Pirates in peril (week in review)
Movie studios and record labels increase the pressure on file sharers, while the tech industry ponders the election results. Also: Google sues the U.S.
Hollywood studios and record labels are ratcheting up the pressure on those suspected of illegally sharing movies and music.
In a move sure to outrage both file traders on BitTorrent networks and legal watchdogs, a well-known pornographer has filed a federal copyright suit against 7,098 individuals. Axel Braun Productions filed the complaint in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, alleging that the defendants illegally shared the adult film "Batman XXX: A Porn Parody."
In an interview about the suit with Xbiz Newswire, a publication that follows the adult-film industry, Braun made it clear he's prepared to take on the file-sharing crowd. "People don't realize that when you pirate a movie it hurts all of the people who work very hard to get it produced--from the cast to the production assistants to the makeup artists... So we are going after every one of them who pirates our content."
• Accused 'Hurt Locker' pirates turn to law school
On the music front, Jammie Thomas-Rasset, the Minnesota woman who has been fighting the recording industry over 24 songs she illegally downloaded and shared online four years ago, has lost another round in court. A jury in Minneapolis decided that she was liable for $1.5 million in copyright infringement damages to Capitol Records, or $62,500 for each song she illegally shared in April 2006.
• MP3tunes: iTunes will benefit if we win copyright case
More headlines
How new Congress will tackle privacy, Net neutrality
Washington's approach to technology regulation likely will remain the same, aided in part by every Democrat who signed a Net neutrality pledge losing.• GOP's Whitman, Fiorina lose California elections
• Republican wins to hurt Obama's clean-energy plans
Facebook introduces single sign-on for mobile apps, services
The single sign-on will replace Facebook Connect to log you onto partner sites and services using your Facebook credentials.• Facebook to Foursquare: You're out
• EA's social games to run on Facebook Credits
• A 10-item Facebook wish list
Facebook app developers sold user info
Social-networking giant announces it has discovered that a data broker was buying identifying user information from app developers.• Facebook defends privacy practices to Congress
Apple confirms move to 90-second iTunes samples
Apple initially hoped to announce 90-second samples in September, but licensing issues pushed the announcement back.• Apple's tough iTunes note meant for indie labels
• Some iTunes special promotions aren't so special
Microsoft warns of targeted attacks using new IE hole
Attackers target specific organizations, sending employees e-mails directing them to a Web site where exploit code could take over their computers.Google sues the government
Long accustomed to fending off the government's legal inquiries, Google has filed its own suit claiming the government didn't fairly evaluate Google Apps.How one company games Google News
A Los Angeles-based holding company with 44 news-related Web sites has been flooding Google News with spam--with success.• A day seen through Google searches
• Google offers cash for finding Web security holes
IDC: Kinect to outsell Move this holiday season
Market researcher says Microsoft's and Sony's motion-gaming peripherals can expect a strong holiday season with up to 5.25 million units selling in the fourth quarter.• Does Kinect hate your small apartment?
• Bounty offered for open-source Kinect driver
• Microsoft Kinect: The launch lineup
• Review: Xbox 360 Kinect flexes muscles
Browser momentum: Chrome has it, IE doesn't
IE lost another sliver of its dominance while Chrome grew in usage, according to October usage statistics.• IE9 the best browser? Not so fast
Twitter squeezing ads among tweets
The site is gradually and carefully rolling out a new feature that displays ads, or promoted tweets, into the Twitter streams of individual users.• Twitter's promoted tweets come to Google
Also of note
• 'Toy Story 3' spouts Vudu streaming option
• Man nabbed for allegedly stealing sexy pics, posting online
• Blu-ray to receive an Emmy at CES