In a notable verdict from Rennes, a French court has taken a hard stance against online piracy. It has commanded the administrators of the notorious Torrent 411, an illegal movie downloading site, to remit over 625 million euros in a combination of fines, damages, and interest to several film studios, predominantly from the US.
A Blow to the Administrators
The trial that took place from October 11 to 13 saw six administrators and moderators of Torrent 411 in the dock. Additionally, the site’s Canadian founder, Jonathan Jolicoeur, was also tried, albeit in absentia.
Big Win for Major Studios
This ruling comes as a significant victory for powerhouse American studios. Renowned names like Disney, 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures, Universal, Paramount, and Warner Brothers have all been awarded compensations and interest.
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Torrent 411’s Controversial Reign
Before its overseers were apprehended in 2017, Torrent 411 boasted an impressive repository of over 700,000 links for the illegal downloading of films and music.
Consequences for the Accused
In the lead-up to the trial, the French moderators had pleaded guilty and were handed suspended prison sentences, as the France Ouest daily reported. The IT expert associated with the site was given a short incarceration term, which was negated by his time already spent in pre-trial detention.
On the other hand, the brains behind the platform, Jonathan Jolicoeur, remains out of the grasp of the French judiciary. Despite Canada’s refusal to extradite him, the court convicted him in absentia. Jolicoeur now faces a three-year prison term and a whopping fine of 150,000 euros.
The Broader Implication
This judgment underscores the increasing challenges for digital piracy platforms and signifies a more rigorous international crackdown on copyright infringements. With substantial fines and prison sentences becoming a reality for perpetrators, the online piracy ecosystem might be forced to reckon with its actions.
