This weekss Movie Giveaway winner is
Membership ID#57393103
Sign-up for the next Movie Giveaway

Newest InternetMovies.com Inc.
Special/Investigative Report
1.Bit Torrent
A new method of P2P file-sharing has emerged in BitTorrent. The system is community based as you upload parts of the file you are downloading to others who are downloading the same file. Another good thing? It supports resume! One last thing, it's open source!

Grokster unleashes ad-free software

A new version of the popular file-swapping software "Grokster" has been released. The new software is in response to the amount of customers who have been complaining about the advertisements in the client. The meet the customers' needs the company has released an ad-free version of their client. It is not free though. Those who want ad-free file-trading will have to purchase the software for $19.99.

According to the articles:

'We can offer the user a better experience at a reasonable price that still allows us to pay our bills," Grokster President Wayne Rosso said in a statement.'

'The move comes as rival StreamCast Networks also released a new version of its Morpheus software that attempts to help people mask their identities by uploading and downloading files through proxy servers.'
(Read More)

Hot spots hide swappers from RIAA

While the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) continue to spout out lawsuits at file-traders, who now can be easily identified, a loophole has been spotted. In some areas there are wireless access points which allow people with a wireless network card to access the internet. Using one of these hot-spots it's almost impossible to find out who was actually committing the copyright infringement. It is not the best of methods but, for those who really want to make a statement against the RIAA, there is a last refuge.

According to the articles:

'Not all of those hot spots provide the same kind of anonymous access as the free services provided by Armstrong's network in New York. Most commercial Wi-Fi points are run as pay services by companies such as T-Mobile USA or Boingo, typically requiring computer users to pay for their time, usually with a credit card, and log in to their account while online. This allows customers to be identified just as easily as they would on an ordinary ISP using telephone or cable lines.'

'Increasingly, cafes, parks and even private homes are offering access to Net where no registration is required. With people logging in and out without offering identities, it becomes virtually impossible for groups such as the RIAA to track down the identity of copyright infringers using these nodes.'
(Read More)

File swappers putting business at risk

A study conducted by AssetMetrix of 560 Canadian companies found out how widespread file-trading is on company networks. The study found that 77% of companies with 500-plus employees had at least one instance of a P2P client installed. The study is causing companies to panic on how to keep P2P clients off their computers.

"Corporations are frantic about how to rein in some control over this," said AssetMetrix President Paul Bodnoff. "Like with software licenses, most companies want to be on the right side of the law. The challenge is how they do that."

According to the articles:

'The presence of file swapping on corporate networks has been a subject of increasing concern during the past year, for reasons extending beyond businesses' legal liability.'

'Copyright holders have steadily increased their pressure on corporations to crack down on their employees' file-trading behavior, sending letters to the Fortune 500 companies warning of legal risks, and even settling out of court for $1 million with one company where a large archive of copyrighted songs was found.'
(Read More)

Congress mulls prison terms for KaZaA users

With all the recent lawsuits put out by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) there's going to have to be a plan as to how the Judicial system is going to deal with all these lawsuits, the answer to which is being talked about in congress. Mark Berman and a member of the House Judiciary Committee Member, John Conyers, have banded together to offer a solution which would in the end mean felonies, prison time, and ridiculously high fines for P2P swappers. It would work by assuming that anyone who is sharing any copyrighted song on a P2P network has at least shared it ten times (making it a felony), then would start off with a $2,500 minimum fine. That's $2,500 for sharing one song. The proposal has thankfully not been put through yet.

According to the articles:

'Currently, under a little-known 1997 law called the No Electronic Theft Act, many P2P users are technically already violating criminal laws. But if the ACCOPS bill were to succeed, prosecutors would not have to prove that a copyrighted file was repeatedly downloaded. Conyers' proposal would require them to prove only that the file was publicly accessible.'

'Other sponsors of ACCOPS are Reps. Howard Berman of California, Adam Schiff of California, Marty Meehan of Massachusetts, Robert Wexler of Florida and Anthony Weiner of New York. No Republican has supported the proposal.'
(Read More)