For the past few months, I’ve been a frequent visitor to a little British website, www.TV-Links.co.uk… don’t bother typing it into your browser, it’s been shut down by British authorities. This site provided links to a large selection of television shows, cartoons, anime and videos. Sadly, the Federation Against Copyright Theft (Fact) felt that this constituted illegal activity, arrested the webmaster, and shut the site down. However, FACT does not have their facts straight… they allege that “the site allowed users to illegally download shows.” Untrue. The site provided links to stream the shows, not download them. And the difference between downloading and streaming is more than just semantic.

I think TV Links’ downfall came when he started offering links to movies. Recently these were movies that still in the theaters, which the MPAA has taught us is a no-no. Though again I ask: if the video is streaming, does that truly constitute an illegal download?

Many sites offer free streaming video without the MPAA having a hissy fit over it. Google Video offers the full versions of several old movies (almost every Chaplin film, in fact). The major networks offer streams of their shows from their sites.

It seems that ultimately FACT chose to shoot the messenger (or bust the dealer) without letting him lead them to his suppliers. Wouldn’t it be better to go after the people who were uploading illegal content to VEOH and other sites?