SumoTorrent's Former Hosting Provider Ordered to Pay Damages

AMSTERDAM —  The Court of The Hague has found that XS Networks, the former hosting provider of torrent site SumoTorrent.com, is responsible for damages copyright holders suffered through the torrent site’s activities.

SumoTorrent, a torrent search engine and directory, started up in March 2007 and has been linked to the trading of all types of content, including porn.

BREIN, an antipiracy group, had asked XS Networks to shut SumoTorrent down and hand over the personal details of its owner, but XS Networks refused  and said it would only respond to a court order.

Later, BREIN sued, arguing that XS Networks acted negligently when it refused to take the site down when asked to do so.

Today, a Dutch court agreed with BREIN, ruling that by keeping the site online XS Networks acted unlawfully against the interests of copyright holders represented by BREIN.

The court allowed the watchdog to collect unspecified damages against XS Network, as well as legal costs. It also ordered XS Networks to hand over all personal data they have on the operator of SumoTorrent or pay a penalty of 10,000 euros a day.

“The unlawful characteristics of the [activities on] SumoTorrent were evident. Moreover they were obvious to XS Networks, or should have been obvious to XS Networks,” the court said.

The ruling, first reported by TorrentFreak, sets precedent to the liability of hosting providers for user-generated websites in the Netherlands.

View ruling by The Court of The Hague

Related:  

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

New Membership Site 'Sluts Corner' Launches

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

Roxie Rae Relaunches Site Through XSiteAbility

Roxie Rae has relaunched her site through XSiteAbility.

Federal Appeals Court Vacates FTC 'Click to Cancel' Rule Pending Review

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit on Tuesday vacated the Federal Trade Commission’s “click-to-cancel” rule aimed at making it easier for consumers to cancel online subscriptions, pending further review.

NYC Adult Stores Lose Challenge to Zoning Law, May Face Relocation

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit on Tuesday upheld a lower court’s decision to allow enforcement of a 2001 zoning law aimed at forcing adult retail stores out of most parts of New York City.

FSC Drops Florida AV Lawsuit in Wake of SCOTUS Decision

A U.S. district court judge granted on Tuesday a motion by Free Speech Coalition to dismiss the trade association’s lawsuit over Florida’s age verification law, a case that had been on hold pending the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the constitutionality of state AV laws.

Ukrainian President Responds to Porn Legalization Petition

President Volodymyr Zelensky responded Tuesday to an OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine, stating that he would wait for the legislative process to play out “in accordance with established procedure.”

Only Tax Deductions Joins Pineapple Support as Sponsor

Adult industry accounting firm Only Tax Deductions has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

Adult Empire Launches 'Conversations' Podcast Series

Adult Empire has launched a new official podcast series hosted by Nicole Chappelle and Charlie.

Sex Work CEO Launches 'Teams Plan' for AI Assistant

Sex Work CEO has introduced the new Teams Plan for its AI-powered, NSFW text generator, GPTease.

2025 XBIZ Amsterdam Website Launches With Call for Speakers

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the website for its annual European conference, XBIZ Amsterdam, is now live.

Show More