Studios Attack BitTorrent
Author: Jeremy C. Wright, Staff Writer
Wednesday, 15 December 2004, 18:54 GMT
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The Motion Picture Association of America is retargeting its legal battle against file swappers by launching attacks against the server operators behind the BitTorrent and eDonkey services.
The two "networks" are generally considered the largest sources of movie piracy, and the MPAA is attempting to go for the jugular - the server operators - instead of just going after regular users.
The difference this time around is that BitTorrent isn't a network. In fact, BitTorrent is simply a new way to download files. Instead of downloading a program from a server, you download it from everyone else who has the program - simultaneously. Which is why it's impossible for the MPAA to go after "BitTorrent”. Instead they are attempting to go after those who host the "instruction files" which are critical to keeping the system running.
Whether this tactic has any effect remains to be seen.
John Malcolm, the MPAA's director of worldwide ant piracy operations, said: "These people are parasites, leeching off the creative activity of others.
They serve as traffic cops connecting those who want to steal movies with those who have a copy and want to provide it."
The MPAA has targeted more than 7,000 users in its two-year battle against online piracy - a battle that has grown more desperate and multi pronged as time has passed. Both BitTorrent and eDonkey allow users to trade extremely large files - such as movies - which is why they are the target of this round of legal suits.
More than 100 server operators around the world are being prosecuted, said the MPAA. In the US the actions are mainly being pursued through the civil courts, while in Europe several criminal prosecutions are being undertaken.
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