MPAA Files Copyright Infringement Suit Against Chinese File-Sharing Company

MPAA sued Shenzhen Xunlei Networking Technology (Xunlei), a Chinese peer-to-peer file-sharing site, MPAA said in a news release Tuesday. It said the lawsuit, which seeks damages and a public apology for Xunlei’s alleged copyright infringement, was filed Monday in the Nanshan District Court in Shenzhen, China. “A healthy, sustainable and developing online video sector will greatly benefit audiences and movie and technology businesses, however this outcome is only possible if quality film and television content is respected and protected at every stage of the value chain,” said President Mike Ellis of Motion Picture Association-Asia Pacific, which represents MPAA in the region. “For too long we have witnessed valuable creative content being taken and monetized without the permission of the copyright owner,” he said in the release. “That has to stop and stop now.” The U.S. Trade Representative cited Xunlei as a threat to intellectual property in USTR's notorious markets list in 2012 (see 1212170079). Xunlei couldn’t be reached for comment.