CBS Sued For Distributing LimeWire Software

An entrepreneur and over a dozen rap artists are suing CBS over its part in contributing to plagiarisation. The cause, filed by FilmOn founding father Alki David in Federal court happening Wednesday, accuses CBS's CNET fortify of intensifying piracy problem by distributing LimeWire software happening its website.

David's FilmOn was sued last year past the prima broadcast networks–for allowing users to stream endure all over-the-air broadcasts. Winning this into consideration, David's suit seems a little retaliatory.

Either way, CBS' connection to piracy is somewhat tangential. The company acquired CNET in 2008, and LimeWire was single work for two years following the acquisition–until its eonian shut down last October. CNET runs Download.com, which is where pirates could take obtained LimeWire during its blossom.

An Outspoken Critic

David may rich person been planning his suit for some time: He runs a YouTube channel with the username "cbsyousuck." Helium has also posted several videos that level unstylish CBS' apparent piracy hypocrisy.

"CNET, a adjunct of CBS Interactive which is a division of CBS, has been for several old age in real time distributing BitTorrent softwares," David states in i of his videos. He claims that CBS (through CNET) has distributed over one billion "illegal lodge-sharing softwares," too as "hundreds" of DRM-cracking softwares.

David's complaint against CBS states that 95 percent of LimeWire's downloads came from CNET, which would give equated to about 220 million downloads. The complaint also says that CBS executives were fully aware of their involvement in distributing file-sharing software, and that they profited from doing indeed.

"As Thomas More and more artists join this lawsuit, it leave become the most significant infringement of copyright lawsuit in history," Saint David said in a statement announcing the suit of clothes.

Did David Pick the Opportune Lawyer?

In an ironic whirl, the lawyer representing David and the artists is actually the same united who fought against a similar suit filed against AOL Time Warner for its distribution of the P2P client Gnutella. Michael Zeller of Quinn Emmanuel successfully had this character dismissed, and could find himself arguing against…himself.

CBS may use Zeller's personal encase as precedent for why it should also not follow held liable for the actions of users once the software has been downloaded. That St. David's suit seems retaliatory, and that David's own company is beingness investigated with regards to piracy, may also strengthen CBS' case.

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