File-sharing service LimeWare has lost a court battle against 13 music companies in the United States.
US District Court judge Kimba Wood has found LimeWire and its owner, Mark Gorton, were liable for copyright infringement and unfair competition. LimeWire allows users to share files over internet connections, and was often used for sharing illegal files.
“The evidence establishes that LimeWire users directly infringed plaintiffs’ copyrights, and that LimeWire engaged in purposeful conduct intended to foster that infringement,” Wood said in the ruling.
“Free distribution of the recordings through LimeWire competes with plaintiffs’ sales of the recordings,” Wood said. “Accordingly, the court grants plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment on their unfair competition claim against LimeWire,” she said.
The Recording Industry Association of America approved of the ruling, saying it was a milestone in the fight against internet piracy.
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
