Just when you thought it would be safe to rip off a song or movie…
Grant Stanley, an administrator of a file sharing group known as the “Elite Torrents” is going to spend the next five months trying to avoid “bubba” while serving five months in prison, plus another five months under house arrest.
Mr Stanley used the file sharing program, BitTorrent, a peer-assisted digital content delivery platform that is widely used to share and distribute large files such as moves and claims over 70 million users world wide. The program provides an answer to the problem of moving large files over the internet. Unfortunately, enough users have taken the program and used it for the distribution of pirated software and digital productions protected by copyright laws.
Bram Cohen, the lead developer of BitTorrent has repeatedly stated that he and BitTorrent strongly discourage the use of their technology for illegal purposes. Mr Cohen had signed an agreement with MPAA in an attempt to avoid any prosecution as a result of the misuse of his program, but a search by BetaNews turned up numerous instances of pirated movies and music that use the program.
Ironically, Mr. Stanly, 23, lives in Wise, VA. Not a very wise undertaking.