Risks increase for first copy uploaders on BT & ed2k

[TankGirl]

mi2n:

BayTSP Launches New Service That Identifies First Uploads To EDonkey, Bit Torrent P2P File-Sharing Networks

BayTSP, a leading provider of online intellectual property monitoring and compliance systems, announced FirstSource, an automated system that identifies the first users to upload copyright- or trademark-protected content to the eDonkey and Bit Torrent peer-to-peer (P2P) networks.

Identifying the first individuals who upload illegal content allows companies to track all subsequent users who download and share a particular file. Initial tests of the FirstSource service indicate that several thousand copies of a movie available for download on the eDonkey and Bit Torrent networks can be traced back to the initial uploaded file.

"Pirated copies of movies and software typically appear online within hours of release," said Mark Ishikawa, CEO of BayTSP. "Identifying and taking action against the first uploaders can greatly slow the distribution of illegally-obtained intellectual property and might make users think twice before doing it."

EDonkey and Bit Torrent are two of the most popular file sharing networks and use a technique called swarming that allows users to download slices of a file - like a pirated movie or software application - from multiple other users simultaneously. As users download a file, they also share the portions they've already received.

FirstSource monitors for the first uploads of a client's intellectual property to the eDonkey and Bit Torrent networks. When the system spots a file name matching the client's content, it initiates a download to confirm that the file is what it appears to be. Once the content is validated, the system captures the IP (Internet Protocol) address and identifying information of other users downloading and sharing the pirated material.

The system also logs which portions of the file that each user shares. This data is stored in an infringement database as evidence in the event the client decides to pursue litigation against the file sharers.

Clients can monitor the system via a Web-based interface and have the option of automatically or manually issuing Digital Millennium Copyright Act-compliant take down notices, even while the downloads are still in progress.