More Porn Viewers to Be Fingered in Germany — Lawyer

COLOGNE — Thomas Urmann, the principal at German law firm Urmann and Colleagues that recently sent out letters asking 30,000 RedTube users to pay up for viewing alleged pirated content, says he has his sights on targeting visitors to other popular porn websites, as well.

"RedTube was more like a test balloon," Urmann told Welt on Sonntag over the weekend. "We have been looking into different sites, and therefore I anticipate sending letters to users of those portals in the coming months.”

Urmann did not indicate or hint about the adult entertainment sites that might be fingered in the future.

Last week, some German legal counsel assumed that an error at Cologne federal court had led to the sending of the letters, which asked for the payment of  €250 fines, plus attorneys fees, to a Swiss media agent that claimed to hold copyright for the films "Amanda's Secret," "Miriam's Adventure" and "Glamour Show Girls." The counsel believed the court confused RedTube, a user-generated adult tube site, as a file-sharing website. Germany has outlawed peer-to-peer sites operating in Germany.

But now Urmann says his firm plans to look into more infringements on porn streaming sites in the coming year. He says the letters sent out were at the behest of clients who own copyrights that were infringed on.

In the Welt on Sonntag article, Urmann explained that it no longer made sense to try to fine people for using file-sharing sites because users have become aware they are illegal and have moved to streaming. 

So the latest legal maneuver is to focus on users who view pirated content, Urmann said.

But the questions over whether users can be fingered and held liable for viewing streamed pirated content is a murky one.

Attorney Christian Solmecke, who has gotten in touch with many of those who received the letter, says he has advised them neither to pay the €250-per-clip fine nor sign a release.

“Whether streaming is illegal under German copyright law is hotly debated amongst law experts,” Solmecke said. “We believe streaming is legal. RedTube users have done nothing illegal and should not give in to the demands in the warning letters."

And while the Cologne federal court approved access to the RedTube user data, other courts in the nation might not approve of targeting the end users of pirated content.

"If the Oberlandesgericht Munich, Cologne and Frankfurt arrive at different interpretations of the law, then the issue is finally decided in five to eight years [at] the Supreme Court," Urmann said.

MindGeek last week said that it had not passed on IP addresses of users to Urmann and his firm. "The safety of the users is a top priority," RedTube's Alex Taylor said.

RedTube, one of the most prolific adult tube sites with about 25 million daily users, was acquired by adult entertainment conglomerate Manwin this past summer. Manwin in November rebranded as MindGeek. 

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

Report: VPN Downloads Soar in UK Following Age Verification Deadline

Virtual private network apps, which can be used to circumvent geo-specific age verification requirements, are topping Apple App Store downloads in the U.K. in the wake of new Online Safety Act rules, the BBC is reporting.

Strike 3 Holdings Sues Meta for Pirating Vixen Media Group Content to Train AI

Vixen Media Group owner Strike 3 Holdings filed suit in federal court this week, accusing Facebook parent company Meta of copyright infringement and alleging that Meta has extensively pirated VMG content to train its artificial intelligence models.

Pineapple Support, Streamate to Host 'Navigating Grief and Loss' Support Group

Pineapple Support and Streamate are hosting a free online support group to help performers cope with grief and loss.

Friday is Final AV Compliance Deadline in UK

Friday, July 25 marks U.K. media regulator Ofcom’s deadline for user-to-user services such as tube, cam and fan sites to implement its requisite “highly effective age assurance” measures for preventing minors from viewing adult content.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches for May, June

AEBN has released the top search terms for the months of May and June from its straight and gay theaters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Two Texas Bills Restricting Sex Toy Sales Fail to Pass

Two bills aimed at restricting sales of sex toys have failed to pass the Texas state legislature during its 2025 session.

NYC Adult Stores Petition for Rehearing in Zoning Law Case

A group of adult businesses on Tuesday petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit to rehear a case involving a zoning law that could severely limit adult stores’ operations in New York City.

Ofcom Releases Transparency Reporting Guidelines

Ofcom, the U.K. media regulator, has made public its official guidance detailing how online service providers — including adult sites — will be required to publish annual transparency reports on their efforts to protect children from online harms.

New AV Rules Take Effect for Ireland-Based Sites

Ireland’s Online Safety Code came into force Monday, including a provision requiring adult sites headquartered in Ireland to implement age assurance measures beyond self-declaration.

XBIZ Amsterdam Calls on New Startups for 'Spotlight' Program

XBIZ is pleased to announce that its new “Startup Spotlight” programming will make its European premiere at XBIZ Amsterdam 2025, set to take place Sept. 2-5 at the Jakarta Hotel Amsterdam.

Show More