LimeWire, the ubiquitous P2P service commonly associated with illegal file-sharing, has been found liable for facilitating the distribution of copyright infringement.

In a 59-page decision, U.S. District Court Judge Kimba Wood ruled in favor of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In his ruling, Kimba stated that Lime Wire (the company behind LimeWire) "optimized LimeWire's features to ensure that users can download digital recordings, the majority of which are protected by copyright."

According to CNET, the decision could have major ramifications for file-sharing and copyright infringement cases across the country. The RIAA is likely to file an injunction to cease the operation of LimeWire's P2P network. The RIAA could also sue for damages that could escalate into the millions. Mark Gorton, LimeWire's founder, is also being held liable for assisting users in committing copyright infringement.

P2P file-sharing networks, especially LimeWire and the original version of Napster, have long been a point of contention. In 2000, A&M Records sued Napster for facilitating copyright infringement, a case that Napster lost. In 2002, Napster declared bankruptcy, but was eventually acquired by Best Buy and is now a pay-per-month music service.

Your Thoughts

Clearly the web has changed how we distribute music, movies and files. Long gone are the days of records, cassettes and CDs. Now files are not only distributed digitally through systems such as LimeWire or Napster, but also through stores like iTunes and via streaming radio services like Pandora and Last.fm.

The RIAA (and the MPAA) has had a history of suing both the downloaders and the creators of the P2P software that facilitate illegal file-sharing. While music sales hit an all-time high in 2009, music industry growth has slowed. How piracy plays into this whole equation is difficult to know for certain.

What do you think of today's decision? Is the RIAA in the right over LimeWire? Or does it set a dangerous precedent that attacks web tools that have legitimate uses? Let us know in the comments.

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