The new enemy number one in the download war – Madster (formerly Aimster) – was dealt a blow on Thursday when a US court ordered it to stop facilitating the exchange of copyrighted works by employing filtering systems. Basically it’s the same demand made of Napster back in July 2001 – though some argue new technology means Madster should be able to employ even more sophisticated filters.
"This is another clear-cut victory for copyright owners and everyone who wants to see the legitimate online market grow," Recording Industry Association of America President Cary Sherman told reporters. "The technology to filter copyrighted works exists and should be used. Other unauthorized peer-to-peer networks should take note of this decision."
As well as putting an immediate stop to the exchange of copyrighted songs, Madster must keep the court updated on its progress in establishing a filtering system.