# articles

feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175179
title: Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week on BitTorrent – 07/22/19
uri: Top-10-Most-Pirated-Movies-of-The-Week-on-BitTorrent-07-22-19
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/N9J0gbICUEE/
content:
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-174903" src="media/832daf69.hellboy.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/hellboy.jpg" alt="" width="259" height="194" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/hellboy.jpg 259w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/hellboy-200x150.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 259px) 100vw, 259px">This week we have three newcomers in our chart.</p>
<p>Hellboy 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-07-15-19/">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/tt2274648/">Hellboy</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2274648/">5.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsBO4b3tyZg">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>2</strong></td>
<td>(3)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448115/">Shazam!</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448115/">7.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oD7B7oiBtw&amp;t=2s">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>3</strong></td>
<td>(2)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0437086/">Alita: Battle Angel</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0437086/">7.5</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7pYhpJaJW8">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>4</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2283336/">Men in Black: International</a> (Subbed HDRip)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2283336/">5.7</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV-WEb2oxLk">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td>(6)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4463894/">Shaft</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4463894/">6.4</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD41XdWcmbY">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5884052/">Pokémon Detective Pikachu</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5884052/">6.9</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bILE5BEyhdo">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8752440/">Batman: Hush</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8752440/">7.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQFFnUg0u70">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td>(7)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3861390/">Dumbo</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3861390/">6.5</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocWpGdITSR4">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>9</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2139881/">Long Shot</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2139881/">7.1</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5jiaHvx-kY">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>10</strong></td>
<td>(9)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4154664/">Captain Marvel</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4154664/">7.1</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LHxvxdRnYc">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=N9J0gbICUEE:Tdx8h7sMFgM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=N9J0gbICUEE:Tdx8h7sMFgM:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=N9J0gbICUEE:Tdx8h7sMFgM:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/N9J0gbICUEE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175187
title: Scammer Targets Reddit Users With Premium Account Racket
uri: Scammer-Targets-Reddit-Users-With-Premium-Account-Racket
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/cQ4rOW1zbtw/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/981b03c0.redditp.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/redditp.png" alt="" class="wp-image-125451" width="271" height="202" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/redditp.png 250w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/redditp-200x150.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 271px) 100vw, 271px"></figure></div>



<p>Reddit&#8217;s /r/piracy sub-Reddit is home to more than 402,000 subscribers hoping to hear about the latest news and developments in the world of digital piracy.</p>



<p>By its very nature, users are likely to be interested in getting something for free, so it&#8217;s no surprise that scammers are targeting its users offering just that.</p>



<p>Over the weekend, users of the sub-Reddit began commenting that they&#8217;d received unsolicited direct messages offering them a great deal. All they had to do was download a free piece of software called PremiumGet and in return, they would be given free premium accounts for use on Netflix, Spotify, Hulu, NordVPN and several other services.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/af8d28f1.premiumgetscam.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/premiumgetscam.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175192" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/premiumgetscam.png 600w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/premiumgetscam-220x130.png 220w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"><figcaption><em>The direct message: Ignore</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>It wasn&#8217;t initially clear why some users were getting the messages and others weren&#8217;t. However, a user one particular <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Piracy/comments/cg8yd2/anyone_else_just_get_sent_this_on_reddit/">thread</a> noted that immediately after posting in a discussion about &#8216;PremiumGet&#8217;, he received a message in his inbox advertising the scam. We had that theory tested and sure enough, the same message appeared.</p>



<p>The message contains a link to file-hosting platform Mediafire, where the suspiciously large 51.76MB file can be downloaded. According to the uploader, who engaged in disputes with other users elsewhere on Reddit about the tool, it doesn&#8217;t trigger alerts in anti-malware software so must be safe. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/5d8d3d8d.image-93.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-93.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175193" width="600"/><figcaption><em>Not a virus &#8211; probably</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>The accompanying video, if anyone cares to view it, can be found <a href="https://youtu.be/nbEC2muGsjc">here.</a> Those who prefer not to inflate the view count on YouTube can see a screenshot below, which shows the screen directly after the one that prompts users to enter their Google or Facebook usernames and passwords.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/9d0d0d2e.image-92.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-92.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175191" width="600"/></figure></div>



<p>We have zero intentions of download, installing, or otherwise testing the software, we&#8217;ll let the security specialists do their job there. However, there is a really simple rule for those still mulling it over, and we&#8217;ve seen a few of those this morning.</p>



<p>Random people on the Internet offering expensive stuff for free, requiring you to install software and then asking for your existing usernames and passwords to services that may have massive control over your entire digital life, never have your best interests at heart. Ever.</p>



<p>Walk away. Nothing good here.</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=cQ4rOW1zbtw:eXzYPL54rEo:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=cQ4rOW1zbtw:eXzYPL54rEo:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=cQ4rOW1zbtw:eXzYPL54rEo:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/cQ4rOW1zbtw" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=174962
title: Dailymotion Must Pay €5.5m For Failing to Remove Pirated Content
uri: Dailymotion-Must-Pay-5-5m-For-Failing-to-Remove-Pirated-Content
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/GCSizEpdvLw/
content:
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-175186" src="media/263f6bea.dailymotion.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/dailymotion.png" alt="" width="229" height="148">Similar to other sites that rely on user-generated content, Dailymotion has to deal with the occasional unauthorized upload.</p>
<p>In doing so, it generally relies on takedown notices from copyright holders. In most cases, rightsholders report allegedly infringing URLs which Dailymotion then removes.</p>
<p>This is how most of these platforms work. However, according to a recent ruling by the Court of Rome, that&#8217;s not always good enough.</p>
<p>The Court ruled that Dailymotion can be held liable for failing to remove copyright-infringing content, even when the specific URLs are never pointed out to the platform. The title of a TV-show plus the name and trademark of a broadcaster already creates an obligation to act, the Court found.</p>
<p>The case in question was filed by RTI, a company owned by Italy-based mass media giant Mediaset. The company complained that Dailymotion hosted hundreds of infringing copies of its TV-shows, such as Big Brother and Celebrity Island.</p>
<p>When RTI pointed this out, identifying just a representative list of specific infringing videos, only the mentioned URLs were removed.</p>
<p>Dailymotion argued that there&#8217;s not much else it can do without specific URLs detailing the allegedly infringing content. However, the Court disagreed. In a ruling handed down by the Court of Rome, Dailymotion was ordered to pay<a href="https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=813ad67e-26c7-460e-9506-c631e15ccf30"> €5.5 million</a> to RTI.</p>
<p>According to the ruling, the video platform is seen as an active hosting provider under Article 14 of the European E-Commerce Directive. As such, it can&#8217;t benefit from safe harbor exemptions and the company should have taken action when it was notified about allegedly infringing content.</p>
<p>This argument is similar to the previous ruling against The Pirate Bay, which was also held <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-facilitates-piracy-and-can-be-blocked-top-eu-court-rules-170614/">liable for the uploads of its users</a>.</p>
<p>In addition to the €5.5 million in damages, which is €700 per minute for the pirated shows, Dailymotion also has to deal with future uploads. If it fails to do so, the video platform must pay an additional €5,000 for each copyright-infringing video that appears on the site.</p>
<p>Dealing with future uploads is required, as Dailymotion is assumed to have &#8220;actual knowledge&#8221; of infringements, without the need for rightsholders to point out specific URLs, RTI attorney Alessandro La Rosa informs TorrentFreak.</p>
<p>&#8220;The actual knowledge of the infringing content can’t in a way be linked to the specification of the relevant URLs. The Court states that a specific indication of the infringing files [e.g., names and a general desription of shows plus the broadcaster&#8217;s trademark] is enough,&#8221; La Rosa says.</p>
<p>In other words, when specific TV-shows are pointed out to Dailymotion, the platform must ensure that these titles don&#8217;t appear on its site. This implies that Dailymotion has to set up a proactive piracy filtering system targeting specific works, as IPKAT <a href="http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2019/07/rome-court-finds-videosharing-platform.html">notes</a>.</p>
<p>The ruling poses a threat to similar video hosting services. While most are able to remove specific content, making sure that titles don&#8217;t appear on their sites in the future is something entirely different. In fact, it sounds a lot like a mandatory upload filter of specified works, similar to what the new EU copyright directive prescribes.</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=GCSizEpdvLw:6C4WQCmixgQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=GCSizEpdvLw:6C4WQCmixgQ:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=GCSizEpdvLw:6C4WQCmixgQ:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/GCSizEpdvLw" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175223
title: Police Dismantle Pirate IPTV Provider, Seize Cash, Crypto, Gold Bars
uri: Police-Dismantle-Pirate-IPTV-Provider-Seize-Cash-Crypto-Gold-Bars
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/foysE4gy6Ls/
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="273" height="181"/></figure></div>



<p>Rightsholders, anti-piracy outfits, and police are stepping up their efforts to disrupt &#8216;pirate&#8217; IPTV operations around Europe, the United States, and the rest of the world.</p>



<p>These unlicensed services are considered one of the prime threats to the profits of broadcasters since they offer hundreds and often thousands of live TV channels to Internet users at a fraction of their official retail price.</p>



<p>Italy&#8217;s Postal and Communications Police (Polizia Postale e delle Comunicazioni) is the latest body to report success in this area, after targeting a source (perhaps the main source) of popular local provider ZSat, a service that offered the entire programming schedule of media giant Sky.</p>



<p>Following what authorities are describing as a highly technical and complex operation carried out under the coordination of the Public Prosecutor of Palermo, the cybercrime unit says it targeted the Palermo home of a 35-year-old man.</p>



<p>In his bedroom police found a total of 57 Sky Italia satellite decoders which were configured to receive Sky&#8217;s broadcasts. In turn, these receivers were connected to equipment which allowed channels to be retransmitted over the Internet for consumption by IPTV subscribers.</p>



<p>According to the authorities, the scale of the business was supported by the discovery of various assets at the property, including 186,900 euros in cash and a car. A banknote counter and gold bars were found hidden in a toilet and garbage disposal areas.</p>



<p>Police also found virtual wallets containing various cryptocurrencies. No value has yet been placed on the digital haul but the Postal and Communications Police says the amount is &#8220;certainly high&#8221; but will be better estimated following further &#8220;technical assessments&#8221;.</p>



<p>The discovery of a large number of satellite decoders at the address indicates that this wasn&#8217;t a low-level provider. Considerable effort is required to put together this kind of operation and it&#8217;s likely that the resulting Internet streams would have been utilized by other IPTV providers.</p>



<p>Authorities say the man is now under investigation for suspected criminal offenses under Art. 171 of local copyright law which carries penalties of up to three years in prison for commercial infringement.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe width="694" height="521" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z5yT6M3MkaI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div><figcaption><em>Video released by police</em></figcaption></figure>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=foysE4gy6Ls:HxJsdzg5qI4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=foysE4gy6Ls:HxJsdzg5qI4:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=foysE4gy6Ls:HxJsdzg5qI4:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/foysE4gy6Ls" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175261
title: Steal This Show S04E20: ‘You’ll See This Message When It Is Too Late’
uri: Steal-This-Show-S04E20-You-ll-See-This-Message-When-It-Is-Too-La
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/c9KPdvMCaT0/
content:
<p>In this episode we meet Sean Tilley (aka @deadsuperhero) of We Distribute (and formerly the Diaspora project) to discuss: the early days at Diaspora, the first Facebook alternative to really reach critical mass; the steady rise of Mastodon and why the Fediverse its gaining traction; some surprising factors pushing people to move from Big Social to federated social media networks; and whether technologists could (or should) move beyond de-platforming to begin refusing use of their technologies to those whose political ideas they disagree with.</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: </strong><a href="https://twitter.com/deadsuperhero?lang=en">Sean Tilley</a></p>
<p><center><iframe src="//stealthisshow.com/?lpe-frame=1&amp;lpe-season=4&amp;lpe-episode=20" 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 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=c9KPdvMCaT0:YvfF-UccXV4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=c9KPdvMCaT0:YvfF-UccXV4:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=c9KPdvMCaT0:YvfF-UccXV4:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/c9KPdvMCaT0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175218
title: Popular Stream-Ripper Voluntarily Disables YouTube Conversion
uri: Popular-Stream-Ripper-Voluntarily-Disables-YouTube-Conversion
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/mzlh3EWOySM/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/72389cbc.sadyoutube.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/sadyoutube.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-117196"/></figure></div>



<p>With <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/youtube-blocks-popular-mp3-stream-ripping-sites-190710/">millions of visitors</a> per day, Onlinevideoconverter.com is the most-visited stream-ripping site on the Internet.</p>



<p>The service gained popularity by allowing users to convert and download videos from a wide variety of platforms, YouTube included. </p>



<p>The site has operated without any issues for years, but earlier this month something changed. YouTube decided to <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/youtube-blocks-popular-mp3-stream-ripping-sites-190710/">actively block servers</a> of so-called stream-rippers, hoping to prevent these sites from facilitating &#8220;violative downloads.&#8221;</p>



<p>While this worked initially, many stream-ripping sites quickly found ways to<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/stream-rippers-successfully-counter-youtubes-blocking-efforts-190719/"> circumvent</a> the blockade. In many cases, switching to new IP-addresses did the trick, at least temporarily. This was also true for <a href="https://www.onlinevideoconverter.com">Onlinevideoconverter.com (OVC)</a>, which was fully operational again after a few days. </p>



<p>However, the team behind the site isn&#8217;t planning to keep up this fight. People who access the stream-ripper today will notice that YouTube downloads have stopped working again. A site representative informs TorrentFreak that this is intentional.</p>



<p>&#8220;In view of YouTube’s latest stance, we’ve decided to disable the conversion of all YouTube videos on our service,&#8221; OVC says.</p>



<p>For the time being the various YouTube references on the site <a href="https://www.onlinevideoconverter.com/youtube-converter">remain intact</a>. The site said that some of these will remain online for SEO purposes. It&#8217;s clear, however, that ripping and downloading YouTube videos no longer works. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/c6c8522f.OVCerror.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/OVCerror.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175251" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/OVCerror.png 503w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/OVCerror-500x210.png 500w" sizes="(max-width: 503px) 100vw, 503px"><figcaption>Error&#8230;</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>The stream-ripping site notes that the decision was taken voluntarily and not after it was contacted directly by rightsholders or YouTube. OVC simply believes that it&#8217;s the best direction to take and it stresses that other downloading and conversion tools remain available.</p>



<p> &#8220;No one has reached out to us recently, we think it&#8217;s best for such a decision after YouTube&#8217;s latest effort,&#8221; OVC adds.</p>



<p>The music industry groups that have complained bitterly about the stream-ripping phenomenon will be happy with the decision, especially since OVC is the most popular stream-ripper out there. However, not all sites are ready to throw in the towel.</p>



<p><a href="https://mp3-youtube.download/en">Mp3-youtube.download</a>, for example, is vowing to do anything it can to keep the service available.</p>



<p>&#8220;I think the YouTube update is stupid because we will always find a solution,” the operator of Mp3-youtube.download told us, commenting on the issue.</p>



<p>This was to be expected, of course, as no blocking solution is perfectly effective. That said, the music industry hopes that enough services will become temporarily unavailable, to frustrate some people enough to give up.</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=mzlh3EWOySM:787x2dRGlMc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=mzlh3EWOySM:787x2dRGlMc:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=mzlh3EWOySM:787x2dRGlMc:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/mzlh3EWOySM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175207
title: Demonoid Staffers Launch New Site to Keep the Legacy Alive
uri: Demonoid-Staffers-Launch-New-Site-to-Keep-the-Legacy-Alive
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/BeISQa8zfmE/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/8a973527.demonoid-logo.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/demonoid-logo.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-94766"/></figure></div>



<p>As one of the oldest torrent communities, Demonoid has gone through many ups and downs over the years. </p>



<p>The site regularly disappeared, only to resurface later, which gave it the reputation of a comeback-kid. </p>



<p>However, last summer things changed when Deimos, the site&#8217;s founder, went <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/demonoid-goes-down-while-owner-remains-missing-180924/">missing</a>. After months of uncertainty and downtime, it became clear that the site wasn&#8217;t coming back this time. Deimos is <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/demonoid-founder-deimos-is-believed-to-have-passed-away-190416/">believed to have passed away</a> in a tragic accident, marking the end of an era. </p>



<p>Many staffers were devastated when they heard the news but they were also motivated to keep the Demonoid spirit alive. To honor Deimos, first and foremost, and to create a place where former users of the site could continue to interact. </p>



<p>Initially, they started a forum at Demonoid.info and, as time went by, more and more Demonoid users found their way back. However, there was something missing. The new home didn&#8217;t allow people to do what they do best &#8211; sharing files. </p>



<p>This motivated a group of staffers to create a <a href="https://www.dnoid.to/">new &#8220;Demonoid&#8221;</a> torrent site. Not to replace the old one, but to have a familiar torrent site again that looks and feels like their old home. With help from old crew members who offered servers, coding skills, and graphic design, Dnoid.to was born.</p>



<p>&#8220;Demonoid has a really massive user base, many of them are fans just like me, and just seeing the look of Demonoid feels like a &#8216;home&#8217; to thousands,&#8221; Demonoid staffer ‘phaze1G’ tells TorrentFreak, commenting on the new site.&nbsp; </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/859cb355.dnoidback.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/dnoidback.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175209"/><figcaption>Back..</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>While <a href="https://www.dnoid.to/">Dnoid.to</a> looks identical to the old Demonoid, it&#8217;s completely different under the hood. It&#8217;s built on a new database which means that users have to sign up for a new account. In addition, the new site doesn&#8217;t operate a tracker either. </p>



<p>Dnoid.to doesn&#8217;t aim to be a replacement of the original site. It&#8217;s basically just a magnet index with a Demonoid skin that allows users to add new links. There are no torrents hosted on the site itself.  <br></p>



<p>For the time being anyone can join the site, as registrations are open. However, these may close in the future, to keep spammers and other types of abuse at bay.  </p>



<p>The purpose of the new site isn&#8217;t to become the next big torrent site. It&#8217;s to honor Demonoid&#8217;s legacy and also in part to keep scammy sites from taking over the brand.<br></p>



<p>&#8220;The point is not to compete with the original Demonoid or to be above other public torrents sites. It&#8217;s just to keep a memory of Demonoid and its founder Deimos, who is well-known around old folks and who set really high standards for torrent communities ever since 2003,&#8221;  phaze1G says.</p>



<p>&#8220;Demonoid always had a special spot in people&#8217;s hearts. Keeping a memento of it without letting others ruin it by making copycats and phishing sites from it is our way of saying &#8216;thank you&#8217; to him and keeping his legacy alive.&#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=BeISQa8zfmE:FbIUmgnImR8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=BeISQa8zfmE:FbIUmgnImR8:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=BeISQa8zfmE:FbIUmgnImR8:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/BeISQa8zfmE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175292
title: Groupe TVA, Bell, Rogers Team Up to Sue ‘Pirate’ IPTV Service
uri: Groupe-TVA-Bell-Rogers-Team-Up-to-Sue-Pirate-IPTV-Service
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/iAADkRla3p8/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/7fa007b9.image-95.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-95.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175294" width="278" height="107"/></figure></div>



<p>There are currently thousands of providers of unlicensed IPTV services around the world so stopping them all will prove a herculean task.</p>



<p>Nevertheless, entertainment industry groups and anti-piracy outfits seem to determined to take on the challenge, in the hope that strategic action here and there will deter others from getting involved in this growing business.</p>



<p>The latest action comes from Quebecor Inc.’s <a href="http://www.groupetva.ca/">Groupe TVA Inc.</a>, <a href="http://www.bce.ca/">BCE Inc.</a> (Bell Canada Enterprises), and <a href="https://www.rogers.com/">Rogers Communications Inc</a>., who have teamed up to tackle a &#8216;pirate&#8217; IPTV provider targeting the Canadian market.</p>



<p>The complaint, first reported by <a href="https://thewirereport.ca/">The Wire Report</a>, sees the broadcasting giants taking on the operators of GoldTV.ca and GoldTV.biz in Federal Court, claiming that the service provides access to their TV content without licenses or authorization.</p>



<p>&#8220;The GoldTV.biz Service provides unauthorized access to hundreds (if not thousands) of live television channels and video-on-demand content,” the complaint filed in court July 18 reads.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/7fbf1e35.image-96.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/image-96.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175297" width="600"/><figcaption><em>Canada&#8217;s &#8216;premium IPTV provider&#8217;</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>A cursory review of the subscriptions offered by GoldTV.ca shows the kind of packages currently being offered by hundreds of other providers operating in the same niche.</p>



<p>Its fairly comprehensive <a href="https://goldtv.ca/channels/">channel list</a> suggests that more than 7,600 are currently available from a huge range of broadcasting companies, although that number is likely to ebb and flow depending on the provider&#8217;s third-party sources.</p>



<p>That being said, it&#8217;s immediately apparent that from the prices being asked, the fact that&#8217;s there no contract, and customers being told they can play content on any device, anywhere, this doesn&#8217;t fit the parameters of any normal or sanctioned service.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="media/96f49461.image-97.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/image-97.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175298"/><figcaption><em>No contract? Any device? Cheap? Probably pirate</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Clicking through to the payment options reveals prices in Canadian dollars, something which adds weight to the claim that the service targets the local market. PayPal appears to be the default option, which probably means that personal details relating to the account will be sought by the plaintiffs at some point.</p>



<p>According to the complaint, GoldTV has been in business since at least 2017. A domain Whois query reveals GoldTV.ca as registered in March 2017 with the .biz variant registered in July of the same year. These records provide no useful information as to who is behind the domains and the plaintiffs state they have had no success in identifying the service&#8217;s operators.</p>



<p>Nevertheless, the complaint demands a trial in Montreal where the companies hope to win damages and an injunction to shutter the service.</p>



<p>Groupe TVA, Bell, and Rogers aren&#8217;t the only companies to have noticed the activities of GoldTV.ca in 2019.</p>



<p>Earlier this year Spanish soccer league La Liga sent a pair of DMCA notices (<a href="https://www.lumendatabase.org/notices/18244097">1</a>,<a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/18279661">2</a>) that removed close to 150 of the site&#8217;s URLs from Google&#8217;s search results. In both of these cases, none of the listed URLs pointed to any copyright-infringing content but instead targeted the service&#8217;s sales and support pages.</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=iAADkRla3p8:CCg8StIOTC8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=iAADkRla3p8:CCg8StIOTC8:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=iAADkRla3p8:CCg8StIOTC8:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/iAADkRla3p8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175318
title: Law Council of Australia Warns Data Retention Regime Could Affect Pirates
uri: Law-Council-of-Australia-Warns-Data-Retention-Regime-Could-Affect-Pira
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/3rcEW3p59pk/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/01c0d2d5.spy.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/spy.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-39770" width="261" height="231"/></figure></div>



<p>Retention of telecommunications metadata is increasingly viewed by governments as a valuable tool to fight serious crimes, including terrorism.</p>



<p>Communications systems, such as telephone networks and the Internet, can provide the ability to collect information revealing who contacted who and when.</p>



<p>However, when such sensitive data is collected on a broad scale, who can get access to that data becomes a serious concern. In Australia, a <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Intelligence_and_Security/Dataretentionregime/Submissions">review</a> of the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 (TIA Act) has generated warnings that data supposedly being collected to fight serious crime is falling into broader hands.</p>



<p>The Communications Alliance, for example, highlights <em>(<a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=10156360-86ba-4fff-93c9-f2caa3577dd6&amp;subId=668168">pdf</a>)</em> that while there&#8217;s a perception that data will only be available to a limited number of law enforcement and security agencies, large numbers of other organizations have sought access to the data. They include a sports anti-doping authority, at least two illegal dumping groups, plus veterinary and fisheries authorities.</p>



<p>The availability of this data seems to be a magnet for many groups seeking to solve their own problems and according to the Law Council of Australia, that has the potential to include copyright holders in the future. While noting that some of its concerns that data will not be used by civil litigants have been addressed, there remains a concern that data collected now could be used for other purposes later on.</p>



<p>&#8220;[T]here is still the potential for ‘function creep’ under the regime due to the lack of prescription as to what purpose telecommunications data retained under the regime may be used for, potentially allowing for information collected for one reason to be later used for other purposes,&#8221; the Council&#8217;s submission reads <em><a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=c6dbe0f3-4845-4d99-93b2-0d90a851d623&amp;subId=668216">(pdf)</a></em>.</p>



<p>Specifically, The Law Council says that earlier amendments to sections 280 and 281 of the Telecommunications Act 1997 may still have limitations that would allow file-sharers (typically BitTorrent users) to be scooped up, if there is a change of heart over the seriousness of their offenses.</p>



<p>&#8220;[T]here remains the potential for telecommunications data retained under the scheme to be used in matters of online piracy as telecommunications data may provide an irrefutable download history,&#8221; the Council warns.</p>



<p>&#8220;Former Attorney-General Brandis and the former AFP Commissioner have stated that the regime will not be used to tackle digital piracy, but should digital piracy offenses of individual consumers become criminalized in the future (currently piracy is only a criminal offense when at a commercial scale) it is possible that this position would be reassessed by the Government of the day.&#8221;</p>



<p>While a change in the law could potentially increase access to metadata in respect of pirates, copyright trolls are already on record trying to convince courts that their behavior is much more serious than it first appears. In 2017 in the United States, LHF Productions <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/bittorrent-users-form-the-worlds-largest-criminal-enterprise-lawyer-says-170731/">characterized</a> five file-sharers as being part of a worldwide criminal conspiracy.</p>



<p>&#8220;While the actions of each individual participant may seem innocuous, their collective action amounts to one of the largest criminal enterprises ever seen on earth,&#8221; the lawsuit claimed.</p>



<p>&#8220;The Defendants are participants in a global piracy ring composed of one hundred fifty million members – a ring that threatens to tear down fundamental structures of intellectual property.&#8221;</p>



<p>Whether such a claim would ever gain credibility in Australia remains to be seen but it&#8217;s clear that tracking every action carried out by Internet users &#8211; file-sharers included &#8211; and recording them in a database for potential action is an extremely attractive proposition for copyright trolls. </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=3rcEW3p59pk:IsOPDsdV2oM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=3rcEW3p59pk:IsOPDsdV2oM:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=3rcEW3p59pk:IsOPDsdV2oM:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/3rcEW3p59pk" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175278
title: Court Denies Abuse of Process Claim Against Copyright Troll
uri: Court-Denies-Abuse-of-Process-Claim-Against-Copyright-Troll
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/fDrVsYV7a0Q/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/67ffec03.trollsign.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/trollsign.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-108977"/></figure></div>



<p>Every year, so-called &#8216;copyright trolls&#8217; sue thousands of people in the United States for online file-sharing, mostly through BitTorrent.</p>



<p>These companies target people whose connections were allegedly used to download and share infringing videos, in the hope of obtaining a significant financial settlement. </p>



<p>While many of the defendants may indeed be guilty, a number of accused Internet subscribers have done nothing wrong. This is also what a John Doe, known by the IP-address 73.225.38.130, has repeatedly argued before a federal court in Seattle, Washington.</p>



<p>The defendant in question was sued by Strike 3 Holdings late 2017. In common with other defendants, the man was offered a settlement to let the case go, but instead, he went on the offensive.</p>



<p>When the man pushed back, Strike 3 Holdings was ready to let the case go. The company filed a motion to voluntarily dismiss all claims but the defendant, a  70+-year-old retired policeman, wasn’t willing to let them. At least not without getting paid.</p>



<p>The defendant submitted a counterclaim accusing Strike 3 of abuse of process and “<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/retired-police-officer-fires-back-at-copyright-troll-190110/">extortion through sham litigation</a>.” The man accused the rightsholder of going on a &#8220;fishing expedition,&#8221; while knowing that it couldn&#8217;t link the subscriber of the IP-address to any specific infringement.</p>



<p>As part of this fishing expedition, the rightsholder also allegedly misused the discovery process to explore whether the man&#8217;s son, other family members or friends engaged in any infringement activity. </p>



<p>Strike 3, for its part, moved for summary judgment asking the court to dismiss that counterclaim. The company stressed that it did nothing wrong and merely wanted to find out who the real infringer was. </p>



<p>After reviewing the positions from both sides, US District Judge Thomas Zilly decided to dismiss the abuse of process claim.</p>



<p>The defendant argued that an IP-address alone is not enough to identify an infringer. This is in part based on an <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/ip-address-is-not-enough-to-identify-pirate-us-court-of-appeals-rules-180828/">Appeal Court ruling</a> that came in after Strike 3 had voluntarily dismissed its infringement claim. As such, the company can&#8217;t be judged by this standard, Judge Zilly argues.</p>



<p>In addition, Strike 3&#8217;s efforts to go after the man&#8217;s son and other family members are no grounds for abuse of process either, the Court ruled.</p>



<p>&#8220;Strike 3 was entitled to pursue a theory of defense that another member of defendant’s household or someone with access to defendant’s IP address had infringed one or more of Strike 3’s motion pictures via the BitTorrent network, which would undermine defendant’s allegation that Strike 3’s copyright infringement claim was frivolous and asserted for purely extortionist or other improper purposes,&#8221; the Judge notes.</p>



<p>The ruling is a setback for the defendant, but it&#8217;s not the end of the case yet. The retired police officer has also requested a declaratory judgment that he has not himself infringed any of Strike 3’s copyrighted works. This request remains pending and the court has instructed both parties to reach an agreement. </p>



<p>Strike 3 previously said that it was willing to declare that the defendant didn&#8217;t infringe its works and Judge Zilly encouraged the parties to file a proposed judgment on what costs and fees the copyright holder must pay, if any.</p>



<p>&#8220;With respect to attorney’s fees and costs, the parties shall attempt to reach agreement concerning whether and, if so, how much defendant should receive, bearing in mind that, under the Copyright Act, attorney’s fees are discretionary, and the Court may decline to award them,&#8221; Judge Zilly writes.</p>



<p>At the time of writing a proposed judgment has yet to be submitted. Whether Strike 3 is willing to pay (part) of the fees and costs remains to be seen. If both parties can&#8217;t come together, the Judge will have the final say.</p>



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



<p><em>A copy of United States District Judge Thomas Zilly&#8217;s order is available <a href="media/45ef838c.gov.uscourts.wawd.252673.167.0_1_1.pdf" data-original-source="https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.wawd.252673/gov.uscourts.wawd.252673.167.0_1_1.pdf">here (pdf)</a>.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=fDrVsYV7a0Q:MzGpjzp0XzY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=fDrVsYV7a0Q:MzGpjzp0XzY:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=fDrVsYV7a0Q:MzGpjzp0XzY:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/fDrVsYV7a0Q" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175352
title: LaLiga & Pro League Team Up With New Anti-Piracy Deal
uri: LaLiga-Pro-League-Team-Up-With-New-Anti-Piracy-Deal
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/oaRNBJp5kSg/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/c74c42c9.laliga.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/laliga.png" alt="" class="wp-image-156904" width="231" height="227"/></figure></div>



<p>Football is big business around the world and in Europe, Spain&#8217;s LaLiga is without doubt one of the biggest players.</p>



<p>Less referenced by its full name &#8211; Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División &#8211; LaLiga is the top professional football league in the country and like its counterparts in England, Italy, and Germany, has a piracy problem to contend with.</p>



<p>Around 2014, LaLiga began using new tools to combat the unlicensed reproduction of matches and associated content on the Internet. In 2018 it reported that 268,000 unlicensed videos had been removed from social media with 9,000 associated accounts blocked. The company also claimed to have &#8220;disabled&#8221; 10,000 card sharing servers, which are systems designed to bypass access controls on consumer TV equipment in order to avoid paying a subscription.</p>



<p>In the same year, LaLiga revealed it would be teaming up with Pro League, Belgium&#8217;s top-tier football league. The latter would begin using the former&#8217;s anti-piracy resources with an option to extend the agreement beyond the 2019/2019 campaign.</p>



<p>According to an update provided by LaLiga Thursday, that has now been taken up.</p>



<p>&#8220;[R]enewing [the agreement] is a guarantee that the work carried out in collaboration with the Belgian league is bearing fruit,&#8221; says Melcior Soler, director of LaLiga&#8217;s audiovisual department.</p>



<p>&#8220;The increase in data is a reason to keep working to defend competitions&#8217; audiovisual value. Fighting against piracy is a priority for LaLiga and the Pro League and together we&#8217;ll continue to invest in technical tools and human resources to keep developing in this field.&#8221;</p>



<p>According to LaLiga, its successes over the last year are numerous. Across platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Periscope and SportsTube, the company claims to have removed 23,652 videos and deleted 100 associated accounts.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s also been busy targeting the app-based market too. The league says that across Google Play and Apple&#8217;s App Store, 703 apps that had the ability to stream top-tier football were removed following takedown requests. Together, they had clocked up more than 10 million downloads.</p>



<p>Of course, LaLiga has been looking to hinder IPTV providers too but its strategy is a curious one. Instead of going after the sources, in the way that <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/premier-league-obtains-piracy-blocking-order-for-2018-19-season-180719/">the Premier League has</a>, they&#8217;ve instead <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/la-liga-purges-pirate-iptv-providers-from-google-180809/">targeted IPTV sales web portals</a> by asking Google to delist them from search.</p>



<p>LaLiga says it has successfully removed 6,000 links in this manner but it&#8217;s up for debate whether this has had much of an effect on content availability, particularly when one considers that IPTV subscriptions are often sold through re-sellers and via word of mouth.</p>



<p>Concluding its summary, LaLiga notes that it&#8217;s also removed 5,700 links to live streaming sites from Google search, adding that following requests to advertisers to prevent their ads from appearing on &#8216;pirate&#8217; sites, there has been cooperation. </p>



<p>Perhaps unsurprisingly, the league didn&#8217;t mention its <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/la-liga-fined-for-breaching-gdpr-while-spying-on-piracy-190612/">250,000 euro fine</a> for using fans&#8217; phones to spy on piracy and breaching the GDPR in the process.</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=oaRNBJp5kSg:jBuf6ooh_F4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=oaRNBJp5kSg:jBuf6ooh_F4:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=oaRNBJp5kSg:jBuf6ooh_F4:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/oaRNBJp5kSg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175295
title: Senators and Copyright Office Want Streaming Piracy Loophole Fixed
uri: Senators-and-Copyright-Office-Want-Streaming-Piracy-Loophole-Fixed
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/49rCKSfOwLY/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/096bd33d.streamingkey.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/streamingkey.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-125426"/></figure></div>



<p>Under US law, streaming and downloading piracy are seen as two different offenses. Not just from a technical point of view, but also in the way they are punished.</p>



<p>Unauthorized streaming is categorized as a public performance instead of distribution, which is punishable as a misdemeanor, not a felony.</p>



<p>Lawmakers tried to change this with the Commercial Felony Streaming Act in 2011, and later with the SOPA and PIPA bills. These bills were met with public outrage and didn’t pass.</p>



<p>As a result, the gap between streaming and traditional file-sharing still remains today. This frustrates major copyright holder groups and recently caught the eye of the Senate Judiciary Committee as well. </p>



<p>Last month, the Committee&#8217;s Chairman Senator Thom Tillis, and Ranking Member Senator Christopher Coons, requested clarification from the US Government&#8217;s Copyright Office on several streaming-related issues. </p>



<p>The letter was sent after a hearing, where the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/nba-and-ufc-urge-u-s-lawmakers-to-criminalize-streaming-piracy-190507/">NBA and the UFC both requested </a>to increase the criminal penalty for streaming. The senators warn that streaming piracy poses important risks to copyright owners. The fact that this is seen as a lesser offense is problematic and creates a loophole for prospective copyright infringers, they argue. </p>



<p>&#8220;Based on the testimony we received regarding the apparent &#8216;streaming loophole&#8217; enabling illicit streamers to avoid felony criminal liability, we would appreciate the U.S. Copyright Office providing clear guidance regarding if and when unauthorized streaming infringes the right to control distribution of a work. </p>



<p>&#8220;Allowing this to remain unanswered will only benefit infringers and harm America’s economy,&#8221; the senators add in their <a href="media/c221e531.Copyright-Office-Letter.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/Copyright-Office-Letter.pdf">letter to the Copyright Office</a>. </p>



<p>The senators asked several questions, starting with whether streaming piracy violates the copyright holder’s right to public performance. In a reply letter published this week, Copyright Office director Karyn Temple answered this with an unequivocal &#8220;yes,&#8221; which wasn&#8217;t a surprise. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/4d0743d8.copyofficeanswers.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/copyofficeanswers.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175306"/><figcaption>From the Copyright office&#8217;s <a href="media/7701acd0.letter-to-senators-tillis-and-coons-on-felony-streaming.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/letter-to-senators-tillis-and-coons-on-felony-streaming.pdf">letter (pdf)</a></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>The senators next wanted to know whether streaming piracy violates rightsholders&#8217; right to control reproduction and distribution, as downloading does. This one was less straightforward with the Copyright Office noting that, depending upon the technology at issue, there may be instances in where this is the case. </p>



<p>These two questions are at the crux of the &#8220;loophole&#8221; debate as public performance infringements are seen as misdemeanors while reproduction and distribution offenses are felonies. Streaming is generally seen as a public performance.</p>



<p>However, in the response, the Copyright Office director stresses that it would like this to be changed. Responding to a question about its position, the Office is very clear.</p>



<p>&#8220;The Copyright Office supports the same level of felony penalties for violation of the public performance right as for the reproduction and distribution rights, a position reinforced by the combination of the growing importance of streaming to the U.S. economy and the failure of the current law to effectively address unauthorized streaming,&#8221; the Office&#8217;s response reads.  </p>



<p>Finally, the senators asked whether the Copyright Office has any other suggestions to deal with the streaming piracy problem. The Office didn&#8217;t go into much detail on this issue but said that a small claims tribunal, which is currently being considered, could provide an additional tool for rightsholders. </p>



<p>The answers and the questions show that there is quite a bit of concern about streaming piracy. As such, it wouldn&#8217;t be a surprise to see this issue being addressed in future legislation. Whether that will pass is yet another question, but the Copyright Office is all for it.</p>



<p>&#8220;The Office has long supported a legislative fix for the &#8216;streaming loophole,&#8217; although we do not endorse any particular method of addressing the problem at this time,&#8221; Temple writes.</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=49rCKSfOwLY:oUjt-YrtHbs:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=49rCKSfOwLY:oUjt-YrtHbs:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=49rCKSfOwLY:oUjt-YrtHbs:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/49rCKSfOwLY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175257
title: EBook.bike Owner Says Deficient DMCA Notices Means No Case to Answer
uri: EBook-bike-Owner-Says-Deficient-DMCA-Notices-Means-No-Case-to-Answer
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/nDmAc7u84Sg/
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="256" height="256"/></figure></div>



<p>On March 27, 2019, US-based author John Van Stry filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Travis McCrea, the operator of eBook platform eBook.bike.</p>



<p>McCrea initially chose not to become involved in the suit and in June, Van Stry’s lawyers filed for a default judgment in a Texas court.</p>



<p>As reported <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/court-questions-whether-ebook-pirate-site-operator-can-be-sued-in-texas-190715/">here</a> earlier this month, the presiding judge chose not to rubber-stamp the request but instead questioned whether the court had personal jurisdiction over McCrea, a Canada resident.</p>



<p>The parties were invited to file simultaneous briefs, indicating whether the alleged injury to the copyright holder occurred in Texas, whether any injury was sufficient enough to imply a “substantial connection” with the forum/state, and whether McCrea knew that “his acts would be felt” by Van Stry in Texas.</p>



<p>This week, Van Stry&#8217;s lawyers filed documents with the Court, sent to them by McCrea but yet to be officially filed by the defendant. That will happen in due course, the author&#8217;s legal team note. They make for interesting reading.</p>



<p>Representing himself, McCrea writes that his engagement in the case has been limited due to a number of factors including &#8220;massive waves of cyber bullying&#8221; and direct attacks on his ability to defend himself.</p>



<p>Van Stry previously launched a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/bring-ebookbike-to-justice">GoFundMe campaign</a> to raise cash to fight McCrea, an effort that to date has raised more than $23,000. However, when McCrea opened his own fundraiser on the same platform, he says GoFundMe shut it down. In an earlier conversation, he told TF he didn&#8217;t know why that had happened.</p>



<p>“Why GoFundMe shut down my fundraiser but allowed his is beyond me,” he told us. “They cited ‘TOS Violations’ yet when I emailed asking for further elaboration they ignored my emails.”</p>



<p>In the documents filed by Van Stry&#8217;s team, McCrea informs the Court that &#8220;putting food&#8221; on the table had prevented him from being as engaged in the case as he would&#8217;ve liked but that shouldn&#8217;t be perceived as a sign of disrespect.</p>



<p>While acknowledging the motion for default judgment, he asks the Court to consider accepting a late motion to dismiss and a motion for change of venue, to be taken as part of the Court&#8217;s request for further information on jurisdiction.</p>



<p>&#8220;Regardless of any argument made by the Plaintiff, it is an inarguable fact that the Plaintiff did not file proper takedown notices as required by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act,&#8221; the motion reads.</p>



<p>&#8220;It is not my intent to argue safe harbor at this moment, but rather the failure of the Plaintiff to even properly file a take-down notice in the first place or provide me with any reasonable notice of the infringement at all (without proper notice, the argument of safe harbor cannot even be entertained. If I am not properly informed of copyright infringement, I cannot reply to said infringement).&#8221;</p>



<p>McCrea points out a number of alleged deficiencies in the notices sent by Van Stry but majors on the fact that the DMCA requires takedown notices to contain &#8220;information reasonably sufficient to permit the service provider to locate the material.&#8221; That usually means the precise URLs at which the content can be found, a detail reportedly missing from Van Stry&#8217;s notices. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/9c8bf2e9.image-94.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-94.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175265"/><figcaption><em>One of the notices sent by Van Stry to eBook.bike</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>McCrea points out that one of the notices sent did contain a URL but it related to a search result page that contained no infringing material.</p>



<p>All notices, McCrea states, failed to meet other requirements as set out in law, by not offering &#8220;information reasonably sufficient to permit the service provider to contact the complaining party, such as an address, telephone number&#8221;, a statement that the complaining party &#8220;has a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law&#8221;, and a statement that the &#8220;information in the notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that the complaining party is authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.&#8221;</p>



<p>In summary, due to the above McCrea says he has &#8220;no case to answer&#8221; because the original notices sent to him did not comply with the requirements of the DMCA.</p>



<p>&#8220;There are many details about my life in the initial claim and many not flattering, however, I have always shown a commitment to enforce copyright on websites I am involved with,&#8221; McCrea continues.</p>



<p>&#8220;I advocate change in copyright law, that’s true, but I advocate for copyright terms of 15 years not no copyright. I advocate for change through the law, not against it. Please don’t [allow] the Plaintiff to file a suit because of my religion and political beliefs without having to at least fulfill his legal obligations first.&#8221;</p>



<p>Finally, the documents indicate that McCrea will file a request for a change of venue from Texas to Seattle. This would be the closest state for him since he&#8217;s a resident of Canada, he adds.</p>



<p>The eBook.bike operator acknowledges that the existence of a motion for default judgment may limit his ability to file these requests but it will nevertheless prove interesting if the Court decides to examine the DMCA notice issue in addition to the matter of jurisdiction.</p>



<p>The related documents can be found here (<a href="media/4856392b.McCrea-et-al-2-19-cv-00104-e-note-to-court6-docsreceivedorig.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/Stry-v-McCrea-et-al-2-19-cv-00104-e-note-to-court6-docsreceivedorig.pdf">1</a>,<a href="media/88ec25fb.Stry-v-McCrea-et-al-2-19-cv-00104-e-note-to-court2.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/Stry-v-McCrea-et-al-2-19-cv-00104-e-note-to-court2.pdf">2</a>,<a href="media/4b2b09ea.-v-McCrea-et-al-2-19-cv-00104-e-note-to-court5-motiondismiss.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/Stry-v-McCrea-et-al-2-19-cv-00104-e-note-to-court5-motiondismiss.pdf">3</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=nDmAc7u84Sg:9mn9CIBIbG4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=nDmAc7u84Sg:9mn9CIBIbG4:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=nDmAc7u84Sg:9mn9CIBIbG4:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/nDmAc7u84Sg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=174796
title: Tensions Rise as Copyright “Small Claims” Bill Moves Forward
uri: Tensions-Rise-as-Copyright-Small-Claims-Bill-Moves-Forward
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/eDQ3h-yLuSg/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/8d57271c.money.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/money.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-162594"/></figure></div>



<p>In May, new legislation was tabled in the U.S. House and Senate that introduces the creation of a “small claims” process for copyright offenses.</p>



<p>The CASE Act, short for “Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement,” proposes to establish a copyright claim tribunal within the United States Copyright Office.</p>



<p>If adopted, the new board will provide an option to resolve copyright disputes outside the federal courts, which significantly reduces the associated costs. Supporters say that this will be ideal for smaller creators, such as photographers, to address copyright infringement. </p>



<p>Last week the Senate Judiciary Committee voted in favor of the CASE Act, which means that the bill is now heading to the Senate. </p>



<p>The positive vote was welcomed by many rightsholders. The American Society of Media Photographers (<a href="https://www.asmp.org/">ASMP</a>), for example, said that it&#8217;s a great first step to get this bill written into law.&nbsp; </p>



<p>&#8220;If enacted into law, for the first time photographers, graphic artists, illustrators, authors, songwriters and other individual creators and small businesses would have an affordable and accessible venue to protect their creative efforts from infringement,&#8221; ASMP noted.</p>



<p>ASMP and others see the CASE Act as a missing piece in the copyright enforcement puzzle. They believe that many creators are not taking action against copyright infringers at the moment, because filing federal lawsuits is too expensive.</p>



<p>Taking their complaint to the proposed tribunal at the US Copyright Office would be much cheaper. This issue is also highlighted by Keith Kupferschmid, CEO of the <a href="https://copyrightalliance.org/">Copyright Alliance</a>.</p>



<p>&#8220;Right now, few small creators have that ability because the law requires them to sue in federal court and federal court is much too costly and complex, especially when compared to the relatively small size of the claims at issue,&#8221; Kupferschmid tells TorrentFreak. </p>



<p>However, there is also significant pushback against the new bill. Several digital rights activists, for example, warn that the Copyright Office is not the most objective venue to resolve copyright disputes. Another common complaint is that a small claims court invites &#8220;copyright-trolling,&#8221; with rightsholders potentially filing a flurry of complaints.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.eff.org">EFF</a>&#8216;s manager of policy and activism Katharine Trendacosta notes that, although people can opt-out from participating in the tribunal, rightsholders will find those who don&#8217;t and prey on these people.</p>



<p>&#8220;It encourages copyright trolling by inviting filing as many copyright claims as one can against whoever is least likely to opt-out—ordinary Internet users who can be coerced into paying thousands of dollars to escape the process, whether they infringed copyright or not,&#8221; Trendacosta notes.</p>



<p>While potential damages are lower than in a federal court, they are still substantial. The Tribunal can award damages of $15,000 per infringement, or $30,000 per case, which could easily bankrupt families according to <a href="https://www.recreatecoalition.org/">Re:Create</a>&#8216;s Executive Director Joshua Lamel.</p>



<p>“It is not small claims when it could bankrupt over half of American families for sharing a photograph online if they were subject to the CASE Act. It is not constitutional when the tribunal could get the law wrong and a defendant will have no recourse to appeal to the courts,&#8221; Lamel stresses. </p>



<p>The new bill creates a familiar tension between rightsholder groups and digital activists, with both refuting each other&#8217;s arguments. </p>



<p>According to the Copyright Alliance&#8217;s Keith Kupferschmid, opponents use scare tactics and intentionally misstate and omit details about the bill to gin up resistance.<br></p>



<p>&#8220;The bill will neither create or exacerbate a copyright troll problem or result in massive default judgments.  The bill includes numerous safeguards to prevent such a thing.  In fact, it includes many more safeguards than presently exist today when someone sues in federal court,&#8221; Kupferschmid tells us. </p>



<p>One of the main safeguards is the fact that people can opt-out. However, the opponents, for their part, believe that this is meaningless. They counter that many people may simply have no clue what to do. They would prefer to see an opt-in system instead.</p>



<p>&#8220;The average person is not really going to understand what is going on, other than that they’ve received what looks like a legal summons,&#8221; EFF&#8217;s   <br>Trendacosta notes. </p>



<p>Some opponents believe that the new bill will give rightsholders an easier way to take down content and keep it down permanently.  If a copyright holder files a takedown request after it starts a small claims action, the platform will have to keep the content down until the action is resolved </p>



<p>The Copyright Alliance, of course, sees things differently. It doesn&#8217;t believe that it&#8217;s logical for rightsholders to pay a fee to simply take a single piece of content down. And if rightsholders file inaccurate claims, they can easily lose a case. </p>



<p>Instead, Kupferschmid counters that the CASE Act could actually help creators to fight abusive takedowns. If people have their content taken down, from YouTube, for example, they can use the small claims court to cheaply dispute this.</p>



<p>Opponents of the bill are not impressed by this argument, however. EFF Senior Staff Attorney&nbsp; Mitch Stoltz tells TorrentFreak that such claims are rare and often hard to prove.</p>



<p>&#8220;The proposal to have the new Board hear claims of false takedowns sounds good on paper, but it won&#8217;t help people in practice. Legal claims against people for sending false takedowns are very rare, but that&#8217;s not because of the expense of a lawsuit &#8211; it&#8217;s because the legal standard for a false takedown is very narrow and hard to prove,&#8221; Stoltz says. </p>



<p>We can go on and on with arguments from both sides, but it&#8217;s clear that the bill is creating quite a bit of tension between both camps. </p>



<p>What we do want to stress, however, is that the CASE Act will be useless to the copyright trolls who go after alleged BitTorrent pirates. Unlike an earlier version of the bill, there is no subpoena power. This means that rightsholders can&#8217;t start a case against a John Doe who&#8217;s only known by an IP-address. </p>



<p>In other words, the proposed small claims court, if adopted, can only be used against infringers who are known by name. That leaves out the millions of traditional file-sharers and downloaders.  </p>



<p>As the CASE Act moves forward, be can expect more lobbying from both sides. Which position lawmakers will be most susceptible to will eventually decide whether it&#8217;s turned into law, or not. </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=eDQ3h-yLuSg:BYsJpGJSgEA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=eDQ3h-yLuSg:BYsJpGJSgEA:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=eDQ3h-yLuSg:BYsJpGJSgEA:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/eDQ3h-yLuSg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=174990
title: Inside the UK’s ‘Pirate’ IPTV Blocking System
uri: Inside-the-UK-s-Pirate-IPTV-Blocking-System
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/OSIBVv0Ej6o/
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="273" height="181"/></figure></div>



<p>Millions of people in the UK cite football (soccer for those over the pond) as their favorite sport. Every week, huge numbers head off to grounds far and wide but for the travel averse, watching matches on TV is the only option.</p>



<p>Broadcasters like Sky and BT Sport would like consumers to choose their premium offerings but that can be prohibitively expensive. Even then, the Premier League&#8217;s top games played on a Saturday afternoon are banned from TV, thanks to the somewhat archaic &#8220;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_football_on_television#3pm_.22Blackout.22">3pm blackout</a>&#8220;.</p>



<p>As a result, pirate IPTV services, which all but eliminate high costs while completely ignoring the blackout, are thriving. In response, the Premier League obtained a pioneering injunction from the High Court in 2017 that compelled the largest ISPs to block &#8216;pirate&#8217; servers for a season. It has obtained permission to continue along the same lines twice since.</p>



<p>Based on information made available in the initial injunction, we previously provided a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/new-uk-kodi-piracy-blocking-injunction-is-a-pretty-scary-beast-170314/">rough guide</a> on how the system operates. However, the High Court also accepted that other details were secret and agreed to them not being detailed in public.</p>



<p>Since then, TF has received various pieces of information about how the blocking system works in practice but recently a new source came forward offering much more detail, from both the perspective of IPTV providers dealing with the technology and based on information that we&#8217;re told was leaked from inside an anti-piracy company.</p>



<p>TF was able to review copies of some of the information. We have been unable to confirm the manner in which the leaks allegedly took place but a secondary source, who has proven reliable in the past, acknowledged that a leak had taken place. It therefore seems likely that the company in question, which we have also chosen not to name, is already familiar with the circumstances.</p>



<p>We&#8217;re told that the original source of the leaks, with whom TF has had no contact and whose identity is unknown to us, went AWOL a number of months ago and stopped providing data. Exactly why is unclear but at this point, the details aren&#8217;t particularly important.</p>



<p><strong>Inside the Blocking System</strong></p>



<p>In a detailed analysis, our source explained that, unsurprisingly, the anti-piracy company first needs to become a customer of the providers it targets. That means signing up to services in the usual manner and handing over money to what are essentially illegal services.</p>



<p>Documents reviewed by TF also suggest the use of fake online social media accounts which solicit IPTV providers for trials. One particular account, created less than a week before the new season began in August 2017, had nothing but these kinds of requests in its timeline. At least one provider responded in public, apparently unaware of the nature of his potential customer.</p>



<p>Other information supplied suggests that in some instances PayPal accounts with fake details were used to sign up to IPTV providers. This, the source says, probably caused problems because the details on the accounts didn&#8217;t match real people&#8217;s identities, so they would eventually fail PayPal&#8217;s checks and become much less useful.</p>



<p>Once signed up, the anti-piracy company could act like any other subscriber but this didn&#8217;t go unnoticed. TF was shown a screenshot from an IPTV service&#8217;s customer panel, dated sometime in 2018, which revealed a suspect subscriber who had been a member for many months. The last login was actioned from a particular IP address which, according to current public WHOIS information, remains registered to the anti-piracy company in question.</p>



<p>An invoice for between 10 and 20 euros, dated 2019, which the source says was issued to one of the anti-piracy accounts, gave a name plus an address in London. The supplied postcode relates to an address in another country of the UK. When all put together it is clearly a fake account, although we weren&#8217;t able to positively link it to a specific anti-piracy operative.</p>



<p>Nevertheless, it seems clear from the supplied channel surfing logs (which we were told were retained and supplied by a cooperative third-party IPTV provider) that a normal human viewer almost certainly wasn&#8217;t behind the subscription.</p>



<p>The logs show that sports channels were systematically selected, presumably to be analyzed back at base, and then skipped to fresh channels over pretty precise set periods. According to our source, these durations were sometimes varied, in his opinion to avoid detection as a computerized system.</p>



<p>Of course, not all attempts at subscribing to channels for anti-piracy purposes are spotted early by the affected IPTV providers. Once in, we&#8217;re informed that the preferred method of scanning for infringement is via the humble .m3u playlist file, with channels to be monitored being captured for set periods and then rotated. </p>



<p>The scanning system reportedly allows for a VPN to be assigned to each .m3u line/account, in order to make detection more difficult. VPNs are also sometimes used to sign up and/or used for contact via customer support services offered by the providers.</p>



<p>According to the source, captured frames from &#8216;pirate&#8217; streams are compared with a direct source from the original content. If there&#8217;s an automatic match (sometimes manual intervention is required) then the source server&#8217;s IP address is logged and sent to the big six ISPs in the UK for blocking.</p>



<p>We&#8217;re told that an email is also sent to the hosting companies of the servers informing them of the block, accompanied by a link to the High Court order. Often these notices aren&#8217;t passed on to the operators of IPTV services.</p>



<p>According to one IPTV provider, the process for checking for infringing streams begins around 15 minutes before a match begins and continues for 15 minutes after. Further checks are conducted in the interim to catch any IP address or other network changes carried out by the providers.</p>



<p>However, while infringing streams are apparently blocked in just a &#8220;few seconds&#8221;, it can take a couple of hours for them to become unblocked by ISPs after the games have finished.</p>



<p>While reports online indicate that some services have been affected by this type of blocking, it has also had some unintended consequences that may have made IPTV providers more resilient and more adept at countering the blocking program. We&#8217;ll cover some of those next time.</p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=OSIBVv0Ej6o:vrqr1bqNdkA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=OSIBVv0Ej6o:vrqr1bqNdkA:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=OSIBVv0Ej6o:vrqr1bqNdkA:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/OSIBVv0Ej6o" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175369
title: ‘Hosting Providers Who Turn a Blind Eye to IPTV Pirates Should Be Prosecuted’
uri: Hosting-Providers-Who-Turn-a-Blind-Eye-to-IPTV-Pirates-Should-Be-Pr
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/mQCBuv9KQog/
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>Increasingly, people are canceling their expensive cable subscriptions, opting to use cheaper or niche-based Internet TV instead.</p>



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



<p>These pirate IPTV boxes are often sold bundled with a monthly or yearly subscription. This created an industry that&#8217;s worth billions of dollars worldwide and may grow even bigger.</p>



<p>It is safe to conclude that IPTV piracy makes up a large part of the pirate ecosystem. This hasn’t gone unnoticed to copyright holders of course. Over the past year, we have seen <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/police-dismantle-pirate-iptv-provider-seize-cash-crypto-gold-bars-190723/">enforcement </a>actions <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-iptv-service-simply-tv-responds-to-dish-lawsuit-190628/">against</a> hundreds of <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/anti-piracy-group-brein-stopped-75-pirate-iptv-sellers-this-year-181128/">sellers</a> and more are likely to follow. </p>



<p>Dutch anti-piracy group <a href="https://stichtingbrein.nl/">BREIN</a> is one of the outfits that have IPTV-pirates high on their agenda. This was highlighted in an interview with local radio station <a href="https://www.bnr.nl/nieuws/media/10385016/betaalzenders-worden-steeds-vaker-illegaal-gestreamd-in-nederland">BNR</a> in which director Tim Kuik referred to the criminal nature of this problem.</p>



<p>While IPTV sellers come in all shapes and sizes, the true masterminds behind the pirated signals often remain unseen. According <a href="https://www.bnr.nl/nieuws/media/10385016/betaalzenders-worden-steeds-vaker-illegaal-gestreamd-in-nederland">to BREIN</a>, many resellers are actually afraid to identify their sources.</p>



<p> &#8220;The signals are stolen by criminal organizations. These set up the infrastructure and provide vendors with the codes. Sellers are afraid to name their suppliers out of fear of retaliation. &#8216;That would put my life at risk,&#8217; we regularly hear.&#8221;</p>



<p>The Hollywood-backed anti-piracy group mostly takes action against public sellers. It tracks down these companies and successfully demands hefty settlements. However, in order to tackle the problem properly, more resources are needed.</p>



<p>&#8220;We target sellers and take their money. A settlement costs them tens of thousands of euros, but to tackle the infrastructure you need better resources and a criminal investigation,&#8221; BREIN notes. </p>



<p>Potential investigations should target the criminal masterminds behind the scenes but BREIN says that Dutch hosting providers should remain alert as well. Also, providers who willingly host illegal IPTV services should face charges themselves.</p>



<p>&#8220;Providers who shelter such illegal services and willingly turn a blind eye should be prosecuted,&#8221; the anti-piracy group argues.</p>



<p>Because of its good Internet infrastructure, the Netherlands is typically a popular location for IPTV vendors to host their services. These ISPs generally claim that they are not aware of the criminal nature of their clients. However, many rightsholders have their doubts about that.</p>



<p>According to BREIN, there is a small number of Dutch hosting providers that frequently does business with these IPTV services. These companies don&#8217;t get actively involved when complaints come in but forward them to their customers instead.</p>



<p>&#8220;Reports of rightsholders are only forwarded to the criminals who obviously do nothing with it. If the provider has to take action, it gives the illegal customer plenty of time to keep his service online,&#8221; BREIN adds. </p>



<p>Whether the hosting companies are required to do more under Dutch law remains the question. However, BREIN would clearly like these companies to take more responsibility. Or, alternatively, have a proper criminal investigation where the role of a hosting provider is seriously considered.</p>



<p>In the past, we have already reported on large <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/pirate-iptv-police-across-europe-carry-out-largest-ever-operation-190322/">Europol raids</a> where servers in the Netherlands were targeted. However, as far as we know, Dutch hosting providers were never accused or criminally charged as part of these operations.</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=mQCBuv9KQog:j9Pf51EJwV4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=mQCBuv9KQog:j9Pf51EJwV4:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=mQCBuv9KQog:j9Pf51EJwV4:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/mQCBuv9KQog" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175424
title: Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week on BitTorrent – 07/29/19
uri: Top-10-Most-Pirated-Movies-of-The-Week-on-BitTorrent-07-29-19
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/UAPq4ec1QAA/
content:
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-175429" src="media/3dd4f0d9.godz.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/godz.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="202">This week we have three newcomers in our chart.</p>
<p>Godzilla: King of the Monsters 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-07-22-19/">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/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>2</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</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>3</strong></td>
<td>(1)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2274648/">Hellboy</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2274648/">5.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsBO4b3tyZg">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>4</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3361792/">Tolkien</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3361792/">6.9</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ1vn85iQRE">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td>(3)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0437086/">Alita: Battle Angel</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0437086/">7.5</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7pYhpJaJW8">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td>(6)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5884052/">Pokémon Detective Pikachu</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5884052/">6.9</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bILE5BEyhdo">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td>(2)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448115/">Shazam!</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448115/">7.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oD7B7oiBtw&amp;t=2s">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td>(4)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2283336/">Men in Black: International</a> (Subbed HDRip)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2283336/">5.7</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV-WEb2oxLk">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>9</strong></td>
<td>(9)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2139881/">Long Shot</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2139881/">7.1</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5jiaHvx-kY">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>10</strong></td>
<td>(10)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4154664/">Captain Marvel</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4154664/">7.1</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LHxvxdRnYc">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=UAPq4ec1QAA:K5teQSVoXAI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=UAPq4ec1QAA:K5teQSVoXAI:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=UAPq4ec1QAA:K5teQSVoXAI:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/UAPq4ec1QAA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175410
title: Operators of Pirate Streaming Site Pelispedia Sentenced to Prison
uri: Operators-of-Pirate-Streaming-Site-Pelispedia-Sentenced-to-Prison
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/o-AvmuDMAjc/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/b2594a02.pelispedia.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/pelispedia.png" alt="" class="wp-image-172810"/></figure></div>



<p>With over a million visitors per day, Pelispedia.tv was one of the most popular streaming sites in Latin America. </p>



<p>While users saw the site as an ideal service to enjoy free entertainment, the movie industry approached it as a major threat.</p>



<p>Following a referral from Hollywood’s MPAA, it also appeared on the radar of the US Trade Representative, which branded Pelispedia a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/us-govt-identifies-top-pirate-sites-and-other-notorious-markets-190426/">notorious pirate</a> site in April.</p>



<p>By then, rightsholders and enforcement authorities already had their eyes focused on the site’s alleged operators, a couple from Uruguay.  The two, who are referred to by their initials J.A.G.R. and M.J.H.G., were tracked for weeks and eventually, the curtain fell.</p>



<p>Following collaborative efforts from Interpol, rightsholders, and Uruguayan authorities, the two were arrested in May. The alleged operators are charged with copyright-related crimes as well as money laundering. Soon after, Pelispedia went offline.</p>



<p>The case in question was referred to an Uruguayan court specialized in organized crime, which handed down its verdict a few days ago. The<br>couple was sentenced to three years and four months of jail time. </p>



<p>In addition, roughly US$500,000 worth of previously-seized assets will be transferred to the Government, as is customary under local money laundering law.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/d721c3a3.pelis.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/pelis.png" alt="" class="wp-image-172811"/><figcaption>Pelispedia</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>The investigation into the site was launched after complaints from the Motion Picture Association and several Hollywood studios. Anti-piracy coalition ACE and MPAA Chairman Charles Rivkin are very happy with the swiftly resolved case.</p>



<p> “We applaud the work of our partners at Interpol and law enforcement agencies in Uruguay for the successful legal action against a major Latin American piracy organization, and thank the court for acting swiftly to stop this criminal network,&#8221; Rivkin comments.</p>



<p>Virginia Cervieri, the lawyer who represents the Motion Picture Association and the other complainants, previously said that domain name WHOIS data was the starting point of their investigation. While the registrant details were later updated, an earlier version has already put them on the right track.</p>



<p>&#8220;In these cases, information is not widely available, but it was discovered that, according to the domain WHOIS, an Uruguayan national was the holder of the Pelispedia domain. We then began to investigate if the person was real and if the data provided coincided with reality, which it did,&#8221; Cervieri <a href="https://www.redaccion.com.ar/el-fin-de-pelispedia-como-cayo-el-sitio-pirata-de-peliculas-mas-grande-de-america-latina/">told</a> Redaccion.</p>



<p>The details led to a 35-year-old man, J.A.G.R., who launched Pelispedia after another popular streaming site, Cuevana, went down in 2014. Together with his wife M.J.H.G (34), he reportedly earned between $4,000 and $10,000 per month.  </p>



<p>While Pelispedia is not coming back, the site&#8217;s demise has left a gaping hole that other pirate sites are eager to fill. Following the shutdown earlier this year, sites such as pelisplus.co, pelisplus.to and repelisgo.com have seen a healthy boost in traffic.</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=o-AvmuDMAjc:YO7tcl9Spn4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=o-AvmuDMAjc:YO7tcl9Spn4:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=o-AvmuDMAjc:YO7tcl9Spn4:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/o-AvmuDMAjc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175434
title: Premier League & UEFA Obtain Court Orders to Block Piracy in 2019/20
uri: Premier-League-UEFA-Obtain-Court-Orders-to-Block-Piracy-in-2019-20
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/o2ywRhrZ3q8/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/605213e1.PL-Lion-e1562310432434.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/PL-Lion-e1562310432434.png" alt=""/></figure></div>



<p>While rightsholders and anti-piracy groups often deploy multiple strategies for dealing with online copyright infringement, blocking websites, streams, and servers is now one of the most common.</p>



<p>The Premier League broke new ground on this front in 2017, after it obtained a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/premier-league-obtains-intriguing-injunction-to-tackle-pirate-streams-170309/">pioneering injunction</a> which enabled it to track live &#8216;pirate&#8217; streams and have them blocked by leading ISPs BT, Virgin Media, EE, Sky Broadband and TalkTalk in real-time. </p>



<p>With backing from the High Court, the Premier League deployed its system during the 2017/18 and <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/premier-league-obtains-piracy-blocking-order-for-2018-19-season-180719/">2018/19 seasons</a>. We can now confirm that the Court recently granted permission for the efforts to continue during the 2019/20 campaign.</p>



<p>A High Court order signed off July 15, 2019, by Justice Arnold, but as yet unannounced by the Premier League or the Court, will be the basis for the blocking mechanism during the upcoming season. Thus far, one ISP has confirmed the existence of the order.</p>



<p>&#8220;A number of unidentified servers associated with infringing Premier League match footage will be blocked until the end of the 2019/20 Premier League season,&#8221; Sky notes.</p>



<p>Unlike other blocking orders targeting torrent sites or streaming platforms with a fixed domain, the servers streaming Premier League content are &#8220;unidentified&#8221; until its anti-piracy partners are able to locate them a few minutes before matches begin. The relevant IP addresses are then forwarded to the ISPs who block them under the authority of the Court.</p>



<p>TorrentFreak has been able to confirm that other ISPs are aware of the new Premier League order but are yet to make a public statement.</p>



<p>Late 2017, UEFA <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/uefa-obtains-high-court-injunction-to-block-live-soccer-streaming-171226/">followed in the footsteps</a> of the Premier League by obtaining a similar order covering the period February 13, 2018, to May 26, 2018, in an effort to protect European matches. A month later in July 2018, UEFA was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/court-uefa-can-expand-its-pirate-stream-blocking-efforts-180728/">given permission</a> by the High Court to expand and extend its campaign until July 12, 2019.</p>



<p>Earlier this month, UEFA obtained permission from the High Court to continue. As yet, no associated documents have been published by the Court but both Sky and Virgin have confirmed they will be blocking &#8216;pirate&#8217; servers again, with the Court&#8217;s authorization, until 2021.</p>



<p>&#8220;A number of unidentified servers associated with infringing UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, UEFA Nations League, UEFA European Qualifiers and UEFA Friendlies match footage will be blocked until the end of the 2020/21 Champions League or Europa League competitions,&#8221; Sky notes.</p>



<p>Virgin states that it will block &#8220;Various Target Servers notified to Virgin Media by UEFA or its appointed agent for the duration of the UEFA 2019/2020 &amp; 2020/2021 competition seasons.&#8221;</p>



<p>The technical details of the blocking systems deployed by both the Premier League and UEFA (TF understands they&#8217;re managed by different anti-piracy companies) are largely secret although some insiders have recently been prepared to <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/inside-the-uks-secret-pirate-iptv-blocking-system-190728/">talk more about what happens behind the scenes</a>.</p>



<p>As the new season progresses, we expect to report more on how this digital game of cat-and-mouse is playing out. </p>



<p> </p>



<p> </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=o2ywRhrZ3q8:Vy4Cgv5ACao:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=o2ywRhrZ3q8:Vy4Cgv5ACao:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=o2ywRhrZ3q8:Vy4Cgv5ACao:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/o2ywRhrZ3q8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175438
title: File-hoster ‘Instaudio’ Announces Shutdown Citing Legal Pressure
uri: File-hoster-Instaudio-Announces-Shutdown-Citing-Legal-Pressure
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/MDa4Ibp5Ogs/
content:
<p> </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/306d2c24.instaudiologo.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/instaudiologo.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175460"/></figure></div>



<p>In the spring of 2013, more than six years ago, a new niche hosting service called Instaudio saw the light.</p>



<p>The site, operated by an anonymous musician, offered anyone a quick and easy way to upload music files. Before the launch, it was used as a private service, but the operator eventually made it available to the public at large.</p>



<p>Despite attracting a healthy user-base, the site always remained a side-project. The operator, who works at a music-related company, didn&#8217;t promote it either. People simply found their way to the site through word-of-mouth promotion. </p>



<p>This went well, but as time went by, more and more problems arose. As with any hosting service, some people started to use the site to share pirated files. On popular forums and leak-sharing sites, links to <a href="https://instaud.io/">Instaudio</a> were no exception either. </p>



<p>This meant that the operator had to worry about removing content from his platform. While the site accepts and honors takedown requests, it was never meant to be a platform for leaks, something that was communicated loud and clear on Twitter and elsewhere. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/92c802d3.leakinstaudio.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/leakinstaudio.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175462"/></figure></div>



<p>Despite this call, the abuse didn&#8217;t stop. This led to the frustrating situation that a site, which aimed to help musicians share files, was increasingly seen as a threat by music industry outfits. As a result, the operator has now decided to put an end to it himself. </p>



<p>A few days ago, Instaudio stopped accepting new uploads and signups. Previously uploaded files will remain available for now, but they will be made unavailable to the public at the end of August.  Four weeks later, all files and user accounts will be purged. </p>



<p>In a public announcement, the Instaudio operator cites the &#8220;abuse&#8221; as one of the reasons for his decision. </p>



<p>&#8220;The abuse situation has gotten to the point where I&#8217;m being threatened with &#8216;legal consequences&#8217; and other such things because, in those organizations&#8217; judgment, I am ineffective at preventing infringing content from being distributed through Instaudio.&#8221; </p>



<p>To stop widespread uploading of pirated material Instaudio could implement an upload filter, but the operator is not a fan of these types of measures, as they can lead to false positives.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/5e946496.instaudio.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/instaudio.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175459"/><figcaption>The old Instaudio</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>In addition to sharing pirated content, people were also abusing the site by hotlinking to files and bulk-downloading content. This significantly increased costs. </p>



<p>&#8220;Other forms of abuse also occurred, such as automated bulk-downloading, or hot-linking to Instaudio-hosted files on webpages with high traffic. Both of these result in high bandwidth, and therefore high cost for me,&#8221; the operator notes. </p>



<p>The growing costs are cited as another reason for the shutdown. As Instaudio was a personal project, all costs were paid out of the pockets of the operator. While he did have a sponsor, it has now reached the point where the costs are no longer justified.</p>



<p>All in all, the negatives outweigh the positives, and shutting Instaudio down is the logical conclusion.</p>



<p>&#8220;As time went on I had to put more and more effort into the ugly side of keeping Instaudio running, which left no energy to work on cool new features. Coupled with the cost and the stress, it became an overall negative for me,&#8221; Instaudion&#8217;s operator writes.</p>



<p>&#8220;I have other, more fulfilling hobbies that I&#8217;d much rather spend the time and money on,&#8221; he adds. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=MDa4Ibp5Ogs:E1To-T21Cg4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=MDa4Ibp5Ogs:E1To-T21Cg4:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=MDa4Ibp5Ogs:E1To-T21Cg4:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/MDa4Ibp5Ogs" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175450
title: RIAA Targets Picosong Over Leaked Kanye West Track
uri: RIAA-Targets-Picosong-Over-Leaked-Kanye-West-Track
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/eTyNeCZcWko/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/412867c7.riaa.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/riaa.png" alt="" class="wp-image-108672"/></figure></div>



<p>In theory at least, running a content upload site should be <em>relatively</em> straightforward. Put the necessary infrastructure in place, wait for users to upload files, then make those files available for download or streaming.</p>



<p>This works extremely well for sites like YouTube, for example, because they have teams of lawyers in place that ensure that the company operates to the letter of the law while standing by to swat away any irritating lawsuits over allegedly-infringing content.</p>



<p>Smaller sites tend not to have these luxuries, so there&#8217;s always the chance that groups like the RIAA will come knocking, threatening legal action for copyright infringement failings. This appears to be part of the puzzle facing popular upload site <a href="https://picosong.com/">Picosong</a>.</p>



<p>Picosong has been around for more than ten years. Its Twitter account dates back to May 2009, a lifetime for many similar sites operating in the same niche. For much of that time, the platform has provided a simple solution for users to host music files. Soon, however, that will come to an end.</p>



<p>A notice currently displayed on the site&#8217;s homepage says that Picosong has reached the end of the road. There are better alternatives for hosting musicians&#8217; content, the announcement reads, so as a result, Picosong will close in October.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/a55cad19.image-99.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-99.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175453" width="650"/></figure></div>



<p>While the stated aim was to assist musicians to host (presumably) their own content, it&#8217;s clear that many uploaders to the site have been sharing content that doesn&#8217;t belong to them. A cursory skim around the web reveals plenty of links to content that is almost certainly copyrighted, a situation that affects Picosong and YouTube alike.</p>



<p>Whether Picosong&#8217;s impending shutdown was prompted by anything other than a lack of desire to compete with Soundcloud and Bandcamp is unclear. However, a filing at a federal court in Columbia reveals that the site is firmly on the radar of the RIAA after a leaked Kanye West track was uploaded to the site.</p>



<p>In common with similar efforts in 2019, the RIAA applied for and obtained a DMCA subpoena compelling domain registrar Namecheap to hand over the personal details of the site&#8217;s operator. Dated July 23, the application lists three infringing tracks;</p>



<ul><li>Ed Sheeran &amp; Travis Scott &#8211; Antisocial</li><li>Tyler, the Creator &#8211; 435</li><li>Kanye West feat. XXXTentacion, Ty Dolla Sign &#8211; The Storm</li></ul>



<p>While the first two songs are already widely available, the latter appears to be an unreleased Kanye West track that hit the web earlier this month as part of a batch of similarly-leaked titles.</p>



<p>Pre-release content appearing online is a particularly sensitive matter for the labels. According to a contributor on <a href="https://genius.com/Kanye-west-the-storm-lyrics">Genius.com</a>, the leak may even put the track&#8217;s album release at risk.</p>



<p>&#8220;&#8216;The Storm&#8217; is a leaked collaboration between Kanye West, Ty Dolla $ign and the late XXXTENTACION. On the track, Ty and Kanye encourage a female listener to take control of their life. X’s rowdy verse, which was picked from his unreleased &#8216;Yes Indeed Remix,&#8217; features him boasting about fighting, his sex life, and his expensive taste,&#8221; the review reads.</p>



<p>&#8220;&#8216;The Storm&#8217; is believed to be a cut from West’s upcoming album, Yandhi. However, since the track leaked online on July 12, 2019, its standing on the album is unsure.&#8221;</p>



<p>The Storm was previously uploaded to many hosting sites, including YouTube (where it remains at the time of writing) and Soundcloud, which appears to have responded to a takedown notice. </p>



<p>TorrentFreak requested comment from the operator of Picosong but at the time of publication, we were yet to receive a response.</p>



<p><em>The RIAA&#8217;s demand for a DMCA subpoena can be found </em><a href="media/c579167a.1-19-mc-00127-UNA-RIAA-PICOSONG.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/1-19-mc-00127-UNA-RIAA-PICOSONG.pdf"><em>here</em></a><em> (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=eTyNeCZcWko:UnZjzN4nAKk:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=eTyNeCZcWko:UnZjzN4nAKk:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=eTyNeCZcWko:UnZjzN4nAKk:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/eTyNeCZcWko" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175525
title: Legal Movie Sites Could Get Special ‘Tag’ in Search Results to Deter Piracy
uri: Legal-Movie-Sites-Could-Get-Special-Tag-in-Search-Results-to-Det
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/l7Z_ezNSsgE/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/03d6e23d.filmmakermoviedirector-e1513852940830.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/filmmakermoviedirector-e1513852940830.png" alt="" class="wp-image-148951" width="264" height="177"/></figure></div>



<p>While many pirate site users already know the direct URLs of their favorite free movie resources, entertainment industry groups feel that search engines still play a key role in unlicensed content discovery.</p>



<p>As a result, anti-piracy companies are continuously tasked with having allegedly-infringing results removed from search results offered by companies such as Google, in an effort to minimize traffic to pirate sites.</p>



<p>In Russia, which is rapidly emerging as world-leader in anti-piracy strategies, the government now wants to take things a step further by modifying search results to include a &#8216;tag&#8217; or marker that clearly identifies legal video platforms.</p>



<p>According to local news outlet <a href="https://www.vedomosti.ru/technology/articles/2019/07/30/807670-onlain-kinoteatri">Vedomosti</a>, the proposal forms part of an amendment to copyright law penned by Russia&#8217;s Ministry of Culture.</p>



<p>&#8220;We expect that in this way users will make a more informed choice not in favor of pirates, but in favor of legal platforms,” says Olga Lyubimova, director of the cinematography department of the Ministry of Culture.</p>



<p>While having a gold star or similar marker next to a site&#8217;s listing may help users to better identify legal offerings, the government isn&#8217;t planning to hand out endorsements on a whim. Movie and TV companies want to get a better idea of what content is being viewed and in what volumes. As a result, sites to be considered for preferential marking will have to give something back.</p>



<p>Russian cinemas are already required to report data on all tickets sold but there is no equivalent for online viewing resources, leaving production companies to complain that they need more information. The current proposals would require legal online providers to provide such data to content companies and the government.</p>



<p>If they do not, it&#8217;s <a href="https://www.vedomosti.ru/technology/articles/2019/03/15/796516-poschitaet-onlain-zritelei">suggested</a> they could be declared illegal with various repercussions, not least the inability to be highlighted in search results as a legitimate provider.</p>



<p>The proposal to highlight legal platforms in search results is in addition to a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/landmark-anti-piracy-database-agreement-signed-in-moscow-181101/">ground-breaking agreement</a> reached in Moscow last year. Signed by major rightsholders, Internet companies, and search providers, the pact sees Internet platforms query a centralized database of infringing content to ensure that none of it is presented on their platforms.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/russia-holds-talks-to-enshrine-landmark-anti-piracy-agreement-into-law-190308/">expected</a> to be written into law but in common with the search tagging proposal, the precise details are still being hammered 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=l7Z_ezNSsgE:lIsYhJsm5ls:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=l7Z_ezNSsgE:lIsYhJsm5ls:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=l7Z_ezNSsgE:lIsYhJsm5ls:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/l7Z_ezNSsgE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175447
title: “Hellboy” Sues Torrent Site YTS and Several Users
uri: Hellboy-Sues-Torrent-Site-YTS-and-Several-Users
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/wWdXgd-pbVg/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/3484f3a4.ytslt.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/ytslt.png" alt="" class="wp-image-174026" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/ytslt.png 223w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/ytslt-220x81.png 220w" sizes="(max-width: 223px) 100vw, 223px"></figure></div>



<p>YTS is the most-visited torrent site on the Internet. It specializes in uploading movies, which are widely shared online.</p>



<p>The site ‘unofficially’ took over the YTS brand after the original group quit four years ago. Since then, it has amassed a rather impressive user base of millions of daily visitors.</p>



<p>The site is a major source of frustration for the movie industry but, thus far, copyright holders haven&#8217;t been able to do much about it. Recently, however, pressure has been mounting. </p>



<p>A few weeks ago trouble started when a group of movie companies sued <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/movie-companies-sue-yts-and-yify-site-operators-in-us-court-190527/">the site’s operator</a>, who they accused of inducing massive copyright infringement. Following this lawsuit, the site moved to<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/torrent-site-yts-quietly-relocates-to-lt-domain-name/"> a new domain name</a>, YTS.lt, but that didn&#8217;t end the problems.</p>



<p>In a new lawsuit filed at a Hawaiian Federal Court, the site is now being targeted by HB Productions. The company, which is an affiliate of Millennium Media, owns the copyright to the popular movie &#8220;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2274648/">Hellboy</a>&#8220;. Among other things, it accuses the site and several of its users of copyright infringement.</p>



<p>&#8220;Plaintiff brings this action to stop the massive piracy of its motion picture <em>Hellboy</em> brought on by websites under the collective names YTS and their users,&#8221; the complaint reads.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant JOHN DOE promotes its website for overwhelmingly, if not exclusively, infringing purposes, and that is how the users use the websites,&#8221; it adds.</p>



<p>According to the movie company, YTS.lt has sufficient ties to the US and Hawaii to warrant jurisdiction. Among other things, it uses or used services of US-based companies, including Cloudflare, Level 3 Communications, Inc., and QuadraNet, the complaint clarifies.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/4d2e7bdc.hellboycomplaint.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/hellboycomplaint.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175485"/></figure></div>



<p>To conceal its identity, the site operator allegedly used the American VPN provider London Trust Media, which owns Private Internet Access.  For the same purpose, it also used the tunneling service from Hurricane Electric and the TOR service. </p>



<p>Despite the attempts to conceal, the Hellboy rightsholders managed to find some breadcrumbs. For example, the WHOIS details list “TechModo Limited&#8221; as the registrant of the YTS.lt domain. Whether this will lead anywhere is unknown, as that UK-company was dissolved late April.</p>



<p>Another lead comes from Hurricane Electric. After Cloudflare revealed that the YTS operator used Hurricane&#8217;s tunneling service to login, the movie company sent a subpoena to Hurricane, which revealed that the person in question used a Hotmail account and an IP-address from the Canadian ISP Cogeco.</p>



<p>&#8220;Hurricane has indicated that an individual who identified himself by a verified Hotmail email address from a location in Ontario, Canada subscribed for the so-called tunneling service with Hurricane to tunnel its true IPv4 address to the IPv6 address of Hurricane,&#8221; HB Productions notes.</p>



<p>The movie company plans to use this information to find the YTS operator. At this point, it&#8217;s unclear if it actually belongs to the person who runs the site, but the rightsholder believes that it points to at least one of the operators. </p>



<p>The complaint further alleges that the defendant created the “Hellboy (2019) [WEBRip] [1080p] [YTS.LT]” torrent, which was made available through YTS.lt and other torrent sites. The other defendants, who are all Hawaiian subscribers of ISP Spectrum, then downloaded and shared this file.  </p>



<p>While the mastermind behind the site might not be easy to track down, the 19 &#8220;John Doe&#8221; users being sued might be easier to find. They are all known by Spectrum IP-addresses. While the account holders are not necessarily the people who shared &#8220;Hellboy,&#8221; it&#8217;s certainly a more concrete lead.</p>



<p>That said, these individual downloaders are small fish compared to the YTS operator. </p>



<p>The movie company hopes that, through this lawsuit, it will be able to recoup some of its alleged losses. It accuses the YTS operator and its users of contributory and direct copyright infringement, while tagging on a claim of intentional inducement against the former.</p>



<p>HB Productions also requests an injunction to stop the defendants&#8217; infringing activities and to prevent third-party intermediaries such as hosting companies, domain registrars, and search engines, form facilitating access to the YTS domains. </p>



<p>Whether the court will grant these requests remains to be seen. In the other lawsuit against YTS we mentioned earlier, the Hawaiian Federal Court <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/torrent-site-yts-discussed-settlement-with-movie-companies-190717/">wasn&#8217;t convinced</a> that it has personal jurisdiction over the alleged operator of the site.</p>



<p>&#8212;</p>



<p><em>A copy of the complaint filed by HB Productions is <a href="media/07c1f2f8.hellboyyts.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/hellboyyts.pdf">available here (pdf).</a></em></p>



<p><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=wWdXgd-pbVg:TkK7Rno5Fkc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=wWdXgd-pbVg:TkK7Rno5Fkc:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=wWdXgd-pbVg:TkK7Rno5Fkc:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/wWdXgd-pbVg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175585
title: Home Owners to Be Held Liable For Pirate Boxes, Malaysia Says
uri: Home-Owners-to-Be-Held-Liable-For-Pirate-Boxes-Malaysia-Says
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/c7GEA1fwTb8/
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>Many governments around the world regularly complain that their countries are negatively affected by piracy. The only thing that differs is how seriously the problem is treated on the ground and how far they&#8217;re prepared to go in order to deal with unlicensed consumption.</p>



<p>There are many strategies available but the government in Malaysia is currently considering something unheard of anywhere on the planet. While it hasn&#8217;t shied away from ordering ISPs to block pirate sites, it now wants to hit consumers of content too, specifically those using Android-style set-top boxes.</p>



<p>Malaysia already has legislation in place which typically requires such devices to comply with national standards, with the Standard and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (<a href="http://www.sirim.my/">SIRIM</a>) responsible for product&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sirim-qas.com.my/about-us/our-quality-policy">quality assurance</a>&nbsp;and subsequent certification.</p>



<p>Without certification from SIRIM, devices are considered illegal and those found in breach of the rules could be fined or handed up to six months in prison. This is a big deal because many imported devices, which are often used for piracy purposes, do not have the necessary certification. But Malaysia is now planning to step things up another notch.</p>



<p>The mission of the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (<a href="https://www.finas.gov.my/">FINAS</a>) is sometimes compared to that of the MPAA in the US. Unlike the MPAA, however, FINAS is a government department within the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia. Its chairman, Datuk Hans Isaac, says that it&#8217;s time to hold the public accountable for piracy.</p>



<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m putting a paper together to propose that the owner of the house is responsible for the use of illegal Android TV boxes,” he <a href="https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2019/07/31/finas-proposing-measure-to-make-homeowners-accountable-for-illegal-android-tv-boxes-in-their-houses">said</a> at the Fast Track 2019 Creative Digital Economy Forum in <a href="http://www.cyberjayamalaysia.com.my/">Cyberjaya</a>.</p>



<p>In the United States, Europe and elsewhere it&#8217;s not uncommon for copyright trolls to blame Internet subscribers (often the homeowner) for Internet piracy. However, it seems that FINAS wants to take things a whole lot further by placing the responsibility for piracy on those who may be innocent and/or completely absent.</p>



<p>&#8220;It doesn&#8217;t matter if the person is renting the house to another person who bought the device,&#8221; the FINAS chairman clarified. </p>



<p>According to <a href="https://www.thestar.com.my">The Star</a>, FINAS is planning to set up a &#8220;war room&#8221; at its offices to deal with online piracy. It&#8217;s unclear how the department will obtain the ability to determine whether citizens are using pirate boxes in their homes (or indeed someone else&#8217;s home) but the department is certainly talking tough.</p>



<p>&#8220;[The war room is] where we will discuss what to do when we receive reports about digital piracy so we can take action immediately,” Hans said. &#8220;A day of the content being illegally streamed online is a loss of income for the investors or stakeholders.&#8221;</p>



<p>Media and entertainment company KRU Studios is a supporter of government proposals to target consumers who support online piracy.</p>



<p>&#8220;What the industry expects of the government now is to address the real problem, not just the pirates online. It is high time that the users are also punished. What is illegal offline, should be illegal online too,&#8221; says executive president Datuk Norman Abdul Halim.</p>



<p>Norman believes that when tackling the problem, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) should consider restricting Internet access to those who utilize pirate services.</p>



<p>Again, it remains unclear how the government could determine who these people are. The main problem cited isn&#8217;t easily-trackable BitTorrent users but those who frequent streaming sites, portals, and other services. </p>



<p>The MCMC, which earlier this year claimed to have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/malaysia-blocks-246-sites-to-tackle-pirate-box-epidemic-190205/">blocked 246 sites</a> supplying pirate boxes, also supports a change in the law, noting that it has already expended a lot of its resources dealing with piracy.</p>



<p>However, according to recent <a href="https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2019/07/15/almost-rm13m-spent-by-mcmc-on-unrelated-projects-audit-report-finds/1771642">reports</a>, the MCMC has also been spending its money where it shouldn&#8217;t, including &#8220;donating&#8221; around US$24,000 to buy 50,000 copies of former prime minister Najib Razak’s books. </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=c7GEA1fwTb8:G6x5-SKYNXo:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=c7GEA1fwTb8:G6x5-SKYNXo:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=c7GEA1fwTb8:G6x5-SKYNXo:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/c7GEA1fwTb8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175583
title: IPTV Service SET TV Must Pay $7.6 Million in Piracy Damages
uri: IPTV-Service-SET-TV-Must-Pay-7-6-Million-in-Piracy-Damages
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/QALejREXUPM/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/c64708d1.settv.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/settv.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-154559"/></figure></div>



<p>Last year the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), an anti-piracy partnership forged between Hollywood studios, Netflix, Amazon, and others, <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.</p>



<p>While it was marketed as a legal service, according to ACE members <a href="https://www.setvnow.com/">SET TV’s</a> software was little more than a pirate tool, allowing buyers to stream copyright-infringing content.</p>



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



<p>Initially, SET TV hired an attorney who&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/set-tv-tells-netflix-amazon-hollywood-that-its-no-longer-available-180620/">informed the court</a> that it had stopped offering its service and subscriptions. At the same time, it denied the copyright infringement allegations. After this initial response, however, things went quiet.</p>



<p>SET TV stopped responding, even to requests for payments from its own lawyer, who eventually <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/set-tv-loses-lawyer-and-goes-dark-in-piracy-case-190610/">withdrew from the case</a>. This lack of progress eventually prompted the copyright holders to request a default judgment. </p>



<p>According to Netflix, Amazon and the Hollywood studios, SET TV is guilty of willful copyright infringement. The service caused their entire business model &#8220;immense damage&#8221; and to compensate these losses, they requested the maximum statutory damages for a total of 51 works. </p>



<p>After a careful review of the paperwork, US District Judge Michael Fitzgerald sided with the copyright holders. </p>



<p>In a default judgment released this week, the court orders 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>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/b34cf14c.setorder.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/setorder.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175593"/><figcaption>from the judgment</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>The Judge notes that awarding the maximum amount of damages is appropriate in this case, as the 51 works are just a small fraction of the actual number works that were infringed. </p>



<p>&#8220;Thus, the actual damages in this case would likely be astronomically higher than the measure provided by the maximum statutory damages for the furnished representative works,&#8221; Judge Fitzgerald writes.</p>



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



<p>Karen Thorland, Senior Vice President &amp; Deputy General Counsel at the MPAA, which is also part of ACE, is happy with the outcome.</p>



<p>“SetTVNow and other piracy outfits threaten millions of creators, damage economic growth, and hurt consumers,&#8221; Thorland says. </p>



<p>&#8220;The victory over SetTVNow is a great step forward to reducing the piracy of movies and television shows, including the theft of live TV. It also continues ACE’s legal and operational victories, which continue to protect the legitimate market for creative content,” she adds.</p>



<p>Whether SET TV, which is incorporated as Set Broadcast LLC, can pay the full damages is unknown. The company previously reached a settlement with Dish last November, agreeing to pay more than <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/settv-iptv-service-ordered-to-pay-dish-90000000-in-piracy-damages-181113/">$90 million</a> in damages. Considering this, it’s doubtful that there is much money left.</p>



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



<p><em>A copy of the default judgment against Set Broadcast LLC is available <a href="media/a6bda98c.settvdefaulkt.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/settvdefaulkt.pdf">here (pdf)</a>.</em></p>



<p><br><br></p>



<p><br><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=QALejREXUPM:Tor1g8u6ons:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=QALejREXUPM:Tor1g8u6ons:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=QALejREXUPM:Tor1g8u6ons:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/QALejREXUPM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175522
title: DISH Sues ‘Pirate’ IPTV Providers Including Two Already ‘Seized’ By ACE
uri: 2019-08-02-
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/7snAraptVME/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/62b29e54.dishc.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/dishc.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-160937" width="260" height="160"/></figure></div>



<p>Threats of legal action backed up by litigation was once regular news in the torrent site arena but as streaming has begun to take over, particularly among more casual pirates, it&#8217;s IPTV grabbing most of the headlines.</p>



<p>DISH Networks is rapidly becoming one of the most litigious companies around and this week, in collaboration with partner NagraStar &#8211; a joint venture between Dish Network and Kudelski &#8211; it added yet another anti-IPTV lawsuit to its growing roster.</p>



<p>Filed in a New Jersey federal court, the suit targets individuals and companies said to be behind what appears to be at least six IPTV providers and/or brands.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant [Wilmey] Jimenez created and operates and/or operated unauthorized pirate television streaming services under various brand names including BimoTV, TVStreamsNow, OneStepTV, <a href="https://www.ibextv.com/">IbexTV</a>, and MagnumStreams,&#8221; the complaint reads.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant [Fernandez Manuel] DaRocha created and operates and/or operated unauthorized pirate television streaming services under the brand name SolTV, and Defendant DaRocha also uses SoITV to provide unauthorized and pirated programming content to Defendant Jimenez, which Defendant Jimenez then retransmits.&#8221;</p>



<p>The heart of the complaint centers around the unlicensed distribution of DISH&#8217;s programming. The company says that it believes that the defendants worked in concert with others with similar aims and this is where things begin to get a little tangled.</p>



<p>DISH claims that Jimenez and DaRocha &#8220;have a history in trafficking in similar piracy streaming services&#8221;, claiming that they sold access to the now-defunct SetTV, the IPTV provider that was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/settv-iptv-service-ordered-to-pay-dish-90000000-in-piracy-damages-181113/">ordered</a> to settle with DISH for an eye-watering $90 million.</p>



<p>Previously, SetTV was also <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/netflix-amazon-and-hollywood-sue-set-tv-over-iptv-piracy-180422/">sued</a> by the Alliance For Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), a case that ended in a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/iptv-service-set-tv-must-pay-7-6-million-in-piracy-damages-190801/">$7.6m default judgment</a> just this week. There are some interesting ACE cross-overs in this case too.</p>



<p>While the domain of BimoTV appears to have disappeared out of use, the same cannot be said about those previously linked to TVStreamsNow and OneStepTV. As reported here in <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/mpaa-ace-shut-down-pirate-iptv-service-seize-domain-190517/">May</a> and <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/mpaa-now-controls-at-least-3-pirate-iptv-domains-190707/">July</a>, those domains are already in the hands of the MPAA. They display a copyright infringement warning before diverting to ACE&#8217;s website, which is also operated by the MPAA.</p>



<p>While unconfirmed by any official sources, this type of domain &#8216;seizure&#8217; behavior usually points to some kind of settlement, in this case potentially with ACE and/or the MPAA. DISH is not a member of ACE, however, which suggests that settling with one group doesn&#8217;t grant immunity from another.</p>



<p>Unlike other cases involving IPTV providers, the DISH lawsuit isn&#8217;t based in copyright law. The company alleges violations of the Federal Communications Act (FCA) while demanding a permanent injunction to prevent the defendants from receiving and redistributing DISH content, and selling/distributing subscriptions and any associated reception devices.</p>



<p>DISH also requests an order to have the defendants&#8217; social media pages removed, along with any advertising for the &#8216;pirate&#8217; IPTV services. DISH further demands that their websites are handed over to the broadcaster. Of course, the company wants damages on top, which could reach $100,000 for each violation of the FCA. Very big numbers indeed.</p>



<p><em>The complaint can be obtained <a href="media/385c22cb.976-KM-JBC-DISH-NETWORK-v-BIMOTV-et-al-complaint-July29-2019.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/2-19-cv-15976-KM-JBC-DISH-NETWORK-v-BIMOTV-et-al-complaint-July29-2019.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=7snAraptVME:lCjSFJnm_Fo:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=7snAraptVME:lCjSFJnm_Fo:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=7snAraptVME:lCjSFJnm_Fo:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/7snAraptVME" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175599
title: Retired Police Officer Wants $48,773 from Copyright Troll
uri: Retired-Police-Officer-Wants-48-773-from-Copyright-Troll
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/Vv4N5xDV2sY/
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>Every year so-called copyright trolls sue thousands of BitTorrent users in the US. While most cases don&#8217;t make the news, every now and then one stands out. </p>



<p>This is true for the lawsuit adult content producer &#8216;Strike 3 Holdings&#8217; filed against a John Doe, known by the IP-address 73.225.38.130, two years ago. </p>



<p>Strike 3 is the most active copyright litigant in the US at the moment. While the company has managed to obtain many settlements against accused pirates, this case was different. The defendant, a retired police officer in his 70s, decided to fight back.</p>



<p>The defendant submitted a counterclaim accusing Strike 3 of abuse of process and “<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/retired-police-officer-fires-back-at-copyright-troll-190110/">extortion through sham litigation</a>.” The man accused the rightsholder of going on a “fishing expedition,” while knowing that it couldn’t link the subscriber of the IP-address to any specific infringement. </p>



<p>While this counterclaim was denied by the Court,  Strike 3 previously said that it was willing to declare that the defendant didn’t infringe its works. As such, the Court encouraged both parties to file a proposed judgment, which would also cover what costs and fees the copyright holder must pay, if any. </p>



<p>Over the past weeks, the parties tried to reach an agreement, but they failed to do so. As a result, this week the accused pirate submitted a motion for summary judgment to set in stone that he&#8217;s not a copyright infringer and to have his costs compensated.</p>



<p>The defendant&#8217;s attorney,  J. Curtis Edmondson, notes that this case made his client potentially liable for an astronomical figure of  $13,050,000.00, the maximum statutory damages for the 87 works his client supposedly shared.</p>



<p>However, the attorney points out that there is no evidence that this is the case. On the contrary, the defense argued that the tracking software used by Strike 3 is clearly flawed, as an expert report shows.</p>



<p>&#8220;This is the first case that has investigated the technical underpinnings of Strike 3’s dubious claims of infringement that have been replicated nationwide,&#8221;  Edmondson writes.</p>



<p>&#8220;Strike 3 may have an interest in protecting its copyrights, but that interest should be counterweighed against the high false positive rate and the fact the software used to detect the infringements is not &#8216;forensic software&#8217;,&#8221; the attorney adds.  </p>



<p>Apparently, one of Strike 3&#8217;s own experts, Patrick Paige, stated in a deposition that Strike 3 has no actual knowledge that the evidence tracking software (IPP) &#8216;works&#8217;. On top of that, an expert who analyzed the hard drive of the defendant found no evidence that any of the pirated files were stored on his computer. </p>



<p>Based on this, and various other arguments, the defendant asks the Court to grant summary judgment, confirming that he didn&#8217;t infringe any copyrights. In addition, the retired police officer asks the Court to award attorney fees and costs, totaling $48,773.13.<br></p>



<p>In summary, the defendant&#8217;s attorney equates the current case to the controversial dealings of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Holmes">Elizabeth Holmes</a> and her now-defunct company Theranos.  The young entrepreneur, a Stanford dropout,  was lauded as the next Steve Jobs for inventing a revolutionary blood testing machine. </p>



<p>However, after several years of convincing many Silicon Valley investors, as well as the public at large, it turned out that there was no evidence that her machines actually worked.<br></p>



<p>&#8220;This is the first case where a &#8216;John Doe&#8217; has had to expose the Potemkin village known as the &#8216;IPP Software.&#8217;. Like Theranos, there has been no independent validation studies and no evidence that the IPP Software is &#8216;forensic software&#8217;,&#8221; Edmondson writes.</p>



<p>The case is now back in the hands of the Court which will determine whether the defendant is indeed entitled to summary judgment and the requested compensation.</p>



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



<p><em>A copy of the motion for summary judgment of noninfringement of copyrights and award attorney fees and costs is available <a href="media/37c39e1b.policesummary-1.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/policesummary-1.pdf">here (pdf)</a>.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Vv4N5xDV2sY:9DouvJJSDlM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=Vv4N5xDV2sY:9DouvJJSDlM:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=Vv4N5xDV2sY:9DouvJJSDlM:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/Vv4N5xDV2sY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175366
title: Mindgeek Asks Cloudflare to Unmask Tube Site Uploaders
uri: Mindgeek-Asks-Cloudflare-to-Unmask-Tube-Site-Uploaders
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/QV2LA_SgYoE/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/3d6122ae.courtorderjustice.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/courtorderjustice.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-147326"/></figure></div>



<p>Mindgeek owns some of the most popular porn brands on the Internet. &#8216;Tube&#8217; sites Pornhub, RedTube, and YouPorn are all company-owned, as are adult production companies Brazzers and Digital Playground, to name just two.</p>



<p>One of its <a href="https://opencorporates.com/corporate_groupings/MindGeek">subsidiaries</a>, MG Premium Ltd, operates the latter two brands and many more like them. As content producers, they also get involved in sending takedown requests to Google. In fact, MG Premium is one of the most prolific senders of DMCA notices on the Internet today, after sending notices targeting more than 215 million URLs on Google search alone.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="media/86bdc805.image-101.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/image-101.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175621" width="650"/><figcaption><em>MG Premium &#8211; currently the 5th most active sender of notices to Google</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Despite all the takedowns targeting various domains, MG Premium appears particularly interested in the activities of several adult-focused &#8216;tube&#8217; sites. </p>



<p>Via applications filed in a federal court in Washington last week, the company says it is attempting to obtain the identities of people who illegally uploaded its content to Waxtube.com, Vivud.com, Veporns.com, Tubezx.com, Siska.tv, Redwap.me, and Pornbraze.com. It says it can do this by issuing a subpoena to Cloudflare, which all of the sites use.</p>



<p>&#8220;MG is the owner of numerous copyrighted audiovisual works. In the course of protecting its works, MG has determined that infringing copies of these works, posted at the direction of individual users and without authorization from MG, appear on Cloudflare&#8217;s website, Waxtube.com,&#8221; the subpoenas read, substituting the site name at the end as appropriate.</p>



<p>&#8220;Such infringements have been ongoing and MG has issued DMCA notifications to Clouflare&#8217;s DMCA Agent. All notifications have met the requirements of 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3)(A) by setting forth, inter alia, a representative list of the copyrighted works that have been infringed and the identification and location on Cloudflare&#8217;s website of the infringing material. MG now seeks to obtain a DMCA Subpoena to learn the identity of the individuals who are posting the infringing content.&#8221;</p>



<p>The list and descriptions of allegedly-infringing URLs on Waxtube (which are detailed at the rate of roughly five per page in Waxtube&#8217;s case) run to six pages. The second site, Vivud.com, is backed up with more than 580 pages of URLs, with Tubezx.com and Redwap.com weighing in at close to 400 pages and 190 respectively.</p>



<p>The existence of the subpoenas raises a number of questions, not least how useful Cloudflare can be in these cases. The subpoenas specifically state that MG Premium wants to &#8220;identify alleged infringers who, without authorization from MG, posted material to..&#8221; the sites in question.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s not clear whether Cloudflare will be in a position to do that but it should be able to provide the details of the operators of the various sites, which may or may not provide a useful stepping stone for MG Premium to achieve its stated aim. Whether the adult company has further but as yet unstated plans will remain to be seen.</p>



<p><em>All of the Waxtube subpoena documents can be found here </em><a href="media/84392bda.3-19-mc-05029-MG-Premium-Waxtube.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/3-19-mc-05029-MG-Premium-Waxtube.pdf"><em>1</em></a><em>,</em><a href="media/cf7600ab.3-19-mc-05029-MG-Premium-Waxtube-1-1.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/3-19-mc-05029-MG-Premium-Waxtube-1-1.pdf"><em>2</em></a><em>,</em><a href="media/22323f66.3-19-mc-05029-MG-Premium-Waxtube-1-2.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com//images/3-19-mc-05029-MG-Premium-Waxtube-1-2.pdf"><em>3</em></a><em>,</em><a href="media/8f90d751.3-19-mc-05029-MG-Premium-Waxtube-1-3.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/3-19-mc-05029-MG-Premium-Waxtube-1-3.pdf"><em>4</em></a><em> (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=QV2LA_SgYoE:akbEHaSocgU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=QV2LA_SgYoE:akbEHaSocgU:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=QV2LA_SgYoE:akbEHaSocgU:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/QV2LA_SgYoE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175674
title: uTorrent Desktop Client Will Stop Working on New Mac OS
uri: uTorrent-Desktop-Client-Will-Stop-Working-on-New-Mac-OS
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/-dwH5i2B8CI/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/1cb28c9a.utorrent4.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/utorrent4.png" alt="" class="wp-image-154140"/></figure></div>



<p>uTorrent for Windows first came out in September 2005. Soon after, it became the most widely used torrent client, which it still is today.</p>



<p>Initially, Apple users were left out, but after three years BitTorrent Inc. <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/utorrent-releases-mac-version-081127/">released</a> their long-awaited version for Mac OS.</p>



<p>While official numbers are not available, uTorrent likely never gained the impressive market share it enjoyed on Windows. This is, in part, was due to the fact that there were already several established Mac torrent clients around, including Transmission and Vuze.</p>



<p>In recent years there&#8217;s been very little progress on the Mac development front. The last client update dates back to last year, and there is <a href="https://forum.utorrent.com/forum/4-utorrent-mac/">virtually no discussion</a> going on in the official Mac forums. It was also excluded from the recent <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/utorrent-now-includes-tokenized-bittorrent-speed-190709/">BitTorrent Speed</a> release, which is Windows only.</p>



<p>That said, something big is expected next month. BitTorrent Inc. just announced that the desktop versions of uTorrent and BitTorrent Mainline won&#8217;t be available on the new Mac OS Catalina (version 10.15 and up). Instead, all users will be updated to the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/new-utorrent-web-streams-and-downloads-torrents-in-your-browser-180223/">browser-based web clients</a>.</p>



<p>The reason for this is fairly simple. uTorrent Mac is only available as a 32-bit application, while Apple&#8217;s upcoming release of Mac OS Catalina is only compatible with 64-bit apps. </p>



<p>&#8220;Therefore, in early September, we will automatically update µTorrent Classic for Mac to our newest torrent downloader and player, µTorrent Web for Mac. This is necessary to ensure that our torrent downloading software continues to work seamlessly with Catalina when millions of users update to the new version,&#8221; BitTorrent Inc announces.</p>



<p>&#8220;We will start updating users in early September. If you are using µTorrent Classic for Mac version 1.87 or earlier version, you will automatically get upgraded to µTorrent Web for Mac.&#8221; </p>



<p>It&#8217;s no surprise that support for 32-bit applications will end on the newer Mac OS. This has been known for a while and, for this reason, a 64-bit version of uTorrent was put on the <a href="https://forum.utorrent.com/topic/107695-64bit-support-and-maybe-a-paid-ad-free-version/">feature request list</a> last year. However, that request didn&#8217;t receive an official response.</p>



<p>As a result, all users of the new Mac OS Catalina will have to move their torrenting activity to the browser, or find an alternative client. Users who haven&#8217;t updated  Mac OS to Catalina can continue to use the desktop version</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=-dwH5i2B8CI:gdXxsu6lwXw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=-dwH5i2B8CI:gdXxsu6lwXw:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=-dwH5i2B8CI:gdXxsu6lwXw:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/-dwH5i2B8CI" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175463
title: RIAA Asks Cloudflare to Unmask Owner of Turbobit
uri: RIAA-Asks-Cloudflare-to-Unmask-Owner-of-Turbobit
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/D51pWX_0nE0/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/1842b6fe.image-100.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-100.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175502" width="259" height="139"/></figure></div>



<p>When Megaupload was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/megaupload-shut-down-120119/">shut down</a> in 2012, chaos ensued in the international file-hosting scene. </p>



<p>While Megaupload undoubtedly stored a lot of copyright-infringing content, it also cooperated with rightsholders and executed takedown demands, not unlike YouTube, for example.</p>



<p>Fearing the same fate, some sites shut down. Others, like fellow file-hosting sites <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/uploaded-to-blocks-us-visitors-120121/">Uploaded</a> and <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/turbobit-net-blocks-us-visitors-after-megaupload-shutdown-120207/">Turbobit</a>, reacted by preventing visitors from the United States from accessing their sites, at least temporarily. While both sites are still around today more than seven years later, the latter is now getting some attention from the RIAA, one of the plaintiffs in the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/mpaa-and-riaas-megaupload-lawsuits-remain-frozen/">currently-frozen</a> Megaupload civil case.</p>



<p>On July 26, the RIAA filed for and obtained a DMCA subpoena which compels US CDN company Cloudflare to hand over the personal details of Turbobits&#8217; operator, including names, physical addresses, IP addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, payment information, and account histories.</p>



<p>Turbobit stands accused of offering for distribution the album &#8216;Hurts 2B Human&#8217; by American singer Pink. Another site listed in the subpoena, Hotsahiphop.org, is similarly accused of offering Mike Posner&#8217;s &#8216;Look What I&#8217;ve Become ft. Ty Dolla $ign&#8217; without authorization. </p>



<p>However, it&#8217;s two fairly anonymous URLs listed in the same subpoena that offer a coincidental loop-around to the earlier Megaupload case of 2012.</p>



<p>321hiphop.is and gotth.is (Got This) are two pretty low-traffic sites that appear to be used as hosting platforms for various tracks and mixtapes. Since there are much bigger targets around today, it isn&#8217;t clear why they&#8217;re on the RIAA&#8217;s radar.</p>



<p>Nevertheless, the RIAA wants Cloudflare to hand over the personal details of their operators for the offense of hosting two copies of the 2010 Jay-Z track &#8216;Ultra&#8217; which features none other than Swizz Beatz, the man Megaupload claimed was their CEO at the time of the raid in 2012.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/6d7a8a1a.iX9rq.jpg" data-original-source="https://i.imgur.com/iX9rq.jpg" alt=""/><figcaption><em>Source: Megaupload (January 2012)</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>It&#8217;s unclear why Swizz Beatz was listed as the company&#8217;s CEO all of those years ago since the artist was never mentioned by name in any of the legal documentation connected to the raids or subsequent lawsuits. It was later confirmed by Ira Rothken, counsel for Megaupload, that Beatz was in negotiations to become the CEO, but it never came to pass.</p>



<p>However, Beatz <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/swizz-beatz-on-megaupload-i-was-giving-artists-90-of-the-shit-120726/">did admit</a> to working with Megaupload, possibly in connection with <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-artists-line-up-for-kim-dotcoms-megabox-120629/">Megabox</a>, the service that planned to give fans free music in return for their advertising clicks while giving most of the money back to the artists.</p>



<p>Megabox never came to light and here we are, seven years later, with the RIAA trying to tackle sites, not unlike Megaupload, with similar strategies, in order to protect his music. </p>



<p>The more things change, the more they stay the same, it seems. </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=D51pWX_0nE0:IiKjbukt8JQ:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=D51pWX_0nE0:IiKjbukt8JQ:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=D51pWX_0nE0:IiKjbukt8JQ:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/D51pWX_0nE0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175492
title: Charter: Fast Internet Speeds are Not Just for Pirates
uri: Charter-Fast-Internet-Speeds-are-Not-Just-for-Pirates
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/rc2_IhV7LSs/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/2d271f96.spectrumchart.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/spectrumchart.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175681" width="316" height="210"/></figure></div>



<p>In March several major music companies sued Charter Communications, one of the largest Internet providers in the US with 22 million subscribers.</p>



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



<p>Among other things, they argued that the ISP failed to terminate or otherwise take meaningful action against the accounts of repeat infringers, even though it was well aware of them.</p>



<p>The labels sued the ISP for two types of secondary liability for copyright infringement; contributory infringement and vicarious liability. While Charter is confident that both claims will ultimately fail, it asked the Court to dismiss the latter claim before trial. </p>



<p>The music companies previously claimed that Charter is vicariously liable. To prove this, the rightsholders must show that allegedly-infringing material serves as a “draw” to subscribe to Charter’s Internet service. In addition, they must show that Charter can control the infringing activity.    </p>



<p>According to the labels, this is the case. Among other things, they argued that Charter&#8217;s adverts for &#8220;high speed&#8221; downloads were seen as a draw. In addition, the ISP could control piracy on its network, by terminating repeat infringers. </p>



<p>In a response submitted this week, Charter counters these arguments. </p>



<p>With regard to the supposed &#8220;draw,&#8221; the ISP states that there has to be a causal connection between the financial benefit and the infringing activity. According to Charter, there is no plausible claim that suggests that subscribers specifically picked the company to carry out their piracy activities.</p>



<p>The fact that Charter advertises high-speed Internet is irrelevant in this case, as that&#8217;s what pretty much every ISP does. On top of that, high-speed Internet is also beneficial to all sorts of legal activity. </p>



<p>&#8220;It can safely be presumed that most, if not all, ISPs market the speed of their service, and there is of course nothing nefarious about doing so, as it is required for all manner of online activities. Plaintiffs can point to nothing to suggest that Charter’s ads are specifically targeted at would be infringers,&#8221; Charter writes. </p>



<p>&#8220;Moreover, Plaintiffs do not allege that the advertised speeds are meaningfully faster than Charter’s competitors or that those faster speeds somehow drew subscribers to Charter’s service (over others) to infringe. If Plaintiffs’ allegations were sufficient, every ISP would face exposure for merely advertising the speed of its internet service.&#8221;</p>



<p>In addition to refuting the &#8220;draw&#8221; claims, Charter also stresses that, even if it wanted to, it can&#8217;t control the infringing activities of its users. </p>



<p>The labels previously argued that the ISP does have control, as it can terminate the accounts of repeat infringers, but Charter stresses once again that this doesn&#8217;t stop piracy. </p>



<p>&#8220;The technology that allegedly facilitates the transfer of infringing material is BitTorrent and other P2P file sharing protocols. Charter cannot control BitTorrent or other P2P technology, nor do Plaintiffs allege as much. Terminating a user’s internet service does not preclude that user from continuing to use BitTorrent or other P2P websites.  </p>



<p>&#8220;Rather than target the allegedly infringing P2P platforms themselves, Plaintiffs instead attempt to support a highly attenuated theory of liability,&#8221; Charter adds. </p>



<p>It is clear that both parties have a completely different view on the matter of piracy liability. It is now up to the Colorado District Court to decide which side makes the most sense.</p>



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



<p><em>A copy of Charter&#8217;s reply in support of its motion to dismiss plaintiffs claim for vicarious liability is available <a href="media/0241eb72.charterreply1.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/charterreply1.pdf">here (pdf)</a>.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=rc2_IhV7LSs:1ljuQmvMjq4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=rc2_IhV7LSs:1ljuQmvMjq4:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=rc2_IhV7LSs:1ljuQmvMjq4:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/rc2_IhV7LSs" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175731
title: Will Cloudflare Kicking 8chan Undermine Pirate Sites?
uri: Will-Cloudflare-Kicking-8chan-Undermine-Pirate-Sites
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/MmM1ij_bfT4/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/d2bcf64e.cloudflare-logo-e1497134379554.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/cloudflare-logo-e1497134379554.png" alt="" class="wp-image-140211"/></figure></div>



<p>Another day, another senseless <a href="https://www.apnews.com/13545dd216ae4e7aa46c524b7ee4cbec">mass shooting</a> in the United States, claiming the lives of yet more innocent victims.</p>



<p>While the authorities attempt to sift through this catastrophe and work out what drives people to carry out such terrible acts, attention is being placed on how their messages of evil are spread. Somewhat inevitably, parts of the Internet are set to shoulder at least some of the blame.</p>



<p>Not at all unsurprisingly, service providers are usually reluctant to take any responsibility for the actions of their users or some cases, customers. However, in an announcement early this morning, CDN company Cloudflare said it would cease its work with 8chan, the &#8220;cesspool of hate&#8221; messaging board where it&#8217;s alleged the shooter shared his manifesto.</p>



<p>&#8220;8chan is among the more than 19 million Internet properties that use Cloudflare&#8217;s service. We just sent notice that we are terminating 8chan as a customer effective at midnight tonight Pacific Time,&#8221; CEO Matthew Prince <a href="https://new.blog.cloudflare.com/terminating-service-for-8chan/">wrote</a> in a statement.</p>



<p>&#8220;The rationale is simple: they have proven themselves to be lawless and that lawlessness has caused multiple tragic deaths. Even if 8chan may not have violated the letter of the law in refusing to moderate their hate-filled community, they have created an environment that revels in violating its spirit.&#8221;</p>



<p>While other publications will quite rightly focus on the human aspect of this weekend&#8217;s awful events, our reporting of issues affecting Cloudflare always center on the company&#8217;s involvement in copyright infringement actions. And there are several, almost every month.</p>



<p>Cloudflare is not a copyright infringer and always acts within the law but if 8chan is guilty of violating &#8220;the spirit&#8221; of the law and ripe for termination, it will be no surprise that copyright-focused groups will now be quietly rubbing their hands in anticipation. </p>



<p>The Pirate Bay, perhaps the most high-profile &#8216;pirate&#8217; customer of Cloudflare, provides the most obvious example of a site with a stated aim of violating the law &#8211; copyright law, to be specific.</p>



<p>Yet to date nothing has been done to prevent the site from being a Cloudflare customer, because from Cloudflare&#8217;s side &#8211; perhaps counterintuitively &#8211; the CDN service itself hasn&#8217;t broken any laws. A similar argument can be made for the many hundreds or even thousands of comparable &#8216;pirate&#8217; platforms which use Cloudflare in the same way.</p>



<p>It would be distasteful to compare the events of this past weekend with the sharing of movies, TV shows, and music, but copyright holders have had no problem using that as leverage in the past.</p>



<p>In a case brought against Cloudflare by ALS Scan, the adult publisher reminded the court that Cloudflare had previously <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cloudflare-kicking-daily-stormer-is-bad-news-for-pirate-sites-170817/">terminated</a> its business dealings with the Daily Stormer but hadn&#8217;t terminated its pirate site customers. Cloudflare didn&#8217;t want <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cloudflare-fails-to-exclude-daily-stormer-evidence-from-piracy-trial-180504/">that discussion</a> to take place at trial but its arguments were rejected by the judge.</p>



<p>In the end, Cloudflare and ALS Scan agreed to <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cloudflare-settles-dangerous-piracy-liability-lawsuit-180621/">settle their case</a>, meaning that a claim for contributory copyright infringement &#8211; through the prism of the Daily Stormer disconnection &#8211; didn&#8217;t get placed in front of a jury. But here we are, a little over a year later, with 8chan also having been terminated by Cloudflare under broadly similar circumstances.</p>



<p>In his message this morning, CEO Matthew Prince highlighted the fact that Cloudflare realizes that having policies that are more conservative than those of their customers would undermine customers&#8217; abilities to run their ships as they see fit. This, the CEO says, means that the company sometimes has to bite its tongue &#8211; up to a point.</p>



<p>&#8220;We reluctantly tolerate content that we find reprehensible, but we draw the line at platforms that have demonstrated they directly inspire tragic events and are lawless by design. 8chan has crossed that line. It will therefore no longer be allowed to use our services,&#8221; Prince added.</p>



<p>Copyright holders regularly argue that pirate sites are &#8220;lawless&#8221; by their very nature but none have ever caused or inspired the kind of tragic events inflicted upon innocents in recent times.</p>



<p>All that being said, Cloudflare&#8217;s decision to terminate a site it states may have only violated &#8220;the spirit&#8221; of the law will eventually come back to haunt it, even if it was absolutely right to do so. No brand wants to be associated with those reveling in murder, but the clock is already ticking to see which copyright holder brings it up first, to support a case against Cloudflare and its customers.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s happened once, it will surely happen again.</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=MmM1ij_bfT4:bwUoax1kCqE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=MmM1ij_bfT4:bwUoax1kCqE:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=MmM1ij_bfT4:bwUoax1kCqE:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/MmM1ij_bfT4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175721
title: Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week on BitTorrent – 08/05/19
uri: Top-10-Most-Pirated-Movies-of-The-Week-on-BitTorrent-08-05-19
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/vyq7B38_wwU/
content:
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-171803" src="media/3e873293.avengersend.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/avengersend.png" alt="" width="321" height="213">This week we have one newcomer in our chart.</p>
<p>Avengers: Endgame 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-07-29-19/">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/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>2</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4995776/">The Red Sea Diving Resort</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4995776/">6.4</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80WflPMzAcw">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>3</strong></td>
<td>(1)</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>4</strong></td>
<td>(3)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2274648/">Hellboy</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2274648/">5.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsBO4b3tyZg">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td>(5)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0437086/">Alita: Battle Angel</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0437086/">7.5</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7pYhpJaJW8">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td>(7)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448115/">Shazam!</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448115/">7.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oD7B7oiBtw&amp;t=2s">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td>(6)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5884052/">Pokémon Detective Pikachu</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5884052/">6.9</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bILE5BEyhdo">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td>(4)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3361792/">Tolkien</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3361792/">6.9</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ1vn85iQRE">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>9</strong></td>
<td>(8)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2283336/">Men in Black: International</a> (Subbed HDRip)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2283336/">5.7</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV-WEb2oxLk">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>10</strong></td>
<td>(9)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2139881/">Long Shot</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2139881/">7.1</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5jiaHvx-kY">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=vyq7B38_wwU:WKGU4UTPxNs:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=vyq7B38_wwU:WKGU4UTPxNs:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=vyq7B38_wwU:WKGU4UTPxNs:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/vyq7B38_wwU" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175538
title: Industry Groups Share Anti-Piracy Wish List With US Government
uri: Industry-Groups-Share-Anti-Piracy-Wish-List-With-US-Government
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/3KYQMP604Is/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/3d5a45b0.pirateflag.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/pirateflag.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-175547"/></figure></div>



<p>Earlier this month, the US Department of Commerce requested input from the public on several piracy-related matters.</p>



<p>Specifically, it wanted to know more about counterfeit and pirated goods that pass through online third-party marketplaces, and how this can be curbed. </p>



<p>Responding to this request, industry groups  MPAA, IFTA, CreativeFuture, and SAG-AFTRA bundled their views on the matter in a joint submission. The groups, which represent various parts of the movie industry, make it clear that piracy remains a major issue.</p>



<p>The groups explain that piracy is complex and multi-faceted. One trend they have signaled over the years is that, similar to the legal offering, piracy is more often streaming related nowadays. In some cases, users don&#8217;t even know that they are using pirate services. </p>



<p>&#8220;The piracy services often have the look and feel of legitimacy, sometimes luring viewers who have no intent to patronize pirate operations and may not even realize they are doing so. And just as legitimate online dissemination of movie and television programming is moving toward streaming, so, too, is piracy,&#8221; the groups write.</p>



<p>Pirate streaming services exist in different shapes, ranging from free pirate sites to paid IPTV subscriptions. The latter is seen as an emerging threat. The groups note that it&#8217;s often easier to use than other forms of piracy. As such, there has been an increase in demand for pirate IPTV services recently.   <br></p>



<p>&#8220;The MPAA has identified more than 1,000 illegal IPTV services operating around the world. They are accessible via dedicated web portals; third-party applications; and piracy devices configured to access the services as well as individual pieces of pirated content on demand. Such devices recently experienced a surge in consumer adoption,&#8221; the submission reads. </p>



<p>In addition to IPTV streaming, other forms of copyright infringement remain a problem as well. This includes torrent sites, cyberlockers, linking sites, as well as streaming devices and applications.</p>



<p>The groups hope that with proper support from the Government, it will be easier to counter these threats. In terms of concrete suggestions, they state that the US Department of Commerce can provide assistance on four fronts, starting with the encouragement of voluntary initiatives.</p>



<h3>Encourage Best Practices</h3>



<p>For several years industry groups have been pushing for voluntary anti-piracy agreements with the third-party intermediaries. Some success has been booked on this front already. </p>



<p>For example, many advertising networks are now banning pirate sites. Similarly, marketplaces such as Alibaba, eBay, and Amazon, are actively working with rightsholders to stop copyright infringements, and payment processors such as PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard are more vigilant as well.</p>



<p>However, not all companies are as cooperative. That&#8217;s where the Department of Commerce could lend a hand, by actively encouraging anti-piracy best practices and other forms of cooperation. </p>



<p>Examples of areas where improvement can be made are domain name registrars and reverse proxies, such as Cloudflare. These companies could implement &#8220;repeat infringer&#8221; policies, the groups state. In addition, some hosting companies could also do more to ban pirate sites and services.</p>



<p>&#8220;Given the central role of hosting providers in the online ecosystem, it is disconcerting that many refuse to take action when notified that their hosting services are being used in clear violation of their own terms of service prohibiting intellectual property infringement, and in blatant violation of the law,&#8221; the groups write. <br></p>



<h3>Criminal Enforcement</h3>



<p>The second area where the US Government could help is more direct. As highlighted a few weeks ago, the MPAA has made several referrals to the Department of Justice (DoJ), calling out pirate streaming operations that could be criminally prosecuted.</p>



<p>The Department of Commerce could spur on law enforcement to take up these cases.</p>



<p>&#8220;The creative community has pending a number of criminal referrals to DOJ regarding streaming piracy operations, with the goal of replicating the deterrent effect and protection of legitimate consumption that happened after the Megaupload action,&#8221; the groups write. </p>



<p>&#8220;Our hope is that the Commerce Department and others in the Administration will encourage the DOJ to take such action,&#8221; they add.  <br></p>



<h3>Help to Restore WHOIS data</h3>



<p>The third area where the copyright industry groups request help is also familiar.  It relates to the  European privacy regulation GDPR, which requires many online services and tools to tighten their privacy policies. This also affects domain registrars. </p>



<p>Ever since this was implemented, domain registrar oversight body ICANN decided to shield names and other personal information of domain name owners from public view.  The MPAA and other outfits don&#8217;t like this, as it makes it harder for them to track down site owners. </p>



<p>They, therefore, want to restore access to the full WHOIS details again. While ICANN promised progress on this front, the issue still hasn&#8217;t been resolved.  To counter this, US Congress may have to step up and pass legislation to reach the desired effect, and the Commerce Department could back this.</p>



<p>&#8220;Should ICANN’s efforts drag on without resolution in sight, we ask that the Department of Commerce support such legislation,&#8221; the groups write. </p>



<p>In addition, broad WHOIS access requirements could also be made a requirement in trade agreements, the groups add.</p>



<p>&#8220;The Administration should also seek robust WHOIS access requirements in future trade agreements, perhaps expanding on language included in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement to apply to more than just a nation’s country-code top-level domain.&#8221;  <br></p>



<h3>Trade Agreements</h3>



<p>Trade agreements are also a separate area of interest. The copyright industry groups point out that the piracy ecosystem is complex. It involves a wide range of players and intermediaries, many of which are located outside the United States.<br></p>



<p>The groups would like the US government to promote international cooperation in the fight against piracy. In addition, it should update its enforcement model to focus more on the potential liability of third-party intermediaries.</p>



<p>&#8220;While much of the model is sound—focusing on core aspects of copyright law and enforcement—the Administration should redouble its efforts around internet enforcement tools, including the critical concept of secondary liability, which creates a threat of liability for internet intermediaries that facilitate or profit from piracy,&#8221; the groups note.  </p>



<p>In other words, the groups would like to see more trade agreements where companies such as domain registrars, search engines, ISPs, hosting outfits, and other players in the piracy ecosystem, can be held liable under certain circumstances.</p>



<p style="text-align:center">&#8212;&#8211;</p>



<p>All in all, its a pretty elaborate wishlist the MPAA, IFTA, CreativeFuture, and SAG-AFTRA have submitted to the Department of Commerce. The department will take this, as well as the recommendations from other stakeholders, under review.</p>



<p>These submissions will form the basis for a Presidential memorandum on counterfeit and pirated goods trafficking through online marketplaces and internet intermediaries, which will be released in due course. </p>



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



<p><em>A copy of the full submission from the MPAA, IFTA, CreativeFuture, and SAG-AFTRA is <a href="media/089959a7.-DOC-re-presidential-memorandum-on-counterfeiting-and-piracy.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/190729-MPAA-IFTA-CreativeFuture-SAG-AFTRA-comments-to-DOC-re-presidential-memorandum-on-counterfeiting-and-piracy.pdf">available here (pdf).</a> </em></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=3KYQMP604Is:gZVGkYkQ0mA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=3KYQMP604Is:gZVGkYkQ0mA:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=3KYQMP604Is:gZVGkYkQ0mA:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/3KYQMP604Is" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175759
title: Japan: Piracy Warning Popups Could Violate Privacy
uri: Japan-Piracy-Warning-Popups-Could-Violate-Privacy
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/c1zZ6LoG7ao/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/68673fe7.anime-pirate.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/anime-pirate.jpg" alt="" width="267" height="191"/></figure></div>



<p>In many countries around Europe and further afield, blocking pirate sites is carried out with permission from the courts.</p>



<p>The process is often long and expensive in the first instance but once a precedent has been set, subsequent blocking of additional sites should &#8211; at least in theory &#8211; be a much more simple affair.</p>



<p>Japan has been struggling to <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/japan-government-presents-pirate-website-blocking-proposals-180918/">introduce</a> a similar system for some time now but has continually come up against opposition from those who believe that monitoring Internet users&#8217; traffic in order to block various domains amounts to a privacy breach.</p>



<p>The Telecommunications Business Act guarantees privacy of communications and prevents censorship, as does Article 21 of the Constitution.</p>



<p>Additional proposals suggested that Internet users could be confronted with popup warnings when they visit pirate sites, either as an alternative to blocking, a deterrent, or to help people differentiate them from legal offerings. However, that plan is being viewed as a potential invasion of privacy too.</p>



<p>A report compiled this week by an expert panel with the <a href="http://www.soumu.go.jp">Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications</a> has concluded that such popup warnings could infringe citizens&#8217; right to secrecy of communications.</p>



<p><a href="http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201908060060.html">Asahi</a> reports that in order to make this kind of system work, Internet service providers would first need to obtain consent from their subscribers so that monitoring their attempts to access certain sites would remain legal.</p>



<p>The publication says that after the panel sought opinions from the public on the proposal, it was &#8220;bombarded by emails&#8221; sent by people calling for the plan to be rejected on privacy grounds.</p>



<p>Given that ISPs in other regions have complained that they shouldn&#8217;t bear the costs associated with blocking and similar regimes, it&#8217;s no surprise that some in Japan are taking a similar stance. Other providers indicate that they&#8217;re not ready from a technological standpoint, which of course is also closely connected with costs.</p>



<p>Nevertheless, some ISPs have agreed to begin trialing a popup warning system during the fall, in order to assess its effectiveness. That will mean them first having to explain to their users that they wish to monitor their online behavior and then obtain legal permission to do so.</p>



<p>Given a choice between being monitored by their ISP or not, it seems unlikely that many Internet users &#8211; if they actually understand the proposition &#8211; will willingly have someone watch over their communications. </p>



<p>And surely, visitors to pirate sites &#8211; the obvious targets of the campaign &#8211; will reject the offer immediately, if the purpose of the offer is made to clear to them in the beginning. That calls into question the entire point of the campaign, which is to assess whether warnings on pirate sites will deter their use.</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=c1zZ6LoG7ao:w4syat4MpFY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=c1zZ6LoG7ao:w4syat4MpFY:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=c1zZ6LoG7ao:w4syat4MpFY:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/c1zZ6LoG7ao" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175270
title: Game of Thrones Visibly Boosted Global Piracy Traffic
uri: Game-of-Thrones-Visibly-Boosted-Global-Piracy-Traffic
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/rj4VjGy0QJc/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/9c41f857.thrones-1.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/thrones-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-171208"/></figure></div>



<p>Since the release of the first episode back in 2011, Game of Thrones has conquered the hearts of many people.  </p>



<p>Unfortunately for HBO, not all of these fans have enjoyed the series through legal channels.</p>



<p>For several years in a row, Game of Thrones has been the <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/game-of-thrones-most-torrented-tv-show-of-2017-171226/">most pirated TV-show</a>. This year, when the final season aired, the interest was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/how-game-of-thrones-made-piracy-history-190521/">once again overwhelming</a>.</p>



<p>While there have already been some numbers floating around, revealing that millions of people turned to pirate sites to watch the show, it wasn&#8217;t really clear what the broader impact was on the total piracy ecosystem. </p>



<p>There was some anecdotal evidence, with torrent site operators reporting massive boosts in traffic, but new data from MUSO now places the Game of Thrones numbers in a broader context. </p>



<p>When we reviewed global pirate site traffic data provided by <a href="https://www.muso.com/">MUSO</a> this week, we noticed what at first appeared to be an unusual uptick. After more than a year of slowly declining visitor numbers, there was a sudden increase in April 2019, as can be seen below. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="media/080e8571.mugot9.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/mugot9.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175566"/><figcaption>2019 global piracy web traffic, all categories (credit: MUSO)</figcaption></figure>



<p>Looking more closely, it turned out that this uptick was mostly related to video content. Other categories, including music piracy, were actually going down. While this seemed odd, the date of the sudden April spike provided a very likely explanation. </p>



<p>On April 14, the day of the Game of Thrones season premiere, the number of pirate site visits jumped drastically, up by roughly 45 million compared to a week earlier. This pattern returned with each subsequent episode, with the record being set after the third episode. </p>



<p>Overall, Game of Thrones appears to account for an initial uptick of roughly 8% in global traffic to pirate sites. That&#8217;s immense, to say the least. As mentioned before, this traffic boost wasn&#8217;t visible on other sites, such as stream-rippers, which are related to music piracy. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/4c4eef1f.mustrarip9.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/mustrarip9.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175662"/><figcaption> <br>2019 global piracy web traffic to Stream-Rippers only (credit: MUSO) </figcaption></figure></div>



<p>Sites such as The Pirate Bay did notice a sharp increase in traffic though, as the graph below shows.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/ad795bfa.tpbmus.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/tpbmus.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175628"/><figcaption>TPB traffic (credit: MUSO)</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>TorrentFreak spoke to Phil Taylor, an analyst at MUSO, who supports our findings and observed the Game of Thrones boost as well.</p>



<p>&#8220;The demand for piracy of Game of Thrones is unprecedented. The demand for GOT was so high that it visibly increased traffic for domains such as thepiratebay.org,&#8221;  Taylor tells us.</p>



<p>&#8220;We will get a better view of overall traffic and trends for 2019 as the year progresses, however, the impact of Game of Thrones on overall traffic in April and May of 2019 is clear,&#8221; he adds.<br></p>



<p>Seeing the visible impact of a single title on overall yearly piracy data is rather unique. At TorrentFreak, we certainly haven&#8217;t seen it before. And now that Game of Thrones has come to an end, it&#8217;s doubtful we will again.</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=rj4VjGy0QJc:pygEmoYq8Eo:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=rj4VjGy0QJc:pygEmoYq8Eo:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=rj4VjGy0QJc:pygEmoYq8Eo:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/rj4VjGy0QJc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175794
title: BREIN “Burns Buttocks” of Pirate Who Forged Email & Refused to Pay Up
uri: BREIN-Burns-Buttocks-of-Pirate-Who-Forged-Email-Refused-to-Pay
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/YHa5Dym-0Ac/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/16d7dbf8.brein.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/brein.png" alt="" class="wp-image-167202"/></figure></div>



<p>Dutch anti-piracy group BREIN is famous for taking on pirates both large and small. From The Pirate Bay to people dealing in IPTV boxes and sundry media, BREIN is rarely out of the headlines for long.</p>



<p>One of BREIN&#8217;s current strategies is to track down pirates, make them admit to their crimes, and then negotiate a settlement. This usually involves agreeing to cease-and-desist and handing over some kind of cash payment, to go towards any supposed losses incurred by its copyright holder partners and the costs of pursuing the case.</p>



<p>While some people keep to the agreed terms, others do not. BREIN says it doesn&#8217;t let these cases lie. Case in point, a man who sold pirated copies of eBooks in the Netherlands.</p>



<p>According to BREIN, the 38-year-old operated under the name Ebookplaza and Alexnav, selling thousands of eBooks via sites including Marktplaats.nl, Speurders.nl and Tweedehands.nl. This caught the attention of BREIN, who tracked the man down.</p>



<p>&#8220;Taking into account the man&#8217;s capacity to pay, BREIN reached a settlement consisting of a declaration of abstention with a penalty clause and a contribution to the costs of 450 euros,&#8221; BREIN said in a statement this morning.</p>



<p>BREIN believes its original offer to settle was reasonable but still, no payment was forthcoming. The man did not respond to reminders and a summons was returned marked as &#8220;address unknown.&#8221; But despite the relatively small settlement amount, BREIN wasn&#8217;t prepared to let the case go.</p>



<p>After discovering the man had protected his data with the authorities, BREIN took steps to find out where he now lived and after a procedure discovered he hadn&#8217;t moved away at all. BREIN sent in the bailiffs who were handed email &#8216;evidence&#8217; that the case had been dismissed. According to the anti-piracy group, that email was faked.</p>



<p>&#8220;That the email was forged was not only apparent from the incorrect terminology &#8211; after all, it is not a criminal case &#8211; but in particular because the sender&#8217;s address was not in use at the time. BREIN then summoned the man. He did not appear at the session,&#8221; the anti-piracy group explained.</p>



<p>As a result, a judge sitting in Eindhoven has now awarded BREIN an even higher amount plus costs &#8211; 1,421 euros &#8211; with interest added on top until the date the amount is settled in full.</p>



<p>&#8220;This man got a very reasonable settlement and now he has to pay a lot more. We will not let him escape that,&#8221; says BREIN chief Tim Kuik.</p>



<p>&#8220;Whoever burns his buttocks must sit on the blisters.&#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=YHa5Dym-0Ac:aueoxFKIKps:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=YHa5Dym-0Ac:aueoxFKIKps:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=YHa5Dym-0Ac:aueoxFKIKps:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/YHa5Dym-0Ac" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175785
title: ‘Cheating’ Fortnite Kid Wants Copyright Lawsuit Dismissed
uri: Cheating-Fortnite-Kid-Wants-Copyright-Lawsuit-Dismissed
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/bltrfwqcgL0/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/845c0548.battlefortnite.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/battlefortnite.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-145747"/></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> has taken several to court.</p>



<p>The game developer isn’t trying to bankrupt these people financially. It is mainly interested in preventing them from cheating in the future.</p>



<p>The main strategy thus far has been&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/epic-settles-with-copyright-infringing-fortnight-cheater-pubg-cheaters-arrested-180502/">to ‘settle’</a> the cases. Several accused cheaters have signed consent judgments, promising not to cheat or engage in any copyright-infringing activity going forward. This includes the popular YouTuber <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/youtuber-golden-modz-settles-lawsuit-over-fortnite-cheats-190319/">Golden Modz</a>, who settled his case earlier this year.</p>



<p>Despite these widely publicized lawsuits, cheaters will be cheaters. The problem persists and some still openly sell cheats online while posting YouTube videos to promote their work.</p>



<p>This includes a YouTuber called CBV, who was sued by Epic Games a few weeks ago. The games company is pursuing the minor (referred to as C.B. in the complaint) with several claims, including copyright infringement and breaches of the DMCA&#8217;s anti-circumvention provision.</p>



<p>While plenty of kids would be terrified facing a lawsuit like this, CBV didn&#8217;t appear to be impressed. In a YouTube video discussing his troubles, the 14-year-old states that he won&#8217;t make Fortnite videos anymore. But his tone is far from apologetic.</p>



<p>&#8220;Fuck epic games. I mean, at least they can&#8217;t come after my channel anymore. I&#8217;m never gonna make another video. But if they really want to come at my neck for 100 Mil then they can just fuck their brand on their own,&#8221; CBV <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRYKh19QPdc">notes</a>. </p>



<p>&#8220;They&#8217;re going to attempt to bankrupt my family just because I made Fortnite cheats. Just cause I allegedly made Fortnite tonight cheats and played this game while making YouTube videos,&#8221; he adds. </p>



<p>In its complaint, Epic Games indeed seeks damages. However, the statutory maximum in this case, where one work is at stake, wouldn&#8217;t exceed $150,000, which is far from $100 million. </p>



<p>CBV is trying to make the point that it would look bad if Epic Games pursues massive damages from a relatively small cheater, who&#8217;s not even an adult. While that may be, arguments like that don&#8217;t win a lawsuit. </p>



<p>The YouTuber&#8217;s attorneys, however, have more arguments why the case should be dismissed. This week they filed a motion to dismiss the case. Among other things, they point out that the court doesn&#8217;t have jurisdiction over their client and that requiring a minor to defend himself in another state would be unreasonable.<br></p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant C.B. is a child who lives in Illinois with absolutely no connection to North Carolina. Nonetheless, Plaintiff Epic Games, Inc., a multibillion company, wants to drag him into court here,&#8221; they write. </p>



<p>&#8220;Exercising jurisdiction over C.B. would be unfair and unreasonable, as well as forbidden by the United States Constitution,&#8221; the attorneys add.</p>



<p>One of the additional issues highlighted is that the TOS and EULA are not enforceable, because a minor can not enter into a legally binding contract. In fact, both Epic&#8217;s TOS and EULA specifically state that the signee has to be an adult.</p>



<p>In the YouTube video, CBV notes that the case is &#8220;kind of a joke,&#8221; adding that Epic Games surely doesn&#8217;t need the little money that he has, as they just hosted a 100 million dollar tournament. </p>



<p>However, reading through the paperwork it becomes clear that this lawsuit, which is similar to the ones that have been filed in the past, isn&#8217;t really about money. The main issue Epic Games appears to be concerned with is to stop CBV from promoting and selling hacks.</p>



<p>Epic has previously asked YouTube to remove several videos where this activity is promoted. Since CBV submitted DMCA counternotices to reinstate a video, Epic has to file a lawsuit, otherwise the video will automatically become available again after 14 days.</p>



<p>In other words, the lawsuits may not be about bankrupting and defendants, as we have suggested before, but mostly an indirect effort to ensure that certain hacking-related YouTube videos remain offline. Or as Epic Games puts it in the original complaint.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant’s submission of a DMCA counter notification, which requires YouTube to restore the infringing content unless Epic files an action seeking a court order to restrain Defendant from engaging in infringing activity, creates a continuing risk of copyright infringement.&#8221;</p>



<p>It will be up to the court to decide whether it has jurisdiction over the 14-year-old and if Epic&#8217;s claims hold up or not. </p>



<p>&#8212;</p>



<p><em>A copy of the motion to dismiss, filed on behalf of the alleged cheater, is available <a href="media/d39d9db9.gov.uscourts.nced.172133.17.0_2.pdf" data-original-source="https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nced.172133/gov.uscourts.nced.172133.17.0_2.pdf">here (pdf)</a>.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=bltrfwqcgL0:X2kYXnXLXDY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=bltrfwqcgL0:X2kYXnXLXDY:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=bltrfwqcgL0:X2kYXnXLXDY:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/bltrfwqcgL0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175812
title: Indian High Court Orders ISPs to Block 1,129 Sites to Protect One Movie From Piracy
uri: Indian-High-Court-Orders-ISPs-to-Block-1-129-Sites-to-Protect-One-Movi
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/0wcoAYdpg8U/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/e49204f7.deniedblocked.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/deniedblocked.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-143825"/></figure></div>



<p>Blocking orders to prevent the distribution of copyright content are commonplace in several regions around the world.</p>



<p>In India, however, blocking injunctions are regularly handed down to protect specific movies, oftentimes before those movies are even released.</p>



<p>That is also the case with the movie &#8216;Nerkonda Paarvai&#8217;, a legal drama set to hit big screens worldwide today. In anticipation of this release, copyright holder Bayview LLP headed off to the Madras High Court, seeking a pre-emptive injunction to prevent the movie from being spread to the public for free via the Internet and other means.</p>



<p>The High Court hasn&#8217;t published the full details of the application, meaning that the list of sites set to be targeted hasn&#8217;t yet been revealed in public. It almost certainly contains one, if not many domains, operated by the notorious torrent site Tamilrockers, but the rest remain open to speculation.</p>



<p>What we do know is that a total of 39 Internet service providers were named as defendants in the order handed down this week by Justice Krishnan Ramasamy in the Madras High Court. The Judge acknowledges that the Bayview LLP production has been the subject of significant investment and is set to be released on more than 2,000 screens worldwide.</p>



<p>While it&#8217;s not uncommon to list ISPs as defendants in such cases, often noting that they play an unwitting role in the distribution of infringing content, the wording in the Judge&#8217;s order, which cites the plaintiff&#8217;s case, seems to go considerably further. Whether that&#8217;s entirely intentional is open to question.</p>



<p>&#8220;The learned counsel for applicant contended that the various cable and internet services provided by various persons (respondents 1–9) across the world are involved in activities of recording, cam-cording and reproducing the audio songs, audio-visual clips, audio-visual songs and full cinematographic films that are screened in theatres and then copying/reproducing them through various medium including but not limited to CDs, DVDs, VCDs, Blu-ray Discs, computer hard drives, pen drives etc.,and distribute the same for selling at a meager sum to the general public without any leave or authorization of the production houses/copyright holders/right holders such as the applicant herein,&#8221; the order reads.</p>



<p>Citing the above and referencing the application, the Judge said that in his opinion a <em>prima facie</em> case had been made for him to award a preliminary injunction which will continue until August 20, 2019.</p>



<p><em>The order, obtained by TorrentFreak, is available <a href="media/a9a83ef4.NERKONDA-PAARVAI-order-Aug-8-2019.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/NERKONDA-PAARVAI-order-Aug-8-2019.pdf">here</a> (pdf). The full list of ISPs is detailed below.</em></p>



<p> 1) BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED<br> 2) Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd.<br> 3) Bharati Airtel Ltd.<br> 4) Vodafone Idea Ltd. (Formerly Idea Cellular Ltd.)<br> 5) Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd.<br> 6) Atria Convergence Technologies Pvt. Ltd.<br> 7) Hathway Cable and Datacom Ltd.<br> 8) Tata Docomo<br> 9) Asianet Satellite Communications<br> 10) Tikona Digital Networks Pvt. Ltd.<br> 11) You Broadband And Cable India Ltd.<br> 12) Reliance Communications Infrastructure Ltd.<br> 13) Rail Tel Corporation of India Ltd.<br> 14) Shyam Spectra Pvt. Ltd.<br> 15) Sify Technologies Ltd.<br> 16) AT And T Global Network Service India Pvt. Ltd.<br> 17) Peak Air Pvt. Ltd.<br> 18) Knet Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (Cherrinet)<br> 19) Limras Eronet Broadband Services Pvt. Ltd.<br> 20) SITI Networks Limited<br> 21) Andhra Pradesh State Fibre Net Ltd.,<br> 22) Raaj Internet (I) Pvt. Ltd.<br> 23) Joister Infoserve Pvt. Ltd.<br> 24) GTPL Hathway Ltd.<br> 25) Ready Link Internet Service Ltd.<br> 26) Nettlinx Limited<br> 27) Excitel Broadband Pvt. Ltd.<br> 28) Southern Online Bio Technologies Ltd.<br> 29) Dawn Supports Pvt. Ltd.<br> 30) Thalainagar Digital Cables (P) Ltd.<br> 31) Cable Cast New Media Pvt. Ltd.<br> 32) C32 Cable Net Pvt. Ltd.<br> 33) Team 5 Network<br> 34) SND Satellite Vision<br> 35) Kerala Communicators Cable Ltd.<br> 36) Asianet Digital Network Pvt. Ltd.<br> 37) DEN Networks Ltd.<br> 38) Starvision Cable TV Network<br> 39) Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)</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=0wcoAYdpg8U:z-kku0Yem6k:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=0wcoAYdpg8U:z-kku0Yem6k:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=0wcoAYdpg8U:z-kku0Yem6k:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/0wcoAYdpg8U" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175741
title: HTTPS Interception “Breaks” Slider Music Search Engine
uri: HTTPS-Interception-Breaks-Slider-Music-Search-Engine
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/RYGbVXTTfXg/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/532b37a8.security-breach-lock.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/security-breach-lock.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-115796"/></figure></div>



<p>Over the years, dozens of &#8216;pirate&#8217; sites have suspended their operations for a wide range of reasons.</p>



<p>Pressure from rightsholders is perhaps the most common problem, but issues with hosting, domains, or even lack of time or resources have appeared high on the list. </p>



<p>Music search engine Slider.kz has a now cited a reason never heard before.</p>



<p>Slider.kz has been around for approximately nine years, having first appeared in 2010. It certainly doesn&#8217;t have the profile of some of today&#8217;s popular &#8220;stream-ripper&#8221; type sites but until recently has been quietly sourcing, indexing and making available for download thousands of tracks from its base in Kazakhstan.</p>



<p>Now, however, the site has problems. The issues are briefly outlined in a popup message when users first visit the site, which references problems with encryption.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="media/b50b13dc.image-103.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/image-103.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175744" width="646"/><figcaption><em>Encryption problems</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Once the message goes away, users are met with the most recent version of the Slider.kz homepage, complete with the usual search box. But those hoping to download or stream music in the browser (Slider previously offered both options) are presented with a disappointing message.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="media/39774366.image-102.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/image-102.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175742" width="650"/><figcaption><em>HTTPS woes for Slider</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>The problems appear related to the <a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/kazakhstan-government-is-now-intercepting-all-https-traffic/">news</a> last month that the government in Kazakhstan has recently begun intercepting HTTPS traffic. According to reports, local Internet service providers have been ordered to force their subscribers to install root certificates issued by the government, something which would allow various agencies to intercept what would otherwise be secure web traffic.</p>



<p>&#8220;Pursuant to the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan On Communications and clause 11 of Rules for Issuing and Applying Security Certificates, Kcell JSC informs its customers of the need to install Security Certificate on devices capable of connecting to the Internet,&#8221; service provider Kcell <a href="https://www.kcell.kz/en/product/3585/658">told</a> its customers in a recent announcement.</p>



<p>&#8220;According to law, telecom network operators are to ensure that customers with whom the operators have service contracts are able to install the security certificate on their mobile devices.&#8221;</p>



<p>The provider goes on to explain that the security certificate must be installed on all devices used to access the Internet (whether mobile or desktop-based) because if not, customers may face &#8220;technical limitations when accessing certain websites.&#8221;</p>



<p>Slider.kz does not currently have a security certificate and is running on basic HTTP, meaning that simply accessing the site isn&#8217;t a problem. However, Slider appears to index music sourced from elsewhere so it&#8217;s possible that the new regime in Kazakhstan is interfering with that in some way. </p>



<p>We have been unable to reach Slider&#8217;s operator for a more detailed explanation but we can confirm that at least some the 499 sample tracks compiled by the site&#8217;s operator (a small selection of what is usually available) stream directly from the site&#8217;s server, not from third-party sources.</p>



<p>All that being said, it&#8217;s possible that Slider may return, sooner rather than later. Local media <a href="https://www.occrp.org/en/27-ccwatch/cc-watch-briefs/10431-kazakh-officials-delay-suspicious-internet-security-requirement">reports</a> are now suggesting that the government may be backtracking on its earlier requirement for citizens to install the security certificate. Only time will tell if this will completely solve Slider&#8217;s problems.</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=RYGbVXTTfXg:ldAp59lZ4u8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=RYGbVXTTfXg:ldAp59lZ4u8:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=RYGbVXTTfXg:ldAp59lZ4u8:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/RYGbVXTTfXg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175782
title: Torrent Mogul YTS is Being Sued By Yet Another Movie Company
uri: Torrent-Mogul-YTS-is-Being-Sued-By-Yet-Another-Movie-Company
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/rMKLgYGINuE/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/5f6a61f6.ytslt.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/ytslt.png" alt="" class="wp-image-174026" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/ytslt.png 223w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/ytslt-220x81.png 220w" sizes="(max-width: 223px) 100vw, 223px"></figure></div>



<p>This week many avid torrenters were taken by surprise when two of the largest pirate sites stopped adding fresh content.</p>



<p>Both  EZTV.io and YTS.lt didn&#8217;t have any new torrents for several days. This unusual hiatus, which eventually ended a few hours ago, remains unexplained thus far. </p>



<p>While some were ready to call the end of the sites, it&#8217;s more likely that they were hit by some kind of technical hiccup. However, that doesn&#8217;t mean that there are no other issues behind the scenes at the moment. </p>



<p>As we reported earlier, YTS has already been hit by two <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/hellboy-sues-torrent-site-yts-and-several-users-190731/">separate</a> complaints filed by movie companies in US courts this year. While it may not be directly related to this week&#8217;s problems, another lawsuit has just been added to this growing list. <br></p>



<p>In a complaint filed at a Hawaii federal court, Wicked Nevada, the company behind the biographical thriller &#8220;Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,&#8221; accuses the site of contributing to widespread copyright infringement of the film.</p>



<p>In addition to going after the site&#8217;s unnamed operator, the lawsuit also targets 16 &#8220;John Does&#8221; who are accused of downloading and sharing a copy of the movie that was uploaded by YTS. These &#8220;Does&#8221; are subscribers of  ISPs Spectrum, Hawaiian Telcom and Verizon.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant JOHN DOE has made the torrent file &#8216;Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, And Vile (2019) [WEBRip] [720p] [YTS.AM]&#8217; available to users in Hawaii such as Defendants DOES 1-16, the United States and the entire World to download from its interactive YTS website,&#8221; the complaint reads. <br></p>



<p>The complaint displays a lot of similarities with the lawsuits that were filed earlier. For example, it mentions that the YTS.lt domain was registered by the now-dissolved UK company Techmodo Limited. In addition, it mentions that the torrent site uses the services of a variety of US-based companies.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/f0e7b0ac.ytscomp.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/ytscomp.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175846"/></figure></div>



<p>Cloudflare, for example, is mentioned as a hosting and nameserver provider. The movie company used this US connection to obtain a subpoena and find out more about the alleged operator of the torrent site. This revealed that the Cloudflare account in question was logged into by AT&amp;T, Spectrum, and Verizon Wireless IP-addresses. </p>



<p>Whether these IP-addresses have anything to do with the operator remains a question, of course, as this person could also have used an IP-obfuscation tool such as Hola, which routes traffic over the IP-addresses of other people. That would actually make sense, as the account was also logged into by a VPN IP-address and from the TOR network.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant JOHN DOE further uses the Virtual Private Network provider London Trust Media (Colorado) and even the Onion Router exit relays of the US Naval Research Labs in Washington, DC and an individual in Texas to conceal its login records to its Cloudflare account when operating the interactive websites,&#8221; the complaint reads.</p>



<p>With the lawsuit, the movie company hopes to recoup some of its alleged losses. It accuses the YTS operator and its users of contributory and direct copyright infringement, while tagging on a claim of intentional inducement against the former.</p>



<p>Wicked Nevada also requests an injunction to stop the defendants’ infringing activities and to prevent third-party intermediaries such as hosting companies, domain registrars, and search engines, from facilitating access to the YTS domains. Ultimately, the company hopes to shut the site down.</p>



<p>Again, these claims are very similar to those made in the previously filed cases against YTS.</p>



<p>All in all, the three lawsuits make YTS the most sued pirate site in the US that we know of. It&#8217;s worth noting that all these cases are filed in the state of Miami by the same attorney, Kerry Culpepper, who represents quite a few movie outfits. </p>



<p>It&#8217;s not entirely clear to us what the reason is for filing separate lawsuits, as these companies could also bundle their powers. However, with every added lawsuit, the rightsholders may believe that they are getting closer to the operator.</p>



<p>This week, Wicked Nevada requested two new ex-parte motions for a subpoena. These motions are sealed, so we don&#8217;t know which companies it targets, but it will likely be another effort to obtain more information.</p>



<p>That brings us back to the issues YTS and EZTV faced over the past several days. While we can only speculate at this point, it&#8217;s possible that the legal pressure caused the sites, which may be interconnected, to lose a hosting provider. That could explain the temporary lack of new content. </p>



<p>For now, however, we can only speculate. That said, with YTS being the most visited torrent site on the Internet, the lawsuits are well worth keeping a close eye on.</p>



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



<p><em>A copy of the complaint filed by Wicked Nevada at the US District Court for the District of Hawaii is available <a href="media/65ec89bd.wickedyts.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/wickedyts.pdf">here (pdf)</a>.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=rMKLgYGINuE:KSayqMqSWJI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=rMKLgYGINuE:KSayqMqSWJI:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=rMKLgYGINuE:KSayqMqSWJI:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/rMKLgYGINuE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175822
title: Police Arrest Two in Football Piracy Crackdown
uri: Police-Arrest-Two-in-Football-Piracy-Crackdown
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/GjZKzo6FSEs/
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>Piracy of football (or soccer for those in the US) is currently one of the hottest copyright infringement related topics.</p>



<p>The major leagues &#8211; the Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, and Serie A, to name just four &#8211; see piracy as an existential threat, with millions of fans favoring unlicensed platforms over their expensive official offerings.</p>



<p>But while Europe is currently the key battleground, broadcasters and their anti-piracy partners are cracking down elsewhere too. South America, where football is followed by some of the most passionate fans in the world, is now seeing action after the police targeted two men this week.</p>



<p>Following an investigation launched in 2017, officers of the Intellectual Property Brigade (<a href="https://www.pdichile.cl/instituci%C3%B3n/unidades/cibercrimen">BRIDEPI</a>) of the Chilean Investigative Police arrested one man in the port city of Valparaíso while the other was detained in the  <br>Santiago Province commune Maipú.</p>



<p>Aged between 20 and 30-years-old, they are the alleged administrators of FutbolChile.net and VeoPartidos.com, sites which aired live matches to fans without permission from rightsholders.</p>



<p>Head of BRIDEPI Marco León told Chile&#8217;s <a href="https://www.24horas.cl/nacional/pdi-detiene-a-administradores-de-paginas-web-futbolchilenet-y-veopartidoscom-3504741">24horas</a> that the men operated independently but generated money from advertising placed on their respective sites.  According to the police unit, losses to local cable broadcasters run to several million dollars. </p>



<p>The original signals were allegedly obtained from companies including Fox Sports via a subscription but were then captured in the suspects&#8217; homes and transmitted to the sites via the Internet. One of the men is believed to have been operating for around five years.</p>



<p>&#8220;We are talking about 100,000 or 200,000 monthly visits [to the websites], where all the content was offered absolutely for free,&#8221; León said.</p>



<p>BRIDEPI added that it was &#8220;technically very difficult&#8221; to determine where the original signals were coming from. It was the first case of its type in the country and as a result, the police had to call in expert support from Brazil and Argentina.</p>



<p>The police unit warns that piracy is a moving target and today&#8217;s techniques may not work as well in the future. Technology is moving so quickly that in a year&#8217;s time, something else will come along to complicate investigations.</p>



<p>&#8220;[T]echnological progress is faster than us,&#8221; BRIDEPI 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=GjZKzo6FSEs:bQefpJL3Y-c:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=GjZKzo6FSEs:bQefpJL3Y-c:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=GjZKzo6FSEs:bQefpJL3Y-c:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/GjZKzo6FSEs" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175818
title: RIAA: Ebay and Amazon Sell a Lot of Copyright Infringing Music
uri: RIAA-Ebay-and-Amazon-Sell-a-Lot-of-Copyright-Infringing-Music
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/5ao1wqw7kR8/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/1cae4b1c.amazebay.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/amazebay.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175851"/></figure></div>



<p>Responding to a request from the US Department of Commerce, the RIAA submitted its views on several copyright infringement matters.</p>



<p>Specifically, it informed the Government about counterfeit and pirated goods that pass through online third-party marketplaces, and what can be done about that.</p>



<p>The music group sent a letter that encourages the Government to take action where possible. For example, by encouraging online platforms to share names and contact information of possible infringers. </p>



<p>In addition, the Government can also clarify when online intermediaries should be held liable for acts carried out by sellers of counterfeit and pirated goods.  </p>



<p>When it comes to piracy and e-commerce platforms, the RIAA believes that any such changes should apply to mobile, Kodi or browser apps, and to the storefronts that distribute them. This refers to pirate apps on mobile stores, but also devices that are sold through Amazon and eBay.</p>



<p>&#8220;As online commerce goes increasingly mobile and distributed, there shouldn’t be different rules that apply to apps that can access the Internet via any connected device, as opposed to just the traditional website,&#8221; the RIAA writes.</p>



<p>When it comes to counterfeit goods, the RIAA is particularly concerned with large platforms that sell unauthorized music recordings. These counterfeit products are sold very frequently by large retailers, the music group explains. </p>



<p>This year, the RIAA conducted two studies into the sale of counterfeit music. For the first, it made various tests buys on Amazon and eBay, focusing on current and evergreen album titles released by major U.S. record labels. </p>



<p>This revealed that a significant portion of the CDs on these platforms are unauthorized. This is also true for the CDs that were marked as &#8220;fulfilled by Amazon.&#8221;</p>



<p>&#8220;The study showed that 16% of the CDs purchased via eBay were counterfeit, and 11% of the CDs purchased via Amazon were counterfeit. Alarmingly, 25% of the purchased CDs that were &#8216;Fulfilled by Amazon&#8217; were counterfeit,&#8221; the RIAA writes.  <br></p>



<p>In another study, the RIAA searched for “brand new” box sets of selected titles on eBay and AliExpress, and then bought the four lowest-priced box sets on each platform. The result, again, revealed that copyright infringement is rampant.<br></p>



<p>&#8220;On both eBay and AliExpress, 100% of the test buys of the box sets were counterfeit. This is of particular concern as box sets are premium physical music products designed for the superfan that often contain the most significant sound recordings in an artist’s repertoire,&#8221; the RIAA notes.</p>



<p>Where appropriate, platforms that willingly distribute copyright-infringing content should be held liable. At a minimum, these platforms should deter repeat infringers, the RIAA argues.</p>



<p>The music group hopes that the US Department of Commerce will take its findings and comments into account and come up with possible solutions to curb piracy and counterfeiting on online platforms.  </p>



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



<p><em>A copy of the RIAA&#8217;s letter, providing input for the upcoming report on the state of counterfeit and pirated goods trafficking and recommendations, is available <a href="media/cb5104fb.batting_Trafficking_in_Counterfeit_and_Pirated_Goods_7-29-19.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/RIAA_Comments_to_DOC_Combatting_Trafficking_in_Counterfeit_and_Pirated_Goods_7-29-19.pdf">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=5ao1wqw7kR8:4GTCTQmy_yo:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=5ao1wqw7kR8:4GTCTQmy_yo:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=5ao1wqw7kR8:4GTCTQmy_yo:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/5ao1wqw7kR8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175814
title: Bulgaria CyberCrime Unit Arrests Man For Running Dozens of Pirate Sites
uri: Bulgaria-CyberCrime-Unit-Arrests-Man-For-Running-Dozens-of-Pirate-Site
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/gn8D4-0WQPk/
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>Like many countries in Europe, Bulgaria is home to large numbers of pirate sites operating in multiple niches, from torrent and streaming platforms, to dedicated IPTV services.</p>



<p>In recent times authorities there have indicated that they are taking a tougher line to combat infringement in the country and yesterday announced results on that front.</p>



<p>According to an announcement from the Ministry of the Interior, a &#8220;special operation&#8221; was carried out this week to take down dozens of streaming platforms said to be involved in the unlicensed distribution of copyright works.</p>



<p>Carried out under the direction of the Sofia District Prosecutor&#8217;s office, the Cybercrime Specialized Unit at the State Security Service detained a 40-year-old man said to be the owner/operator of dozens of pirate sites, which appear to have focused on the streaming sector.</p>



<p>The authorities claimed that the man ran more than 40 websites which distributed movies online without obtaining permission from copyright holders. He allegedly got one site off the ground and then used the content from that to fuel the others, which were then supported financially by adverts provided by Google.</p>



<p>&#8220;He originally published the films on one of the sites he controlled. After reaching a certain number of visitors and the traffic generated &#8211; for which he was paid for by Google respectively &#8211; he downloaded the works and shared them again, but on some other domains,&#8221; the statement from the Ministry reads.</p>



<p>&#8220;The procedure was repeated 4-5 times until the resource was exhausted from the sites he controlled. Thus, for the same copyright sites, the capitalist received multiple payments from Google.&#8221;</p>



<p>According to the statement, most of the sites were &#8220;hosted&#8221; on the Internet by one of the largest cloud service providers in the United States. This, the authorities claimed, led the man to believe he was anonymous. However, international investigations carried out by Bulgaria&#8217;s General Directorate for Combatting Organized Crime (GDBOP) uncovered his identity.</p>



<p><em>The full list of sites attributed to the man by the authorities reads as follows:</em></p>



<p><em>x-movies-8.com, new123movies.com, phim-3s.com, phim-14.com, xxxmovies8.com, ww1.serialitebg.com, xmovies8- tv.com, onlinemovies2017.com, xmovies-8.com, onlinemovies2016.com, newcinema2016.info, movies-16.com, onlinemovies-gold.com , megashare-movies.com, newmovies-2016.com, onlinemovies-is.com, big-top-40.com, movie-8k.com, tv-1000.net, online-movies-pro.info, moviesonline-pro.com, filmi-bg-audio.com, terminator-genesys-online.info, starwars7download.info, resident-evil-7-online.info, mision-impossible-5-online.info, james-bond-24-online.info, onlain-filmi-bg.com, filmi-fen.com, filmi-2015.com, kinofilme-2014.com, movies-2017.com, hulu-movies.com, onlain-filmi.info, movies-2015.com, movies-16.com, movie-32.com, new123movies.stream</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=gn8D4-0WQPk:AFZIXAc5ADg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=gn8D4-0WQPk:AFZIXAc5ADg:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=gn8D4-0WQPk:AFZIXAc5ADg:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/gn8D4-0WQPk" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175617
title: ‘Copyright Troll’ Files Over 1,000 Piracy Lawsuits in Half a Year
uri: Copyright-Troll-Files-Over-1-000-Piracy-Lawsuits-in-Half-a-Year
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/mm4etbnZkyA/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/67ffec03.trollsign.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/trollsign.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-108977"/></figure></div>



<p>While most piracy activity has shifted to streaming in recent years, US courts are still overloaded with BitTorrent related lawsuits. </p>



<p>This phenomenon, often dubbed as copyright trolling, started roughly a decade ago and remains ongoing. </p>



<p>The process is fairly simple. Rightsholders file complaints against &#8220;John Does,&#8221; who are initially only known by an IP-address. They then request a subpoena to obtain the subscriber details from the associated ISP, which are then used to request a settlement. </p>



<p>This &#8216;revenue&#8217; model has been widely criticized and increasingly courts have become more reserved as well. Last year, there was an important Appeals Court ruling which clarified that rightsholders need &#8220;something more&#8221; than an IP-address alone, to make their case. </p>



<p>Nonetheless, the traditional boilerplate complaints are far from over. This week we decided to take a look at the number of file-sharing lawsuits filed in the first half of 2019. This showed that one company has been particularly active.</p>



<p>The adult entertainment production company Strike 3 Holdings, which distributes its adult videos via the Blacked, Tushy, and Vixen websites, takes the crown. In the first six months of this year, it filed 1,071 complaints. That&#8217;s up from last year when it filed 976 new cases in the same period.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/beb71528.strike3.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/strike3.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-175715"/><figcaption>Strike 3 filings</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>The second most litigious rightsholder is Malibu Media, another adult entertainment outfit.  The company, known for its X-Art brand, has been an <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/adult-movie-outfit-is-most-litigious-copyright-plaintiff-in-u-s-150812/">established player</a> in US courts for a few years. During the first half of 2019 it filed 337 new cases, which is down from 681 last year. </p>



<p>Aside from the two adult companies, there were also some regular movie companies active. Hunter Killer Productions, for example, filed 25 cases, Bodyguard Productions was good for 16, and LHF Productions added three new complaints. </p>



<p>All filers have been active in previous years as well, so there aren&#8217;t any surprises on that front. </p>



<p>While there have been slightly fewer cases than in the first half of 2018, this year has already surpassed the total number of piracy lawsuits that were filed in 2017, which were little over 1,000. Whether last year&#8217;s record high of more than 3,300 new cases will be broken, has yet to be seen.</p>



<p>&#8212;</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=mm4etbnZkyA:9sDdQLYw0jY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=mm4etbnZkyA:9sDdQLYw0jY:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=mm4etbnZkyA:9sDdQLYw0jY:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/mm4etbnZkyA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175769
title: Serie A Launches Anti-Piracy Campaign But Shares ‘Sponsor’ With Pirate Movies
uri: Serie-A-Launches-Anti-Piracy-Campaign-But-Shares-Sponsor-With-Pi
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/_SCp6rrhGAA/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/358d735a.image-105.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/image-105.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175776" width="265" height="119"/></figure></div>



<p>There can be little doubt that the wide availability of unlicensed streaming portals and IPTV services is causing grave concern among football leagues all over Europe.</p>



<p>The Premier League has been particularly vocal about this growing form of piracy and has taken matters to the UK High Court, obtaining <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/premier-league-wins-new-isp-piracy-blocking-order-190716/">blocking orders</a> which enable it to take action in real-time, with the help of Internet service providers.</p>



<p>With the new season about to start this month, Italy&#8217;s top-tier football league Serie A has launched an <a href="http://www.legaseriea.it/stopiracy">anti-piracy campaign</a> of its own, declaring that &#8220;Piracy Kills Football&#8221; alongside the hashtag #STOPIRACY which it hopes fans will spread across social media.</p>



<p>&#8220;The Serie A League is at the forefront of addressing the scourge of piracy, we must defend football against this criminal attack and make it clear to those who use illegal decoders that they are committing a real crime,&#8221; says Serie A president Gaetano Miccichè.<br></p>



<p>&#8220;The problem is global and damages football at all levels. We are strengthening the tools to identify and counter acts of piracy in real-time, but it is essential for us to create a system together with the help of the Government and the telecoms operators.&#8221;</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="http://www.legaseriea.it/assets/legaseriea/images/stopiracy/pirateria_gallery_765X510_0001_eng.png?1" alt="" width="650"/><figcaption><em>Piracy Kills Football (Image credit: Serie A)</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>However, it&#8217;s the comments of Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo that serve to raise a wry smile when viewed from a wider angle to encompass all kinds of video piracy and a Serie A sponsorship deal in particular.</p>



<p>&#8220;Piracy is a criminal phenomenon, implemented by people who do not realize the seriousness of what they are doing,&#8221; the CEO writes. &#8220;Continuing will end up destroying the content creation industry, the cinema, TV, print media, but also and above all football, the quintessential premium product.&#8221;</p>



<p>Citing the potential destruction of the cinema is an interesting choice. </p>



<p>Readers may recall our <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/1xbet-the-bizarre-cam-brand-that-movie-pirates-love-to-hate-190526/">recent article</a> which detailed the activities of Russia-based gambling company, 1XBET. In a nutshell, the majority of CAM-copies of movies (those filmed in cinemas and released online during their theatrical release), currently contain lots of advertising and promo codes for 1XBET.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/7cadf921.image-43.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/image-43.png" alt="" width="650"/><figcaption><em>Pirate releases with 1XBET branding</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>According to <a href="https://sponsorship.sportbusiness.com/news/1xbet-signs-as-international-presenting-partner-of-serie-a/">SportBusiness Sponsorship</a>, 1XBET is actually an official presenting partner for Serie A and as a result, its ads can be found almost everywhere on Serie A&#8217;s site. It even has its own <a href="http://www.legaseriea.it/en/players/giacomo-bongiorno/BNGGCM">&#8216;Player Profile&#8217; page</a> where the betting company is the star of the show. But there&#8217;s more.</p>



<p>&#8220;The three-year deal will run until 2021, making 1XBet the league’s International Presenting Partner, covering Europe, Africa, the Middle East, North Africa and the Americas,&#8221; the publication notes.</p>



<p>&#8220;As part of the deal, 1XBet will be featured in all match graphics, idents and virtual goal mat advertising in all live Serie A broadcasts.&#8221;</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img src="media/57d05fca.image-106.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/image-106.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175777" width="458" height="206"/><figcaption><em>GOAL&#8230;.sponsored by 1XBET</em></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>Bizarrely, given the coverage that 1XBET has received in relation to piracy and CAM copies of movies, its ads are also running on the very same page as Serie A&#8217;s anti-piracy campaign, right across the bottom of the screen and under the comments claiming that piracy is destroying cinema. </p>



<p>We&#8217;ve embedded some of the Serie A page below, so the context is clear in respect of the anti-piracy language (particularly that involving the cinema) and the positioning of the 1XBET advertising.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="media/4effbc41.serie-a-1xbet.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/serie-a-1xbet.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175775"/></figure>



<p>&#8220;1XBET is a gambling company originating from Russia that uses cam copies to advertise itself internationally,&#8221; Dmitry Tyunkin, Deputy Director of Anti-Piracy and Brand Protection at cyber-security firm Group-IB, previously told TorrentFreak. </p>



<p>As noted earlier, there’s no overwhelming evidence available to the general public that 1XBET itself is driving camming ‘sponsorship’ directly, even though the prevalence of the branding and advertising in pirate movie releases tends to suggest otherwise. Maybe pirates have taken it upon themselves to advertise the company in releases just for kicks., who knows.</p>



<p>Having said all that, Serie A doesn&#8217;t appear to consider any of this a problem, even when the same advertising appears on the same page as their very own anti-piracy campaign. Strange times indeed.</p>



<p>Finally, Serie A team Juventus promoted the campaign on Twitter. <a href="https://twitter.com/juventusfcen/status/1158751374986944512">See for yourself</a> how it went down with fans. Many cited much bigger issues as responsible for the impending death of football, not least (but not limited to) the extortionate prices fans are expected to pay to watch matches.<br></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 width="694" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6Z_m0Gg2Px8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div><figcaption><em>Mile 22 with 1XBET ads</em></figcaption></figure>



<p></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=_SCp6rrhGAA:WE83cqaFdtI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=_SCp6rrhGAA:WE83cqaFdtI:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=_SCp6rrhGAA:WE83cqaFdtI:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/_SCp6rrhGAA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175445
title: Rightsholders Remove Google Results of Legal Search Engine ‘JustWatch’
uri: Rightsholders-Remove-Google-Results-of-Legal-Search-Engine-JustWatc
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/x71tpVFJRYg/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/9326d637.justwatch.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/justwatch.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175509"/></figure></div>



<p>The entertainment industries have gone head to head with Google over the past years, demanding tougher anti-piracy measures from the search engine.</p>



<p>Ideally, several industry groups would like Google to completely remove pirate sites from its search results. In addition, they argue that the search engine should boost the rankings of legal services and sites that allow the public to find legal content. </p>



<p><a href="https://www.justwatch.com/">JustWatch</a> is one of these legal options. While it doesn&#8217;t offer any content itself, it provides a great search tool for people who want to find legal entertainment on dozens of services. As such, it is widely recommended by industry insiders.</p>



<p>When Fox alerts ISPs and hosting companies of alleged pirates, for example, it specifically <a href="https://proxy.sh/panel/knowledgebase/3791/24or07or2019-DMCA-Twentieth-Century-FOX-Film-Corporation--at--55599.html">recommends</a> JustWatch as a good starting point.</p>



<p> &#8220;We encourage you to refer your account holder to the website justwatch.com where they will find an array of legal choices,&#8221; Fox notes.  </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/ba44b6f0.foxfind.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/foxfind.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175510"/></figure></div>



<p>Given this reputation, it&#8217;s rather unfortunate that copyright holders repeatedly ask Google to remove JustWatch URLs from its search engine. While these requests are likely made in error, the result is that these companies make it harder for people to find legal alternatives.</p>



<p>Take this <a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/18745511?access_token=P5uHzOKBv60H3uM29QsAnw">copyright infringement notice</a> from anime producer Korean Broadcasting System (<em>KBS</em>) for example. The takedown request, directed at Google, lists dozens of infringing URLs, as well as two from JustWatch.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/f88217bb.justtakedown.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/justtakedown.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175514"/><figcaption>Takedown notice</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>While KBS probably identified these URLs by mistake, thinking that JustWatch is a pirate site, Google did in fact take action. As a result, the site&#8217;s official page of &#8220;The King&#8217;s Face&#8221; is no longer showing up in the search results. </p>



<p>&#8220;In response to a complaint that we received under the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act, we have removed 1 result(s) from this page. If you wish, you may read the DMCA complaint that caused the removal(s) at LumenDatabase.org,&#8221; Google explains.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/8dea6eee.justremoved.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/justremoved.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175615"/><figcaption>JustWatch removed&#8230;</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>This isn&#8217;t an isolated incident either. Since the start of this year, Google has been asked to remove <a href="https://transparencyreport.google.com/copyright/domains/justwatch.com">more than a hundred</a> JustWatch URLs. These notices are attributed to a variety of rightsholders, including KBS, CJ, AMC Networks, Zee Entertainment, and Toei Animation.</p>



<p>In the example given earlier, as well as several <a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/18782099">other</a> instances, the links have been removed. However, Google also managed to prevent some takedowns, including <a href="https://lumendatabase.org/notices/18762852?access_token=vcEtoTtw5T8jjevkU2b61g">this one</a> AMC sent for &#8220;Fear The Walking Dead.&#8221; </p>



<p>What&#8217;s clear, however, is that many JustWatch links are no longer appearing in Google&#8217;s search results. While this is unlikely to be intentional, it is rather unfortunate, especially since rightsholders themselves have asked Google to promote such services.</p>



<p>Perhaps it&#8217;s a good idea to prevent these clear errors, before demanding Google to &#8220;do more&#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=x71tpVFJRYg:4LJfvGLnxrg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=x71tpVFJRYg:4LJfvGLnxrg:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=x71tpVFJRYg:4LJfvGLnxrg:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/x71tpVFJRYg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175899
title: Kim Dotcom Set to Mobilize Former Megaupload Users Against Joe Biden
uri: Kim-Dotcom-Set-to-Mobilize-Former-Megaupload-Users-Against-Joe-Biden
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/PJhZDjJ71PI/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/66633aca.dotcom-laptop.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/dotcom-laptop.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-76556"/></figure></div>



<p>After being targeted by the US government in 2012, it seems possible that Kim Dotcom may yet slip through the hands of at least two presidents and potentially more.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s now seven years since the raids that dismantled his Megaupload empire yet Kim Dotcom is still in New Zealand and leading what appears to be a very privileged life.</p>



<p>At the same time as fighting with every legal bone in his body, he is clearly determined to stir up a political storm in the United States too, a country he will remind you again and again that he has never even been to. For Dotcom, you see, there are old scores to be settled.</p>



<p>Dotcom is convinced that current Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden was the political driving force behind the fate of Megaupload. The former vice president burnt the file-hosting site to the ground as a &#8220;gift&#8221; to his friends in Hollywood, Dotcom insists. And soon, it will be payback time.</p>



<p>In a series of tweets this morning, Dotcom said that next year he will be mirroring his infamous campaign against former candidate Hillary Clinton to ensure that Joe Biden never sets foot in the White House.</p>



<p>&#8220;Like @HillaryClinton he’s corrupt to the core and can never become US President. Watch me in 2020,&#8221; he <a href="https://twitter.com/KimDotcom/status/1160703494652698624">warned</a>.</p>



<p>Dotcom usually plays some of his cards close to his chest, while teasing others well in advance of their production. However, he&#8217;s now on record that he&#8217;ll be using a database of former Megaupload users apparently still in his possession to mobilize against Biden.</p>



<p>&#8220;Still waiting to get access to your Megaupload files?&#8221; he <a href="https://twitter.com/KimDotcom/status/1160695695663230976">wrote</a>.</p>



<p>&#8220;I will email 30 million former US Megaupload users a video link in 2020 explaining how <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden">@JoeBiden</a> destroyed your favorite website. Most of you were teenagers or students then but now you’re voters. Let’s retire Biden together,&#8221; the Megaupload founder added.</p>



<p>Putting the two parts together suggests that Dotcom not only has uploaders&#8217; IP addresses to geo-locate them but their corresponding email addresses too. With the statute of limitations long exceeded in cases of alleged copyright infringement, errant users <em>probably</em> shouldn&#8217;t be too concerned, even if those can be matched to uploads.</p>



<p>While it seems extremely unlikely that any will ever get access to their files again, Dotcom says they will be receiving something else from him, something that he hopes will undermine both Biden and his campaign.</p>



<p>&#8220;Everyone who ever uploaded a file to Megaupload from a US IP address will receive this video link about how <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden">@JoeBiden</a> abused his power to destroy Megaupload, incl. commentary from an insider and Biden bragging to a lawyer we planted at a fundraiser that HE destroyed MU,&#8221; Dotcom <a href="https://twitter.com/KimDotcom/status/1160701513108357120">added</a>. </p>



<p>Although the content of the forthcoming video is yet to be seen, the allegations against Biden certainly aren&#8217;t new. They are <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/kim-dotcom-joe-biden-ordered-the-megaupload-shutdown-120703/">almost as old</a> as the case against Dotcom himself, which has been moving at a glacial pace since its inception more than three-quarters of a decade ago.</p>



<p>And according to Dotcom, it might still only be at its halfway point.</p>



<p>In June, after a tortuous path through the lower courts, New Zealand&#8217;s Supreme Court <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/kim-dotcom-begins-final-supreme-court-battle-to-avoid-us-extradition-190610/">heard</a> the extradition case against Dotcom. It is yet to hand down any decision but even at this stage, the Megaupload founder is making his predictions. In tweets over the past several weeks, Dotcom has predicted that he will lose by a slim margin.</p>



<p>&#8220;I can tell you from my experience with the Courts that relationships are more important than laws. Judges are appointed to support the govt of the time and not for guardianship of the law. My upcoming 2-3 Supreme Court judgment will prove my point,&#8221; he <a href="https://twitter.com/KimDotcom/status/1158792413457969152">wrote</a> last week.</p>



<p>But even then the show won&#8217;t be over, <a href="https://twitter.com/KimDotcom/status/1160711672299843585">far from it</a>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="media/1517b70c.image-107.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/image-107.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175901" width="650"/><figcaption><em>Another seven years? Possibly&#8230;</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>At the time of writing, Dotcom claims that he&#8217;s has already been on bail longer than anyone in New Zealand&#8217;s history but he&#8217;s vowing to stick it out &#8220;until the end&#8221; while making as much mud stick as he can &#8211; both at home and in the United States.</p>



<p>&#8220;My case is the biggest stain on New Zealand’s rule of law. My gift to the &#8216;independent&#8217; Judiciary,&#8221; he concludes. </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=PJhZDjJ71PI:AQ77MDv1Uow:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=PJhZDjJ71PI:AQ77MDv1Uow:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=PJhZDjJ71PI:AQ77MDv1Uow:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/PJhZDjJ71PI" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175888
title: Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week on BitTorrent – 08/12/19
uri: Top-10-Most-Pirated-Movies-of-The-Week-on-BitTorrent-08-12-19
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/QI_yBd6-oY0/
content:
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-175890" src="media/99371819.aladd.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/aladd.png" alt="" width="326" height="243" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/aladd.png 326w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/aladd-200x150.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 326px) 100vw, 326px">This week we have four newcomers in our chart.</p>
<p>Aladdin 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-08-05-19/">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/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>2</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1298644/">The Hustle</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1298644/">5.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of52MNnXoxU">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>3</strong></td>
<td>(1)</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>4</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7752126/">Brightburn</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7752126/">6.2</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD1vbhicJUY">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2066051/">Rocketman</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2066051/">7.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbeRrQhH4OI">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td>(5)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0437086/">Alita: Battle Angel</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0437086/">7.5</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7pYhpJaJW8">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td>(2)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4995776/">The Red Sea Diving Resort</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4995776/">6.4</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80WflPMzAcw">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td>(3)</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>9</strong></td>
<td>(4)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2274648/">Hellboy</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2274648/">5.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsBO4b3tyZg">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>10</strong></td>
<td>(6)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448115/">Shazam!</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448115/">7.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oD7B7oiBtw&amp;t=2s">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=QI_yBd6-oY0:qw58JpelrWk:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=QI_yBd6-oY0:qw58JpelrWk:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=QI_yBd6-oY0:qw58JpelrWk:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/QI_yBd6-oY0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175871
title: Bell and Rogers to Request ‘Pirate’ Site Blocking Order in Canada
uri: Bell-and-Rogers-to-Request-Pirate-Site-Blocking-Order-in-Canada
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/95xKpEJqnIE/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/b1b33e9f.pageblocked.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/pageblocked.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-147564" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/pageblocked.jpg 275w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/pageblocked-200x150.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 275px) 100vw, 275px"></figure></div>



<p>Last year, a coalition of copyright holders and major players in the telco industry asked the Canadian Government to institute a national pirate site blocking scheme. </p>



<p>The Fairplay coalition argued that such measures would be required to effectively curb online piracy. Canada&#8217;s telco regulator CRTC reviewed the request but eventually <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/telecoms-regulator-denies-canadian-pirate-site-blocking-application-181002/">denied the application</a>, noting that it lacks jurisdiction.  </p>



<p>While the denial came as a setback, the main players pushing for site blocking are not letting the matter go easily. Bell and Rogers, two of the main proponents of the mechanism, later tried to get a blocking regime instituted through the planned revision of the Copyright Act. </p>



<p>Thus far there are no signs that they&#8217;re getting what they want, but there is another path to site-blocking that the two companies, together with Groupe TVA, are about to explore.</p>



<p>Last month <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/groupe-tva-bell-rogers-team-up-to-sue-pirate-iptv-service-190724/">we reported</a> on a lawsuit the three companies filed against the operators of &#8216;pirate&#8217; IPTV service operating from the domain names GoldTV.ca and GoldTV.biz. The companies argued that the service provides access to their TV content without licenses or authorization.</p>



<p>“The GoldTV.biz Service provides unauthorized access to hundreds (if not thousands) of live television channels and video-on-demand content,” the complaint filed at the Federal Court reads.</p>



<p>Among other things, the companies requested an interim injunction to stop the operator(s), who remain unidentified, from continuing to offer the allegedly-infringing IPTV service. This request was reviewed by the Federal Court in Ontario, which granted it late last week.</p>



<p>According to Justice Catherine Kane, the telecom companies would suffer “irreparable harm” if the two GoldTV sites were to continue.</p>



<p>The interim order will remain in place until a final determination of the claims is made. Among other things, the operator(s) are forbidden from operating, maintaining, promoting, or selling any infringing services, including GoldTV.</p>



<p>While the copyright holders are likely to be happy with this preliminary ruling, the follow-up step may prove to be even more interesting. According to <a href="https://www.thewire.ca/">The Wire</a>, the copyright holders will move for a website blocking order next month.</p>



<p>This order, which they plan to formally request in September, will request various ISPs including Bell Media, Eastlink, Cogeco Inc., Rogers’ Fido, Shaw Communications Inc., TekSavvy Solutions Inc., Telus Corp., and Videotron to block the GoldTV sites. </p>



<p>To our knowledge, this will be the first time that these companies have requested a pirate site blocking order in Canada. Interestingly, several of the ISPs that are targeted are connected to the copyright holders. As such, it is unlikely that there will be any protests from their side.</p>



<p>However, other ISPs, such as Techsavvy, may object to the requested order, if it&#8217;s formally submitted. This could then turn into a test case for court-ordered pirate site blockades in Canada.</p>



<p>The question remains, however, if the rightsholders will push through with their request. While GoldTV.ca was still operational yesterday, the site has now become unreachable. The same is true for GoldTV.biz, which doesn&#8217;t load either. That said, both sites could of course reappear.</p>



<p>It is clear, however, that after requests to get a blocking regime instated through the CRTC, Bell, Rogers, and others are now considering filing a blocking order through the court. And if they are successful, more will likely follow.</p>



<p>A two-day hearing on the GoldTV case is currently scheduled for September 11/12, and we will likely hear more after that.</p>



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



<p><em>A copy of the interim injunction that was issued by the Federal Court last week is available <a href="media/f91ecd90.Interim-ORDER.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/Interim-ORDER.pdf">here (pdf)</a>.</em></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=95xKpEJqnIE:qW67qwnUUmE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=95xKpEJqnIE:qW67qwnUUmE:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=95xKpEJqnIE:qW67qwnUUmE:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/95xKpEJqnIE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175906
title: Warner Bros. Obtains Several Blocking Orders Targeting Major Pirate Sites
uri: Warner-Bros-Obtains-Several-Blocking-Orders-Targeting-Major-Pirate-Si
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/_8WL3avgElc/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/e49204f7.deniedblocked.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/deniedblocked.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-143825"/></figure></div>



<p>India is no stranger to blocking pirate sites. Just last week, a court ordered local Internet service providers to <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/indian-high-court-orders-isps-to-block-1129-sites-to-protect-one-movie-190808/">block more than 1,200 sites</a> to prevent the spread of a single movie.</p>



<p>Now, however, it appears that there additional legal moves underway to ensure that sites are not only blocked temporarily but also on a more permanent basis.</p>



<p>Over the past several weeks the High Court in Delhi has been handling many separate applications for permanent injunction filed by US-based Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.</p>



<p>In all cases, the company states that several of its copyrighted works &#8211; movies Aquaman, A Star is Born, Wonder Woman, plus TV show Arrow &#8211; were made available via a broad range of torrent, streaming, linking, and proxy-type sites.</p>



<p>The complaints also cite works by studios including Columbia, Paramount, Universal, and Netflix as further examples of content being infringed on the platforms.</p>



<p>In just one of the complaints the list of infringing domains runs to 124 and includes some very well known names including local giant Tamilrockers, TorrentDownload.ch, TorrentDownloads.me and EZTV, iStole.it, Zoink.it, Torrents.me, Torrents.io, Zooqle, MovieRulz, LimeTorrents, Bolly4u, KatMovie, Monova, and 9xMovies.</p>



<p>In many cases, multiple domains are listed for the above sites, including alternates, proxies and other variants that are accessible via various unblocking platforms. All are accused of infringing the rights of Warner Bros. by providing access to its movie and TV shows content without authorization.</p>



<p>&#8220;[D]efendant Websites are primarily and substantially engaged in communicating to the public, hosting, streaming and/or making available to the public Plaintiff&#8217;s original content without authorization, and/or facilitating the same,&#8221; one order reads.  <br></p>



<p>The order covering the above sites notes that Warner investigated and then served legal notices on the platforms ordering them to cease-and-desist. However, it&#8217;s reported that none acted to prevent their infringing activities. </p>



<p>To boost its case, Warner also informed the Court that some of the sites have already been blocked in other jurisdictions (including the UK, Portugal, Malaysia, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Russia, and Italy) for similar behavior.</p>



<p>After consideration, the Court found that there is a <em>prima facie</em> case and Warner should be awarded an interim injunction to prevent the sites from continuing their infringing activities. Furthermore, the sites should have their domains blocked by ISPs in India, to prevent further damage and losses.</p>



<p>The Court also addressed the issue of additional domains or platforms appearing to circumvent any blocking, by granting Warner permission to file additional updates with the Court that will allow for such mechanisms to be disabled by ISPs via an expedited process. </p>



<p>The example order detailed above is very specific, in that it orders ISPs to block the domain names of the sites plus a list of IP addresses. However, the vast majority appear to be using Cloudflare, so it remains to be seen whether the ISPs will use discretion or blindly block, which could cause considerable disruption to other sites using the same IP locations.</p>



<p>In some of the orders, it appears that domain registrars are also required to suspend domain names belonging or connected to various sites, including TamilRockers, Hindilinks4u, Otorrents, Filmlinks4u, Mp4Moviez, Series9.io, uWatchFree, OnlineWatchMovies, MovieRulzFree, and SkyMovies.</p>



<p>Several additional applications from Warner are on record at the Delhi High Court but are yet to be published as interim orders.</p>



<p><em>The main order detailed above can be found </em><a href="media/f498ce9d.CS-COMM-369-2019.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/CS-COMM-369-2019.pdf"><em>here</em></a><em> (pdf), the rest here </em><a href="media/0495c9c0.CS-COMM-366-2019.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/CS-COMM-366-2019.pdf"><em>2</em></a><em>,</em><a href="media/7ebd843a.CS-COMM-367-2019.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/CS-COMM-367-2019.pdf"><em>3</em></a><em>,</em><a href="media/701203c2.CS-COMM-368-2019.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/CS-COMM-368-2019.pdf"><em>4</em></a><em>,</em><a href="media/c0bfa0ab.CS-COMM-399-2019.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/CS-COMM-399-2019.pdf"><em>5</em></a><em>,</em><a href="media/6283b0c3.CS-COMM-400-2019.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/CS-COMM-400-2019.pdf"><em>6</em></a><em>,</em><a href="media/21ce17be.CS-COMM-402-2019.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/CS-COMM-402-2019.pdf"><em>7</em></a><em>,</em><a href="media/4e61fc26.CS-COMM-403-2019.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/CS-COMM-403-2019.pdf"><em>8</em></a><em>,</em><a href="media/af29d9de.CS-COMM-407-2019.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/CS-COMM-407-2019.pdf"><em>9</em></a><em>,</em><a href="media/bbcf748a.CS-COMM-409-2019.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/CS-COMM-409-2019.pdf"><em>10</em></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=_8WL3avgElc:CCAW5eOF1hI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=_8WL3avgElc:CCAW5eOF1hI:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=_8WL3avgElc:CCAW5eOF1hI:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/_8WL3avgElc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175896
title: Music Companies Accuse Cox of Gamesmanship, Asks Court for Sanctions
uri: Music-Companies-Accuse-Cox-of-Gamesmanship-Asks-Court-for-Sanctions
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/UCbILHWjIiQ/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/f71707b4.coxcomms.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/coxcomms.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-128587"/></figure></div>



<p>Regular Internet providers are being put under increasing pressure for not doing enough to curb copyright infringement.</p>



<p>Music rights company BMG got the ball rolling a few years ago&nbsp;<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cox-is-liable-for-pirating-subscribers-ordered-to-pay-25-million-151217/">when it won</a> its piracy liability lawsuit against Cox  <br>Communications.</p>



<p>Following this defeat, several major record labels including Capitol Records, Warner Bros, and Sony Music followed suit by <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/riaa-sues-isp-grande-communications-for-failing-to-disconnect-pirates-170422/">filing a similar lawsuit</a> in a Virginia District Court. With help from the RIAA, they also sued Cox for allegedly turning a blind eye to its pirating subscribers.</p>



<p>According to the rightsholders, the Internet provider knew that some of its subscribers were frequently distributing copyrighted material, accusing the company of failing to take any meaningful action in response. </p>



<p>Over the past months, both parties have conducted discovery and the case is currently scheduled to go to trial in December. For a moment it appeared that things wouldn&#8217;t get that far. In June, both parties indicated that there were open to a settlement discussion which was scheduled to take place in Court last week. </p>



<p>While the music companies and the ISP both agreed to the hearing, Cox canceled it two days in advance, with its attorney stating that his client does not believe the settlement discussions would be productive.</p>



<p>This cancellation didn&#8217;t go down well with the music companies. In a status report, they now complain about Cox&#8217;s behavior. According to the filing, several of the music company representatives incurred traveling costs and one person was already in the air at the time the hearing was canceled.</p>



<p>The music companies don&#8217;t buy the ISP&#8217;s explanation either. They say nothing has changed since Cox agreed to the settlement discussions several weeks ago. </p>



<p>&#8220;Between the final pretrial conference and Cox’s unilateral cancelation yesterday, absolutely nothing had happened between the parties to justify Cox’s about-face,&#8221; the plaintiffs inform the court.</p>



<p>&#8220;Had Cox taken this process seriously, it would have known long before yesterday that it thought settlement discussions would not be productive. Instead, Cox misled the Court and Plaintiffs for more than six weeks, forcing both to expend resources and distract from other important matters,&#8221; they add. </p>



<p>According to the music companies, Cox is deliberately delaying and obstructing the case. In the status report, they accuse the Internet provider of gamesmanship.</p>



<p>&#8220;Throughout the case, Cox has demonstrated a consistent pattern of obstruction, delay and gamesmanship. Plaintiffs thus have concern that Cox’s approach to the settlement conference was just a ruse to distract Plaintiffs at a critical time. In discovery, Cox took absurd positions, objecting to basic discovery,&#8221; they write. </p>



<p>Taken together, Cox&#8217;s actions deserve a sanction from the court, the music companies argue. While they haven&#8217;t submitted a formal motion for sanctions, they point out that this situation warrants one.</p>



<p>&#8220;The Court has broad discretion to enter sanctions pursuant to its inherent authority, including without the formality of a motion. This situation clearly calls for it,&#8221; the music companies conclude.</p>



<p>If the court doesn&#8217;t wish to take any actions of its own accord, the music companies are willing to submit a formal request for sanctions. However, they note that this would only be an added distraction to them.</p>



<p>Whether Cox is sanctioned or not, it is clear that both parties are not on speaking terms at the moment. That will only raise the tension leading up to the forthcoming trial.</p>



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



<p><em>A copy of the status report, filed by the music companies, is <a href="media/96b6c192.riaacoxstatus.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/riaacoxstatus.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=UCbILHWjIiQ:hznibsbwQdk:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=UCbILHWjIiQ:hznibsbwQdk:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=UCbILHWjIiQ:hznibsbwQdk:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/UCbILHWjIiQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=176004
title: TV Distributors Abandon IPTV Blocking Application Down Under
uri: TV-Distributors-Abandon-IPTV-Blocking-Application-Down-Under
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/EavLYfTQKm4/
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="257" height="170"/></figure></div>



<p>Changes to the law now make it relatively straightforward to have blatant &#8216;pirate&#8217; sites blocked by ISPs in Australia. </p>



<p>Entertainment industry groups have targeted dozens of sites using the streamlined system, including many of the top torrent and streaming platforms. For reasons that remain unclear, however, one application for a blocking order now appears to have hit the stops.</p>



<p>Back in February, an application for injunction filed in Federal Court saw TV distributor International Media Distribution (IMD) <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/reelplay-iptv-service-faces-blocking-action-in-aussie-court-190228/">targeting</a> Reelplay, an IPTV provider that specializes in Italian, Greek, and Arabic programming. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="media/63c96637.Reelpay_banner_01.jpg" data-original-source="https://reelplay.co/images/banner_rotation/Reelpay_banner_01.jpg" alt=""/><figcaption> <br><em>The Reelplay offering (from Reelplay.co)</em> </figcaption></figure>



<p>Luxembourg-registered IMD describes itself as the single largest provider of ethnic channels to US-based multi-billion dollar TV distributor, Dish Network, and the &#8220;leading aggregator and marketer of niche television services to various ethnic communities around the globe.&#8221;</p>



<p>In the <a href="media/4bd4df95.2019.02.13-Originating-Application-1.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/2019.02.13-Originating-Application-1.pdf">application for an injunction</a> <em>(pdf)</em>, IMD was joined by two other companies &#8211; Netherlands-based distributor Overlook Management BV and Lebanon-based pan-Arab TV station Al Jadeed. Together they complained that Reelplay offered 15 TV channels for which they are the exclusive licensee.</p>



<p>Given that Reelplay indicates on its site that it is &#8220;not responsible for the content and do not guarantee nor claim any rights to the content&#8221;, this seemed like a fairly straightforward case for the applicants, at least on the surface. However, something appears to have gone wrong.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.computerworld.com.au/article/665279/tv-companies-ditch-effort-sabotage-set-top-box/">ComputerWorld</a> reports that during a case management hearing in March, the Judge indicated he would be looking closely at a couple of points of interest.</p>



<p>&#8220;Justice Burley told the applicants that he would pay &#8216;particularly close attention&#8217; to proof of service in the matter and said that [the applicants] needed to ensure they fulfilled the requirements of Section 115a of the <em>Copyright Act,</em>&#8221; writes Rohan Pearce.</p>



<p>Since then the Judge issued several orders which required, among other things, for Overlook Management to be joined as an applicant, and the applicants to serve affidavit and schedules of evidence.</p>



<p>On June 28, 2019, the Judge noted that the matter had been listed for hearing on August 16, 2019. However, a subsequent order, dated August 8, stated that the applicants had been granted leave to file a notice of discontinuance. Yesterday, the court indicated that a final order had been handed down, terminating the case.</p>



<p>No details to explain the move are on record at the court, so it remains open to question whether some kind of agreement has been reached with Reelplay or if the case hit some kind of technical or legal block. Reelplay doesn&#8217;t list the channels it offers to the public on its site but discontinuing the disputed channels would at least have the potential to undermine the action.</p>



<p>Either way, the Reelplay site appears to be fully functional and capable of taking orders for the Arabic package in question. It features an Android-based box loaded with 450+ channels plus a 24-month subscription, priced at AUS$230. Only time will tell if the companies in question will return for a second bite at the cherry.</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=EavLYfTQKm4:E3iz5gitZu8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=EavLYfTQKm4:E3iz5gitZu8:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=EavLYfTQKm4:E3iz5gitZu8:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/EavLYfTQKm4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175989
title: Ads on Pirate Sites Can Hurt Sales, Survey Finds
uri: Ads-on-Pirate-Sites-Can-Hurt-Sales-Survey-Finds
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/NHhSm0iHG2k/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/e32a206f.piratefish.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/piratefish.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-106368"/></figure></div>



<p>In recent years, various copyright holder groups embraced a “follow-the-money” approach in the hope of cutting off funding to so-called pirate sites. </p>



<p>Major copyright holder groups such as the RIAA and MPAA see this as an effective strategy. Their ultimate goal is to drain these infringing sites of their revenue. </p>



<p>Several voluntary initiatives have been set up to facilitate this process. This includes the Trustworthy Accountability Group (<a href="https://www.tagtoday.net">TAG</a>), an anti-piracy certification program operated by giants including Amazon, Google, Facebook, Disney and Warner. </p>



<p>TAG&#8217;s goal is to get as many advertisers and advertising networks on board as possible, to effectively prevent ads from showing up on &#8216;dubious&#8217; websites. This isn&#8217;t just so these companies can have a clear conscience. A new survey, conducted by TAG and Brand Safety Institute (<a href="https://www.brandsafetyinstitute.com/">BSI</a>), suggests that it&#8217;s a wise business decision as well.</p>



<p>The survey in question polled 1,017 adults in the United States. These respondents were asked whether they believe that advertisers should prevent their ads from showing up on dubious sites. In addition, the survey asked whether they would buy less if they saw a brand&#8217;s ads on these sites.</p>



<p>The results of the survey, perhaps unsurprisingly, show that many people would like advertisers to prevent their ads from appearing on &#8216;dangerous&#8217; sites. Hate speech, porn, and hacked sites were seen as most troublesome, and pirate sites follow at a distance, with 53% of the respondents urging advertisers to take action for this category.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/cfe08ea1.alsodubious.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/alsodubious.png" alt="" class="wp-image-176000"/></figure></div>



<p>When asked whether people would actually buy less should they encounter ads on such sites, the results are clear as well. Here, a new category of &#8220;terrorist training videos&#8221; tops the list, with 90% of the respondents stating that they would buy less. For piracy sites, this goes down to 82%.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/8a902237.dubiousadsandsuch.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/dubiousadsandsuch.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175998" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/dubiousadsandsuch.png 596w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/dubiousadsandsuch-220x130.png 220w" sizes="(max-width: 596px) 100vw, 596px"><figcaption>Buy less? (image credit <a href="https://www.tagtoday.net/brand-safety-survey-2019?hs_preview=BKJxRhUs-12073689772&amp;hsLang=en-us">TAG</a>)<br></figcaption></figure></div>



<p>While it&#8217;s clear that advertising on the wrong sites can lead to reputational damage and potentially fewer sales, it&#8217;s worth taking a closer look at the full survey results to provide some nuance.</p>



<p>When asked whether people would buy less after seeing ads on pirate sites,  18% actually said that they would buy the same amount. It wouldn&#8217;t be a surprise if this includes pretty much all the people who actually use these sites, and then some. </p>



<p>Conversely, the vast majority, if not all of the remaining 82% might never visit any pirate sites to begin with, so they won&#8217;t see the ads anyway. </p>



<p>However, Mike Zaneis, CEO of TAG and co-founder of BSI, stresses that their survey shows the danger of advertising on inappropriate sites. “This survey drives home the real and measurable risk to a company’s bottom line from a preventable brand safety crisis,” he says.</p>



<p>“While reputational harm can be hard to measure, consumers said that they plan to vote with their wallets if brands fail to take the necessary steps to protect their supply chain from risks such as hate speech, malware, and piracy.”</p>



<p>For TAG the results of the survey are a great promotional message. The organization would like to see more companies come aboard as members, which in increase its cash flow. </p>



<p>Becoming a certified TAG member is <a href="https://www.tagtoday.net/anti-piracy-program-application/#Self-Attested-DAAP">not cheap</a>. The basic membership package starts at $10,000 and this can go up to 65,000 if an advertiser is accepted for the ‘Thought Leadership’ package. Advertising agencies and ‘ad tech’ companies can also join, with TAG requiring some to pay even more.</p>



<p>While several major brands are willing to pay these amounts in order to be on the safe side, not all are. Aside from the cost issue, some brands and ad agencies are actually not interested in banning ads on pirate sites. </p>



<p>As we pointed out in the past, there are also plenty of advertising outfits that still love to work with pirate sites. In fact, there are many advertisers and ad agencies that <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/plenty-of-ad-networks-still-love-pirate-sites-150926/">specifically target them</a>.  </p>



<p>DMCAForce is such a company. The CEO, Mark Bauman, previously explained that his company seeks solutions to keep both copyright holders and website operators happy. </p>



<p>Bauman said that his advertising company prefers not to ban or block any sites. It doesn’t want to reward piracy either but sees cooperation between site operators and copyright holders as a win-win. </p>



<p>At the end of the day, pirate site visitors are also consumers. While TAG&#8217;s survey is probably right that advertising on such sites will be frowned upon by the general public, one has to question whether the users of these sites share the same opinion.</p>



<p>In that regard, it&#8217;s worth noting that participants in the TAG survey couldn&#8217;t indicate that they would buy more after seeing ads on pirate sites. That may have provided some valuable extra insight. </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=NHhSm0iHG2k:CFtYxKgfMfI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=NHhSm0iHG2k:CFtYxKgfMfI:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=NHhSm0iHG2k:CFtYxKgfMfI:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/NHhSm0iHG2k" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=176007
title: ‘Get it Right’ Hopes High-Profile Social Influencers Can Deter Piracy
uri: Get-it-Right-Hopes-High-Profile-Social-Influencers-Can-Deter-Pir
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/uM74L7QHUsc/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/95ee2218.getitright.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/getitright.png" alt="" class="wp-image-134194" width="262" height="136"/></figure></div>



<p>Last month, TorrentFreak <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/uk-isps-stop-sending-copyright-infringement-notices-190719/">reported</a> that the Creative Content UK (CCUK) &#8220;Get it Right&#8221; anti-piracy campaign had ended the practice of sending infringement notices to &#8216;pirating&#8217; Internet users in the UK.</p>



<p>&#8220;The educational emails sent by ISPs upon detection of infringing file-sharing activity have served their purpose and are ceasing, with the focus instead increasing the broader engagement with fans based around their passion for music, TV, film and all other kinds of creative content,&#8221; a CCUK spokesperson told us.</p>



<p>The wider campaign, which is funded by the UK government and run by music and movie industry groups BPI and MPA, launched a new phase today. It aims to educate consumers on the efforts expended during the creation of original content in the hope that will lead to a natural decline in piracy rates. Hearts and minds, if you will.</p>



<p>It begins with the first installment of a new mini-series featuring creators (social influencers) talking about their own content and what it takes to produce it, including the work put in by those behind the scenes.</p>



<p>Quite smartly, CCUK has gone down the &#8220;accessible superstar&#8221; route in its first episode by featuring popular YouTuber Caspar Lee and &#8216;influencer&#8217; Snoochie Shy, who together have more than 10 million followers on various platforms.</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 width="694" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L0AYl4yedVE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div><figcaption><em>The first video in the mini-series</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Given that this writer had to Google for information on both Lee and Shy, it seems clear that the target audience of the campaign is relatively young. We spoke to CCUK who confirmed our suspicions.</p>



<p>&#8220;The principal target audience of the Get it Right campaign overall is 16-34, but the focus of this particular influencer video (and others to come) is more 16-24 &#8211; so Millennials and early Gen Z essentially. It may also resonate with some younger, early-teen Caspar and Snoochie followers too,&#8221; a CCUK spokesperson explained.</p>



<p>As the video notes, Caspar Lee starred in a movie (Laid in America) which according to CCUK was heavily pirated to the tune of 500,000 downloads/streams in a single month. This in itself raises an interesting question.</p>



<p>If Lee&#8217;s followers are his biggest fans, presumably they already have some level of respect for him. If that&#8217;s the case, why did so many of them pirate his movie, even after having semi-direct &#8216;personal&#8217; contact with him through his social media channels? That&#8217;s something CCUK hopes to address with its campaign.</p>



<p>&#8220;One of the paradoxes of Internet/social media led fandom is arguably that there can be huge love and passion for the artist/influencer, their content and what they do and have to say,  but this doesn’t always translate into their content being accessed from the right sources,&#8221; CCUK told TF.</p>



<p>&#8220;Some fans may even think &#8211; &#8216;this guy must be making  loads of money &#8211; he’s not going to miss if I don’t pay for it.&#8217; But the reality is that artists and creators do feel it, particularly new ones trying to break through.</p>



<p>&#8220;Think how many young creators are looking to make a living from the Internet and from creating content, and all the people that work with them, who can all be seriously impacted. Caspar and the people that worked with him didn’t get to make a sequel for example.&#8221;</p>



<p>CCUK add that some of this unofficial consumption may be down to a genuine lack of awareness, with people having difficulty differentiating between official and pirate platforms, for example. But whatever the reasons for piracy, the group&#8217;s leaders hope to use their education campaign to encourage a change in both behavior and attitudes.</p>



<p>&#8220;It’s encouraging to see Get It Right quietly but surely having a positive effect, and that its core message is getting through,&#8221; says Ian Moss, BPI Director of Public Affairs.</p>



<p>&#8220;Fans have a clear choice – If they value the creative process, and access content legally from licensed sources, creators will be able to invest more of their time and creativity into producing the music, film and other entertainment we love. If they don’t, and creators feel less able to take risks and invest, this rich choice will diminish for us all.&#8221;</p>



<p>Marianne Grant, who co-leads on the campaign for the MPA, believes that people who have been exposed to the Get it Right campaign are now more willing to see how their own actions can make a difference by spending more time considering whether to consume from legitimate sources.</p>



<p>&#8220;Since Get it Right was launched, more people are taking that time, with the almost 30 per cent of the population who have been exposed to Get it Right materials reducing significantly their use of infringing content,&#8221; Grant says.</p>



<p>&#8220;Our task now is to reach further into the population with these interesting and important messages – to provide more engaging and informative content to improve people’s understanding about the creative process and all the people who are involved in it &#8211; and to encourage further change.”</p>



<p>A CCUK spokesperson informs TF that this first &#8216;influencer&#8217; video is &#8220;effectively a pilot&#8221;, the results of which will shape the direction of future videos in the series. They will target the same age group, so expect to see similar &#8220;influencers&#8221; playing a key role in future productions.</p>



<p>Whether the campaign will make a real difference &#8220;on the ground&#8221; remains to be seen. However, reading between the lines and given the target audience, older pirates may not be considered the biggest problem in the UK right now. And of course, they&#8217;ll be more set in their ways, so molding younger minds may be the easier option.</p>



<p>They&#8217;ll also know who Caspar Lee is, which is a big plus and a good start.</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=uM74L7QHUsc:XuyaFihL7dc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=uM74L7QHUsc:XuyaFihL7dc:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=uM74L7QHUsc:XuyaFihL7dc:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/uM74L7QHUsc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=176046
title: ‘Google Blocked TorrentFreak From Appearing in Search Feature’
uri: Google-Blocked-TorrentFreak-From-Appearing-in-Search-Feature
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/4wAsRuBwSPA/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/9d4ab1b2.google-water.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/google-water.png" alt="" class="wp-image-89037"/></figure></div>



<p>At TorrentFreak, we have written hundreds of articles about website blocking and censorship. Today, we&#8217;re featured in one ourselves.</p>



<p>Leaked Google documents reveal that TorrentFreak.com shows up in one of Google&#8217;s previously unknown blocklists, which actively hides our domain from the Google Now service.</p>



<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Now">Google Now </a>was a Google search feature that presented users with informational cards, to provide users with more details on subjects of interest to them. While the brand no longer exists, the feature is still present in the Google Android app and its feed.</p>



<p>The controversial blocklist is part of a treasure trove of files that were leaked by whistleblower Zachary Vorhies, who shared them with <a href="https://www.projectveritas.com/2019/08/14/google-machine-learning-fairness-whistleblower-goes-public-says-burden-lifted-off-of-my-soul/">Project Veritas</a>. The entire collection of files uncovers many previously unknown policies and actions from Google.</p>



<p>“These documents were available to every single employee within the company that was full-time. And so as a fulltime employee at the company, I just searched for some keywords and these documents started to pop up,&#8221; Vorhies said. </p>



<p>The Google Now blocklist, which is <a href="/images/news-black-list-site-for-google-now.txt">available here</a>, contains nearly 500 domain names. The file starts with APKMirror, eBay and some Google sites, and then continues with several torrent related sites including The Pirate Bay, RARBG and EZTV, as well as some that no longer exist.</p>



<p>TorrentFreak.com is grouped in with the torrent sites. While the list doesn&#8217;t give a reason for the block, it appears that it&#8217;s related to the subject of piracy.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/2e63e24e.torrentblocked.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/torrentblocked.png" alt="" class="wp-image-176053"/><figcaption>Torrent blocks</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>The list then continues with sites that are tagged due to having a &#8220;high user block rate.&#8221; These include quite a few conservative websites. As the description suggests, they may have been filtered because a lot of users block these sites.</p>



<p>Further down the list, there are also a dozen sites that are supposedly &#8220;flagged for peddling hoax stories.&#8221;</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/d363e9d7.highuserblock.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/highuserblock.png" alt="" class="wp-image-176054"/><figcaption>High user block rate</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>This isn&#8217;t the first Google leak story by Project Veritas. The outlet previously published internal Google documents about what it described as “algorithmic unfairness.” </p>



<p>Google obviously wasn&#8217;t happy with the leaks. The company reportedly sent a threatening letter to Vorhies after it uncovered his identity, and the San Fransisco police later visited the Google insider for a &#8220;mental health&#8221; check.</p>



<p>The turn of events triggered Vorhies to release the documents in public and step out of the shadows. In addition to sharing the information publicly, he also <a href="https://www.ebaumsworld.com/articles/google-software-engineer-turned-whistle-blower-zach-vorhies-released-a-massive-dump-of-google-internal-policy-documents/86040919/">sent the data dump</a> to the US Department of Justice&#8217;s antitrust division.</p>



<p>TorrentFreak is not able to independently verify the authenticity of the blocklist or any of the other materials that were leaked. It&#8217;s also not clear whether the list is up-to-date and still actively used.</p>



<p>We reached out to a Google spokesperson to find out more. including why our site appears on this list, but at the time of writing, we have yet to hear back. </p>



<p>A full copy of all the leaked files, which also contains other documents about censorship, hiring practices, and psychological research, is accessible via <a href="https://www.projectveritas.com/google-document-dump/">Project Veritas</a>. The site also published a detailed video interview with the whistleblower.</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=4wAsRuBwSPA:20_aHodCrhI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=4wAsRuBwSPA:20_aHodCrhI:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=4wAsRuBwSPA:20_aHodCrhI:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/4wAsRuBwSPA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=176081
title: YouTube Forbids Monetizing Short Music Clips Through Manual Content-ID Claims
uri: YouTube-Forbids-Monetizing-Short-Music-Clips-Through-Manual-Content-ID
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/3yvPZAlLtZk/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/6c444aa6.youtubehappy.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/youtubehappy.png" alt="" class="wp-image-130150"/></figure></div>



<p>Millions of people use YouTube to share their creations with the world, as commentary, entertainment, education, or for any other purpose they see fit.</p>



<p>In most cases, these videos remain online without any issues. However, for some creators, YouTube’s copyright enforcement is causing a mess, one that severely affects their day-to-day activities.</p>



<p>We’ve repeatedly covered problems with YouTube’s Content-ID system dating as far back as <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/youtubes-content-id-piracy-filter-wreaks-havoc-110908/">eight years ago</a>. Most of these issues are the result of overbroad filters, often when YouTube finds a copyright match where it shouldn’t.</p>



<p>However, the problems go much deeper than random ‘bot’ mistakes. YouTube allows certain copyright holders to make &#8220;manual&#8221; Content-ID claims as well. This allows them to flag content that&#8217;s not caught by Content-ID. However, despite the fact that these claims are reviewed by a person, some are rather frivolous.</p>



<p>In some instances, it appears that just mentioning the title of an artist or song c<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/youtubes-copyright-protection-system-is-a-total-mess-can-it-be-fixed-181222/">an result in a manual copyright claim</a>, even though the audio itself isn’t used in the video. </p>



<p>After many YouTube creators bitterly complained about these types of abuse, which deprives them of revenue, YouTube is beginning to change its policies. </p>



<p>&#8220;One concerning trend we’ve seen is aggressive manual claiming of very short music clips used in monetized videos. These claims can feel particularly unfair, as they transfer all revenue from the creator to the claimant, regardless of the amount of music claimed,&#8221; the YouTube team <a href="https://youtube-creators.googleblog.com/2019/08/updates-to-manual-claiming-policies.html">explains</a>. </p>



<p><a href="https://youtube-creators.googleblog.com/2019/07/better-tools-to-resolve-manual-Content-ID-claims.html">Last month</a> the video service took the first step by requiring copyright holders to provide timestamps for all manual claims, precisely identifying what they see as infringing. This week, the company goes a step further. </p>



<p>In an effort to create a fairer creator ecosystem, YouTube will soon forbid copyright holders from using the manual claiming process to monetize videos that feature short or unintentional music fragments.  </p>



<p>This means, for example, that a three-second music clip in a longer video can no longer be claimed this way. The same would likely be true for a song that unintentionally plays in the background on a TV or radio. </p>



<p>The YouTube team notes that these additional changes are intended to improve fairness in the creator ecosystem. The company hopes that it will ultimately lead to fewer unfair and aggressive practices by some rightsholders.</p>



<p>In addition, the policy update also copes with a stick for rightsholders, which is relatively rare for YouTube. Those rightsholders who repeatedly violate the new policy can lose their manual Content-ID claiming rights.</p>



<p>&#8220;Once we start enforcement, copyright owners who repeatedly fail to adhere to these policies will have their access to Manual Claiming suspended,&#8221; YouTube writes. </p>



<p>While this change is a big step, it only impacts a relatively small number of claims. Automated Content-ID claims, which represent the vast majority, are not affected by the policy update. </p>



<p>In addition, copyright holders can still manually claim short or unintentional uses of their work. However, instead of taking the monetization option, they can choose to prevent any type of monetization of the video, or block it altogether.</p>



<p>It remains to be seen how happy video creators will be with this new policy once it goes into effect mid-September. In theory, the result could see more videos get blocked, as YouTube recognizes. </p>



<p>&#8220;We acknowledge that these changes may result in more blocked content in the near-term, but we feel this is an important step toward striking the right balance over the long-term.  Our goal is to unlock new value for everyone by powering creative reuse and content mashups, while fairly compensating all rightsholders,&#8221; the YouTube team concludes.&nbsp; </p>



<p>Time will tell whether the changes have the intended effect, or if the current problems will persist.</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=3yvPZAlLtZk:KzcPLb3zubA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=3yvPZAlLtZk:KzcPLb3zubA:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=3yvPZAlLtZk:KzcPLb3zubA:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/3yvPZAlLtZk" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=176102
title: Cloudflare Flags Copyright Lawsuits as Potential Liabilities Ahead of IPO
uri: Cloudflare-Flags-Copyright-Lawsuits-as-Potential-Liabilities-Ahead-of
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/u_Zmlkcg5uE/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/d2bcf64e.cloudflare-logo-e1497134379554.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/cloudflare-logo-e1497134379554.png" alt="" class="wp-image-140211"/></figure></div>



<p>As a CDN and security company, Cloudflare currently serves around 20 million &#8220;Internet properties&#8221;, ranging from domains and websites through to application programming interfaces (APIs) and mobile applications.</p>



<p>At least hundreds of those properties, potentially more, are considered &#8216;pirate&#8217; platforms by copyright groups, which has resulted in Cloudflare being sucked into <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/tag/cloudflare/">copyright infringement lawsuits</a> due to the activities of its customers. </p>



<p>On Thursday, Cloudflare filed to go public by submitting the required S-1 registration statement. It contains numerous warnings that copyright infringement lawsuits, both current and those that may appear in the future, could present significant issues of liability for the company.</p>



<p>Noting that some of Cloudflare&#8217;s customers may use its services in violation of the law, the company states that existing laws relating to the liability of service providers are &#8220;highly unsettled and in flux&#8221;, both in the United States and further afield.</p>



<p>&#8220;For example, we have been named as a defendant in a number of lawsuits, both in the United States and abroad, alleging copyright infringement based on content that is made available through our customers’ websites,&#8221; the filing reads.</p>



<p>&#8220;There can be no assurance that we will not face similar litigation in the future or that we will prevail in any litigation we may face. An adverse decision in one or more of these lawsuits could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.&#8221;</p>



<p>Cloudflare goes on to reference the safe harbor provisions of the DMCA, noting that they may not offer &#8220;complete protection&#8221; for the company or could even be amended in the future to its detriment.</p>



<p>&#8220;If we are found not to be protected by the safe harbor provisions of the DMCA, CDA [Communications Decency Act] or other similar laws, or if we are deemed subject to laws in other countries that may not have the same protections or that may impose more onerous obligations on us, we may face claims for substantial damages and our brand, reputation, and financial results may be harmed. Such claims may result in liability that exceeds our ability to pay or our insurance coverage,&#8221; Cloudflare warns.</p>



<p>As a global company, it&#8217;s not only US law the company has to consider. Cloudflare references the recently-approved Copyright Directive in the EU, noting that also has the potential to expose Cloudflare and other online platforms to liability.</p>



<p>As recently as last month and in advance of any claims under that particular legislation, Cloudflare experienced an <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/court-orders-cloudflare-to-terminate-accounts-of-pirate-sites-190711/">adverse ruling</a> in an Italian court. Local broadcaster RTI successfully argued that Cloudflare can be held liable if it willingly fails to act in response to copyright infringement notices. In addition, Cloudflare was ordered to terminate the accounts of several pirate sites.</p>



<p>Of course, it&#8217;s not uncommon for S-1 filings to contain statements that can be interpreted as impending doom, since companies are required to be frank about their business&#8217;s prospects. However, with single copyright cases often dealing with millions of dollars worth of alleged infringement, Cloudflare&#8217;s appraisal of the risks seems entirely warranted.</p>



<p><em>Cloudflare&#8217;s S-1 filing can be viewed <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1477333/000119312519222176/d735023ds1.htm">here</a></em></p>



<p> </p>



<p></p>



<p> </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=u_Zmlkcg5uE:O5vfuWcNchw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=u_Zmlkcg5uE:O5vfuWcNchw:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=u_Zmlkcg5uE:O5vfuWcNchw:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/u_Zmlkcg5uE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=176036
title: Disney and Charter Team Up on Piracy Mitigation
uri: Disney-and-Charter-Team-Up-on-Piracy-Mitigation
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/a0R8-uMQC6M/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/dab215ee.disney-pirate.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/disney-pirate.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-95935"/></figure></div>



<p>With roughly 22 million subscribers, Charter Communications is one of the largest Internet providers in the US.</p>



<p>The company operates under the Spectrum brand and offers a wide variety of services including TV and Internet access. </p>



<p>In an effort to provide more engaging content to its customers, this week Charter signed a major new distribution agreement with The Walt Disney Company. </p>



<p>The new partnership will provide the telco&#8217;s customers with access to popular titles in Disney&#8217;s services, including Hulu, ESPN+ and the yet-to-be-launched streaming service Disney+.</p>



<p>The fact that these giant companies have teamed-up is a big deal, business-wise and for consumers. Most Spectrum subscribers will likely be pleased to have more options, but there may also be a subgroup that has concerns.</p>



<p>Away from the major headline, both companies also state that they have agreed to partner up on piracy mitigation. </p>



<p>&#8220;This agreement will allow Spectrum to continue delivering to its customers popular Disney content [&#8230;] and will begin an important collaborative effort to address the significant issue of piracy mitigation,” says Tom Montemagno, EVP, Programming Acquisition for Charter. </p>



<p>The public press releases give no concrete details of what this &#8220;piracy mitigation&#8221; will entail. It does mention that the two companies will work together to &#8220;implement business rules&#8221; and address issues such as &#8220;unauthorized access and password sharing.&#8221;</p>



<p>TorrentFreak reached out to Charter for further details, but the company said that it&#8217;s not elaborating beyond the press release at this time. </p>



<p>The term &#8220;mitigating&#8221; suggests that both companies will actively work together <em>to reduce</em> piracy. This is interesting because Charter is currently caught up in a major<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/music-companies-sue-charter-for-turning-a-blind-eye-to-piracy-190326/"> piracy liability lawsuit</a> in a US federal court in Colorado.</p>



<p>Earlier this year the Internet provider was sued by several music companies which argued that the company turned a blind eye to piracy by failing to terminate accounts of repeat infringers. In addition, Charter stands accused of willingly profiting from these alleged copyright infringements. </p>



<p>Charter&#8217;s new agreement with Disney suggests that there could be a more proactive anti-piracy stance going forward. One possibility might be a more strict repeat infringer policy but, without further details, it remains unclear what the &#8220;piracy mitigation&#8221; entails precisely.</p>



<p>In any case, it will be interesting to see how the two companies plan to put a dent in current piracy levels, and what that means for Charter customers.</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=a0R8-uMQC6M:wfRrL3iOFjo:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=a0R8-uMQC6M:wfRrL3iOFjo:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=a0R8-uMQC6M:wfRrL3iOFjo:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/a0R8-uMQC6M" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175969
title: Man Tried to Burn Down Telecoms Watchdog to Avenge Pirate Site-Blocking
uri: Man-Tried-to-Burn-Down-Telecoms-Watchdog-to-Avenge-Pirate-Site-Blockin
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/boJL9PoPx64/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/a13a1c0d.bomb-explosion-atomic.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/bomb-explosion-atomic.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-123056" width="253" height="132"/></figure></div>



<p>While copyright holders and many governments see site-blocking as a reasoned and measured response to copyright infringement, some people view it as overkill.</p>



<p>People should be able to access whatever content they want without rich corporations deciding what should and should not appear on computer screens, the argument goes.</p>



<p>For former student Pavel Kopylov, blocking of pirate sites in Russia has gone too far. So, to make his displeasure obvious to Roscomnadzor, the government entity responsible for carrying it out, last year he attempted to burn one of its offices down &#8211; three times.</p>



<p>On April 2, 2018, <a href="https://73online.ru/r/mstil_za_torrenty_i_telegram_startuet_process_nad_ulyanovskim_podzhigatelem_roskomnadzora-69845">reportedly</a> dissatisfied that his favorite torrent tracker had been blocked, Kopylov went to the local offices of Roscomnadzor,  <br>smashed a window, and threw a bottle of flammable liquid inside together with a burning match. The attempt was a failure &#8211; the fire didn&#8217;t ignite and a guard was alerted by the noise.</p>



<p>Almost two weeks later, Kopylov returned for a second try. This time a fire did ensue but it was put out, without causing catastrophic damage. A third attempt, on May 9, 2018, ended in complete failure, with a guard catching the would-be arsonist before he could carry out his plan.</p>



<p>Nevertheless, the prosecutor&#8217;s office saw the attacks as an attempt to destroy Roscomnadzor&#8217;s property by arson, an offense carrying a penalty of up to five years in prison. The prosecution sought two years but in the end, had to settle for considerably less.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.interfax.ru/russia/672533">Interfax</a> reports that a court in the Ulyanovsk region has now sentenced the man for repeatedly trying to burn down Roscomnadzor&#8217;s regional office. He received 18 months probation but the prosecution intends to appeal, describing the sentence as excessively lenient.<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=boJL9PoPx64:2MejJ3Dr134:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=boJL9PoPx64:2MejJ3Dr134:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=boJL9PoPx64:2MejJ3Dr134:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/boJL9PoPx64" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175894
title: Anti-Piracy Efforts Are Unlikely to Beat Sci-Hub
uri: Anti-Piracy-Efforts-Are-Unlikely-to-Beat-Sci-Hub
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/XAz6OuaqmuM/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/4053a86f.sci-hub1.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/sci-hub1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-148552"/></figure></div>



<p>Sci-Hub has often been referred to as “The Pirate Bay of Science,” but that description really sells the site short.</p>



<p>While both sites are helping the public to access copyrighted content without permission, Sci-Hub has also become a crucial tool that arguably helps the progress of science.</p>



<p>The site allows researchers to bypass expensive paywalls so they can read articles written by their fellow colleagues. The information in these ‘pirated’ articles is then used to provide the foundation for future research.</p>



<p>What the site does is not permitted, according to the law, but in the academic world, Sci-Hub is praised by many. In particular, those who don’t have direct access to expensive journals but aspire to excel in their academic field.</p>



<p>This leads to a rather intriguing situation where many of the &#8216;creators,&#8217; the people who write academic articles, are openly supporting the site. By doing so, they go directly against the major publishers, including the billion-dollar company Elsevier, which are the rightsholders. </p>



<p>Elsevier previously <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/sci-hub-ordered-to-pay-15-million-in-piracy-damages-170623/">convinced the courts that Sci-Hub is a force of evil.</a> Many scientists, however, see it as an extremely useful tool. This was illustrated once again by a &#8216;letter to the editor&#8217; Dr. Prasanna R Deshpande sent to the Journal of Health &amp; Allied Sciences recently.</p>



<p>While Deshpande works at the Department of Clinical Pharmacy at Poona College of Pharmacy,  his latest writing is entirely dedicated to copyright and Sci-Hub. In his <a href="http://www.ijhas.in/article.asp?issn=2278-344X;year=2019;volume=8;issue=3;spage=210;epage=212;aulast=Deshpande">published letter (no paywall)</a>, the researcher explains why a site such as Sci-Hub is important for the scientific community as a whole.</p>



<p>The Indian researcher points out that Sci-Hub&#8217;s main advantage is that it&#8217;s free of charge. This is particularly important for academics in developing countries, who otherwise don&#8217;t have the means to access crucial articles. Sci-Hub actually allows these people to carry out better research.</p>



<p>&#8220;A researcher generally has to pay some money ($30 or more per article on an average) for accessing the scholarly articles. However, the amount may not be &#8216;small&#8217; for a researcher/research scholar, especially from a developing country,&#8221; Deshpande notes. <br></p>



<p>Aside from the cost issue, Sci-hub is often seen as more convenient as well. Many professors use the site and a recent survey found that it&#8217;s used to conduct research by 62.5% of all medical students across six countries in Latin America. </p>



<p>According to Deshpande, these and other arguments lead to the conclusion that Sci-Hub should be supported, at least until there is a good alternative.</p>



<p>&#8220;Reading updated knowledge is one of the essential parts of lifelong learning. Currently, Sci‑Hub is the only answer for this. Therefore, Sci‑Hub has various advantages because of which it should be supported,&#8221;   <br>Deshpande concludes. </p>



<p>This is of course just the opinion of one researcher, but the web is riddled with similar examples. A simple <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;vertical=default&amp;q=sci-hub%20paper&amp;src=typd">Twitter search</a> shows that many academics are sharing Sci-Hub links among each other, and some have even created dedicated websites to show some of the latest <a href="https://whereisscihub.now.sh/">working Sci-Hub mirrors</a>.</p>



<p>The major publishers are obviously not happy with this. Aside from lawsuits against Sci-Hub, they regularly send takedown notices to sites that link to infringing articles, <a href="https://transparencyreport.google.com/copyright/explore?copyright_data_exploration=q:sci-hub;ce:domain;size:10&amp;lu=copyright_data_exploration">including Google</a>. </p>



<p>Recently Elsevier took it a step further by going after <a href="https://citationsy.com/">Citationsy</a>, a tool that allows academics and researchers to manage citations and reference lists. The service previously published a blog post summing up some options for people to download free research articles.</p>



<p><a href="https://citationsy.com/blog/download-research-papers-scientific-articles-free-scihub/">This blog post</a> also linked to Sci-Hub. Elsevier clearly didn&#8217;t like this, and sent its lawyer after Citationsy, <a href="https://twitter.com/citationsy/status/1156626811398307840">requesting it to remove the link</a>. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/5da712a3.citation.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/citation.png" alt="" class="wp-image-176113"/></figure></div>



<p>Citantionsy founder Cenk Özbakır initially wasn&#8217;t sure how to respond. Linking to a website isn&#8217;t necessarily copyright infringement. However, challenging a multi-billion dollar company on an issue like this is a battle that&#8217;s hard to win.</p>



<p>Eventually,  Özbakır decided to remove it, pointing to a Google search instead. However, not without being rather critical of the move by Elsevier and its law firm Bird &amp; Bird.</p>



<p>&#8220;I have of course taken down any links to Sci-Hub on Citationsy.com. @ElsevierLabs obviously thinks making money is more important than furthering science. Congratulations, @twobirds! We all now that the only thing this will achieve is less people reading papers,&#8221; Özbakır<a href="https://twitter.com/citationsy/status/1156626831598149633"> wrote</a> on Twitter.</p>



<p>The &#8216;linking&#8217; issue was later picked up <a href="https://boingboing.net/2019/08/02/publicsphere-v-elsevier.html">by BoingBoing</a> which also pointed out that many of Elsevier&#8217;s <a href="https://boingboing.net/2019/08/03/zero-value-added.html">own publications</a> include links to Sci-Hub, as we also <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/sci-hub-proves-that-piracy-can-be-dangerously-useful-180804/">highlighted in the past</a>. </p>



<p>While not all researchers are unanimously backing Sci-Hub, it appears that this type of enforcement may not be the best way forward. </p>



<p>Pressuring people with cease and desist notices, filing lawsuits, and sending takedown notices certainly isn&#8217;t sustainable in the long term, especially if they target people in the academic community.</p>



<p>Perhaps Elsevier and other publishers should use the massive popularity of Sci-Hub as a signal that something is clearly wrong with what they are offering. Instead of trying to hide piracy by sweeping it under the rug, Elsevier could learn from it and adapt. <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=XAz6OuaqmuM:xxy-q_UkRHA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=XAz6OuaqmuM:xxy-q_UkRHA:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=XAz6OuaqmuM:xxy-q_UkRHA:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/XAz6OuaqmuM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175931
title: DISH Files $10m Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Against Easybox IPTV
uri: DISH-Files-10m-Copyright-Infringement-Lawsuit-Against-Easybox-IPTV
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/eK8IqVp6WAE/
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="254" height="168"/></figure></div>



<p>As the use of unlicensed IPTV services continues to gain popularity with consumers around the world, content owners and broadcasters are faced with a growing illicit market to disrupt.</p>



<p>As a result, copyright infringement and similar lawsuits against &#8216;pirate&#8217; IPTV providers are definitely on the rise, with US-based broadcaster DISH Network at the forefront.</p>



<p>This week, DISH filed another lawsuit in the United States, this time targeting &#8216;pirate&#8217; IPTV provider <a href="https://www.easybox.tv/">Easybox IPTV</a>. This &#8216;company&#8217; (the term is used loosely, given the unknown structure of the operation) appears not dissimilar to several others previously targeted by the broadcaster.</p>



<p>The model adopted by Easybox suggests the outfit primarily targets less experienced IPTV users, something that&#8217;s supported by the operation offering ready-configured (aka &#8216;fully-loaded&#8217;) devices as well as add-on subscription packages.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="media/5619248c.image-108.png" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/image-108.png" alt="" class="wp-image-175965" width="650"/><figcaption><em>Part of the Easybox IPTV offering</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>The DISH lawsuit, filed in a Texas federal court, list DOES 1-5 individually and collectively doing business as Easybox IPTV. DISH doesn&#8217;t appear to know the identities of the people it&#8217;s suing but has concluded they may be from China. </p>



<p>The broadcaster says that historical WHOIS records for the service&#8217;s domain name suggest a China base while delivery time for devices sent to China is much quicker than those sent to the United States.</p>



<p>At issue are DISH&#8217;s &#8216;protected channels&#8217;, i.e those it supplies as a result of licensing agreements obtained from various TV networks. These allow the company to &#8220;distribute and publicly perform&#8221; in the United States &#8220;by means including satellite, OTT, Internet protocol television (&#8216;IPTV&#8217;), and Internet.&#8221;</p>



<p>Easybox IPTV&#8217;s service, which offers &#8220;more than 1,000 channels&#8221; to its subscribers, includes the &#8216;protected channels&#8217;, a breach of the broadcaster&#8217;s rights, according to DISH.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendants use their Easybox Service to transmit the Protected Channels over the Internet to Service Users soon after the original authorized transmission,&#8221; the complaint reads.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendants capture live broadcast signals of the Protected Channels, transcode these signals into a format useful for streaming over the Internet, transfer the transcoded content to one or more servers provided, controlled, and maintained by Defendants, and then transmit the Protected Channels to Service Users through OTT delivery.&#8221;</p>



<p>An interesting element to the case are the efforts expended by DISH, in advance of this lawsuit, in order to get Easybox to cease-and-desist its activities. According to the broadcaster, since January 27, 2016, DISH and its partners sent at least 116 infringement notices, all of which were ignored.</p>



<p>&#8220;Instead [of responding], Defendants prevented DISH’s counsel from viewing Easybox.tv by blocking their Internet Protocol (&#8216;IP&#8217;) addresses,&#8221; the complaint adds.</p>



<p>On top of the direct notices, from February 8, 2016, more than 170 additional complaints were sent to CDNs associated with the Easybox service. DISH believes at least some of these were forwarded to the IPTV provider since it later countered by switching to different CDN providers.</p>



<p>All that considered, DISH is demanding a permanent injunction against Easybox (and anyone acting in concert with it) preventing it from &#8220;transmitting, streaming, distributing, or publicly performing in the United States, with any Easybox set-top box, smart IPTV subscription, subscription renewal, or any other device, application, service, or process, any of the Protected Channels or any of the programming that comprises any of the Protected Channels.&#8221;</p>



<p>DISH also seeks a ban on the distribution, sale, promotion or advertising of Easybox services and/or devices, including any inducement for others to carry out the same.</p>



<p>In addition, it requests statutory damages for 67 or more registered works at the rate of $150,000 each (more than $10 million) plus any profits generated by Easybox due to the infringement of non-registered works.</p>



<p><em>The DISH complaint against Easybox can be downloaded <a href="media/a013e4d7.19-cv-02994-Dish-Network-v-Easybox-IPTV-Complaint-Aug12-2019.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/4-19-cv-02994-Dish-Network-v-Easybox-IPTV-Complaint-Aug12-2019.pdf">here</a> (pdf)</em></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=eK8IqVp6WAE:1yIrC0ejq_Y:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=eK8IqVp6WAE:1yIrC0ejq_Y:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=eK8IqVp6WAE:1yIrC0ejq_Y:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/eK8IqVp6WAE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=176146
title: Netflix’s First Pirate Site Blocking Application Granted in Australia
uri: Netflix-s-First-Pirate-Site-Blocking-Application-Granted-in-Australi
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/QOM_9_PkrpE/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/e49204f7.deniedblocked.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/deniedblocked.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-143825"/></figure></div>



<p>The rate at which &#8216;pirate&#8217; sites are being blocked in various countries raises the question of how many more there are left to block.</p>



<p>The answer, it seems, is plenty more yet.</p>



<p>Back in May, yet another <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/netflix-joins-effort-to-expand-aussie-pirate-site-blocklist-190603/">application</a> filed in Australia&#8217;s Federal Court presented a unique feature &#8211; the inclusion of US-based streaming giant Netflix as one of the applicants. </p>



<p>This was the first time the company had appeared requesting a blocking application in the region, claiming infringement of its works Santa Clarita Diet and Stranger Things.</p>



<p>Netflix didn&#8217;t appear on its own. The application was headed by local movie giant Roadshow Films and supported by other prominent movie companies such as Disney Enterprises, Universal City Studios, Warner Bros., Television Broadcasts Limited, TVBO, and Madman Anime Group.</p>



<p>Together they demanded the blocking of over 130 domains related to close to 90 torrent, streaming, and similar sites by more than 50 local ISPs.</p>



<p>The claims were filed under Section 115a of Australia’s Copyright Act, which can grant injunctions to force local ISPs to prevent their subscribers from accessing overseas-based &#8216;infringing locations. It&#8217;s taken three months, but the content companies have now been successful.</p>



<p>This morning, Justice Thawley in the Federal Court ordered the respondents including Telstra, Optus, TPG, Vocus, and Vodafone, to take &#8220;reasonable steps to disable access to the Target Online Locations&#8221; within 15 business days. Each ISP will be handed AUS$50 per domain by the applicants to cover compliance costs.</p>



<p>In common with previous orders, the ISPs were given the option to utilize DNS, IP address, and/or URL blocking techniques (or any other technical means agreed in writing between them and the applications) to prevent access to the sites.</p>



<p>Of course, sites often decide to take countermeasures when orders such as this are handed down in order to circumvent blocking, so the order allows the studios to provide additional information so that these can be swiftly dealt with by the ISPs moving forward.</p>



<p>An updated/amended domain and URL list (there can be changes following an original application) is yet to appear in court records. However, the list of sites and domains in the original application can be viewed in our <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/netflix-joins-effort-to-expand-aussie-pirate-site-blocklist-190603/">earlier report</a>. </p>



<p><em>The order handed down this morning can be found <a href="media/da0d2a68.Roadshow-Netflix-NSD753-2019-blocking-order.pdf" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/Roadshow-Netflix-NSD753-2019-blocking-order.pdf">here</a> (pdf)</em></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=QOM_9_PkrpE:P8L-Ip6Rh0E:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=QOM_9_PkrpE:P8L-Ip6Rh0E:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=QOM_9_PkrpE:P8L-Ip6Rh0E:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/QOM_9_PkrpE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=176127
title: Top 10 Most Pirated Movies of The Week on BitTorrent – 08/19/19
uri: Top-10-Most-Pirated-Movies-of-The-Week-on-BitTorrent-08-19-19
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/o3PZh9icew4/
content:
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-175890" src="media/99371819.aladd.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/aladd.png" alt="" width="326" height="243" srcset="https://torrentfreak.com/images/aladd.png 326w, https://torrentfreak.com/images/aladd-200x150.png 200w" sizes="(max-width: 326px) 100vw, 326px">This week we have three newcomers in our chart.</p>
<p>Aladdin 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-08-12-19/">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/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>2</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>3</strong></td>
<td>(3)</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>4</strong></td>
<td>(2)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1298644/">The Hustle</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1298644/">5.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of52MNnXoxU">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>5</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5113040/">The Secret Life of Pets 2</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5113040/">6.5</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUZpVWepAQw">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>6</strong></td>
<td>(5)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2066051/">Rocketman</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2066051/">7.6</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbeRrQhH4OI">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>7</strong></td>
<td>(4)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7752126/">Brightburn</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7752126/">6.2</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD1vbhicJUY">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>8</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7958736/">Ma</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7958736/">5.8</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvpKRSHIkzM">trailer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>9</strong></td>
<td>(&#8230;)</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>10)</td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448115/">Shazam!</a></td>
<td><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448115/">7.3</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oD7B7oiBtw&amp;t=2s">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=o3PZh9icew4:_U3qT6NCaoE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=o3PZh9icew4:_U3qT6NCaoE:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=o3PZh9icew4:_U3qT6NCaoE:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/o3PZh9icew4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=175987
title: Court Denies Default Judgment Against ‘Cheating’ Fortnite Kid, In Spite of Mom’s ‘Defense’
uri: Court-Denies-Default-Judgment-Against-Cheating-Fortnite-Kid-In
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/G3IIPdl8dY4/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/49614f28.battlefortnite.jpg" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/battlefortnite.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-145747"/></figure></div>



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



<p>Several of these lawsuits have been settled but there is one that proved to be somewhat of a challenge.</p>



<p>One of the alleged cheaters turned out to be a minor who’s also accused of demonstrating, advertising and distributing the cheat via his YouTube channel. The game publisher wasn’t aware of this when it filed the lawsuit, but the kid’s mother let the company know in clear terms.</p>



<p>&#8220;This company is in the process of attempting to sue a 14-year-old child,&#8221; the mother <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&#8217;t back off. Due to his young age, the Carolina District Court ordered that the kid, who operated the &#8220;Sky Orbit&#8221; YouTube channel, should only be referred to by his initials C.R. The case itself continued, however, albeit slowly.</p>



<p>Since C.R. didn&#8217;t retain an attorney or otherwise respond in court, Epic filed a motion for default judgment. The court didn&#8217;t accept this right away, however, instead deciding that the mother&#8217;s letter should be treated as a motion to dismiss the case. </p>



<p>Among other defenses, the mother highlighted that the EULA, which the game publisher relies heavily upon in the complaint, isn’t legally binding. The EULA states that minors require permission from a parent or legal guardian, which was not the case here.</p>



<p>The court reviewed these arguments but concluded that they were <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/moms-defense-of-cheating-fortnite-kid-fails-180714/">not sufficient to dismiss the case</a>. After that ruling things went quiet. Neither C.R. nor his mom responded, which prompted Epic Games to file a motion for a default judgment again. </p>



<p>Epic isn&#8217;t looking for any massive damages, but it mainly wants C.R. to refrain from any future infringing activities. This includes cheating as well as posting videos on YouTube where this type of activity is promoted. </p>



<p>Generally speaking, such motions are easily granted, since there is no opposing party to dispute any claims. However, in this case, the court decided differently, with the age of the alleged cheater playing an important role.</p>



<p>The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure do not allow default judgments against minors who haven&#8217;t been represented. Epic tried to cover this by arguing that the mother&#8217;s letter counted as representation, but the North Carolina Court disagrees.</p>



<p>In his order denying the motion for default judgment, US District Court Judge Malcolm J. Howard mentions that the court previously emphasized that the letter in question was not seen as an &#8220;official appearance by anyone on behalf of the minor defendant.&#8221;  </p>



<p>&#8220;In light of the circumstances herein, based on the facts currently before the court, and pursuant to Rule 55 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the court must deny plaintiff’s motion for default judgment,&#8221; Judge Malcolm J. Howard concludes.<br></p>



<p>This means that after roughly two years, Epic is back to square one and that the accused cheater will &#8216;walk&#8217; free.</p>



<p>Whether C.R. is still involved in any cheating activity is unknown. His original &#8220;Sky Orbit&#8221; YouTube account is no longer active though, and a backup was deleted as well, due to &#8220;multiple third-party claims of copyright infringement.&#8221;</p>


<p><!--EndFragment--></p>
<p><em>&#8212;</em></p>
<p><em>A copy of the order denying the motion for a defauly judgment is available <a href="media/b661774f.motiondismissdenied.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/motiondismissdenied.pdf">here (pdf)</a>.</em></p>
<p></p>
<p></p><p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=G3IIPdl8dY4:6kJVkI241nI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=G3IIPdl8dY4:6kJVkI241nI:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=G3IIPdl8dY4:6kJVkI241nI:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/G3IIPdl8dY4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=176170
title: YouTube Sues Alleged Scammer Over DMCA Extortion Scheme
uri: YouTube-Sues-Alleged-Scammer-Over-DMCA-Extortion-Scheme
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/OEN5f3P43K8/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright is-resized"><img src="media/72389cbc.sadyoutube.jpg" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/sadyoutube.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-117196" width="268" height="191"/></figure></div>



<p>Obtaining multiple unresolved copyright complaints on a YouTube account can prove fatal to those who rely on the platform to make a living.</p>



<p>For those obtaining &#8220;three strikes&#8221;, it can mean the closure of an entire channel and along with it, access to potentially hundreds of otherwise revenue-generating videos. </p>



<p>Back in January, it was <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/youtube-strikes-now-being-used-as-scammers-extortion-tool/">reported</a> that a YouTuber known as &#8216;Obbyraidz&#8217;, who focuses on Minecraft content, was having this system turned against him. </p>



<p>After receiving two bogus strikes against his account, he took to Twitter to complain that he was being extorted by a scammer identifying as &#8216;Vengeful Flame&#8217;, who threatened a third and debilitating strike unless money was paid via PayPal or bitcoin.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="media/c1d2f5ba.dmca-extortion.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/dmca-extortion.png" alt=""/></figure>



<p>A second YouTuber, known online as &#8216;Kenzo&#8217; was also given similar treatment, with the scammer demanding money not to file complaints that could terminate his account.</p>



<p>Now, however, the tables are being turned after YouTube itself filed a complaint in federal court against Nebraska-resident Christopher Brady, the person who allegedly attempted to defraud both Obbyraidz and Kenzo.</p>



<p>&#8220;Defendant, Christopher L. Brady (&#8216;Brady&#8217;), has repeatedly attempted to harass and extort money from YouTube content creators through bogus allegations of copyright infringement,&#8221; the complaint filed Monday begins.</p>



<p>&#8220;This lawsuit seeks to hold him accountable for that misconduct, and for the damage he has caused to YouTube.&#8221;</p>



<p>Detailing the DMCA takedown process in general and noting that notices can be used &#8220;maliciously to secure the removal of content that was not legitimately claimed to be infringing&#8221;, YouTube states it&#8217;s in a position to bring an action against a sender of bogus notices for damages.</p>



<p>&#8220;This is such an action,&#8221; the complaint reads.</p>



<p>According to YouTube, Brady sent the video platform dozens of DMCA notices falsely claiming that content posted by YouTube users infringed his supposed copyrights. He did this as part of a scheme to &#8220;harass and extort&#8221; innocent users, YouTube continues, in order to pressure them into payment and the avoidance of account closures.</p>



<p>Citing the work of three YouTubers &#8211; Obbyraidz, Kenzo and Cxlvxn &#8211; YouTube notes that between them they have uploaded around 1,000 videos related to video gaming. All are members of the YouTube Partner program, earning revenue from their work.</p>



<p>Brady allegedly targeted Kenzo and Obbyraidz &#8220;among others&#8221; by sending false DMCA notices to YouTube, claiming that he was the original creator of their videos, certifying as much &#8220;under penalty of perjury.&#8221; YouTube said it acted on these false claims, removing the videos.</p>



<p>However, when Kenzo and Obbyraidz went public with the extortion attempts, YouTube launched an investigation, restored the videos, and removed the strikes against their accounts.</p>



<p>The complaint alleges that in June and July 2019, Brady sent four more fraudulent notices, this time targeting Cxlvxn. However, this appears to have been an attempt to have Cxlvxn file a DMCA counter-notification, something that exposed his home address to Brady.</p>



<p>On July 10, 2019, six days after the counter-notification was filed, Cxlvxn reported he&#8217;d been &#8216;swatted&#8217;, something which YouTube describes as &#8220;the act of making a bogus call to emergency services in an attempt to bring about the dispatch of a large number of armed police officers to a particular address.&#8221; YouTube believes Brady was responsible.</p>



<p>As a result of the above actions, YouTube states that Brady is responsible for violations of <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/512">17 U.S.C. § 512(f).</a> The company says it successfully traced back at least 15 online identities to the man, an investigation which caused it to expend &#8220;substantial sums&#8221; in an effort to bring the behavior to a halt.</p>



<p>The company is demanding preliminary and permanent injunctions against Brady, compensation to be decided at trial, costs, attorneys fees, and any further relief the court deems proper.</p>



<p><em>The YouTube complaint filed in Nebraska can be downloaded <a href="media/e5bdac04.Youtube-v-Christopher-Brady-DMCA-abuse-complaint-191908.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/Youtube-v-Christopher-Brady-DMCA-abuse-complaint-191908.pdf">here</a> (pdf)</em></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=OEN5f3P43K8:6z7JDWrTWEk:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=OEN5f3P43K8:6z7JDWrTWEk:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=OEN5f3P43K8:6z7JDWrTWEk:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/OEN5f3P43K8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=176191
title: FACT Confirms Premier League Anti-Piracy Action Against IPTV Suppliers
uri: FACT-Confirms-Premier-League-Anti-Piracy-Action-Against-IPTV-Suppliers
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/aSX2XftRTyM/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/6680eb0f.fact-logo.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/fact-logo.png" alt="" class="wp-image-174113"/></figure></div>



<p>Last month, the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU) <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/organized-crime-unit-orders-pirate-iptv-sellers-to-cease-desist-190717/">said</a> it had targeted people involved in the supply of ‘pirate’ IPTV subscriptions and the sale of modified set-top boxes.</p>



<p>Its &#8216;disruption team&#8217; reported working with GAIN (Government Agency Intelligence Network) and the Federation Against Copyright Theft, targeting people in Wrexham and Blackburn. It now transpires that a broader operation took place.</p>



<p>This morning, FACT revealed that following a collaboration with the Premier League, aimed at disrupting the availability of illegal sports streams ahead of the new 2019/2020 football season, it had teamed up with law enforcement agencies to serve cease-and-desist notices.</p>



<p>FACT&#8217;s Eddy Leviten, who has just returned to the anti-piracy outfit following a period at the Alliance for Intellectual Property as its Director-General, informs TorrentFreak that actions were &#8220;taken across the country&#8221;.</p>



<p>In total, 16 premises were targeted in the operation, with cease-and-desist notices served on individuals suspected of supplying illegal sports streams. </p>



<p>Leviten declined to be more precise on the exact nature of the targets at this stage, but confirmed that &#8220;those involved were all engaged at a level sufficient to attract our interest.&#8221;</p>



<p>However, FACT does note that those targeted were all &#8220;promoting unauthorized access to premium television content&#8221; which combined with NWROCU&#8217;s earlier comments about IPTV could be compatible with lower-level IPTV subscription re-sellers.</p>



<p>These are individuals who operate no service of their own but buy &#8216;credits&#8217; from bigger players in order to offer packages to the public. NWROCU previously mentioned &#8220;cracked online television boxes&#8221; too, which are potentially Android-style devices configured for piracy. Again, no further details are currently available.</p>



<p>Nevertheless, the involvement of the Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) Disruption Teams may raise alarm bells with those operating in a similar niche. FACT, in conjunction with its Premier League partner, hopes that the cease-and-desist notices will stop the activity in hand while &#8220;deterring others from getting involved.&#8221;</p>



<p>Kieron  Sharp, FACT Chief Executive says that last month&#8217;s activity is just one of the tactics being deployed against people committing offenses that affect both rightsholders and broadcasters.</p>



<p>&#8220;We have a program of continuous activity targeting different elements of the global piracy landscape, with consideration given to the scale of the offending so that the most effective and proportionate response is deployed,&#8221; Sharp says. </p>



<p>&#8220;The message is clear. If you are involved in any way in providing illegal streaming services, on any scale, you are not invisible or immune from action from FACT, rights owners and law enforcement.&#8221;</p>



<p>National GAIN Coordinator Lesley Donovan adds that the serving of cease-and-desist notices is intended to send a message to those &#8220;trying to make a quick buck&#8221; out of illegal streaming.</p>



<p>&#8220;Their actions are feeding a wider illicit industry which not only denies the economy of millions both in copyright theft and undeclared income but poses a direct risk to our communities due to their lack of parental controls and fire safety,&#8221; Donovan says.</p>



<p>&#8220;This type of activity is also often a cog in a larger criminal machine, often ultimately funding drugs, weapons and people trafficking.&#8221;</p>



<p>The claims of higher-tier offending such as those detailed by Donovan are often cited in connection with all forms of piracy. However, it is extremely rare (perhaps unheard of) for those claims to be backed up with publicly-available evidence. There have been claims in the media that paramilitary groups are involved in some way in Ireland, but no evidence beyond that.</p>



<p>Just recently, TorrentFreak spoke with one IPTV provider who contested the notion that most players in the market are high-level criminals involved in anything other than the supply of unlicensed streams. Since the matter has now been raised again, we&#8217;ll reestablish contact to see if they are prepared to respond to the allegations.  </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=aSX2XftRTyM:R6XngCKnEWg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=aSX2XftRTyM:R6XngCKnEWg:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=aSX2XftRTyM:R6XngCKnEWg:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/aSX2XftRTyM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=176123
title: Cox Asks Court to Sanction Labels Over Destroyed Tracking Evidence
uri: Cox-Asks-Court-to-Sanction-Labels-Over-Destroyed-Tracking-Evidence
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/FoTKL8tNEaA/
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>Last year, Cox ended its piracy liability lawsuit with music company BMG, agreeing to a “<a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cox-pays-substantial-settlement-to-end-repeat-infringer-piracy-lawsuit-180827/">substantial settlement</a>.”</p>



<p>The ISP is now in the clear, however, Cox is still caught up in another lawsuit filed by a group of <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/record-labels-file-billion-dollar-piracy-lawsuit-against-isp-cox-180802/">major music companies</a>, all members of the RIAA.</p>



<p>The music outfits, including Capitol Records, Warner Bros, and Sony Music,  argue that Cox categorically failed to terminate repeat copyright infringers and that the ISP substantially profited from this ongoing ‘piracy’ activity. All at the expense of the record labels and other rightsholders.</p>



<p>Over the past several months, both parties have conducted discovery and the case is currently scheduled to go to trial in December. While there were talks of a potential settlement a few weeks ago, things look rather different now. </p>



<p>Last week we reported that the ISP canceled a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/music-companies-accuse-cox-of-gamesmanship-asks-court-for-sanctions-190813/">scheduled settlement discussion</a>. As a result, the music outfits called for sanctions, accusing the ISP of gamesmanship. Now, it&#8217;s Cox&#8217;s turn to ask for sanctions, this time with a formal request.</p>



<p>Cox submitted a motion for discovery sanctions at the Virginia federal court, where it accuses the plaintiffs of relying on unsubstantiated evidence. </p>



<p>The concerns relate to the piracy evidence which the music companies are relying on. This is the data that was used to send copyright infringement notices to Cox, pointing out how its subscribers allegedly shared infringing material. As such, it is the basis of the &#8220;repeat infringer&#8221; claims that are central to the lawsuit.</p>



<p>The data in question was collected by the anti-piracy firm MarkMonitor, which keeps a close eye on global BitTorrent activity. For the lawsuit, these infringement allegations were summarized in two spreadsheets. However, Cox notes that underlying evidence has since been deleted.</p>



<p>&#8220;MarkMonitor failed to retain critical portions of this evidence, and the document that Plaintiffs intend to rely on is, at best, a partial and inaccurate summary of these analyses,&#8221; Cox informs the Court.</p>



<p>As such, Cox requests sanctions. Specifically, it asks the court for a ruling that the piracy evidence in question can&#8217;t be used to back up any claims.</p>



<p>&#8220;Because Plaintiffs’ agent destroyed the underlying data, leaving no way to assess the accuracy of this summary, Cox respectfully requests that the Court enter discovery sanctions against Plaintiffs in the form of a preclusion order prohibiting Plaintiffs from relying on the incomplete and unreliable MarkMonitor evidence.&#8221;</p>



<p>According to Cox, MarkMonitor deleted data which showed that claimed copyright infringements were indeed linked to copyrighted files. These data concern the &#8220;matching&#8221; logs it received from the fingerprinting service Audible Magic.</p>



<p>During discovery, Cox learned that MarkMonitor used data from Audible Magic to reach its infringement conclusions. A subsequent subpoena explained how this worked, and a deposition of Audible Magic later revealed that MarkMonitor deleted the transaction logs.</p>



<p>&#8220;Ultimately, Cox learned in a deposition on the last day of discovery that MarkMonitor did not produce the transaction logs at issue or the relevant database because it had destroyed them,&#8221; Cox informs the Court.</p>



<p>The deleted data was crucial according to the ISP, as it&#8217;s the only way to prove that the alleged infringements detailed in the spreadsheet are correct. In addition, the routinely deleted data &#8220;strongly suggests&#8221; that MarkMonitor&#8217;s spreadsheet is inaccurate.  <br></p>



<p>&#8220;The destroyed Audible Magic data was undeniably material and foundational to the MarkMonitor Spreadsheet,&#8221; Cox notes. </p>



<p>The ISP backs up its &#8216;inaccuracy&#8217; claims in redacted parts of its memorandum, mentioning that it was a &#8220;coin flip&#8221; whether or not a claimed infringement actually took place.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="media/d9a82748.markcoinflip.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/markcoinflip.png" alt="" class="wp-image-176206"/><figcaption>Coin flip</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>Cox argues that the record labels withheld unfavorable information so sees no other option than to scrap the spreadsheets as evidence. In their current form, they can&#8217;t be backed up.</p>



<p>&#8220;Because Plaintiffs failed to preserve and produce the best and most complete—indeed, the only—evidence of the alleged direct infringements, the Court should preclude Plaintiffs from relying on the ‘236 and ‘431 Spreadsheets, and any derivative documents, which are merely incomplete and inaccurate summaries of what the data would have shown,&#8221; Cox concludes.  <br></p>



<p>It the Court agrees with Cox and excludes the piracy data as evidence, the case could be severely impacted. </p>



<p>Interestingly, this isn&#8217;t the first time that Cox has complained about spoilt evidence. The company did the same a few years ago in the BMG case, after it found out that anti-piracy company Rightscorp <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/destroyed-piracy-tracking-code-should-end-lawsuit-cox-says-151110/">destroyed older versions</a> of its piracy tracking code. </p>



<p>At the time the Court ruled that sanctions were <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/cox-cant-describe-rightscorp-as-extortionists-and-trolls-during-trial-151128/">indeed appropriate</a>. However, the copyright infringement claims were not disregarded and Cox&#8217;s request to dismiss the case in its entirety was denied. </p>



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



<p><em>A copy of Cox&#8217;s memorandum in support of the motion for discovery sanctions and to preclude the MarkMonitor evidence is available <a href="media/a0bb7c3b.coxspoil-1.pdf" data-original-source="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/images/coxspoil-1.pdf">here (pdf)</a>.</em><br></p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=FoTKL8tNEaA:ggmUJULK-SA:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=FoTKL8tNEaA:ggmUJULK-SA:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=FoTKL8tNEaA:ggmUJULK-SA:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/FoTKL8tNEaA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


feed_id: https://torrentfreak.com/?p=176253
title: Vader Streams Was Shut Down By ACE, Must Pay $10m Damages
uri: Vader-Streams-Was-Shut-Down-By-ACE-Must-Pay-10m-Damages
url: http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~3/2TozAvwzT-k/
content:
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignright"><img src="media/3a002491.vader.png" data-original-source="https://torrentfreak.com/images/vader.png" alt=""/></figure></div>



<p>There are several large IPTV providers with brands that are well known across the unlicensed industry. One of those was Vader, otherwise known as Vader Streams, or just Vaders.</p>



<p>Notable for its Darth Vader logo, the platform served large numbers of direct customers and subscription re-sellers with at least 1,300 TV channels and a library of VOD content running close to 3,000 titles.</p>



<p>This May, however, something went seriously wrong. </p>



<p>&#8220;We have no choice but to close down Vader. We can’t reveal much publically, but by now some of you should know through the other means what happened,” a notice posted to the site&#8217;s Telegram channel read.</p>



<p>&#8220;We tried everything in our power to avoid this, to avoid any outage, but enough people worked against us.&#8221;</p>



<p>With that, Vader <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vader-large-pirate-iptv-service-shuts-down-promises-to-protect-customers-190503/">went down</a>, never to appear again. As highlighted in our subsequent <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vader-the-truth-about-pirate-iptv-services-100512/">review</a> of the Vader closure, we had strong suspicions that anti-piracy giant the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) had become involved.</p>



<p>We&#8217;d obtained an unverified copy of what looked like a cease-and-desist notice, apparently sent by ACE members to Vader, over its VOD content. Unable to confirm its authenticity, we made a decision not to publish it. </p>



<p>However, it&#8217;s now 100% clear that ACE, the global anti-piracy company made up of dozens of powerful content companies, did indeed shutter Vader. And it&#8217;s now evident why they refused to comment.</p>



<p>ACE proceeded against Vader through a secret court proceeding in Canada through which it obtained a so-called &#8220;Anton Piller&#8221; order, a civil search warrant that grants plaintiffs no-notice permission to enter a defendant’s premises in order to secure and copy evidence to support their case, before it can be destroyed or tampered with. A similar process was used against TVAddons founder <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/tvaddons-returns-ugly-war-canadian-telcos-kodi-addons-170801/">Adam Lackman in 2017</a>.</p>



<p>While the case against Lackman is moving forward at glacial speed more than two years later, the Vader matter now appears to be over. After obtaining a permanent injunction from the Federal Court in Canada, ACE has shuttered the service and landed Vader with a bill for $10 million in damages.</p>



<p>According to ACE, Vader must also &#8220;cede administrative control&#8221; over its entire &#8220;piracy infrastructure&#8221;, permanently cease-and-desist from doing anything in future connected to offering, selling, or promoting unlicensed streams, and/or developing, updating, hosting or promoting any Kodi add-ons connected to pirated content.</p>



<p>&#8220;On behalf of all ACE members, I applaud the Court’s decision to permanently put an end to piracy operations conducted by Vader Streams,” Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, said in a statement.</p>



<p>&#8220;Actions like these can help reduce piracy and promote a dynamic, legal marketplace for creative content that provides audiences with more choices than ever before, while supporting millions of jobs in the film and television industry.&#8221;</p>



<p>Robert Malcolmson, Senior Vice President Regulatory Affairs and Government Relations, Bell Canada &#8211; a prominent ACE member &#8211; described the action by the Federal Court as &#8220;strong and appropriate&#8221;, adding that &#8220;illegal streaming services like Vader Streams cause serious harm to creators and distributors, the entire broadcasting and cultural sectors and ultimately Canadian consumers.&#8221;</p>



<p>While ACE says that Vader must &#8220;cede administrative control&#8221; over its entire &#8220;piracy infrastructure&#8221;, it remains unclear what that means in real terms.</p>



<p>At the time of the shutdown, Vader said that it was &#8220;going to make sure, no Email, IP, account + reseller name goes to the wrong hands. Everything will be wiped clean and that’s all.&#8221; </p>



<p></p>



<p></p>



<p></p>



<p></p>



<p> </p>
<p>Source: <a href="http://torrentfreak.com/">TF</a>, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/top-10-most-popular-torrent-sites-of-2018-180107/">torrent sites</a> and more. We also have <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/which-vpn-services-keep-you-anonymous-in-2019/">VPN reviews, </a><a href="https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-discount-coupon-offer-torguard-nordvpn-expressvpn-pia/">discounts, offers and coupons</a>.</p>
<div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=2TozAvwzT-k:3QgLCI9qQ58:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feed.torrentfreak.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?a=2TozAvwzT-k:3QgLCI9qQ58:D7DqB2pKExk"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/Torrentfreak?i=2TozAvwzT-k:3QgLCI9qQ58:D7DqB2pKExk" border="0"></img></a>
</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Torrentfreak/~4/2TozAvwzT-k" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>


