Five Hollywood studios have sued Beijing-based Jeboo.com and an Internet café in Shanghai for copyright infringements, the state media reports.

Twentieth Century Fox, Walt Disney, Paramount Pictures, Columbia Pictures, and Universal Studios filed a total of six lawsuits against Jeboo.com who allegedly created software the cafe used to run a pirated movie download business and distributed 13 films without permission, including Pirates of the Caribbean II, X-Men 2 and Night at the Museum.

The Website official, Xie Jiangping, has refused to comment on whether it had violated the film companies’ copyright. However, a statement on the Jeboo.com Web site says its vast range of entertainment is “legally obtained” through “content providing partners” who sign copyright contracts, Stuff writes.

Jeboo.com claims to be the biggest film download provider in China. It has an inventory close to 30,000 movies and television series where customers can copy onto their computers.

The US film-makers seek 3.2 million yuan ($US 472,000) in compensation and damages. They also asked Jeboo.com to stop the copyright infringements at once.

The case will be heard in Shanghai on November 19, 2007.

Industry experts predict that US firms and film-makers will likely launch more lawsuits against Chinese firms should they win this lawsuits.

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Entry was posted on Friday, November 23rd, 2007 at 2:07 am under Legal, Technology.

Read more entries by Ruben Francia.
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