MESSAGE
| DATE | 2005-05-26 |
| FROM | Ruben Safir
|
| SUBJECT | Subject: [NYLXS - HANGOUT] Star Wars triggers P2P network crackdown
|
p2pnet.net News:- Homeland Security, the FBI's Cyber Division and US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, “today the first criminal
enforcement action targeting individuals committing copyright
infringement on peer-to-peer (P2P) networks using cutting edge
file-sharing technology known as BitTorrent”.
Acting as inspiration was the movie cartel’s MPAA (Motion Picture
Association of America).
“This morning, agents of the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) executed 10 search warrants across the United States
against leading members of a technologically sophisticated P2P network
known as Elite Torrents,” says a statement.
“Employing technology known as BitTorrent, the Elite Torrents network
attracted more than 133,000 members and, in the last four months,
allegedly facilitated the illegal distribution of more than 17,800
titles - including movies and software - which were downloaded 2.1
million times.
“In addition to executing 10 warrants, federal agents also took control
of the main server that coordinated all file-sharing activity on the
Elite Torrents network.”
Parroting the tired MPAA and RIAA (Recording Industry Association of
America) ‘hard-pressed workers’ line, "When thieves steal this data,
they are taking jobs away from hard workers in industry, which adversely
impacts the U.S. economy,” said the FBI's Louis M. Reigel.
Ironically, the statement specifically says the final entry in the Star
Wars series, Episode III -Revenge of the Sith, was, “available for
downloading on the network more than six hours before it was first shown
in theatres” and in the next 24 hours, “was downloaded more than 10,000
times”.
In fact, the file was a print copy available only to Hollywood insiders.
Nonetheless, "Federal authorities on Wednesday shut down an online
file-sharing network that had the new Stars War movie before it was
shown in theaters," says CNN, faithfully following Hollywood dictated
media doctine.
Sith grossed $158.5 million from Thursday to Sunday and was as online
ticket seller Fandango Inc’s top movie for opening weekend sales. The
first two days of the movie's release, Thursday and Friday, were
Fandango's top selling 48 hours.
“Operation D-Elite is being conducted jointly by ICE and the FBI as part
of the Computer And Technology Crime High Tech Response Team ("CATCH"),
a San Diego task force of specially trained prosecutors and law
enforcement officers who focus on high-tech crime. Federal and state
member agencies of CATCH include ICE, the FBI, the Department of
Justice, the San Diego District Attorney's Office, San Diego Police
Department, the San Diego Sheriff's Department, and San Diego County
Probation,” says the statement.
“Operation D-Elite was coordinated and will be prosecuted by the Justice
Department's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, with the
assistance and support of Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property
(CHIP) coordinators in San Diego and U.S. Attorneys' Offices in Arizona,
Illinois, Kansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.
“The Motion Picture Association of America provided valuable assistance
to the investigation.”
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