copyright infringement Archives

Winsage

July 25, 2026

Today in Apple history: Windows scores big victory over Mac

On July 25, 1989, Apple faced a legal defeat against Microsoft in a copyright infringement lawsuit concerning the "look and feel" of the Macintosh and Windows operating system. Apple filed 189 counts of infringement related to Windows 2.0.3, but the judge dismissed 179 of these claims, allowing Windows to grow rapidly. The origins of the conflict began when Microsoft proposed a licensing agreement to Apple in 1985, which was rejected. Following this, Microsoft launched Windows 1.0 in November 1985, leading to tensions as Windows 2.0 more closely resembled the Macintosh interface. Apple filed a lawsuit on March 17, 1988, claiming copyright violations. The judge ruled that the existing licensing agreement covered many elements of Windows, contributing to a long-standing rivalry between the two companies and establishing a legal foundation for Windows' dominance in the 1990s.

TrendTechie

July 18, 2026

Anthropic снова в суде: компания не только обучала ИИ на пиратских книгах, но и сама скачивала их через торренты

More than 100 authors have filed a lawsuit against Anthropic, claiming over 0 million for the unauthorized use of their books in training AI systems. The complaint was submitted to the federal court for the Northern District of California on June 17, alleging that Anthropic unlawfully obtained and utilized over 500 pirated copies of their works. The lawsuit includes various literary works and notable plaintiffs, such as Nolan Bushnell and Donna Barba Igna, who are demanding 0,000 for each work used without permission. The authors claim Anthropic downloaded books via BitTorrent and used illegal libraries, integrating these works into its AI training systems. This lawsuit follows a previous class action against Anthropic that concluded with a .5 billion settlement. The current plaintiffs have opted out of that settlement and are pursuing individual claims, asserting that Anthropic not only used but also distributed pirated copies. The lawsuits estimate around seven million works may have been unlawfully utilized in AI development.

TrendTechie

June 20, 2026

Что такое торрент, как он работает и можно ли им пользоваться

Downloading a Linux distribution from the official website typically takes about half an hour, but during high-demand periods, such as new Ubuntu releases, speeds can drastically decrease due to server overload. Torrents, which use a peer-to-peer file-sharing protocol, allow users to download and share data simultaneously, reducing the load on a single server. Torrents operate by enabling direct exchanges between users through the BitTorrent protocol, where files are divided into smaller pieces and downloaded in parallel from multiple sources. Key terms include peers (users with parts of the file), seeds (users who have fully downloaded the file), .torrent files (metadata files), and magnet links (text-based alternatives to .torrent files). The BitTorrent protocol does not rely on a central server, enhancing resilience as files can continue to circulate as long as at least one seed is available. To use torrents, a torrent client is needed, with recommended options for 2026 including qBittorrent, Transmission, and BiglyBT. The BitTorrent technology itself is legal, but legality depends on the content being shared. Legal uses include downloading Linux distributions, open-source software, and scientific datasets, while unlicensed movies and cracked software are illegal. In Russia, while torrent technology is not prohibited, downloading copyrighted content without permission is a violation. Risks of using torrents include exposure to viruses and malware, copyright infringement, fake distributions, and IP address exposure. To protect oneself, users should choose moderated trackers, avoid suspicious files, use antivirus software, and limit upload speeds. Common problems include slow speeds, connection issues, and disappearing files, which can often be resolved by checking settings or ensuring there are seeds available. Sharing files after downloading is not legally mandatory but is considered good etiquette in the torrent community.

AppWizard

June 14, 2026

Blizzard sues to kill another World of Warcraft private server for ‘large scale, egregious, and ongoing infringement of [its] intellectual property’

Blizzard Entertainment has filed a lawsuit against Project Ascension, a private World of Warcraft server, claiming it operates a substantial business model based on significant infringement of Blizzard's intellectual property. Project Ascension reportedly attracts over a million players and allows in-game item purchases through Donation Points, generating millions for its operators. The server is allegedly hosted on "bulletproof" servers linked to the Russia-based Aeza Group, which has been targeted by the U.S. Department of the Treasury for cybercrime. The Turtle WoW server previously faced similar legal action from Blizzard, and there has been no public response from Project Ascension regarding the lawsuit. Community sentiment appears to be one of resignation towards the situation.

Winsage

June 12, 2026

Vietnam launches first criminal case over pirated Windows, Office software

Authorities in Phu Tho province have initiated a criminal case regarding the illegal installation and use of copyrighted software, specifically targeting pirated Microsoft Windows and Office products. Formal charges for "infringement of copyright and related rights" have been made following urgent searches at five locations in Hanoi and Phu Tho. The investigation revealed that individuals and businesses were using various platforms to promote, distribute, and sell unlicensed software, including cracked software and counterfeit license keys. The inquiry began with Song Lam Trading and Service Co, whose director faces allegations of supplying 81 computers pre-installed with unauthorized software. An additional 350 computers linked to a local educational institution were also found to have illegal software activation. The implicated companies include Athena Vietnam Information Systems Co and Tek-Solution Technology Co, whose directors are under police scrutiny. Authorities estimate that the financial losses for copyright holders could reach tens of billions of đồng, and they have raised concerns about cybersecurity threats associated with illegally activated software.

AppWizard

April 19, 2026

Turtle WoW classic server announces shutdown after Blizzard wins injunction

Blizzard Entertainment issued a cease and desist order to Turtle WoW, a private server for World of Warcraft, following a ruling in a copyright infringement lawsuit. The Turtle WoW team announced the complete shutdown of the project after reaching a settlement contingent upon certain actions. Developer Torta expressed the project's significant impact on their lives and the fond memories created over eight years. Turtle WoW offered a nostalgic experience reminiscent of the pre-expansion era of World of Warcraft without raising the maximum level or incorporating recent lore. The shutdown parallels the fate of another private server, Nostalrius, which closed before the announcement of World of Warcraft Classic. While some fan servers have received publisher approval, the Turtle WoW team's appeal for a licensing framework was unsuccessful, highlighting the challenges faced by independent developers in navigating intellectual property laws.

AppWizard

April 12, 2026

Fan World of Warcraft servers face shut down as Blizzard wins Turtle WoW case

Activision Blizzard won a copyright infringement lawsuit against the private gaming server Turtle WoW, which was filed in August 2025. The court ordered Turtle WoW to cease all activities related to private servers and modded client software. The ruling prohibits the defendants from transferring any Turtle WoW client software, source code, or promotional materials to third parties. A settlement has been reached between Blizzard and the Turtle WoW defendants, with plans for Blizzard to file for a dismissal of the case by June 8, 2026. Donations on the Turtle WoW website have been suspended, and the community is reacting to the court's decision.

TrendTechie

March 12, 2026

Anna’s Archive выложили на торренты 6,4 ТБ музыки из Spotify — это лишь малая часть всего архива

The Anna’s Archive project has released approximately 2.8 million audio files, totaling around 6.4 terabytes, from Spotify's database. The files are distributed through 47 torrent distributions and include music, individual releases, and metadata. The initial release features the least popular tracks, labeled as "pop_0," and contains embedded metadata such as track, album, artist, label, and publisher information. Anna’s Archive aims to preserve music and plans to publish more files in phases. Spotify has responded by disabling accounts involved in illegal scraping and has filed a lawsuit against the operators of Anna’s Archive, claiming damages in the trillions for copyright infringement. Some domains associated with Anna’s Archive have been disabled through court orders, prompting the service to consider relocating its infrastructure. Maintaining the full estimated catalog of 300 terabytes may require two to three times more storage space, potentially needing around 50 hard drives of 18 to 20 terabytes each.

TrendTechie

March 12, 2026

Meta утверждает, что раздача пиратских книг через торренты подпадает под определение “добросовестного использования”

Meta is facing a class-action lawsuit from authors over the use of pirated books for training its Llama language model, arguing that the distribution of these books via BitTorrent constitutes fair use. The company used shadow libraries like Anna's Archive to gather text, and a California court has partially ruled that using pirated books for training large language models falls under fair use, although the issue of copyright infringement related to downloading and distribution via BitTorrent remains unresolved. The plaintiffs claim Meta has not previously indicated a fair use defense regarding file-sharing, while Meta asserts that authors have not shown evidence of their works being reproduced by the Llama model. The judge will ultimately decide on the admissibility of Meta's defense.

AppWizard

February 19, 2026

New ‘Massiv’ Android banking malware poses as an IPTV app

A new strain of Android banking malware called Massiv is disguised as an IPTV application to steal digital identities and access online banking accounts. It uses screen overlays and keylogging techniques to capture sensitive information and can take remote control of compromised devices. Massiv has been observed targeting a Portuguese government application related to Chave Móvel Digital, which contains user data that could bypass know-your-customer (KYC) verifications. The malware allows fraudsters to open accounts in the victim's name at new banks and services, enabling money laundering and loan acquisition. Massiv features two remote control modes: a screen live-streaming mode and a UI-tree mode that extracts structured data from the Accessibility Service. There has been an increase in the use of IPTV applications as bait for Android malware infections, with many of these apps serving as droppers for the malware. The fake IPTV apps primarily target users in Spain, Portugal, France, and Turkey. Users are advised to download applications only from reputable sources and keep security measures active.