The best known file sharing network is Napster. The RIAA’s action against Napster is ongoing but it has already succeeded in shutting down the service and forcing Napster to re-launch on a subscription model, something Napster hopes to do as soon as it can agree licensing terms with rights holders. Before stopping Napster, the cost of fighting the RIAA’s legal actions put Scour, another file swapping service, into bankruptcy.
The RIAA and MPAA are also involved in a lawsuit against Aimster, another file sharing service which took Napster’s lead when Napster began to suffer the effects of its legal battles. Aimster is due in court today in Manhattan and tomorrow in San Diego in a separate action, to fight the copyright claims against it.
The latest lawsuit targets decentralised file sharing services, unlike Napster. Basically, individuals can continue using the file swapping services even if the sites promoting the services are shut down. All a user needs is a free software download, which can be readily distributed to others. The companies targeted in the suit are each offering the same file sharing software, developed by a group of programmers from Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands. Many expect that, even if the companies are successfully shut down, the software download will quickly appear on other sites.