Court Order Shuts Down QuebecTorrent File Sharing Service

Telecom News Editorials Reports Glossary

Court Order Shuts Down QuebecTorrent File Sharing Service

5:30 am on July 15, 2008 | Category: Web Services, Law

QuebecTorrent.com, a popular file sharing website in the Canadian province of Quebec, has been ordered to shut down by the province’s Superior Court.

The injunction, which prevents QuebecTorrent from allowing the exchange of web clips, TV episodes, music, and other online content, is being cast as a victory for the music and movie industries, and a clear warning to other websites that allow the the illegal sharing and downloading of copyrighted materials.

“We are very happy with this judgment which recognizes the need to protect beneficiaries against any unauthorized exploitation of works and recordings on the Internet by sites to exchange illegal P2P,” commented Solange Drouin, the CEO and VP of public affairs for ADISQ, a Quebec association representing entertainment, video, and the recording industry.

QuebecTorrent president, Sébastien Brûlotte, meanwhile, said that the site intended to respect the ruling, but expressed frustration that file sharing websites are “governed by laws outdated and patently non-adapted to current and modern technology.”

Brûlotte went on to urge “governments to intervene in this area and to legislate so as to reflect current realities and needs of its population. It goes without saying that this reality is not only the interests and needs of distribution companies, which will inevitably adjust to the market. It covers more than ever, consumers of music and movies, without which the industry would not be both affluent today. The legislature must listen to those consumers who are an important part of the population.”