This is very good news...

I hope this signals that the tide is turning against illegal downloading.

n a major victory for the entertainment industry, the Supreme Court this morning ruled that Internet file-sharing could be held liable if their products are used primarily to download copyrighted movies and music from the Internet.

The unanimous decision said there was enough evidence of unlawful intent for the case of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer vs. Grokster to be sent back to lower court for a trial.

The high court appeared to agree with the entertainment industry’s argument that the peer-to-peer file-sharing services were actively inducing users to engage in piracy.

“We hold that one who distributes a device with the object of promoting its use to infringe copyright, as shown by clear expression or other affirmative steps taken to foster infringement, is liable for the resulting acts of infringement by third parties,” Justice David H. Souter wrote for the court.

“Each company (Grokster and StreamCast) showed itself to be aiming to satisfy a known source of demand for copyright infringement,’’ Justice Souter wrote. Souter said “substantial evidence’’ supported the entertainment industry’s case.

As you might know, in real life I manage and own a record label - NorthernBlues Music. While downloading doesn't hurt me directly, it has killed the retailers....making it harder to get my CDs into stores.