Movie Studios Sue Chinese P2P Provider

By Geoff Duncan February 15, 2008

The six studios which comprise the Motion Picture Association have filed civil copyright infringement suits against Xenlei, a Chinese P2P software provider, claiming the company makes hundreds of Hollywood movies available to users in violation of international copyright laws. The suits seek 7 million renminbi (about $975,000 U.S. dollars) in each case, and lists 32 titles in the complaint, including Spider-Man 3,Miami Vice,War of the Worlds, and other recent releases.

What makes this particular suit interesting is that U.S. Internet giant Google owns about 4 percent of Xenlei, after investing $5 million in the company in early 2007. The MPA is seeking damages as well as a public admission that the company engaged in copyright violation and a pledge not to engage in copyright infringement again.

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The MPA is made up of six major motion picture studios—Paramount, Buena Vista, Universal, Warner Bros., Sony, and Twentieth Century Fox&dash;and represents U.S. film companies internationally. In the last two years, the organization has filed numerous copyright infringement complaints against Chinese companies, winning about 2 million renminbi in damages.

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Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

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