Phantom Battles Pirates

With just four days to go 'til P-day, Lucasfilm have responded to fears of web piracy by enlisting the help of the FBI's computer piracy division. Since the trailer took just minutes to appear on fan related websites following its first theatre airing, Lucasfilm's fears are well founded. Terrence P. McMahon of law firm Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe - who represent Lucasfilm's anti-piracy interests - said: "We are combining forces with law enforcement and the motion picture industry to attempt to eliminate the distribution of bootleg and pirated copies of Episode 1. The Motion Picture Association's Anti-Piracy Operations estimates that illegal distribution of movies costs the industry $3.5 billion a year worldwide. Vice president and director Ken Jacobsen believes that the net increases risks of piracy, especially with web-friendly films such as Phantom Menace. He claims that there have already been indications that pirates intend to post illegal copies online.