RIAA Sues iMesh
September 20, 2003
Ciarán Tannam
The RIAA have launched a lawsuit against iMesh Israel Ltd for Copyright infringement. It is the first time that the RIAA have launched a lawsuit against iMesh.
The RIAA said they were doing this "IMesh's recent conduct and public statements make clear that its goal is to encourage illegal behaviour. This action is timed to make clear that there is no free pass for those who centre their activity around, and profit from, copyright infringement".
Given the legal precedent in the Grokster/StreamCast summary judgement iMesh told CNet that "we intend to respond appropriately, and to win this case on merit".
iMesh now uses the FastTrack network while maintaining its own network at the same time. The RIAA have previously expanded the number of people they were suing in the FastTrack case (MGM V Grokster). One clear omission was iMesh. It is thought by some that the company’s location in Israel may have discouraged the RIAA to peruse legal action earlier.
iMesh are the latest in a series of p2p companies to be sued by the RIAA. They include those behind Napster, Morpheus, Kazaa, AudioGalaxy, Aimster/Madster, Grokster, Scour and several others. The strategy employed by the RIAA had been shifting away from suing p2p networks to going after individual file sharers. This lawsuit is certainly designed to tell p2p operators that the RIAA haven’t finished yet.
