Researchers from the French National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control have developed a method to monitor users of torrent trackers, as reported by The Register. Over a span of 103 days, the team tracked user activities, successfully collecting 148 million IP addresses and identifying 2 billion copies of files, many of which pertained to unlicensed content.
Monitoring Torrent Activities
At any given moment, the researchers observed the distribution of between 500,000 and 750,000 files. Throughout the experiment, they identified a total of 1.4 million unique .torrent files. The study revealed that a significant majority of the files were shared by a relatively small number of individuals.
The scientists emphasize that while piracy is challenging to prevent, particularly when dealing with a limited group of distributors, removing these key players from the equation could potentially avert billions of downloads of unlicensed films, music, and books.
In related news, the UK recently enacted legislation aimed at disconnecting users accused of downloading pirated content from the internet. British internet service providers will be required to collaborate closely with copyright holders in addressing clients who share protected materials or violate copyright in other ways. Specifically, providers are mandated to implement “technical measures” against offenders, which may include throttling data transfer speeds, blocking or restricting access to certain materials, suspending services, and ultimately limiting services “in other ways.”
Additionally, the Supreme Court of Ireland has upheld the legality of measures to disconnect users accused of pirating music. The judge ruled that such actions do not infringe upon users’ rights to privacy.
Previously, it was reported that in 2008, Europeans downloaded copyrighted materials worth €10 billion without charge. Today, the creative sectors within the European Union, including television, publishing, and radio, employ 8.5 million individuals. However, due to digital piracy, 185,000 workers lost their jobs in 2008, including those involved in the production of music and video devices, as well as in wholesale trade of these products.
These statistics are set to be presented to the European Parliament, which criticized a stringent French anti-file-sharing bill last year. Several EU countries are currently drafting legislation to combat internet piracy, with the Spanish government recently unveiling its version.
On World Book and Copyright Day, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova highlighted the importance of protecting creativity and announced the initiation of the “Global Anti-Piracy Observatory.”
