Hollywood In Full Panic Mode Over The Pirate Bay’s Video Streaming Torrent Integration
A new plugin from Torrents Time that allows users to anonymously download and stream torrents directly in their browser of choice (it supports Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari) is garnering all kinds of attention, both good and bad. That's especially true since The Pirate Bay (TPB) decided to embed the technology on its website, a move that resulted in a Hollywood-backed anti-piracy group sending a cease and desist letter to Torrents Time.
Located in the Netherlands, the anti-piracy group that's gotten involved is called BREIN. In its letter to Torrents Time, BREIN accuses the developers of facilitating the distribution of copyrighted content and further claims that it's caused "extensive damage to rights holders." It's on that basis that BREIN demands that Torrents Time stop distributing its software.
"By offering Torrents Time, which is primarily engaged in the facilitating, enabling, and participating in the making available of infringing files, according to the law and jurisprudence of The Netherlands you are acting unlawful and infringe the copyrights and neighboring rights of others, including the rights holders whose interests are represented by BREIN,” the letter states.
The letter connects Torrents Time to the Netherlands, and indeed its website is hosted on a server in the region by a hosting company called LeaseWeb. If Torrents Time doesn't comply with the cease and desist letter, BREIN said it would contact LeaseWeb and demand that it flip the switch for them, as well as cough up any and all registration details, as required by law.
Cease and desist can by scary, but Torrents Time is acting anything but afraid. In fact, Torrents Time even calls to into question whether BREIN truly represents the rights holders that it claims it does.
"From the outset, please be informed that my clients deny all the suppositions and assumptions in your letter, including the fact that BREIN represents right holders and that you are qualified to take action on behalf of an un-named un-identified entities," Torrents Time said in its response.
As to the allegation that the Torrents Time plugin is an illegal piece of software, Torrents Time counters that such a claim has never been ruled by any court, in part because it's a brand new plugin. Torrents Time also insists that its plugin was "carefully crafted not to do anything whatsoever as to breach copyright or neighboring rights."
Torrents Time goes on to threaten litigation of its own if BREIN doesn't back off and/or if it tries to exert its legal muscle on any third-parties that use its plugin, which it likens to "extortion."
As Ron Burgundy would say about the entire situation, "Boy, that escalated quickly."
Located in the Netherlands, the anti-piracy group that's gotten involved is called BREIN. In its letter to Torrents Time, BREIN accuses the developers of facilitating the distribution of copyrighted content and further claims that it's caused "extensive damage to rights holders." It's on that basis that BREIN demands that Torrents Time stop distributing its software.
"By offering Torrents Time, which is primarily engaged in the facilitating, enabling, and participating in the making available of infringing files, according to the law and jurisprudence of The Netherlands you are acting unlawful and infringe the copyrights and neighboring rights of others, including the rights holders whose interests are represented by BREIN,” the letter states.
The letter connects Torrents Time to the Netherlands, and indeed its website is hosted on a server in the region by a hosting company called LeaseWeb. If Torrents Time doesn't comply with the cease and desist letter, BREIN said it would contact LeaseWeb and demand that it flip the switch for them, as well as cough up any and all registration details, as required by law.
Cease and desist can by scary, but Torrents Time is acting anything but afraid. In fact, Torrents Time even calls to into question whether BREIN truly represents the rights holders that it claims it does.
"From the outset, please be informed that my clients deny all the suppositions and assumptions in your letter, including the fact that BREIN represents right holders and that you are qualified to take action on behalf of an un-named un-identified entities," Torrents Time said in its response.
As to the allegation that the Torrents Time plugin is an illegal piece of software, Torrents Time counters that such a claim has never been ruled by any court, in part because it's a brand new plugin. Torrents Time also insists that its plugin was "carefully crafted not to do anything whatsoever as to breach copyright or neighboring rights."
Torrents Time goes on to threaten litigation of its own if BREIN doesn't back off and/or if it tries to exert its legal muscle on any third-parties that use its plugin, which it likens to "extortion."
As Ron Burgundy would say about the entire situation, "Boy, that escalated quickly."
