TV LINKS was Shut Down by MPAA

TVLINKS - an awesome link site was shut down by MPAA and forced to relocate to a server in Netherlands. From their website:

TVLINKS has been forced to switch data center’s from MPAA threats. Now we need your help. Please consider donating. Apparently it is now illegal to link to a website that displays illegal content. But what about the sites that are actually housing the video uploads? Oh wait, they’re owned by Google, and sites like YouTube have already paid off the MPAA to turn their head.

Yep, their crime was to linking to copyrighted material hosted on YouTube, Google Video and similar websites. Seriously - all the copyright owners need to do is go to straight to the source and send them a DMCA lawyergram. Hell, this is easier than dealing with torrent sites because each of this videos is hosted by a corporate entity! But I guess it is just easier to bully the little guy.

I really liked this website because it allowed me to catch up on Scrubs episodes that I missed (yeah, ever since Comedy Central started airing it I have been addicted to it!) and allowed me to check out different anime series. Instead of downloading a whole season via torrent, I could just watch a single episode to see if I liked it. TVLINKS was nice because it would organize the listings by show and season and tag the links with the correct titles and episode numbers. It was much more convenient than searching the video sites and trying to find the episode you need. Meh…

Go donate if you can. I hope they will be back online soon.

Update 11/24/2006 03:30:39 PM

Apparently there are two existing mirrors of that site:

http://tvlinks.50webs.org/ and
http://www.tv-links.co.uk

There is some shady stuff going on with their host apparently. Don’t donate. See the comments for details.

Update 11/24/2006 07:49:27 PM

Matt found another mirror/copycat site here. I have to admit that I’m totally confused by this whole situation now. Anyone knows what is the deal with all of these sites?

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  • 86 Responses to “TV LINKS was Shut Down by MPAA”

    1. Luke Maciak UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows says: Reply to this comment

      TV links is dead. Long live all the other sites like it.

    2. [...] If any of you guys thought that UK had a copyright law that is any less retarded than ours, think again. Apparently, over there you can actually go to jail for linking to copyrighted material illegally hosted on a foreign site. Sin, the maintainer of tv-links.co.uk who commented on here several times, was arrested the other day and his website was shut down. [...]

    3. Andrew UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows says: Reply to this comment

      This is just stupid. Earlier said, paying $30 just to get in the freakin’ door is ridiculous - so is paying $20 dollars for a DVD. I have a Netflix account, and that’s great for old movies and some new ones, but I must say it is easier and far more practical to view it online for free.

      The foundation of the US is freedom - well, it’s bullshit like DCMA and the MPAA that are contributing to the fall of democracy as we know it - Comcast, a very popular ISP in the US was found ‘favoring’ upload and download speeds for certain websites.

      The Internet is nothing but numbers and wiring, and was developed for the fast and efficient sharing of files (P2P anyone?) among professors. It has now grown to one of the leading industries of our day, and I’m damn proud to be in on it. But every time I set up a new site, for example a Halo based browser game - Microsoft just beefed up their copyright rules, and I have to post a whole paragraph in every footer, and as a designer makes me want to stop designing period. I’m only 15, and yet they have loopholes to send me to federal prison for not following copyright law.

      And that’s my 2 Cents worth.

    4. Luke Maciak UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows says: Reply to this comment

      Btw, TV-links was shut down and it’s creator arrested. It’s a sad day for the interwebs. :(

    5. ghostgun88 SWITZERLAND Mozilla Firefox Windows says: Reply to this comment

      man this sucks, godamn right wing conservative butt pirates first they decide to make our beloved magic mushrooms illegal now they want to shut down a harmless site like tv links, our freedom is at stake!!!

    6. [...] annnnd…. the not so intelligent: man this sucks, godamn right wing conservative butt pirates first they decide to make our beloved magic mushrooms illegal now they want to shut down a harmless site like tv links, our freedom is at stake!!!  [both via] [...]

    7. Gary UNITED KINGDOM Mozilla Firefox Windows says: Reply to this comment

      This is going to be a landmark case. FACT have picked on the smallest fish in the sea and may be using this case to push through a precedent. tv-links.co.uk probably do not have access to legal resources which youtube and Google have, thererfore it may be a easy prosecution for FACT.

      Please consider support these guys, we have started a ChipIn to raise funds to assist in their legal defence. This case is about linking, what can you link to and what can’t you. This issue should recieve proportional debate as it affects us all. tv-links.co.uk did not reach 182 in the Alexa charts on their own, they had users and millions of them.

      Perhaps, we could all support them with more than just our blog posts.

      Please consider supporting tv-links.co.uk’s case with more than just our blog posts:

      http://humanopinion.org/support_for_tvlinks

    8. Joseph UNITED STATES Internet Explorer Windows says: Reply to this comment

      TV-links.co.uk was the best website that i have ever been on. It contained so many shows that were hard to find. These were not just taken of the screen. They had thier copyright! Now what even if i go to youtube or google or a website that contains video does that mean that i am doing something illegal? I believe this is just a big conspiracy. And if anyone wishes to join me on protesting this issue contact us Joe and Nikki at either Goseph30@yahoo.com or cityofdelusionxx@gmail.com

    9. Luke Maciak UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Ubuntu Linux says: Reply to this comment

      @Gary - thanks for the link. I will post it in the other thread also.

    10. Hate to bring up such an old topic, but TV Links has been officially closed again by the MPAA - I’m guessing it stands for Movie Protection something something.. or.. something.. I call it a piece of sh!t.. But, that doesn’t hide the reality of which TV Links, and it’s mirror hosts has been shut down again. If I wasn’t in this money drout (loss of job, facing criminal charges of a certian nature), I would donate all the money I could to TV Links to keep it up and running. It shocks me to see that MPAA and other foundations actually try to attack websites that only PROVIDE the URL’s, instead of those who HOST the URL’s, like Veoh, Google, and others. A short warning to those using BitTorrent, or the like.. There will be a new Online Contract Negotiation process going on that will prevent further use of Torrent Files, and such programs (robot servers, is what is known by them) will record frequent online traffic on most popular torrent files and stop such torrent downloading to happen, along with closing down websites that provide Torrent File Downloading. Again, this is a shock to me, and probably a shock to those who are used to download Torrent Files.. So, let us hackers.. I mean, regular people stand up and fight against this! I will provide a website later with this information as it comes to be, but for now.. use Google!

    11. s8ntnick UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows says: Reply to this comment

      [quote comment="6642"]Hate to bring up such an old topic, but TV Links has been officially closed again by the MPAA - I’m guessing it stands for Movie Protection something something.. or.. something.. I call it a piece of sh!t.. But, that doesn’t hide the reality of which TV Links, and it’s mirror hosts has been shut down again. If I wasn’t in this money drout (loss of job, facing criminal charges of a certian nature), I would donate all the money I could to TV Links to keep it up and running. It shocks me to see that MPAA and other foundations actually try to attack websites that only PROVIDE the URL’s, instead of those who HOST the URL’s, like Veoh, Google, and others. A short warning to those using BitTorrent, or the like.. There will be a new Online Contract Negotiation process going on that will prevent further use of Torrent Files, and such programs (robot servers, is what is known by them) will record frequent online traffic on most popular torrent files and stop such torrent downloading to happen, along with closing down websites that provide Torrent File Downloading. Again, this is a shock to me, and probably a shock to those who are used to download Torrent Files.. So, let us hackers.. I mean, regular people stand up and fight against this! I will provide a website later with this information as it comes to be, but for now.. use Google![/quote]

      now this is my question. i understand what you are referring too, but with the online contract negotiation under way what would happen to sites such

      as http://www.dattebayo.com/,

      myspace.com ,

      http://www.mininova.org/

      and a huge supplier of anime http://www.crunchyroll.com/

      since myspace uses urls and host anime what would be the outcome

    12. s8ntnick UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows says: Reply to this comment

      i just do not agree with MPAA. hosting old movies and anime’s is not a crime anime such as bleach, naruto elfen lied, are or were on (tv), it just so happens that since i live in the united states i am not able to watch the newest episodes that come out earlier in japan. and are in Japaneses thats why i get a site the subs the anime and watch it

      i (pay) for high speed internet through *comcast*it is the same for paying to watch regular television with a service provider.i expect to be allowed to watch (tv) on my laptop.

      granted that bittorrent sites do allow us to gain access to free movies but honestly if the movie is good enough your still gonna by the movie, look at mp3 with sites such as limewire. or back then napster. i mean its just so easy to get access but i understand that the movie/music industry feelings in some shape of form i mean before the internet, sales of movies and cds
      were to me larger than they are now,but it is there fault too,sites such as myspace, facebook,and other sites. artist put there music on their and poof there goes the neighborhood

      time of beta max and just going online to get email is over with, with new technology comes new terms of agreements that both sides must understand, we stream because it doesn’t come on our countries or is two years two late. personally i cant stand American anime in the first place their voice imitation’s just suck

      i feel that if they want us to stop then give us channels on our tv to watch them on, with subs included, and i don’t mean channels like cartoon network which has useless old anime episodes that are a year too late

    13. Aaron UNITED KINGDOM Internet Explorer Windows says: Reply to this comment

      I would have a look at http://www.repeats.tv to find some shows.

    14. i think it’s totally unfair…!! he wasn’t hosting, just linking and that’s not illegal… Anyway, there are lots or other sites. for example, i foun the best replacement: http://www.sidereel.com they have all the tv series, movies and music… and there is also stage 6 or dailymotion. Plenty of alternatives..!! can`t stop us..! LOL

    15. SoulAssassin GERMANY Internet Explorer Windows says: Reply to this comment

      How long, before someone who linked CR-Material, stored or even hostet it (The illegal files on private computers worldwide must stack up to trillions) and got his life ruined by those lawyer-agencies will turn into a bomb-wired maniac?
      There are lawyers out there who basicly make a living out of sending thousands of letters about copiright-violation to private persons and small webistes. Always to those ones who can’t afford star-lawyers and get so scared that they normaly pay.
      In a few years the army of people who got f***ed by them will be quite large.
      I’m not suggesting any violence. I don’t need to. It will come anyway sooner or later.
      The Internet is a powerful medium and they are trying to bring it under their control, so they can exploit it for their own profit, so they can afford an even bigger house/car/etc.
      At some point they have to be stopped or we will pay for every kilobyte we download somewhere.

    16. Alissa UNITED STATES Internet Explorer Windows says: Reply to this comment

      Whoa, this came as a complete shocker to me. This website was literally the only place to find farscape episodes, and (as we all know from reading the above) it only linked to obscure sources. I’m almost in tears over this. This bullshit corporate machine is really beginning to irk me. I’ve always stood up for capitalism (and still do) but having this fucking scum-ass operation go down only 3 days after seeing Corporation (seriously, go rent it) is hitting the message home. Have faith. Keep building up sites, keep fighting this, there is no way they can get to everyone. Too bad they had to get the best one first, eh?

    17. Luke Maciak UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows says: Reply to this comment

      @Alissa - always nice to see a fellow Scaper!

      Btw, the torrents of all 4 seasons are out there. That might be a viable alternative :)

    18. Jack UNITED STATES Internet Explorer Windows says: Reply to this comment

      noooooooo. damn i loved that site. stupid bloody law

    19. Oliver UNITED KINGDOM Internet Explorer Windows says: Reply to this comment

      Don’t they realise that closing down these sites is a waste of time?

      More will spring up, be shut down, come back, be shut down again - a cycle that’s wasting money that could be used for much more worthwile projects.

      For Christs sake, I’m 14, and I can realise that for every head they cut off, another 3 will pop up at them.

      Leave it be, please >__

    20. Vin CANADA Mozilla Firefox Windows says: Reply to this comment

      K it’s pretty retarded to shut down these individual sites. It’s a load of bull and waste of money. Unless they start seriously censoring the internet, there is no way to stop more sites from popping up whenever one goes down, short of giving the site owners a life sentence in jail. The money used to shut down these sites would be better used to fund medical research or donated to help third world countries where people are dying of starvation and strife every day.

      Screw wasting money on shutting down great sites that make people happy.

    21. Luke Maciak UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows says: Reply to this comment

      @Vin - or they could take all this money they spend on this stupid shit, and give it to the artists. I mean, they tell us artists are starving and etc, so why not take the fucking anti-piracy budget, divide it up and send it to the artists? Oh, wait - that would actually require them to give a fuck about the talent. They don’t - all they are thinking about is their wallets.

      Oh, and perfect example is that whole OiNK / BOiNK thing. They raided and shut down the OiNK BT tracker few days ago. Now Pirate Bay announced they are relaunching the tracker under the name BOiNK.

      Resistance is futile. Natural human desire to share data will always persevere.

    22. fnuz BELGIUM Mozilla Firefox Windows says: Reply to this comment

      FnuZ is a dedicated search engine for free streaming movies, animes, cartoons, series

    23. jude CANADA Internet Explorer Windows says: Reply to this comment

      mpaa sucks because they shut down my favourite site to watch all my favourite shows now they gone to far i must bring it back.

    24. ri UNITED KINGDOM Mozilla Firefox Windows says: Reply to this comment

      Here’s a good tv-links replacement http://tvshack.net/ good to watch movies and tvshows online

    25. I dont even want to bother doing this anymore - too many issues with legal, ive had several court dwellings with mpaa and the donations and money generated from my site were abundant but then it started coming out of my own pocket, and for giving a free service? My suggestion is for whoemever to think of starting a site like this…….. reconsider respectfully and just find a site to watch movies. Yes the revenue was rather luceritive in the beginning but when saught by the big wigs, they end up nailing you in the ass. RIP Moviethis.com - minor updates when i can, but not much anymore…….

      MPAA even got around the fact that I made the site into a community site which falls under the “Safe Harbour Act” ….. they found their own loopholes.

    26. [quote comment="7505"]I dont even want to bother doing this anymore - too many issues with legal, ive had several court dwellings with mpaa and the donations and money generated from my site were abundant but then it started coming out of my own pocket, and for giving a free service? My suggestion is for whoemever to think of starting a site like this…….. reconsider respectfully and just find a site to watch movies. Yes the revenue was rather luceritive in the beginning but when saught by the big wigs, they end up nailing you in the ass. RIP Moviethis.com - minor updates when i can, but not much anymore…….

      MPAA even got around the fact that I made the site into a community site which falls under the “Safe Harbour Act” ….. they found their own loopholes.[/quote]

      Pardon the spelling……… I drink whiskey as a hobby now

    27. Sin UNITED KINGDOM Mozilla Firefox Windows says: Reply to this comment

      Moviethis.com out of interest what was the loophole they used? I’m gathering info for my case, it would be good to have a chat! you can get me on
      tvlinks (a.t) tv-links.co.uk
      Cheers
      Sin

    28. Caltosy UNITED STATES Internet Explorer Windows says: Reply to this comment

      Sin, I think it would be best if everyone keeps low on mentioning websites that host free movies on here as your website is now under a monitor and has been since July 08, 2006. You may have already noticed, but I had to crack a skull in the DA to find out that your website is still being monitored.. Now I just got to find a good rock to live under for a while :/

    29. Luke Maciak UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Ubuntu Linux says: Reply to this comment

      @Caltosy - my website, or Sin’s website?

      If it’s mine then I guess I’m lucking that linking to websites that link to websites that sometimes host content infringing copyright is not a crime yet. Heh, if they ever make the infringing links work recursively it might actually break the internet. You know, you could be guilty if you ever linked to anyone, who ever linked to anyone who ever linked to illegal content and etc… :P

      Oh well, I’m not planning to post any illegal content here, or even directly link to infringing stuff so hopefully I’m safe.

    30. jj UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Windows says: Reply to this comment

      try http://www.freetvonline.com it has every show Possible on earth it is the best web sit ever you will fin the show or movie you want it has old shows and old movies and new movies and old movies all for free you will lovie.
      p.s. I AM SO SARRY WHAT HAPPEN YOU WILL LOVE THIS SIT SO MUCH

    31. Tv Links we ROMANIA Mozilla Firefox Windows says: Reply to this comment

      Tv-Links is back

      Everyone knows that TV-LINKS.CO.UK was one of the greatest site ever created. Just as good as good ol Napster. Now tv-links has finally come back and changed its name to http://www.tv-links.eu. So people that loved or never heard of tv-links now have the second chance to check out what was so great about tv-links. Well enjoy and be happy people! Please spread.

      Enjoy here: http://www.tv-links.eu

      The tv-links concept seems to have been so successful that others have tried to copy it. We don’t mind competition, we just want you to choose the best.

      Regards,

      Tv Links Team

    32. Sin UNITED KINGDOM Mozilla Firefox Windows says: Reply to this comment

      as the owner of Tv Links (tv-links.co.uk) we haven’t made a come back as the above states! its just another bad copy as same as the tv-links.cc site! If/When we make a come back you’ll still see us on the .co.uk domain

      Thanks
      Sin

    33. Luke Maciak UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Ubuntu Linux says: Reply to this comment

      Heh, I guess people are still trying to capitalize on popularity of your site, and make quick buck on the pr0n ads they plaster all over the page. :P

    34. Sin UNITED KINGDOM Mozilla Firefox Windows says: Reply to this comment

      hehe yeah, I’ve seen quite a few popup, to be honest the entire linking to vids has a short shelf life, the hosts are becoming better at removing videos or block people linking to them. Plus the addition of fingerprinting content will stop the upload entirely. I have also heard there will be more crackdowns on aggregators + Bittorrent sites. The entire MPAA/ Piratebay pissing contest will cause massive problems for filesharers(if it hasn’t already), in the end its always the government that wins, it’s only a matter of time before Sweden caves into the pressure, then its all over. Oh and all the dodgy hosts in China(or around that area) will start to be regulated then its defiantly all over!
      Anyway I won’t bore you with anymore of me ramblings :)

      S

    35. Luke Maciak UNITED STATES Mozilla Firefox Ubuntu Linux says: Reply to this comment

      Meh… People will come up with new way to file share.

      In worst case scenario we will have roaming trackers. Just set up your server as a VM and then move from one host to the other every few months. If they hit your DNS provider then can always just set up a racket of innocently looking blogs in various places of the world which always show the up-to-date IP address of the tracker. They should be pretty difficult to shut down unless linking to a site that links to illegal content will suddenly become illegal. :P

      Besides, if Bittorrent will end up being to much pain in the ass to use, someone will come up with an alternative method. Something more decentralized, and distributed.

      Let’s face it - P2P is nothing more than simply sending streams of zeros and ones down the wire. Computers were made for this, and trying to stop it is insanely difficult.

      Also, I really don’t see how fingerprinting will do any good since scene folks can usually get their paws on pre-release content anyway. ;)

      I’m positive about the future. Perhaps we can’t win with the government, but I don’t think it is possible to lose either. Not without some sort of big brother setup under which every packet living your machine is scrutinized for copyright violation and thoughtcrime.

    36. Rhys UNITED KINGDOM Internet Explorer Windows says: Reply to this comment

      I see this blog post is about tv links - well id like to let you know about another site that is the largest tv links site so far - TV Links

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