Despite the recording industry's victory against Napster, illegal peer-to-peer file sharing is ever more problematic, and is no longer confined to the music industry.  Summer event films were reportedly accessible through peer-to-peer systems before anyone could see them in theaters, with an estimated 400,000 and 600,000 motion pictures downloaded illegally each day.  Motion picture studios and record companies need more effective weapons than to file lawsuits for injunctive relief and damages.  This article discusses several promising, so-called electronic countermeasures that may prove effective in combating peer-to-peer piracy.

For reprints of this article or additional information, contact the author Harrison Dossick.