13 Publishers Sue Pirate Site WeLib for Copyright Infringement
Thirteen prominent publishers have initiated a legal action against the piracy website WeLib, asserting violations of copyright. The lawsuit was filed in New York’s Southern District and alleges that WeLib replicated code and essential material from Anna's Archive, which has encountered similar litigation. The plaintiffs include major entities like Cengage, Elsevier, and Wiley. WeLib is claimed to host over 43 million titles and 98 million academic papers, boasting around 80,000 active users each month. The site allegedly facilitated illegal downloads of 51 million books recently, profiting by charging users $7 to $90 monthly for expedited access.
Key facts
- 13 publishers sue WeLib for copyright infringement
- Lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- WeLib allegedly copied source code and contents of Anna's Archive
- Plaintiffs include Big Five, Cengage, Elsevier, McGraw Hill, Pearson, Taylor & Francis, Wiley
- WeLib hosts over 43 million books and 98 million papers
- Over 80,000 active monthly users on WeLib
- Over 51 million books accessed illegally in the last month
- WeLib offers paid subscriptions for faster downloads, starting at $7/month
Entities
Institutions
- Anna's Archive
- Cengage
- Elsevier
- McGraw Hill
- Pearson
- Taylor & Francis
- Wiley
- Association of American Publishers
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Locations
- New York
- United States