Kazaa Loses Down Under

SYDNEY – A federal judge in Australia ruled today that Kazaa, the hugely popular file-sharing program that succeeded Napster in the controversial file-sharing market, violates Australian music copyright law. Australian-based owner Sharman Networks has been ordered to alter its software to comply with the ruling.

Although Federal Court Judge Murray Wilcox ruled that Sharman had not itself violated any copyright law, he said the company’s software enabled millions of users worldwide to do so.

“[Sharman Networks has] long known that its system is widely used for the sharing of copyright files,” Wilcox wrote in his ruling.

Wilcox acknowledged that completely eradicating copyright violations would be impossible for Sharman, but he ordered the company to filter its search function so that any files that match a list of copyrighted music will not show up. The music industry, he said, would supply the list.

The decision comes just months after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Internet file-sharing companies were liable for copyright piracy, and marks a long line of record industry victories in the realm of copyright law. Hailed by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) as yet another notch on the victory post, the ruling follows 18 months of legal strife for Sharman Networks. Because the company has been ordered to modify its software, roughly 300 million users worldwide could feel the effects of the ruling.

"This decision reflects a growing international chorus: Those who promote theft can be held accountable no matter how they may attempt to escape responsibility," the RIAA said in a statement. "A corrupt business strategy of attempting to hide 'offshore' is not off limits to the enforcement of rights by creators or law enforcement."

Using a peer-to-peer connection, Kazaa lets users access each other directly, sharing files on their computers with others on the Kazaa network. Although the software itself is free, the company sells advertisements that show up while the software is being used. Users who share files are also given points that can be used in promotional campaigns sponsored by the company.

Representatives at Sharman Networks long have argued that Kazaa performs the same function as a photocopier or tape recorder, and they plan to appeal the ruling. Though representatives at the company would not comment on the ruling, an official statement said the company was “confident of a win on appeal.”

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

JuicyAds Wins Trademark Infringement Case Against Fraudulent Domain

JuicyAds has won its World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) case against a website using a similar domain to impersonate the company's site and defraud customers.

Anissa Kate, Jordan Starr Top AEBN for Q2 of 2025

AEBN has published its top-selling stars for the second quarter of 2025, with Anissa Kate landing atop the leaderboard for straight theaters and Jordan Starr heading up the gay rankings.

AEBN Reveals Eva Maxim as Top Trans Star for Q2 of 2025

AEBN has published its top trans stars list for the second quarter of 2025, with Eva Maxim landing atop the leaderboard.

France Reinstates Age Verification Rule for EU Sites

France’s highest court, the Council of State, on Tuesday reinstated age verification rules for EU-based sites under the country’s Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law, ruling in favor of the French government and against Hammy Media.

Whisper Fans Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

Whisper Fans has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

Utherverse Launches 'Red Light Center' Virtual World

Virtual reality and metaverse technology company Utherverse has launched its new virtual world, RedLightCenter.io.

European Commission Approves AV Guidelines, Unveils Prototype App

The European Commission on Monday released its final, approved guidelines for protecting minors online under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and made public a “white label” age verification app intended to help sites and platforms comply with age verification rules under the DSA.

New Membership Site 'Sluts Corner' Launches

R18 Entertainment has launched a new membership site, SlutsCorner.com.

Show More