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TorrentSpy Blocks Searches From US Visitors

Posted on 28.08.2007 at 06:07 in Tech News by Mr. X

Starting today, TorrentSpy blocks all searches from US visitors and redirects them to a privacy statement. TorrentSpy is caught up in a lawsuit in which the MPAA demands that TorrentSpy hands over all user info stored in “random access memory” (RAM).

This service denial seems to be a preventative measure to protect their users, when US users try to search on TorrentSpy they now get this message:

Sorry, but because you are located in the USA you cannot use the search features of the Torrentspy.com website.Torrentspy’s decision to stop accepting US visitors was NOT compelled by any Court but rather an uncertain legal climate in the US regarding user privacy and an apparent tension between US and European Union privacy laws.

The search redirect will be permanent, TorrentSpy owner Justin Bunnell told TorrentFreak: “We must comply with European Union privacy laws and turning off USA traffic was the only way to guarantee that protection for our users. It is not something with a time limit.”. Over 15% of TorrentSpy’s visitors are US residents, shutting them down for good will be a disaster for the site.

We also asked Justin how he thinks this will affect the future of TorrentSpy, and he responded: “Whatever future awaits, the innovations of peer-to-peer technology and the jobs and opportunities it creates will take place outside of the USA.”

TorrentSpy currently does not log any user data, but if the court decides that they have to hand over all information stored in RAM, this would be a huge blow to Internet privacy. The MPAA reasons that all IPs, downloaded .torrent files, dates and other user info are temporarily stored in RAM for a few milliseconds and demands that TorrentSpy logs this info and hands it over to the MPAA. Basically they are demanding that TorrentSpy should keep server logs (pdf link).

TorrentSpy lawyer Ira Rothken is determined to fight this but said in a statement about the case: “The odds favor the copyright owners, copyright law in this country is Draconian and dramatically skewed on the owner’s side”.

Everything TorrentSpy does also applies to other search engines according to the TorrentSpy defense. Last year, when the case started, Rothken said “It [TorrentSpy] cannot be held ‘tertiary’ liable for visitors’ conduct that occurs away from its web search engine”. TorrentSpy claims it did nothing illegal and suggested the MPAA should sue Google.

To be continued…

source: http://torrentfreak.com – Ernesto

* Comments(107)

Comments (107)

Feel free to post your TorrentSpy Blocks Searches From US Visitors torrent, subtitles, samples, free download, quality, NFO, rapidshare, megashares, sendspace, megaupload, filefactory, netload, crack, serial, keygen, requirements or whatever-related comments here. Don't be rude (permban), use only English, don't go offtopic and read FAQ before asking a question. Owners of this website aren't responsible for content of comments.
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  1. aussie guy
    August 29th, 2007 | 08:23

    bob: your a retard im sorry =[
    australia isnt nearly as big as america,i doubt you’ve ever been here, we wouldnt have to try defend ourselves from anyone if it wasnt for america,cuz we are not a threat, we have never had a terror attack,only reason we ever get named it because we allie with america also we wouldnt have our troops over in iraq for no reason, what a joke,
    australia is beautifull and peacefull, not corrupt and violent

  2. Uncle Sam
    August 29th, 2007 | 10:01

    Aussie Dude, you were attacked in Bali because you intervened in East Timor, a country formally occupied by an Islamic nation, and which as is the case with all Islamic nations, is rocked by violent acts in the name of said religion.

    The USA certainly warrants criticism, but it’s short-sighted to excuse away the bone headed thuggery that systematically goes on in such a country on another where it doesn’t.

    NB. Terror attacks go on routinely in Muslim areas of Philipines, India and Thailand (just to name three) that has nothing to do with the USA.

  3. Uncle Sam
    August 29th, 2007 | 10:09

    Aussie dude, gun-related violence has increased in Australia since Howard took away your weapons. Go figure.

    USA doesn’t top any of the murder rates. Thailand and South Africa might surprise you.

    http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_gun_vio_hom_ove_hom_rat_per_100_pop-rate-per-100-000-pop

    If you break down the racial aspect of the USA’s violent crime it’s not a result that’s particularly PC either.

  4. YeahRight
    August 29th, 2007 | 16:07

    Rarely has so much been said by so many who clearly know so very, very little.

    Just post a daily RSLOG “Bash The US” thread and be done with it, using utter non-events like this as an excuse to is just embarrassing. Get MrX to do it, he practically does at this point anyway, and it might even be entertaining. Lunatic paranoia, delusions of adequacy, an utter lack of knowledge of the US judicial and political system (or, frankly, much of anything else about the US that didn’t come from watching ‘Baywatch’), horrid spelling and Kindergarten-level grammar all wrapped up in a frenzy of mindless anti-US bigotry and hatred? Now that’s entertainment!

  5. Asshole
    August 29th, 2007 | 19:21

    I love how people hate the US but not enough to stop consuming American-made media and products.

    Keep consuming and enjoy the brainwashing you ignorant fucks! :P

  6. ELCouz
    August 30th, 2007 | 02:09

    why bother using proxy to access torrentspy ???? this site sux anyway !

  7. andy
    August 30th, 2007 | 09:22

    I’m with you bob, I live in Australia & they are a bunch of whining pussies :D

    They don’t know how to stand up for themselves… they just sit back & take it, make the similarities of Oz & US look just fine in the eyes of the ripoff merchants (big power, big money… poli – tics).

    Stand the f# up & fight for your rights ” Aussie” or you may see yourself stripped of them like the US has been.

    Hollywood make shite movies anyway ;)

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