The Boston Globe reports that Usenet, the world's largest news network, is starting to get pressure from various agencies to curb piracy. The MPAA has recently filed a dozen or so lawsuits against NZB tracking websites that provide references to where pirated goods can be found on Usenet.

Late last month, the Motion Picture Association of America filed its first-ever lawsuits against Internet companies that help people download illegally copied films over the Usenet. The association says that the companies, NZB-Zone, BinNews, and DVDRS, provide a Google-like search service for Usenet, one that lets its users find thousands of pirated films, including recent hits such as King Kong, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

The three companies did not respond to e-mail messages requesting comment. Their websites do not list physical addresses or phone numbers, and one of them, DVDRS, has apparently been shut down. Even the lawsuits filed against the companies identify them as John Does, and do not include contact information.

A successful action against the three firms could lead to more lawsuits against other Usenet index sites, such as Newzbin.com and Nfonews.com. "A common misconception among people who use networks like these is that they're in a group that is above the law," said movie industry association spokeswoman Kori Bernards. Indeed, she said the popularity of the Usenet as a place to swap illegal files has grown recently, perhaps because the music and movie industries have successfully shut down several distributors of peer-to-peer software, the most popular means of file swapping.