MPAA Sues Hotfile Website for Copyright Infringement

The Motion Picture Association of America is suing the download hub service  Hotfile for copyright infringement. 

In a statement issued Tuesday, the MPAA charged that the website "is responsible for the theft of thousands of MPAA member companies' movies and TV shows" though a system that "encourages and incentivizes users to upload files containing illegal copies" of content. 

On Hotfile, users load material onto the website and receive a download link that they can distribute as they see fit. The company says on its website, "Only the person storing a file on Hotfile gets the download link. That person decides who should have access to the link. A file can only be downloaded if the download link details are known."

The MPAA contends that with this system, "unlimited users can download the stolen content – in many cases tens of thousands of times."

MPAA general counsel and chief content protection officer Daniel Mandil said, "The theft talking place on Hotfile is unmistakable. Their files are indeed 'hot,' as in 'stolen.' It's wrong and it must stop."