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Studios Sue 'Cyberlocker' Site Hotfile

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The MPAA filed a suit on behalf of five major Hollywood studios against Hotfile, a subscription-based online streaming media service. The suit alleges that the Panama-based company engages in "unabashed theft" of copyrighted material and of further fostering it by incentivizing and rewarding its users to upload and link to the most popular files.

"Everyday Hotfile is responsible for the theft of thousands of MPAA member companies' movies and TV shows - including movies still playing in theaters - many of which are stolen repeatedly, thousands of times a day, every single day," said Daniel Mandil, general counsel & chief content protection officer for the MPAA in a statement.

The lawsuit asks for maximum statutory damages for copyright infringement on hundreds of movie and television titles.

Photo by East of West LA via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr

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