Version History LimeWire: Steal this podcast
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Nov 16, 2025 
Nilay Patel and Sarah Jeong, both esteemed technology journalists, dive into the legacy of LimeWire. They share personal piracy memories and examine how services like LimeWire reshaped copyright law. The discussion highlights significant legal battles, including the Grokster decision and its implications for file-sharing. They also explore LimeWire's eventual shutdown and the rise of legal streaming platforms. The conversation wraps up with a look at LimeWire's modern attempts at brand revival in the era of NFTs.
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LimeWire Installed Spyware On Install
- LimeWire bundled invasive software like LimeShop that secretly injected affiliate codes and tracked purchases.
- Uninstalling LimeWire often left spyware behind, surprising many users.
Pivot Plans Strengthened The RIAA Case
- LimeWire tried to pivot toward legitimacy by courting labels and building filters, but that plan undermined its inducement defense.
- Judges read those pivot efforts as proof LimeWire knew infringement was central to its product.
Statutory Damages Became A Legal Cudgel
- Copyright statutory damages produce absurdly large claims for large-scale infringement, creating leverage in settlements.
- The RIAA's damage calculations (e.g., $72 trillion) acted as a negotiation cudgel regardless of realism.