LimeWire: The Hammer Finally Drops

LimeWire shutting downEver since the 2005 MGM vs Grokster ruling (which declared companies Grokster and Streamcast could be sued for inducing copyright infringement), the proverbial hammer has been ready to drop on P2P File Sharing service LimeWire.

Finally, the US Federal court has ordered Limewire’s creator Mark Gorton to shut down the service (we use that term loosely), cease distribution of the software, and prepare for the inevitable certain doom the RIAA is prepared to bring.

“For the better part of the last decade, LimeWire and Gorton have violated the law,” music trade body RIAA stated. “The court has now signed an injunction that will start to unwind the massive piracy machine that LimeWire and Gorton used to enrich themselves immensely.”

While longtime Insomnia Radio fans know our stance on the RIAA, one thing is certain: LimeWire was, without argument, used to distribute millions of illegally downloaded songs (both mainstream and independent) and was frequently a carrier for computer viruses and malware. The fact that Gorton and company eventually developed a non-free version of LimeWire and profited from it makes the eventual sentencing – scheduled for January 2011 – potentially devastating.

Regardless of your stance here, we’re happy to see LimeWire going away – we just wish the RIAA would devote some of their energy and dollar to helping the major labels focus on developing quality artists instead of throw-away trendy-rock. 🙂

[via MCVUK]