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"Big media can be countered with technology," founer Henry Wilson declared. "The people can create their own alternative to the centralized sources that pervade the traditional mediums—right from their own desktops."
——Grokster founder Henry Wilson

WILL GROKSTER MAX OUT
ITS APPEAL?

Ninth Circuit Judge Hears Swapco's Appeal, Which Should Be Available Online Shortly
Popular peer-to-peer company Grokster made its case before a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals tribunal today (2/5), according to an AP report, and believes it will be held blameless for unauthorized file-sharing, thanks to a 20-year-old Supreme Court decision.

The Supremes' fateful wording in Universal vs. Sony, commonly known as the "Betamax" case, held that "substantial noninfringing uses" of the then-controversial VCR obviated claims by the film industry that it should be outlawed because of its potential as a tool of piracy.

Sony was thus allowed to continue making the Betamax, though the format was later made obsolete by VHS, which became the standard for the medium. As a result, of course, consumers stopped going to movies and the film industry vanished from the face of the earth.

Industry attorney Russ Frackman may have hoped for a friendlier response to his argument that 90% of the material moving through P2P networks like Grokster's is illict.

"So 10% is noninfringing? That sounds like a lot of noninfringing files to me," Judge John Noonan reportedly observed.

"Ah... heh-heh... did I say 90%?" Frackman replied. "Well, er, the, ah, the thing of it is, you see... ha... is it getting warm in here?"

OK, we made that last part up. But another judge on the panel asked if rights holders' demands that swapcos filter content would really make a difference.

In April, a U.S. judge in Los Angeles declared Grokster and fellow P2P entity StreamCast Networks weren't liable for copyright violations occurring through their "client" software.

Meanwhile, Grokster, which is a Klingon word meaning "chutzpah" (OK, we also made that up), announced its new Version 2.6 build and declared itself in a press release to be carrying on a "fight for freedom."

"Big media can be countered with technology," founer Henry Wilson declared. "The people can create their own alternative to the centralized sources that pervade the traditional mediums—right from their own desktops. Man the barricades! Viva la revolucion! Let us all download Janet Jackson titty photos and old episodes of Buffy! Once more into the breach, dear friends..."

NEAR TRUTHS: SPRING BLOOMS
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This year's philanthropic model (3/28a)
TRUST IN THE TOP 20
Hip-hop is no longer hibernating. (3/28a)
UMG BROADENS SPOTIFY OFFERINGS
Sir Lucian and Daniel are in harmony. (3/28a)
THE NEW UMG
Gosh, we hope there are more press releases.
TIKTOK BANNED!
Unless the Senate manages to make this whole thing go away, that is.
THE NEW HUGE COUNTRY ACT
No, not that one.
TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN PLAYLIST
Now 100% unlicensed!
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