Microsoft’s new technology could be the end for Kodi, Pirate Bay and illegal streams


Microsoft has developed software that can track and block people who download or share pirated content online.

The new technology was revealed in a patent recently filed by the US tech giant.

The patent explains that the technology would allow Microsoft to block content that is being shared online without the permission of the copyright holder.

As well as blocking files, Microsoft would also be able to identify repeat offenders and block their accounts.

According to Torrent Freak, Microsoft’s patent would rely on a technique known as fingerprinting that would help track users and identify any files which have been illegally downloaded from platforms such as the Pirate Bay and stored in the cloud, on services such as OneDrive or Dropbox. Access to the files would then be instantly blocked.

Microsoft patent

Microsoft patent. Image: Torrent Freak

The patent specifically refers to being able to prevent the sharing of “prohibited content”.

“Objects in a shared storage system can be marked as including prohibited content. Incidents that result in objects being so marked can be stored in an incident history associated with a user responsible for those objects, the patent reads.

“The incident history can be processed to identify repeat offenders and modify access privileges of those users.

“However, when objects are shared by one user with another user, prohibited content is blocked from being shared, while the remainder of the shared objects can be accessed by the other user.

“Functions that allow sharing of content are implemented so as prevent sharing of prohibited content with another user, while allowing other content to be shared. If a group of files or objects is shared, then the presence of prohibited content in one object in the group results in that prohibited content not being shared, but the remaining files or objects are still shared.”

It is believed that Microsoft would use the technology to help ISPs more easily identify pirated content.


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