Microsoft Sued by Porn Company

Passion 08-09-2007

Perfect 10, a publisher of nude photography, is suing Microsoft, alleging its MSN search engine directs users to unauthorized access of its content.

Thumbnails of Perfect 10’s images are made available through an MSN search, also providing access to the full size images. The case against Microsoft also seeks damages for the company’s inability to find webpages that displayed passwords to the site, as well as for taking advertising money from companies that have displayed stolen Perfect 10 content. The publisher has lost a similar lawsuit against Google and Amazon, and claims to be losing $4 million a month as a result of the search engines leading people to free access to its content. Perfect 10 is appealing its case against Google and Amazon, and has already turned down settlement efforts from Microsoft.

So far, the search engines have not been found liable for Perfect 10’s loss, as they are providing search engine results for relevant content on third party sites. Perfect 10, which has tried (and failed) to sue the individuals and companies that are doing the actual stealing of its property, has also had to shut down its print business from the loss it’s taken online.

This is an ongoing issue that many companies have, and it’s understandably frustrating to know that a search engine’s process can make or break your business. It’s a matter that all successful online companies must deal with, including Microsoft, Amazon and Google themselves, and it usually comes down to the implementation of better technology to prevent theft of content in the first place. Perhaps Perfect 10 could move to Belgium and sue the search engine companies from there.

Hsoolien

Maybe they should have smarter people running their web servers. If I did not want content accessible/searchable on my site, it wouldn't be.

Nissa

I thought thought it people who run website problem not search engines. I never known any admins on this site to complain about content being stolen. Would not more site sue microsoft if this was actual?

Sunisa

Hsooly and Nissa, you are both right. This only happens on the fault of whoever is taking care of the site. If it was a person that would be different, but for a search engine that just goes from link to link, its the problem of the webmaster. Every website can block off all search egnines from even acessing their site so many ways. I'm not even the best admin about doing that stuff and even I know that.

Raven

OMG this is fucking funny as hell. If a search engine is breaking into your site you have way serously site issues. I love seeing webmaser who don't know the smallest and simplest things especially when it doesn't require any programing or for that matter anything really technical.

Lauren

Microsoft usually wins all the lawsuits they get but if the actually would lose this one it would seriouslly be too funny. I'm not family with any porn company suiing and winning.