A court in Virginia has given the green light to an injunction agreement. This agreement mandates that VPN provider VPN.ht must take steps to block torrent websites. Additionally, it requires them to keep logs of user data.
The initial report on this development came from TorrentFreak. They highlighted that the company had previously promoted Popcorn Time, an app known for facilitating illegal streaming.
Earlier this year, in March, several movie companies initiated a lawsuit against VPN.ht, which is under the ownership of Wicked Technology.
VPN.ht countered by requesting the court to dismiss the case. They argued that they were not under the jurisdiction of Virginia courts, as Wicked Technology’s base of operations is in Hong Kong.
VPN Company Asks Court to Throw Out Piracy Lawsuit
The movie production companies involved in the lawsuit also succeeded in securing a temporary restraining order. This order compelled PayPal to freeze the VPN provider’s assets.
However, after months of back-and-forth discussions, the movie companies and VPN.ht have reached a settlement.
The terms that VPN.ht has agreed to are likely to raise concerns among VPN users and others in the industry. There are several stipulations that are noteworthy.
Firstly, the company is obligated to block access to all torrent websites whenever a user is connected to one of their servers.
Within 30 days of this order’s entry, the Wicked Entities are ORDERED to make every reasonable effort. They must implement technical measures to prevent subscribers of the VPN.ht VPN service from using the BitTorrent protocol. This restriction applies when connected to Wicked’s VPN servers located within the United States.
Furthermore, VPN.ht is now required to log and retain data associated with IP addresses that connect to a US server.
This data must be stored for a minimum of one year. Additionally, Wicked Technology is obligated to furnish these logs to the movie companies upon request.
This requirement comes into play whenever a user accesses a movie or other title produced by one of the film companies involved in the lawsuit.
If Plaintiffs confirm copyright infringement, certain actions must be taken. The infringed works must be those listed in Exhibit 1 of the Amended Complaint (Dkt. 7). The infringement must be by a subscriber of Wicked’s VPN. Upon Plaintiffs’ request, the Wicked Entities shall provide logs to Plaintiffs. These logs must pertain to the subscriber in question and relate to the claimed infringement.
In exchange for complying with these terms, the restraining order that froze Wicked Technology’s assets will be lifted.
Virginia District Court Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. has given his approval to the injunction. You can access the full text of the injunction through the link provided below.
Millennium Funding Inc. vs Wicked Technology Limited
For all your VPN requirements, TROYPOINT consistently suggests IPVanish. This provider adheres to a strict zero-retention log policy, meaning your data is never stored and therefore cannot be shared with third parties.
What Are Your Thoughts?
What’s your take on the agreement reached between Wicked Technology (VPN.ht) and Millenium Funding Inc.?
Knowing that this VPN service is now obligated to retain records of your online activities, would you still consider using it?
Share your opinions and insights with us in the comments section below.
Stay informed about the latest developments in streaming. Get news, reviews, helpful tips, and much more by following the TROYPOINT Advisor. We release new updates every week.
Our Advisor is your go-to source for cord-cutting advice. Learn how to maximize your streaming devices and unlock their full potential.
Join over 800,000 other subscribers by clicking the link below.