Hollywood sues alleged DVD pirates

For the first time, Hollywood's leading movie studios have filed suit to stop the distribution of software that allows bootleggers to copy DVD film disks.

Six studios, including Disney, Paramount Pictures and Time Warner Entertainment accuse three defendants of posting the software on their Web site, along with messages encouraging DVD copying.

The copying program, DeCSS, unscrambles a security code on DVDs that is supposed to prevent their duplication.

A separate coalition representing the consumer electronics industry recently filed suit in California to block distribution of the program, posted on the Internet by a 16-year-old Norwegian student last fall.

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