CNET Sued Over LimeWire Client Downloads

suraj.sun writes with this quote from Ars Technica: "Alki David, the wealthy film producer and entrepreneur behind sites like FilmOn, has sued CNET and its owner, CBS, for providing hundreds of millions of downloads of LimeWire P2P software over the last decade. He argues that CNET had 'direct participation in massive copyright infringement on peer-to-peer systems, such as LimeWire, that are used to copy and distribute songs, films and other artistic works,' and that CNET's Download.com was the 'main distributor' of the software. P2P software isn't illegal, though companies that use it to induce or encourage copyright infringement can be held liable. The principle, most famously articulated by the US Supreme Court in the Grokster shutdown, was extended to LimeWire last year when a federal judge shut down most of the company's activity."

Re:However

[phantomfive]

Maybe, how much money does ARPA have? Remember, leeches follow the money. CBS has money. That's why they now are getting sued.

Re:Posting free/shareware doesn't make CNET liable

[_0xd0ad]

He was misrepresenting the original position.

Original position: You shouldn't be held liable for distributing something that has legal uses, such as Limewire.
Strawman: You shouldn't be held liable for distributing anything; for instance child porn.

Person B disregards certain key points of X and instead presents the superficially similar position Y.

Key point: Limewire has legal uses; child porn is always illegal to create, possess, or even attempt to obtain. Ignore that point and suddenly distributing Limewire is like distributing child porn - oh noes! Clearly they must be held responsible.

Pot, Kettle, Black

[count0]

Alki's startup FilmOn streamed over-the-air broadcasts online without any licenses...and was sued successfully by CBS and the other networks.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704369304575632643263718292.html [wsj.com]

cz