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

Age Verification Watch: Patching the Holes

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Kaela Luna Makes Her TransAngels Debut

Kaela Luna has made her TransAngles debut alongside Parker Savage and Harrison Feels in “Jackhammering Kaela.”

Adult Time Marks April Fool's Day With 5 Satirical Releases

Adult Time is marking April Fool’s Day with the release of satirical scenes from five of its series.

Pineapple Support to Host Autism Spectrum Support Group

Pineapple Support is hosting a free online support group for performers and creators who are, or suspect they may be, on the autism spectrum.

Adult Time Wraps Production on Bree Mills' Feature 'Escape From Camp Conversion'

Adult Time has wrapped production on its latest feature, the Bree Mills-helmed "Escape From Camp Conversion," from its Girlcore studio brand.

Daisy Fox Makes Her TeamSkeet Debut

Daisy Fox makes her TeamSkeet debut in the latest episode of the studio series "She's New," titled "A Foxy Little Newcomer," with Nicky Rebel.

Elizabeth Skylar Performs Her 1st B/B/G in Latest From New Sensations

Elizabeth Skylar has performed her first B/B/G in the latest scene from New Sensations, with Codey Steele and Milan Ponjevic.

ImLive Launches Revamped Member Loyalty Program

Cam platform ImLive has revamped its member loyalty program.

Lynna Nilsson Fronts Latest From Immoral Productions

Lynna Nilsson performs her first DVP in a new trilogy from Immoral Productions, alongside Matt Bird and Brad Knight.

Anna Claire Clouds: From Nashville to XMA Gold

The photo shoot is going great. Anna Claire Clouds knows all her angles. The moment the cap comes off the camera lens, Clouds tilts her head just so and deploys her signature dreamy eyes with all controls set to “smoldering.” Girl knows what she’s doing.

Show More