The bittorrent site Mininova.org has been ordered to remove so called ‘torrents’ (links to content from elsewhere), as far as these torrents link to copyright protected content. This was decided by the District Court of Utrecht in a main action initiated by the Dutch Foundation BREIN, which protects the interests of right owners in the entertainment industry.
Mininova (structurally) allowed its users to infringe copyrights and neighbouring rights, and Mininova profited from this. The Court holds that Mininova committed a tort with its BitTorrent site, although it was not a direct infringement of the Copyright Act or the Neighbouring Right Act. Mininova also encouraged its users to make available copyright protected content. And it assists its users to locate the required copyright protected content. In addition, Mininova's 'administrators’ and ‘moderators’ made sure that copyright protected content available through its site was actually useable for others. This enabled users to share copyright protected content with each other easier. It is obvious that this troubled the right owners in deciding on the way the work is used. It is assumed that the right owners have sustained damage.
The Court did not follow Mininova in its argument that it cannot locate and delete torrents that link to copyright protected content. The Court holds that it is widely known that commercially produced movies, games, music and tv-series are mostly copyright protected. With torrents placed in those categories on the platform, Mininova must have serious doubts whether the torrents link to authorised material. Mininova has means and could obtain lists from Brein that enable Mininova to check which torrents link to copyright protected content of parties represented by Brein.
Mininova's current Notice and Take Down-procedure is not sufficient. Torrents that link to copyright protected content are only removed after a notice. Torrents are not removed forever. A torrent could be placed again right after removal. The right owner has to act again to have it removed. It also appears that Mininova's moderators invited its users to replace content that had been removed. The judgment is again a great victory for right owners.
Maarten Haak
|
office Emerald House Jozef Israëlskade 48-G Amsterdam, the Netherlands t +31 (0)20 - 305 3066 www.hoogenhaak.nl |
post PO Box 76780 1070 KB Amsterdam e info@hoogenhaak.nl f +31 (0)20 - 305 3069 chamber of commerce 34314579 |
The bittorrent site Mininova.org has been ordered to remove so called ‘torrents’ (links to content from elsewhere), as far as these torrents link to copyright protected content. This was decided by the District Court of Utrecht in a main action initiated by the Dutch Foundation BREIN, which protects the interests of right owners in the entertainment industry.
Mininova (structurally) allowed its users to infringe copyrights and neighbouring rights, and Mininova profited from this. The Court holds that Mininova committed a tort with its BitTorrent site, although it was not a direct infringement of the Copyright Act or the Neighbouring Right Act. Mininova also encouraged its users to make available copyright protected content. And it assists its users to locate the required copyright protected content. In addition, Mininova's 'administrators’ and ‘moderators’ made sure that copyright protected content available through its site was actually useable for others. This enabled users to share copyright protected content with each other easier. It is obvious that this troubled the right owners in deciding on the way the work is used. It is assumed that the right owners have sustained damage.
The Court did not follow Mininova in its argument that it cannot locate and delete torrents that link to copyright protected content. The Court holds that it is widely known that commercially produced movies, games, music and tv-series are mostly copyright protected. With torrents placed in those categories on the platform, Mininova must have serious doubts whether the torrents link to authorised material. Mininova has means and could obtain lists from Brein that enable Mininova to check which torrents link to copyright protected content of parties represented by Brein.
Mininova's current Notice and Take Down-procedure is not sufficient. Torrents that link to copyright protected content are only removed after a notice. Torrents are not removed forever. A torrent could be placed again right after removal. The right owner has to act again to have it removed. It also appears that Mininova's moderators invited its users to replace content that had been removed. The judgment is again a great victory for right owners.
Maarten Haak