News - Film execs urge BT to block Usenet site

[HEXUS]

Legal wrangling to stop circulation of pirated films and TV shows.

Read more.

[TurboCharged]

Its a move to block access to a website called newzbin
That site just indexes the content of usenet.

The issue with the original site was that they had a team of editors classifying the reports generated from usenet into different categories ie Movies/DVD/Ironman. So there was a human element to aiding copyright infringment, not just computer generated reports. Well, that plus a crappy legal defense team.

The site does generate nzb files, which tell your usenet downloader where to find files in newsgroups, in the same way that you could write a batch script to download from an FTP.

Its a bit of a crappy news report for a tech site.

[Mike Fishcake]

Its a bit of a crappy news report for a tech site.

I was about to say that was a bit harsh, but then I read this:

Film industry big shots have urged BT to block access to an indexing website called Usenet, which acts as a hub for links to websites hosting pirated copies of films and TV shows.

Please tell me that's a typo and the writer does actually know what usenet is?!?

[Scott B]

It looks like there was a typo in that first paragraph, which I've now corrected.

Thanks for your feedback.

[mikerr]

They should really go after usenet servers - it'd be an open and shut case surely ?
Amazed they haven't been targeted yet.

Usenet servers are actually storing and distributing pirated and illegal content.

Torrent sites (and newsbin) by contrast don't store any pirated files - just indexes
but a usenet server IS actually storing and distributing them - in an encrypted/obfuscated form


..and before you jump on me - yes I now usenet has plenty of text groups - but lets not ignore the fact that binaries exist, or is the main use for many.

[TheAnimus]

mikerr isn't it part of the safeharbour defense?

if anyone issues them with a takedown notice for the specific posts they will get taken down?

[Saracen]

mikerr isn't it part of the safeharbour defense?

if anyone issues them with a takedown notice for the specific posts they will get taken down?

Yup .... if they can show they they have procedures in place to deal with illicitly placed copyright material, yes. It provides some cover fir "innocent" companies whose legitimate services are being abused, but certainly isn't a piracy charter for companies just paying lip-service to it..

[shaithis]

Usenet servers are actually storing and distributing pirated and illegal content.

They are just storing a gazillion text messages written in an alien language ;P

[Defiant]

I was under the impression from friends that they are under the common carrier laws so they cant be prosecuted.

[e-LAN-go]

Seems like a pointless exercise as determined users will just circumvent it instead with a vpn.