476968827887.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/piratkeyb-e1476968827887.png" alt="" class="wp-image-108110" width="251" height="178"/></figure></div>



<p>For those old enough to remember, the early days of what would become mainstream Internet piracy were an enlightening time to be around.</p>



<p>With few, if any, legal alternatives available, sharing music and later movies online offered an early and exciting glimpse into the future of media consumption.</p>



<p>The entertainment industries hated all kinds of piracy back then and they still hate it now, that&#8217;s not up for debate. But today, almost 20 years after peer-to-peer burst onto the scene, there&#8217;s mixed opinion even among pirates as to whether things have changed for the better.</p>



<p>TorrentFreak recently caught up with the former operator of a BitTorrent tracker that launched to the public in 2005. The site itself shut down before 2010, ostensibly after its operators decided family life was more important. Its founder tells us that was only part of the story &#8211; money was the real issue.</p>



<p>&#8220;When we got into this we started a quiet private club where people could share (and I do mean SHARE) stuff with each other,&#8221; he explains.</p>



<p>&#8220;The staff and members were squirrels gathering up nuts and whatnot and sharing them on the tracker. All of us could snatch what we wanted and didn&#8217;t even feel obliged to return the favor but we all did because we knew each other already and it just worked. Guess giving felt good as getting.&#8221;</p>



<p>With a few thousand members at its peak, the site was intentionally never big. Hosted on a free shared server with two other sites thanks to a friendly website designer, the limitations were in place right from the start. Unfortunately, the site&#8217;s users became restless. Other trackers were bigger, faster, easier to seed on, but more crucially had a wider range of content.</p>



<p>&#8220;Can&#8217;t tell you when precisely (a few years later) but we started to tear ourselves apart. Some of the best uploaders found other sites and drifted off which had a big effect on the rest of the site. We managed to find a couple of people who were willing to upload but they wanted new stuff in return and we didn&#8217;t have it.</p>



<p>&#8220;Someone with access to a pay dump offered to help but they wanted paying as well and I noped right out of paying for warez. Most of our rivals did and it hurt us.&#8221;</p>



<p>Even when the site got fresh content, that didn&#8217;t really help things either, the former admin says. Users with access to other sites uploaded the content on those immediately and some members didn&#8217;t like it and wanted it stopped. That didn&#8217;t sit right with the admin because behind the scenes his people were doing exactly the same. What they really needed was money to improve the site to get more people in, who would hopefully bring content with them.</p>



<p>&#8220;We stuck out for years not asking for donations but at the end of the day we were in limbo. You build this thing and you&#8217;re watching it die. There&#8217;s still no question in my mind that we should&#8217;ve let it die gracefully in its sleep but hindsight and all that.&#8221;</p>



<p>The donations helped for a while but the former admin says that things were never the same. He says that most of the time the amount coming in exceeded the running costs of the site which then made it &#8220;morally hard&#8221; to keep asking for money. However, he said donations were still requested regularly because when people got out of the habit of giving, they were hard to get back, especially when other sites were offering bang for their buck.</p>



<p>&#8220;Pay to leech. That was the beginning of the end for me and I still get emotional about it now. To keep up with [site names redacted] we had to boost [sharing] ratios. It was wrong. We&#8217;d gone from a family affair to barely more than a pay site. The older members felt they didn&#8217;t know us anymore but the newer ones seemed to want it and cultures clashed and I got the blame.&#8221;</p>



<p>So-called &#8216;pay-to-leech&#8217; is a term most often used to explain how a torrent site can raise revenue by manipulating sharing ratios. If a site has enough seeders and excess upload bandwidth, users can pay to be exempted from strict sharing rules. While rules on various sites differ, in general terms it means that members can download content with relative impunity without giving back, i.e not sharing.</p>



<p>The former admin didn&#8217;t want to go into detail about what happened in the wake of the decision to start accepting donations but things didn&#8217;t go well. What he did reveal is that it changed the mood on the site. In exchange for their money, people flat-out demanded better service and became more and more vocal when they didn&#8217;t get it. They felt they&#8217;d paid for a service.</p>



<p>&#8220;We had angry posts in the forums with people pasting details of their donations and even private conversations about them with the moderators. I had my wee baby crying downstairs, a pissed-off girlfriend who I never saw and man babies crying on the site over a pittance. I took it and took it and took it and then one day a five minute chat on IRC later with another admin and i&#8217;d gone. &#8216;Here&#8217;s the keys to the frontdoor.&#8217; Best thing i&#8217;d ever done.&#8221;</p>



<p>The striking thing about our discussion with the former admin is that he says that while arguments are commonplace on the Internet these days, they were the exception when his site was first launched. He says there was a sense of belonging to something special and people didn&#8217;t want to spoil it because they were not only part of it, they&#8217;d helped to create and maintain it too. These days, he complains, things are different because &#8216;sharing and caring&#8217; have been forgotten.</p>



<p>&#8220;Is there a file-sharing family anymore because if there is I don&#8217;t know where to find them. People still share alright but it&#8217;s pictures of them or their food on Facebook and Instagram. You can&#8217;t find people sharing files for fun as we did back in the day because the cat&#8217;s out of the bag and it&#8217;s an earner and you can&#8217;t turn back the clock. Why do you think all the kids dumped torrents for upload sites unless it was about the payback?</p>



<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t know if it&#8217;s me that&#8217;s stuck in the past and this had to happen for piracy to exist as it does now but it&#8217;s a shame because all I see now is greed. You tell me, but is sharing out of kindness almost dead?&#8221; he asked.</p>



<p>With an entirely different experience, millions of users and uploaders to The Pirate Bay and similar sites would probably beg to differ.</p>



<p>After more than 15 years online, people are still uploading content as they did in the early days, each with their own reason for doing so. The site is still widely accessible and people can take whatever they like for free. The site obviously makes money though, using ads and a crypto-miner, so money remains part of the loop. </p>



<p>More elitist and/or discerning users will always point to professionally organized private trackers as being more community-based, more reliable, much better organized, and with greater emphasis placed on quality control. Old-style sharing can still be found on many but they are certainly not immune to change and the pressures of commerce.</p>



<p>Invites, when they become available, are sometimes handed out for free but in an increasing number of cases, sites charge for the privilege. One can&#8217;t make sweeping statements about all of them because there are many and they&#8217;re secretive. However, there can be no doubt that a significant number have developed into money-making machines, both for their operators and in some cases their uploaders too.</p>



<p>That raises the question: is there any way to turn back the clock? Is there a way to remove money or other financial incentives out of the equation? With streaming, the most popular form of piracy currently, apparently not.</p>



<p>&#8220;You are not realistic,&#8221; the operator of a streaming site told TF.</p>



<p>&#8220;You write it every day that someone is arrested or blocked or PayPal closed. I can do this for nothing then. Nobody is doing this for nothing. Servers are free so show me where I can buy?&#8221;</p>



<p>The owner of a smaller public torrent site (who has operated several other piracy-focused sites in the past) was more talkative.</p>



<p>&#8220;My motivation is purely money related. I would not run any piracy related sites if they didn&#8217;t earn anything. Just too much risk involved,&#8221; he explained.</p>



<p>&#8220;Personal issues left me to rely on income from the sites to support my family. I would simply not run the sites if they didn&#8217;t make anything. Making money from piracy is so easy so that&#8217;s why I think people do it. Rarely you&#8217;ll see a site not using any ads. When I was younger things felt a lot different to what they do now. They don&#8217;t do it for the love now. But for the money.&#8221;</p>



<p>We posed similar questions to a long-standing major site operator &#8211; what motivates people to run torrent, hosting and streaming sites these days? He told us that the latter pair make &#8220;lots of money&#8221; but in respect of torrent sites, he believes there&#8217;s no point in running one anymore. The only exception would be for small sites that might still operate for &#8216;fun&#8217; or on a break-even basis.</p>



<p>&#8220;[Some people might run] some small ones [for no profit] &#8211; sure &#8211; but the user base will be small because the time spent on development will be low,&#8221; he said.</p>



<p>For anyone running a bigger site, making nothing or even breaking even isn&#8217;t a realistic option, he added. Costs increase every month and if you don&#8217;t keep balancing the books, &#8220;it won&#8217;t work out.&#8221;</p>



<p>Ultimately, the operator insisted that going completely back to old-style &#8220;sharing is caring&#8221; won&#8217;t be possible. There&#8217;s a new type of demanding consumer out there that is very difficult and increasingly expensive to keep happy.</p>



<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s never going to happen. The Netflix generation is used to content ready to use, they don&#8217;t think about what&#8217;s involved in the process of reaching them.&#8221;</p>



<p>Tim Kuik of Dutch anti-piracy group BREIN says that he hasn&#8217;t seen platforms that aren&#8217;t in it for the money for a long time.</p>



<p>&#8220;Even if there are uploaders or subtitlers who do it for the kudos, the platforms they post on are making money out of it.&nbsp;We see illegal link aggregators that are supported by platforms that make money off downloaders or streamers by selling them higher download speed,&#8221; he says.</p>



<p>But for anti-piracy groups like BREIN, motivation probably doesn&#8217;t make much difference to the end result. Piracy is piracy and whatever drives it, it still means illegal content ends up online for free.</p>



<p>&#8220;Even if it were for a hobby, would that make it alright to cause damage with it?&#8221; Kuik asks.</p>



<p>But ultimately, in the final reckoning, do today&#8217;s consumers of pirated content even care what goes on behind the scenes financially, as long as they get it free or at least on the cheap?</p>



<p>One can&#8217;t put words into the mouths of millions of individuals but given the popularity of online piracy, especially the astronomic growth of premium IPTV, the suggestion is that largely, people don&#8217;t. In fact, for newer entrants to the piracy scene, the fact that people make money is probably the accepted standard.</p>



<p>  </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=AkMGR3pAo2k:PNmY2Mpm18M:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=AkMGR3pAo2k:PNmY2Mpm18M:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=AkMGR3pAo2k:PNmY2Mpm18M:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/AkMGR3pAo2k" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


