Dutch Court to Bit Torrent Site Mininova: Remove Links

UTRECHT, The Netherlands — Bit torrent site Mininova has been ordered to remove all links to copyrighted material, including adult videos.

A Utrecht court decided yesterday that Mininova had the capability to filter links that pointed to commercial videos, as well as other copyrighted material.

The judge in the case gave its operators three months to make the changes or face a penalties equivalent to about $7.1 million.

"We are obviously not satisfied with this ruling," said Erik Dubbelboer, co-founder of Mininova. "The result of this ruling for Mininova is that we have to reevaluate our business operations."

Dubbelboer noted that Mininova may appeal the ruling that stemmed from a suit waged by anti-piracy group Stichting Brein.

In a statement late Thursday, Mininova claimed the ruling was a partial victory and that it was working with Brein on a content filter.

"The court did not agree with Brein on all demands,” Mininova stated on its website. “Specifically, it ruled that Mininova does not infringe copyright and neighboring rights. The court also found Mininova can not be expected to remove files that are 'reasonably likely' refer to infringing material.

“Remarkably, the verdict does not give any consideration to the fact that Mininova has developed a content filter for Brein, nor to the cooperation between Mininova and other organizations of rights holders. This surprises Mininova, because it has always stressed the importance of cooperation."

It is the second major infringement case this year involving a European peer-to-peer network. Pirate Bay was found liable for violating copyright law. Its operators — Peter Sunde, Frederik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, and Carl Lundstrom — were sentenced to a year in jail apiece and ordered to pay $3.6 million in damages. The conviction is under appeal.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Adult Industry Educational, Networking Platform 'Imperfectly You' Launches

Imperfectly You, an educational and networking platform for adult industry workers, has officially launched.

Segpay to Launch News Network for High-Risk Merchants

Segpay has announced that it will launch the Segpay News Network (SNN) on April 15.

Age Verification Watch: Patching the Holes

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Pineapple Support to Host Autism Spectrum Support Group

Pineapple Support is hosting a free online support group for performers and creators who are, or suspect they may be, on the autism spectrum.

ImLive Launches Revamped Member Loyalty Program

Cam platform ImLive has revamped its member loyalty program.

GoFundMe Set Up for Danny Ferretti's Medical Expenses

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for Fangear founder Danny Ferretti, who requires extensive lung surgery.

Byborg Acquires Cuties AI

Byborg Enterprises has acquired adult artificial intelligence startup Cuties AI.

Irish Government Releases Report on Sex Work Decriminalization Legislation

The Irish government has released a report reviewing a 2017 law that decriminalized sex work across the country.

Texas Bill Would Require Age Verification for Online Sex Toy Sales

A new bill in the Texas state legislature would require online retailers to implement age verification of purchasers before selling “obscene devices” to anyone in that state.

New York Assemblyman Proposes Banning the Term 'Sex Work'

Republican New York Assembly Member Brian Maher has introduced a bill to prohibit the use of the term "sex work" in government documents.

Show More