50000 BitTorrent users being sued for downloading movies

[allisolm]

Not that any of you would ever...


http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/09/technology/bittorrent_lawsuits/?section=money_latest

Nearly 50,000 users of BitTorrent's peer-to-peer downloading software have been targeted in a sting over the past few months, accused of illegally downloading one of two movies.

Voltage Pictures, the studio behind 2009's The Hurt Locker, is suing almost 25,000 BitTorrent users who allegedly illegally downloaded the flick. That came just weeks after 23,000 were sued for downloading The Expendables, produced by Nu Image.

Apparently they issued John and Jane Doe subpoenas to various ISPs and those are, in the main, forking over the subscriber info.

 

[highland145]

This guy I know, his rapid share subscription ran out several months ago.

 

[Macamus Prime]

Sub to Netflix, copy the movies you get and no one has to know anything.

God, Americans can be so fucking lazy.

 

[MotF Bane]

Don't have either of those movies. :awe:

 

[Evadman]

Wasn't it ruled very recently that an IP does not a person make?

 

[Wyndru]

My wifi is open, there was recently a red vw golf parked out in front of my house.

 

[Dulanic]

Wasn't it ruled very recently that an IP does not a person make?

Doesn't mean they can't use intimidation to try to acheive 2 goals. 1. Settlement and 2. Scare people from downloading in the future. Of course it won't work. The RIAA is proof of that.

 

[purbeast0]

lol torrents.

 

[Krynj]

Movie sucked anyway.

 

[Krynj]

lol torrents.

 

[xSkyDrAx]

Honestly with redboxes and netflix everywhere it's just easier to use those services. Though I don't need to watch every movie that's released otherwise $1 for 1 night is much easier than waiting on a download.

 

[finglobes]

My wifi is open, there was recently a red vw golf parked out in front of my house.

In civil cases a person only has to be found "probably guilty" and not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If the studios, lawyers etc have an IP for a download, the name tied to that IP will lose in court because they don't really need to build an airtight case and pinpoint exactly what happened and who did what. Burglars could break into a home and use a computer to DL a movie and in civil court the owner can still get blamed/fined. That's why OJ Simpson was found guilty in civil court and not criminal court.

 

[Schfifty Five]

Wasn't Voltage trying to sue people a year ago about this same thing?

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2074298&highlight=hurt+locker

Or is this just a continuation of that?

 

[ViviTheMage]

tsk tsk

 

[Krynj]

I think the "I have open Wi-Fi" argument is instantly thrown out and dismissed nowadays. I work at an ISP, and EVERY. SINGLE. CUSTOMER. that we disconnect due to copyright infringement ALWAYS retorts with "Oh jeez, well I have an open Wi-Fi access point, it must have been somebody else." It's the first & only defense people use, and for some reason, think it's bulletproof.

Something as little as your IP address can get you into some serious shit these days, so it's your responsibility to keep it locked down.

 

[rcpratt]

I thought this Hurt Locker thing had been going on for awhile.

Didn't d/l either of those, though.

 

[Wyndru]

I'm sure this won't happen a lot, but it does happen:
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Bittorr...rold-Baker-VPR-Internationale,news-11074.html

The battle between copyright holders and BitTorrent users may have taken a sharp turn in favor of the alleged copyright infringers thanks to a recent ruling filed by Illinois District Judge Harold Baker. Friday he said that IP addresses do not equal persons, and thus prevented an adult film studio from accessing personal data tied to IP addresses.

It sounds like in this case they already have the personal info though. It seems like in the case above the judge blocked the studio before they got the info.

 

[highland145]

I think the "I have open Wi-Fi" argument is instantly thrown out and dismissed nowadays. I work at an ISP, and EVERY. SINGLE. CUSTOMER. that we disconnect due to copyright infringement ALWAYS retorts with "Oh jeez, well I have an open Wi-Fi access point, it must have been somebody else." It's the first & only defense people use, and for some reason, think it's bulletproof.

Something as little as your IP address can get you into some serious shit these days, so it's your responsibility to keep it locked down.

3 offices around me have open networks. 1 lawyer, 1 insurance sales and 1 computer repair.

 

[sactoking]

I'm sure this won't happen a lot, but it does happen:
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Bittorr...rold-Baker-VPR-Internationale,news-11074.html

It sounds like in this case they already have the personal info though.

The problem is this was in Federal District court and courts in other Districts are not obligated to follow it as precedemt.

 

[Krynj]

3 offices around me have open networks. 1 lawyer, 1 insurance sales and 1 computer repair.

Better start leechin'.

 

[highland145]

Better start leechin'.

:biggrin:

 

[Lean L]

Honestly with redboxes and netflix everywhere it's just easier to use those services. Though I don't need to watch every movie that's released otherwise $1 for 1 night is much easier than waiting on a download.

Wtf? I somewhat agree with netflix but redbox? You think it's easier to go pick up a movie, use physical media, then return it within 24 hrs than to spend 5 mins browsing and 20 mins downloading?

 

[IceBergSLiM]

They should use another service on the net that isn't to be spoken about.

 

[Cal166]

One word: Usenet

 

[Lean L]

They should use another service on the net that isn't to be spoken about.

subtly fail

At any rate, $$$.