illegal downloading

In a move to fend off the online piracy companies united to launch a set of rules to slow or restrict the Internet access to consumers found illegally downloading copyrighted films, music or TV shows.

Verizon Communications Inc, Comcast Corp, Time Warner Cable Inc, Cablevision Systems Corp and AT&T Inc agreed to alert customers, up to six times, when it appears their account is used for illegal downloading. Warnings will come as e-mails or pop-up messages.

This week German authorities introduced a new regulation that users of Wi-Fi connections are liable for illegal downloading of copyrighted material even if they themselves do not directly commit the crime. The regulation comes after a ruling made by the German top criminal court which ruled that Wi-Fi owners are liable for abuse by a third party in cases where they fail to password-protect their internet connections.

Microsoft has launched a lawsuit against a torrent tracker LinkoManija, reportedly the largest BitTorrent file-sharing tracker site in Lithuania. Anti-piracy agency LANVA helped the software maker to file suit against LinkoManija and its alleged operator, Kestas Ermanas, seeking $43 million in damages.

According to the reports Ermanas, whose assets and company have been seized as a result of the lawsuit, was reportedly helping the sharing of unauthorized copies of Microsoft's Office 2003 and 2007 software suites.

 Fox Filmed Entertainment on Monday called upon the US to join France in blocking the access to the Internet for the violators who illegally download media files online as it substantially harms the industry especially the owners of independent films.

The Fox CEO Jim Gianopulos said that the Internet piracy is the single biggest threat to the film industry with the challenge posed by the fact that the cyber space allows people to conceal their identity.