MG Premium’s victory in its lawsuit against the pirate site Goodporn has concluded in a rather peculiar fashion. Initially, the case hinted at the potential jeopardy of the Pornhub.com domain. However, the ultimate outcome saw Pornhub’s sister company awarded over $2.1 million in damages.
Despite this substantial financial victory for MG Premium, the court notably denied injunctive relief. This means that there won’t be any domain seizures or site-blocking orders imposed as a result of the lawsuit.
Aylo, formerly known as MindGeek and previously as Manwin, has been a dominant force in the adult entertainment industry for over a decade, offering free porn through popular sites like Pornhub, YouPorn, Redtube, and Tube. Alongside these free platforms, Aylo also owns subscription-based adult brands such as Brazzers and Reality Kings, amassing an extensive library of over 40,000 registered copyright works over the years.
With such valuable content, Aylo’s enforcement arm, MG Premium, actively protects its intellectual property through various means, including sending millions of takedown requests each week and pursuing legal action when necessary. One notable legal battle involved the tube site Goodporn, accused of widespread copyright infringement by MG Premium.
However, the case took a bizarre turn when Goodporn owner Amrit Kumar fought back vigorously. Kumar even claimed to have obtained rights to MG Premium’s content through a contract, flipping the script by accusing his accusers of copyright infringement. The legal saga, spanning hundreds of filings, also involved defendants Lizette Lundberg and Emile Brunn, accused of collaborating with Kumar and submitting inaccurate DMCA counternotices.
Despite the complexities of the case, the court eventually ruled in favor of MG Premium, entering summary judgment and a default against all Goodporn defendants for inducing and contributing to copyright infringement. MG Premium sought a hefty $21.6 million in damages, but the court substantially reduced this amount to $2,157,000, along with $46,740 in attorneys’ fees to be paid by the defendants.
While MG Premium didn’t secure all the relief it sought, the case underscores the company’s commitment to defending its intellectual property rights in the face of infringement.
While MG Premium secured a victory in court, with the rightful ownership of all works identified in the complaint affirmed, the requested injunction to seize or block domains was denied. The court found insufficient evidence to justify the requested injunction, particularly regarding irreparable harm and the adequacy of monetary remedies.
Although this win marks a significant milestone, MG Premium may have hoped for more substantial relief. Jason Tucker of Battleship Stance, who worked on the case for MG Premium, acknowledges the unusual and complex nature of the litigation and anticipates further developments.
Tucker highlights the defendant’s audacious claim of ownership over MG Premium’s entire library, based on a purported forged agreement, as one of the case’s more bizarre aspects. The defendant’s disregard for takedown notices and alleged use of unlicensed content further complicate matters.
The road to fully recouping damages may be challenging, especially given uncertainties surrounding the defendants’ identities. Nevertheless, Tucker remains committed to assisting MG Premium in enforcing the judgment and putting an end to copyright infringement activities.
