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BitTorrent hub ready to rumble with Hollywood

'Help our legal team help you'

A brave BitTorrent server operator has decided to pick a fight with the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) and is asking for donations to help it mount a legal defense against the movie studios.

LokiTorrent is one of the numerous BitTorrent hubs being sued by the MPAA for pointing users to copyrighted films. A number of other popular BitTorrent sites shut down their operations after being sent cease and desist letters from the MPAA, but LokiTorrent has vowed to press on and face the studios in court.

At the time of writing, LokiTorrent has raised $22,000 in donations and is seeking a total of $30,000 per month for its defense.

"If you've ever benefitted from this site or file-sharing in general, now is the time to show your support. We are looking at a cost of $30K per month in fees," reads a message on the LokiTorrent site. "Please don't think that reaching 100% will ensure an open and shut case, as we all know the tactics of the MPAA. Recent estimates by attorneys are looking at 2-3 times this amount in a full-on battle. Help us fight back and ensure your right to share doesn't end here."

The site still has links up to plenty of movies such as The Incredibles and Ocean's Twelve.

Internet users have flocked to BitTorrent sites in order to download movies, TV shows, software and games. The technology, developed by Bram Cohen, speeds file transfers by chopping up content and downloading parts from multiple users, according to who offers the fattest pipes to your machine. Files are found not through the application itself but through links on websites. These trigger the code to download the content, grabbing files where possible from peers rather than the initial server.

A number of companies use BitTorrent to distribute their software legally. ®

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