Popular peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing website Mininova has been forced by a Dutch court ruling to remove all links to copyrighted materials despites pending appeal.
Mininova has recently moved up to the ranks of highest rated P2P websites along side The Pirate Bay. However, the online giant has been doing some cleaning up in its network, removing all illegal contents, after the Dutch court ordered the site last August to go legit.
The online P2P network said that it is considering appealing the decision.
It will be recalled that Mininova and The Pirate Bay have suffered several legal blows from various Dutch courts, which has sided with anti-P2P critics regarding the proliferation of the said websites.
But the websites continue to maintain strong presence despite threats of high penalties and closure orders by the courts.
The websites continue to operate despite earlier court orders because removing contents from Mininova would mean that it will be operating without any contents to offer its loyal users.
Most of the torrents offered by the website were links to several copyrighted materials such as primetime TV episodes of popular shows like Stargate, Universe, Fringe, and Hereos. The site also provides illegal downloadable music files, even new releases from various artists.
Based on records, Mininova has more than five million regular visitors daily. But after the implementation of the court order, the number of users has significantly dropped down. However, the online company refused to reveal how many were lost.
Starting Monday, the site will only offer legal downloads through its content distribution service.
It will be recalled that P2P file-sharing websites has been under attack from music labels and movie producers due to the “declining” sales in the industry.
However, these labels failed to show how the illegal activity in the Internet has really affected its sales.
Experts even backed the P2P websites, saying that there is no solid way to prove that music and movie companies were losing money particularly because of the proliferation of the said websites.