Like file-swapper suits filed by the MPAA in the past, these actions are "John Doe" suits – where the identity of the defendant is not yet known. But for the first time its suits have been based on user IP addresses harvested from peer-to-peer networks.
The MPAA obtained the information after targeting sites that allowed the sharing of movies by means of services called BitTorrent, eDonkey and DirectConnect.
This is a type of peer-to-peer software that functions by sharing the distribution of a file, so that many users can access a film as it is being downloaded, using less bandwidth than if each user had to stream the film separately.
The networks rely on servers termed BitTorrent "trackers", eDonkey "servers" and Direct Connect "hubs". They index digital files of all kinds, explains the MPAA, and when accessed by a user, deliver the chosen film, game or song using the relevant software.
Many believe that BitTorrent and software like it will play a large part in legitimate downloading in the future; but at present it is frequently used for piracy. The MPAA launched a series of lawsuits against websites running the software in December, and was largely successful in closing them down.
