EFF Seeks to Protect Rights of BitTorrent Users

SAN FRANCISCO — The Electronic Frontier Foundation has filed an amicus brief asking an Illinois judge to throw out subpoenas related to mass BitTorrent lawsuits, which join thousands of defendants together in an effort to secure a financial settlement.

The EFF, which filed the 37-page brief at U.S. District Court in Chicago, said it wants to stop content owners and attorneys from targeting the alleged file sharers in what the foundation calls “predatory” lawsuits because they violate the defendant’s rights.

“Copyright owners have a right to protect their works, but they can’t use shoddy and unfair tactics to do so,” said Corynne McSherry, EFF intellectual property director.

“We’re asking the court to protect the rights of each and every defendant, instead of allowing these copyright trolls to game the system.”

The EFF is asking the court to grant two John Doe motions to quash relating to the suit filed last September by First Time Videos targeting 500 defendants.

First Time Videos, which operates FTVCash.com, claims content from its flagship site, FTVGirls.com, was poached.

EFF’s amicus brief said, “This case is one of a growing number of other mass copyright lawsuits that are being filed across the country, which have to date affected over 75,000 people nationwide, raise serious problems of fairness, due process and individual justice.”

The brief also said that plaintiff’s lawyers hope to “take advantage of the threat of an award of statutory damages and attorney’s fees, the ignorance of those sued about their potential defenses, as well as the stigma that is associated with downloading pornographic movies.”

This is the second time the EFF has filed an amicus brief related to BitTorrent copyright lawsuits.

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

Dr. Charlotte Gaydos Joins ProDx Health Advisory Board

Dr. Charlotte Gaydos has joined the Advisory Board of ProDx Health.

Aylo Fined $5 Million as FTC, Utah Settle Safety Practices Complaint

The Federal Trade Commission and the state of Utah on Wednesday settled a complaint against Aylo, requiring the company to pay a $5 million penalty and implement measures to prevent illegal content from appearing on its sites.

New AI Companion Platform 'Pornstar.love' Launches

Pornstar.love, a new AI companion platform, has officially launched.

Jonni Darkko Directs New Chloe Amour Showcase

Evil Angel has released Jonni Darrko’s Chloe Amour showcase, titled "Mon Amour."

Pineapple Support, Stripchat to Host 'Navigating Thoughts of Suicide' Support Group

Pineapple Support and Stripchat are hosting a free online support group to help performers deal with suicidal ideation.

Plaiir Names Cade Maddox as Lead of Creator Relations

Networking platform Plaiir has appointed Cade Maddox as its new lead of creator relations.

Bella Reid Named Penthouse's 'Pet of the Month' for September

Penthouse Magazine has named Bella Reid as Pet of the Month for September.

Go.cam Launches 'One-Line Integration' Verification Solution

Go.cam has introduced a one-line code integration for age verification.

Andi Avalon Fronts Latest From New Sensations

Andi Avalon and Ken Feels star in the latest release from New Sensations.

Ricky's Room Drops Final Installment of Baby Gemini Showcase

Ricky’s Room has released the final installment of its Baby Gemini showcase, titled "Six Bodies In Motion."

Show More