Chasing file sharers into the Darknet

IT Observer: The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) filed a second round of lawsuits this week against operators of P2P networks designed to allow users to share files more easily.

BitTorrent and other Torrent-type systems are unique for the MPAA, as there is no single set of servers to list who has what files. Instead, there are “trackers” – small files with a specific set of instructions which allow users to find each other. Without these “trackers”, users would be unable to share the software. While the trackers are key to Torrent-style services, they are also small, easy to host and easy to create. The net effect may be that illegal filesharers flee to the more traditional ground of closed internet chats and communities, where tracker locations can be shared freely. ...