TorrentFreak Email Update

Feds Seize Sports Streaming Domains in New Super Bowl Crackdown

Posted: 02 Feb 2012 03:34 AM PST

firstrow US authorities began another round of domain name seizures a few hours ago, targeting several sports streaming sites.

Thus far, neither the Department of Justice nor Homeland Security's ICE unit have officially commented on the seizures, but it can't be a coincidence that sports streaming sites are being targeted a few days before the Super Bowl is due to be aired.

The targets of today’s seizure round include Firstrowsports.tv, Firstrowsports.com, Firstrowsports.net and Soccertvlive.net, but more may be added in the coming hours. The former remains operational via Firstrow.tv.

For the first time, seized domains also include the .TV extension as Firstrowsports.tv is now displaying the familiar seizure banner. The .TV domain belongs to islands of Tuvalu, but is operated by the US-based company Verisign.

Last year there was a similar round of domain seizures during the lead up to the largest American sports broadcast. At the time the feds seized a dozen domains including Firstrow.net and Atdhe.net.

Both sites continued to operate under different domain names, several of which have been taken down today.

Seizure Banner

seizure

The seizures in 2011 also targeted domains linked to the website Rojadirecta, owned by the Spanish company Puerto 80. Despite being declared legal by two courts in Spain, the US authorities ruled that Rojadirecta was a criminal operation. The company has been fighting in US courts to get the decision overturned, but so far without luck.

Another target during the seizures last year was ChannelSurfing.net, which was operated by the Texan Brian McCarthy. The 32-year-old McCarthy was later taken into custody on suspicion of criminal copyright infringement, and he is currently awaiting his trial.

The extent of the fallout of the new “Super Bowl Crackdown” will become apparent in the coming days. It will, however, once again fuel the censorship debate which exploded last month with the SOPA/PIPA protests and the MegaUpload shutdown.

Breaking story

Source: Feds Seize Sports Streaming Domains in New Super Bowl Crackdown

Pirate Bay Verdict SignalsThreat Of Huge New Anti-Piracy Campaign

Posted: 01 Feb 2012 10:28 AM PST

This morning, Sweden’s Supreme Court announced that it would not be granting leave to appeal in the Pirate Bay case. This means that the prison sentences and millions of dollars in fines previously handed out to the four defendants will stand.

Unsurprisingly, the entertainment and anti-piracy companies behind the long-running case are celebrating and planning for the future.

“The rule of law has spoken and this is a defining moment in the lengthy discussion of copyright on the Internet,” says Henrik Pontén, lawyer at Antipiratbyrån.

“The Supreme Court has made clear to all involved in copyright violations, including those that provide them with Internet connections, must now assume their responsibilities.”

Local Hollywood lawyer Monique Wadsted said that the final verdict against the defendants in the Pirate Bay case sends a clear signal – those who operate illegal file-sharing services or provide them with Swedish Internet access face prison and substantial damages.

“I assume that the first thing that will happen is that those who continue to operate small or large illegal file-sharing services or provide Internet access to such will voluntarily cease their activities today,” says Wadsted.

Antipiratbyrån say that those who don’t will have to face the consequences.

“With the support of the sentence, Antipiratbyrån will act against the nearly 150 illegal file-sharing services that have a Swedish connection. Legal action will be taken against all that contribute to crime in different ways,” Pontén concludes.

Following the original TPB “guilty” verdict in 2009, Antipiratbyrån tried a similar a tactic when it contacted many sites and ordered them to close. Some did, but most didn’t.

There are indeed dozens of file-sharing sites that are either operated by Swedes, are hosted in Sweden, utilize Swedish bandwidth in some way, or have Swedish domains. Whether or not they will heed this latest warning remains to be seen.

Source: Pirate Bay Verdict SignalsThreat Of Huge New Anti-Piracy Campaign

The Pirate's Press

Thursday, 2 February 2012