‘Significant’ victory in TickBox litigation
September 12, 2018
By Colin Mann
Delivering victory in the first litigation filed by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) – a global coalition dedicated to protecting the dynamic legal market and reducing online piracy – a stipulated permanent injunction and judgment filed in federal court in Los Angeles compels piracy device seller TickBox to immediately cease all piracy activities.
The proposed permanent injunction and judgment before the US District Court for the Central District of California orders Tickbox:
- To remove, or disable access through its menus to, software that links to pirated content or that ACE plaintiffs may, in the future, identify as linking to pirated content.
- Not to curate any menu of ‘builds’, ‘themes’, ‘apps’, ‘addons’ or other software programs that TickBox knows or has reason to know links to pirated content;
- Not to encourage or assist others in locating, uploading, downloading or installing software that TickBox knows or has reason to know links to pirated content;
- Not to take any action to circumvent the permanent injunction or the preliminary injunctions’ requirement that TickBox limit the ability of users to use the TickBox device or software.
“TickBox and many other piracy devices and streaming apps are a threat to the millions of creators around the world who make films and television shows,” declared ACE spokesperson Jolyon Kimble. “Today’s stipulated judgment and permanent injunction is a significant victory for ACE and the creative community, ensuring TickBox will no longer sell illegal access to pirated movie and television content. The earlier preliminary injunction and today’s stipulated orders sets an important legal precedent that will reduce the harm of illegal and unsafe piracy devices and apps. ACE will continue its worldwide effort to reduce online piracy through enforcement activities and voluntary initiatives that promote the legal online marketplace.”
The October 2017 TickBox litigation was the first civil case brought by ACE, which was launched in June 2017. A preliminary injunction against TickBox was issued in January 2018.
The worldwide members of ACE are Amazon, AMC Networks, BBC Worldwide, Bell Canada and Bell Media, Canal+ Group, CBS Corporation, Constantin Film, Foxtel, Grupo Globo, HBO, Hulu, Lionsgate, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Millennium Media, NBC Universal, Netflix, Paramount Pictures, SF Studios, Sky, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Star India, Studio Babelsberg, STX Entertainment, Telemundo, Televisa, Twentieth Century Fox, Univision Communications Inc., Village Roadshow, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.