“Unplug That Damn Thing”

P2P service Aimster (aka Madster) told to “cut it out and we’re not kidding this time. Don’t make me stop this car. I know Santa Claus’s phone number.”

A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order against peer-to-peer file-sharing service Aimster (now known as Madster) to protect the copyrights of the record companies. The order was issued by U.S. District Judge Marvin Aspen to enforce a preliminary injunction he issued against Aimster in September (HR 9/5).

According to Aspen’s order, issued late Monday, Aimster must immediately “disable and disconnect any and all computers, including servers, used in connection with any system or service owned or controlled by Aimster.”

Additionally, the judge ruled that Internet access to the Aimster system shall be “terminated immediately.”

The Aimster decision is also pivotal for the film industry’s fight against piracy as a group of major film studios sued Aimster last year for copyright infringement. Aimster founder Johnny Deep, who is named personally in the suit, was not reachable for comment at press time.

“Aimster and John Deep have no excuse for not complying with the court’s preliminary injunction,” RIAA president Cary Sherman said. “This temporary restraining order will certainly make clear that the infringement must stop immediately, whether that is through Aimster’s actions or actions by its Internet service provider.” [Hollywood Reporter]

Next step: double secret probation.