![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/linkomanija.png\")
While streaming piracy dominates in many parts of the world, quite a few Lithuanians prefer sharing content using BitTorrent instead. <\/p>\nWhile streaming piracy dominates in many parts of the world, quite a few Lithuanians prefer sharing content using BitTorrent instead. <\/p>\n
Private torrent tracker Linkomanija<\/a> is often the top choice. The site has been around for two decades and has weathered many storms, including a high-profile lawsuit<\/a> from Microsoft. <\/p>\n The tracker\u2019s users have also been called out repeatedly. Fourteen years ago, local anti-piracy outfit LANVA reported the IP-addresses of 106 Linkomanija users to the police<\/a> with a request to take action. In response, the tracker\u2019s operator reported the anti-piracy group to the police for illegally accessing its tracker. <\/p>\n As far as we know, these early moves didn\u2019t result in prosecutions. LANVA\u2019s boss was eventually jailed for drug trafficking<\/a>, but that had little to do with the group\u2019s anti-piracy efforts or its support from rightsholders. <\/p>\n Today, there\u2019s no trace of the infamous anti-piracy group, but that doesn\u2019t mean that Linkomanija and its users are no longer at risk. The private tracker is currently blocked by Lithuania\u2019s largest ISPs and its users are still being tracked. <\/p>\n A breakthrough came last summer<\/a> when Lithuania amended its Code of Administrative Offenses, allowing media watchdog LRTK<\/a> to fine pirates, without going to court. In the months that followed, dozens of fines were handed out, almost exclusively to Linkomanija users.<\/p>\n The targets were first time offenders and all received the minimum fine of 140 euros. For repeat offenses, fines can potentially reach 600 euros.<\/p>\n According to our calculations, thirty people have been fined so far. However, a local news report from LRT<\/a> mentions \u201caround 50 people.\u201d What\u2019s clear, however, is that users of the \u2018private\u2019 torrent tracker are being watched. <\/p>\n \u201cWe can see them and their IP addresses and we cooperate with internet service providers to obtain information,\u201d Vadimas Gasperskijus, spokesman for the Lithuanian Radio and Television Commission told LRT. <\/p>\n Those caught will get a chance to explain why their IP-address is showing up in these \u2018pirate\u2019 swarms. After taking in that information, the commission decides whether a fine is appropriate.<\/p>\n The Lithuanian system is fairly unique and, on paper, it should act as a reasonable deterrent against some casual downloaders. But will seasoned torrent tracker users go legal too?<\/p>\n Lithuanian lawyer Andrius I\u0161kauskas, who represented several copyright holders in court, believes that the current measures are sufficient to put a dent in the country\u2019s high piracy rates.<\/p>\n \u201cThe government has made it very clear to its citizens that no, we do not tolerate piracy,\u201d I\u0161kauskas says. \u201cAnd I think that, alongside other measures, it was a logical step that fits well into the overall anti-piracy effort and will reduce piracy.\u201d <\/p>\n This positive outlook isn\u2019t directly backed up by numbers. According to a recent report<\/a> from the EU Intellectual Property Office, Lithuania remains in the top three pirating countries. However, these data were gathered before any fines were issued; the next version should provide more clarity. <\/p>\n There are some other public stats we can use as an early gauge though. Looking at the number of visits to Linkomanija between September and November last year, we see little change. <\/p>\n The traffic numbers for Lithuania\u2019s most popular torrent site, as reported by SimilarWeb, are steady at around 1.7 million visits<\/a> per month. That\u2019s a sizable number since the country\u2019s population is under three million. <\/p>\n While it makes sense that the thirty or fifty \u2018fined\u2019 users are no longer openly downloading content from Linkomanija today, there\u2019s certainly no mass exodus visible at the site. <\/p>\n Luckily, there are some positive numbers for rightsholders as well. The use of legal streaming services is on the rise in Lithuania. The number of Netflix subscribers, for example, increased from 84,000 in the first half of 2022, to 90,000 a year later. <\/p>\n Then again, Linkonanija has more than 300,000 users according to the most recent count<\/a> we\u2019ve seen, so there is still some progress to make there.<\/p>\n From: TF<\/a>, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.<\/p>\n\u20ac140 Piracy \u2018Fines\u2019<\/h2>\n
Piracy Reduction?<\/h2>\n
Linkomanija vs. Netflix<\/h2>\n