The latest development in P2P clients, the Ares download software, uses a decentralised network to protect its uses from the MPAA and other so called media watchdogs. Traditional P2P clients are hosted on one computer providing the links between the up loaders and down loaders. The problem with this has been the pressure the MPAA has been putting on the ISP companies. Effectively they have made it clear that if the ISP’s didn’t get tough on their users the MPAA would go after them instead. It’s this sort of media bully boy tactic which is leading to the eventual monitoring and censorship of the net.

Ares download software is a strike back for internet freedom and also proves how futile the MPAA’s campaign is. Essentially the network works by decentralisation of its host. If the MPAA and ISP companies target one area that area will develop more sophisticated ways of avoiding detection. The industry will never win whilst there are innovative providers like Ares download. So where does this all leave the downloader? The future of P2P downloading is decentralisation of the networks, and Ares downloads are ahead of the crowd when it comes to innovation. Perhaps in the future the MPAA will find a way to pressure even these websites, but it is difficult to see how.