Kazaa: We Talked With Record Execs

As the closely-watched file sharing trial in Australia reaches its midpoint, Kazaa executives told the court Thursday that it had attempted to hold talks with the record industry over its concerns of unauthorized file sharing occurring on its network.

Several record companies brought the file sharing case to the Australian court system in late November after being rebuffed by the courts in both the U.S. and Europe. Part of Kazaa's parent company, Sharman Networks, is alleged to be based in Australia.

In the Australian federal court in Sydney, Sharman's technology head Philip Morle told Federal Court Justice Murray Wilcox that talks had occurred with various record companies and Sharman Networks over the problem of illegal file sharing. Reports from the courtroom indicated that, at least publicly, the results of those talks were not disclosed.

The last of the evidence is slated to be presented Friday with closing arguments expected by Wednesday. Wilcox is not expected to make a final ruling before early next year, although he has made it clear that Kazaa will not be shut down as part of the verdict.