MPAA shuts down Lokitorrent, obtains server logs

By Xeni Jardin at 7:42 pm Thursday, Feb 10

Popular BitTorrent hub Lokitorrent was 0wnz0red today by the Motion Picture Association of America. Here's a screengrab of the MPAA warning that now greets lokitorrent.com visitors.

The site's operator gave into the MPAA despite vowing to fight the studios with other people's money. "The operator of that site, Edward Webber, agreed to not only pay a substantial settlement with even greater financial penalties for any further such actions, but by Court Order must provide the MPAA with access to and copies of all logs and server data related to his illegal BitTorrent activities, which will provide a roadmap to others who have used LokiTorrent to engage in illegal activities," the MPAA said in a statement.

LokiTorrent had been one of the only major BitTorrent hubs to stay up and running after the MPAA sent out a flood of lawsuits. The hubs serve as meeting grounds for file-traders looking to pick up software, music, movies and other content. LokiTorrent had raised more than $40,000 from its fan base to help its legal battle against the MPAA. It's unclear if that money went straight to the MPAA. LokiTorrent has not responded to a request for comment.

Link to Register story, Link to John Borland's coverage on CNET, link to scan of original cease-and-desist notice issued to Lokitorrent by attorneys representing the MPAA.

Update: Looks like a similar fate has befallen torrentstop.com. Many Boing Boing readers wrote in today to express dismay at the MPAA's decision to replace shuttered filesharing sites with their own content. Reader Brad Clarke says, "Taking down a site is one thing but putting up their own content has GOT to be illegal. He's to hoping they finally went too far."

See also this related discussion thread on Slyck: Link

Here is the MPAA's press release announcing the lokitorrent shutdown: Link (MSword doc)