Titan Media, Again, Wins Infringement Judgments

SAN FRANCISCO —Titan Media continues on a blistering pace demanding compensation and filing suits against copyright infringers.

Parent company Io Group Inc. on Friday said it has been awarded nearly $56,000 against an online adult website owner for infringing on the copyrights of images posted on AreaGay.com.

The San Francisco gay online adult firm also said that it was awarded $45,000 from a man who sold a CD photo collection of Titan images through auction site eBay.

“We are extremely pleased with these awards by the court,” Titan Media Vice President Keith Webb said. “But we are even more pleased that these judgments continue to amplify our warning to online thieves — if you steal from Titan, you will get caught and you will pay the price.”

Webb said that the civil judgments are a result of Titan’s continued campaign to bring to an end the pilfering of online adult materials, whether the infringers are major operations or small-time companies. He said Titan has not hesitated to file federal suits against companies caught stealing even a single photograph.

In the recent cases — both filed in U.S. District Court — the defendants did not respond to Titan’s demands for compensation.

AreaGay.com, owned by Robert M. Lauenstein and AG Entertainment, allegedly infringed on six images on AreaGay.com, a now-nonactive site; John J. Carlin allegedly infringed on five images he sold on a CD photo collection through eBay.

Titan, in court documents, said that it clearly posts copyright information on each image produced by the company, and that both defendants willfully pirated the photos. The judgments included court and attorneys fees, Webb said.

Titan has been a leading force in copyright protection issues against various websites and peer-to-peer companies that it believes aid in the dissemination of copyrighted content over the Internet.

In September the company settled a claim against LFP Inc. out of court for $400,000, based on 160 images that were allegedly pilfered.

That same month, Titan won a judgment of $418,000 against the owner of two websites, Sobe-cfg.com and Sobear.com.

The latest cases are Io Group Inc. vs. Lauenstein et al., No. C-03-3183, and Io Group Inc. vs. John J. Carlin., No. C-03-3344.

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

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.

WannaCollab Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

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

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

Show More