A federal court judge ordered LimeWire to stop all downloads, uploads, file sharing, and any other illegal distribution of files, putting an end to what has become one of the biggest peer-to-peer community in the Internet. The decision affects millions of users who rely on LimeWire to share music and other media files through the Internet. LimeWire said it catered to around 50 million users each month.
The case was brought against LimeWire by the Recording Industry Association of America, which accuses the company of allowing “billions and billions of illegal downloads.” Another trial will be conducted in January to determine the damages that LimeWire may have caused record companies since it began operation in 2000.
Despite the unfavorable decision, LimeWire said it is not about to just fade into oblivion. The company, which was founded by Mark Gorton in 2000, said it is planning to become a hub where users can legally buy music from independent artists.
