BitTorrent Copyright Infringement Lawyers in Dallas-Fort Worth

File Sharing & Digital Copyright Infringement Services

Peer-to-peer digital file sharing allows computer users to share books, computer games, movies, and music with each other. These P2P networks enable the transfer (or “sharing”) of billions of files every year.

While some artists may find digital file sharing to be a useful tool in building a fan base, other artists – and owners of intellectual property rights, such as the MPAA, ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC – find P2P sharing to be a serious copyright infringement that bites into their profits.

Protect your online intellectual property by seeking legal counsel from our team of Dallas-Fort Worth copyright lawyers. At Norred Law, we can fight aggressively to protect your rights and make sure your property is not misused or illegally shared.

The Impact of File Sharing

The financial impact of file sharing can be significant, which is why the MPAA took legal action against copyright infringers, resulting in some file sharing networks being shut down.

However, a lot of file sharing still continues on services such as:

• BitTorrent, which facilitates file sharing through a decentralized server and independent networks
• Kazaa, Gnutella and Gnutella 2, which operate without any central servers
• Freenet, RetroShare, and other “darknet” filesharing networks that provide anonymity to those who share via decentralized or round-robin servers (such as Pirate Bay)

The BitTorrent Crackdown & Copyright Trolls

BitTorrent is a protocol used to share large files using lower amounts of bandwidth. Over time, BitTorrent became a popular forum for sharing music, movies, and published works. A court ruling in 2012 found that some file sharing on BitTorrent infringed on the rights of copyright holders. With that ruling emerged a new variety of lawyer nicknamed “copyright trolls.”

These lawyers obtain lists of IP addresses from which a particular work was downloaded, find the name and physical address associated with that IP address, and then initiate legal action against the IP owner. Of course, they have no way of knowing if the IP owner is the person who actually downloaded the file. 

While it’s understandable that businesses with a significant investment in intellectual property would be concerned about protecting their financial interest, in many cases it is an innocent person who receives a threatening letter alleging copyright infringement and then a subpoena to appear in court, facing charges for an offense they did not commit and for which there was no factual proof.

At Norred Law, our Dallas-Fort Worth litigation attorneys have experience defending people facing allegations of file sharing and other forms of copyright infringement, quashing subpoenas and answering the few suits that copyright trolls actually file. Few lawyers have handled digital IP cases – but we have. Our goal is to avoid a conviction in your case. Our team serves clients in Texas and throughout the United States.