BTDigg is the first ever search engine for so-called “trackerless torrents”. The site has been in operation for a year and is still going strong. Rather than searching for .torrent files around the web like most engines, BTDigg scans BitTorrent’s DHT (Distributed Hash Table) to discover new files instead. In…
The troubled Megaupload will drop its lawsuit against Universal Music Group who allegedly deleted the immensely popular Mega Song from YouTube last December. While the cyberlocker still believes the "sham takedown" was unlawful, Megaupload's lawyer informs TorrentFreak that they will focus their efforts on defending themselves against the US criminal…
The MPAA and file-hosting service Hotfile are ramping up their battle in court. To back up the claim that Hotfile is a piracy haven, the MPAA recently commissioned a study which stated that over 90% of all downloads through the site are infringing. However, in a confidential report obtained by…
The European Parliament's international trade committee has rejected a proposal by David Martin, an MEP who is drafting the Parliament's position on ACTA. Martin wanted to ask the European Court of Justice for its opinion on the controversial anti-piracy treaty, but the committee decided yesterday that wasn't needed and will…
Speculative invoicing might be returning to the UK, thanks to a High Court judgment Monday. The practice, all but abandoned in the UK in the wake of the ACS:Law fiasco, has restarted but with conditions. Meanwhile, over 9,000 people could get letters from the plaintiff, Ben Dover.
A Higher Regional Court in Germany has ruled that file-hosting service RapidShare operates legally in Germany. The verdict is the result of a long-standing legal battle between the Swiss-based file-hosting service and music rights group GEMA. It's not all good for RapidShare though, as the company now has to monitor…
Spanish music group Promusicae has sued Enrique Dans, professor at the IE Business School and a well-known blogger, after he claimed that the group is a copyright monopoly that violates antitrust laws. In addition to a public apology, the Spanish version of the RIAA is demanding 20,000 euros in damages.…
Next month, the 2012 Pirate Parties International conference gets underway in Prague, Czech Republic. The event, held on the weekend of April 14th and 15th, will feature speeches from Amelia Andersdotter, Swedish Pirate Party’s Member of the European Parliament, and Laurence Vandewalle, Policy advisor on telecommunications and free culture from…