Happy Fire Stick Crackdown Malware Armageddon Month
For the third Oct/Nov period, three years in a row, once again it’s Fire Stick Crackdown Malware Armageddon Month in the UK. The annual event begins with the usual publications finding inspiration to write about the most popular streaming device in the UK, with drama injected into the mix by any means available to ensure maximum engagement. If only there was some way of measuring interest in these articles or related searches, it...
Dutch Court Orders ISP to Block Music Piracy Sites ‘Newalbumreleases’ and ‘Israbox’
Pirate site blocking is a common practice in dozens of countries around the world, and the Netherlands is no exception. After a decade-long legal battle between anti-piracy group BREIN and three local Internet providers, the latter were ordered to block access to The Pirate Bay in 2020. This was a pivotal moment, as it opened the door to more blocking requests targeting other torrent sites, streaming portals, and shadow libraries. A...
TorrentFreak Turns 20: What a Ride!
Twenty years ago, the first post was published on TorrentFreak. At the time, I was a young graduate student, eager to learn and research. My interest soon exceeded the academic world and was drawn to a vibrant digital playground: the Internet. In the early 2000s, new technologies and communications channels were suddenly at everyone’s fingertips. There was a whole new world to explore. Being somewhat of a digital late bloomer, I was...
Redditor Convicted for Sharing Nude Scenes in Landmark ‘Moral Rights’ Copyright Case
Every day, millions of clips from movies and TV shows are shared on social media and other online platforms. These short clips may qualify as fair use when used as part of memes or parodies, for example. Depending on context, they can also trigger a criminal investigation, as happened in Denmark. In 2023, police started looking into a dedicated subreddit called ‘SeDetForPlottet’ (WatchItForthePlot) that shared sexually explicit scenes...
Cox Accuses Labels of ‘Distancing’ Themselves From “Two-Strike” Piracy Theory
The Supreme Court case between several major record labels and Internet provider Cox Communications is one of the landmark copyright battles of this decade. The outcome will determine how Internet providers should deal with pirating subscribers on their networks. Should alleged pirates be disconnected from the Internet after repeated third-party allegations of copyright infringement? Or does that go too far? In its opening brief, Cox...
IPTV Pirate TikTok Chef Avoids Prison and Sky Must Be Absolutely Livid
Investigations, prosecutions and substantial prison sentences are an important part of the anti-piracy arsenal. The public downfall of a prolific pirate provides the kind of deterrent messaging that can put people off before they even get started. At least, that’s a possibility, if everything goes according to plan. Sky Investigates TikTok Star UK man Simon Hannigan is a popular food and cooking star on social media. Active on...
