States Send Warning Letters to P2P Companies

NEW YORK — Attorneys general from 47 U.S. states and territories have united in an effort to crack down on peer-to-peer sites that allow file-trading.

The attorneys general are sending letters out to the Internet companies, stating that they must re-engineer software to prevent illegal file-trading.

Legal enforcement actions against P2P users don't "excuse your companies from avoiding software design changes that deliberately prevent law enforcement in our states from prosecuting P2P users for violations of the law," the letter said.

The letter calls for companies to warn users about the amount of pornography, including child porn, traded through sites like Kazaa, Lime Wire, Morpheus and Grokster.

"P2P users need to be made aware that they are exposing themselves, and their children, to widespread availability of pornographic material when they download and install P2P file-sharing programs on their computers," the letter said.

The attorneys general also accuse P2P software of hurting local economies by encouraging illegal file trading.

“More needs to be done by your companies to warn your P2P users as to the specific legal and personal risks they face when they use P2P technology for the illegal ends of disseminating pornography and 'sharing' copyrighted music, movies and software," the letter said.

The letter was signed by the top legal czars from all but five states — Alaska, Kansas, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Wyoming — and the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

New York-based Lime Wire LLC, in a statement, said it would provide additional warnings to its users "as appropriate." But the P2P company said it won’t add filters or remove encryption.

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

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.

NC Governor Vetoes Bill Targeting Adult Industry, Override Possible

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein today vetoed a bill imposing new regulations that adult industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

25,000 Sign Petition to Legalize Pornography in Ukraine

An OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine has amassed the 25,000 signatures required for official consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Show More