Timeline

NUMBER OF USERS

LimeWire had as many users as iTunes, which was about 1.7 million households

ALMOST DISCONTINUED

LimeWire considered shutting down after the outcome of MGM v. Grokster

2000

2005

LIME GROUP LLC

Mark Gorton launched Lime Group LLC and had a team of engineers exploring the peer-to-peer space

INITIAL RELEASE

LimeWire was released on May 3, 2010

SUPPLY AND DEMAND

In the early days of LimeWire, 90% of download attempts would fail because supply of files were limited and the demand was large

2006

INCREASING REVENUE

LimeWires user count increased to over 4 million active users per day and its revenue was $20 million

SHUT DOWN

On October 26, LimeWire was ordered to disable the “searching, downloading, uploading, file trading, and/or file distribution functionality,” after losing a court battle with Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)

LimeWire shut down shortly after

COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

Arista Records LLC v. Lime Group LLC

On May 12, it was ruled that LimeWire and its creator, Mark Gorton, had committed copyright infringement, engaged in unfair competition, and induced others to commit copyright infringement

2007

2010

LIMEWIRE’S FIRST CEO

Gorton hired his first CEO, George Searle, who focused on LimeWire’s success in the future

JAIL TIME

LimeWire user, Gregory Kopiloff, was sentenced to 51 months in jail for identity theft with the help of LimeWire

2011

$72 TRILLION LAWSUIT

RIAA announced their intention to sue LimeWire for statutory damages that claimed up to $72 trillion in damages

TRIAL

From the beginning of May–May 13, a trial was held to decide on the eventual amount of damages

Gorton agreed to pay $105 million in an out-of-court settlement