Hollywood v. Silicon Valley: Supreme Court hears digital piracy case

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2005

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Hollywood and the music industry face off against the heavy hitters of the high-tech industry in a Supreme Court hearing Tuesday seen as a crucial test of free use of technology and the battle against digital piracy.

Some of the biggest US companies and trade groups have taken sides in the case, "MGM v. Grokster," which seeks to determine whether peer-to-peer (P2P) websites where music and video can be freely traded can be held liable for copyright infringement.

Oral arguments were to be made Tuesday in the highest US court, with a decision expected in June.

The case has attracted widespread interest, with over 50 supporting briefs filed on behalf of prominent firms including Intel, Yahoo and Apple; the US government; groups as diverse as...