MediaDefender Buys MediaSentry
Written by enigmax on April 03, 2009Following the departure of founders Randy Saaf and Octavio Herrera, the future for MediaDefender looked even more uncertain than it did previously. However, those concerned that their favorite anti-piracy spoofing company might drift away, fear no more. MediaDefender’s parent company just acquired everyone’s favorite anti-piracy tracking company, MediaSentry.
ARTISTdirect, the company that owns infamous anti-piracy spoofing company MediaDefender has just announced that it has acquired SafeNet’s anti-piracy tracking company, MediaSentry.
Following the departure of its two founders, MediaDefender CEO Dimitri Villard said MediaSentry had been bought for $936,000, comprised of $136,000 in cash and an $800,000 1 year note.
“The combination of MediaDefender, the leader in Internet Piracy Prevention (IPP) with MediaSentry, the leader in business and marketing intelligence derived from P2P channels, creates a true powerhouse in the field of intellectual property protection,” Villard said. “This acquisition will enable MediaDefender to dramatically expand its effectiveness by providing customers with a wide range of options to meet the constantly evolving challenges in copyright protection and enforcement.”
Among file-sharers, MediaDefender grew to become one of the most hated anti-p2p companies but always maintained that it did not track individuals or report them to the authorities or copyright holders. With its acquisition of MediaSentry, a company designed to do just that, MediaDefender now boasts the full range of tools to hinder, mislead, track, monitor and report copyright infringers.
Previously a SafeNet Inc. subsidary, MediaSentry became well known as the RIAA’s main anti-piracy partner, providing crucial support to the lobby group during its aggressive litigation campaign against file-sharers. The RIAA dumped MediaSentry in January, choosing to work with Danish tracking company DtecNet instead.
MediaSentry is best known for harvesting IP-addresses of alleged copyright infringers but their methodology has been questioned in court by several experts. On top of that, Mediasentry’s investigation tactics were deemed illegal in several states because it operated without the appropriate and required paperwork. According to some, this was why they were ditched by the RIAA.
Previously: MPAA President to be Thrown Out
Next: Two Swedish File-Sharers Arrested
31 Responses
So they won’t stop trying, huh?
2 birds with 1 stone.
“Wilma!!!, where did you put my slingshot?”
as long as there’s money a head
Privacy is theft!!!11
Anyone who has an ounce of brain can protect him/herself, of course no 100% protection but protection nevertheless, against such companies.
You make it sound all fancy, TF– “…acquired SafeNet’s anti-piracy tracking company…”
It was more like MediaSentry was short on quarters for the laundry, so it traded some D&D figurines and their IBM 486 to MediaDefender…
@6
and all their floppy’s
So effectivly media defender the biggest noobs in the world have just bought the biggest noobs in the world…gg
Kiss my conkers ARTISTdirect
comedy
“MediaSentry had been bought for $936,000, comprised of $136,000 in cash and an $800,000 1 year note”
…lol, what sort of 2-bit BS operation is this??
Octavio Herrera??
Is it the Octavo on the loose :-)
What exactly did they buy.. at most its a office with a few servers and outdated tools? How could anybody even be there anymore.. or am I missing something huge?
Oh man, this is like the bearded lady and the circus midget had a sack chase and they gave birth to an f-ed up flipper baby with a prehensile tongue.
This is actually good news
Once media-defender fails in the very near future, two anti-piracy companies actual disappear.
They should have bought beer with that.
If these arses do not succeed, will BayTSP buy them out and go on a scalphunt?
other big monopoly company,hope they both run out of money and go to jail.
nice their failure will be even moar epic now.
LOL@
lol, what sort of 2-bit BS operation is this?
I was worried before I heard its net value.
O, I hate greedy folks.
This is doomed to failure, as both businesses have been for some time already. Breaking the law to help enforce the law is no better than piracy. Sooner or later, their top executives will end up in court.
ahh ha, ahhhhahahahahahahaaaa
@15
didn’t think of that but i hope it will dissapear
EPIC FAIL!
*rubs hands together and laughs excitedly*
Oh man, this is gonna be great! The two biggest faliures in the industry comimg together. We need to buy an extra large sofa so that everyone at TorrentFreak can come and watch the show xD
Lol 2 fail companies join together to combine their expertise. Lol they end up more fail.
“This is why we never have anything nice”.
When you buy a company you get it’s assets and it’s liabilities. MD was stupid IMHO, to buy MS as it’s still being sued and they could ultimately be held liable for big damages. Of course, Saaf and Herrera are laughing themselves all the way to the bank, as they’re off the hook. Way to go, MS. Keep pulling bonehead moves. We believe in you! ;-)
they never stop trying, do they? i bet another hacker will get them, all they need is a hearty shove to push them off the cliff!
So they are going to take down MediaSentry as well? Cool!
I guess their executives graduated from the Larry, Moe, and Curly School of Business.
Who says good news never gets published? This guarantees laughs a-plenty for many months to come.
Next up…..the mighty Web Sheriff!
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