LimeWire Gets Sued

[IAAW]

LimeWire, sued by the RIAA; The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), has filed a lawsuit against Lime Group, LLC., LimeWire, LLC, Mark Gorton (CEO), and Greg Bildson (CTO). Lime Group is the umbrella company which owns the LimeWire development firm.

Back last September, LimeWire, along with other P2P developers, were the recipients of RIAA cease and desist letters. The letters instructed P2P developers to "...immediately cease-and-desist from enabling and inducing the infringement of RIAA member sound recordings. If you wish to discuss pre-litigation Resolution of these claims against you, please contact us immediately."

BearShare, eDonkey, and WinMX, all ceased operations as a result of the RIAA letter, however, LimeWire's operations continued.

At one stage, LimeWire was expected to introduce a "copyright filter" into it's software, but months have passed, and the filter has yet to materialize. The RIAA claims that by failing to implement a filter for unauthorized works and by profiting from an infringing business model, LimeWire actively induces copyright infringement

"Since the Supreme Court's unanimous Grokster decision last year, we have extended our hand to the major illegal file sharing networks and encouraged them to become legitimate players in the online music marketplace. We have been patient as a number of services – WinMX, Bearshare, Grokster, i2hub, Kazaa – have ultimately decided to close down or transform themselves into legal music services," the RIAA said in a statement.

"Despite numerous efforts to engage LimeWire, the site's corporate owners have shown insufficient interest in developing a legal business model that adequately respects copyrights. While other services have come productively to the table, LimeWire has sat back and continued to reap profits on the backs of the music community. That is unfortunate and has left us no choice but to file a lawsuit to protect the rights and livelihoods of artists, songwriters and record label employees, as well as those companies building legitimate businesses based on music."

The lawsuit, filed in New York's southern district, cites Mark Gorton and Greg Bildon as both exerting substantial influence over LimeWire development whilst making a handsome profit from the commercialized "LimeWire Pro."

"Defendant Mark Gorton is a principal and the Chief Executive Officer of defendant Lime Wire LLC. He is also a member and the Chief Executive Officer of defendant Lime Group LLC. Mr. Gorton is the dominant influence in Lime Group LLC, and, along with Defendant Greg Bildson, in Lime Wire LLC. Mr. Gorton has been personally and substantially involved in and profits greatly from the design, promotion, marketing and distribution of LimeWire."

In mounting their piracy case, the RIAA lawsuit also states that LimeWire encourages the distribution of illegal files, and punishes those who "freeload" (leech):

"Defendants have taken steps to ensure that LimeWire users "share" a large number of files on LimeWire, thereby maintaining the draw and reputation of LimeWire as a vast, unauthorized repository of commercial sound recordings...Indeed, Defendants further designed LimeWire to punish those users - called "freeloaders" by LimeWire - who do not "share" enough files with other LimeWire users."

LimeWire was also accused of more traditional "Contributory Copyright Infringement", "Vicarious Copyright Infringement", and also "Common Law Copyright Infringement." It is worth noting that no other P2P developer has been sued for common law copyright infringement.

Source:
Slyck

Discuss. I wouldn't be surprised that LimeWire is getting sued by the RIAA; Kazaa went through the same thing... and lost millions of dollars for it. Chances are that, after the RIAA sues LimeWire, they are going to sue all those who use LimeWire. My brother got frightened by this news, and completely removed LimeWire off of this computer because of it.

Once again... discuss.

PS: Also, I saw this on the news a couple of days ago. So this is pretty much news to me.

[MixMasterLar]

Re: LimeWire Gets Sued

Holy cow, I dont have Limewire but my friend does ( he gave SM+186 songs off it) and he told me it was legal. I bet he is gonna sh** when he finds this crap out.

So much for me getting 'Sounds of dj TAKA' from him.....

[WillTalbot]

Re: LimeWire Gets Sued

Limewire is a file sharing program ... you SHARE files. If YOU OWN the file the how is it illegal to share it? For example: someone buys a cd, rips the music to his library, shares it on limewire, and other people get introuble for it? It just doesn't seem right ... I use limewire on a weekly basis I don't see how it could be considered illegal.

[Tps222]

Re: LimeWire Gets Sued

OMG I know I said I left and all, but I have to make a post.

You people are dumb. Doesn't anyone understand what copyrighted matterials are? Just because you own it doesn't mean you can do whatever the hell you want with it.

Limewire is legal in theory, but it's used for illegal purposes.

Hahah, they aren't going to come for everyone. That's just dumb. Millions of people use it. The unlucky few get made examples of I suppose.

Other than that, I don't really care about P2P networks anymore.

[MysticFire]

Re: LimeWire Gets Sued

wow, thats deep

[FluorescentArmy]

Re: LimeWire Gets Sued

Well, this is just signals me to get the **** downloading. They can't really do anything if I name my shared folder something else and keep the root file so they work. Oh, I just Frostwire though. Sharing a file isn't that bad. I think that burning CDs and selling them is worse. What does it matter anyways? You can't download a concert. Bands make a lot of money from those...

[RandomPscho]

Re: LimeWire Gets Sued

RIAA needs to realize that copyright laws are almost impossible to enforce. Within ~10 years (probably more like 5 due to fiber optic networks being installed across the USA), one persons internet connection will be sufficient to quickly send a song within a few seconds to another person, movies in probably a half hour. That will eliminate the need for programs like limewire, since all the files could be sent through msn or aim, or any other file sharing chat program. Who will they sue then? The only way they know your sharing is if they use your ISP and track all your data, or they sit there right next to you and watch you send it.

[howplayddr]

Re: LimeWire Gets Sued

This sucks, I use limewire for almost all my music. Oh well my parents were telling me about some legal file sharing program coming out soon. Not sure how its legal, but they said you can download and keep the songs free of charge.

[MixMasterLar]

Re: LimeWire Gets Sued

This sucks, I use limewire for almost all my music. Oh well my parents were telling me about some legal file sharing program coming out soon. Not sure how its legal, but they said you can download and keep the songs free of charge.

Hmmm, sounds like a free Limewire, right?

I agree with TPS222 on this one, He's got it!

[megaxxx]

Re: LimeWire Gets Sued

If you ask me, I think they are trying to add a few more pennys in their pocket at the expense of making people pay $25 on a cd they don't even know what might be on it, and maybe find one song they do like. They need to at least keep one universal P2P program so those who are less fortunate can have at least something to do other than twidle their thumbs all day. As I said, it is all some penny pinching selfish idiots who are running the companies these days.

[Squeek]

Re: LimeWire Gets Sued

ps guys

file-sharing copyrighted material is illegal.

Have you been living under a rock?

[MalReynolds]

Re: LimeWire Gets Sued

If you ask me, I think they are trying to add a few more pennys in their pocket at the expense of making people pay $25 on a cd they don't even know what might be on it, and maybe find one song they do like. They need to at least keep one universal P2P program so those who are less fortunate can have at least something to do other than twidle their thumbs all day. As I said, it is all some penny pinching selfish idiots who are running the companies these days.

Are you SERIOUS? That's how bands make money and the only way until they get commercial airplay (Which rarely happens to decent musicians). You're pretty much asking for a place to steal as much as you want from. God, I hope you get caught.

PS: I buy my music off of iTunes. I have a REAL job so I don't have to hide behind flimsy excuses like "well i dunno wut might b on it." Most places you buy CDs from HAVE LISTENING STATIONS.

[Squeek]

Re: LimeWire Gets Sued

CDs don't make bands money.

Concerts and tours do.

CDs make recording industries rich. And hey, what do you know, the RIAA is the Recording Industry Association of America!

That doesn't mean pirate music. That means support your bands by going to their concert and buying merchandise.

[MalReynolds]

Re: LimeWire Gets Sued

CDs don't make bands money.

Concerts and tours do.

CDs make recording industries rich. And hey, what do you know, the RIAA is the Recording Industry Association of America!

That doesn't mean pirate music. That means support your bands by going to their concert and buying merchandise.

Unsigned bands, etc etc etc that aren't attached to a label. Plus, the artists do get paid for cutting albums.

[megaxxx]

Re: LimeWire Gets Sued

Well, look at it this way, if they do block all of pirating, then we won't be able to get music for SM anymore. Even worse possibility, techno will die from the lack of creators. The only place that will remain that you can listen to Max (remix here) songs would be here, and if that. If pirating ends, so will most of the music industry. Well, maybe a little sarcastic, but how else will you attract the poorer crowds. Of course, I am not saying to steal all you want. Just take what can not be purchased in stores. I know for a fact there are not many places where you can get techno, rave, and many other kinds of music.