# US Court Imposes $30 Million Penalty and Comprehensive Injunction on Libgen: Is Its Demise Finally Imminent?
On Thursday, a pivotal event transpired in the ongoing conflict between textbook publishers and the infamous shadow library, **Library Genesis (Libgen)**. A US district court judge, Colleen McMahon, rendered what is being hailed as one of the most extensive anti-piracy injunctions ever issued by a US court. The decision followed accusations of **willful copyright infringement** against Libgen by several prominent textbook publishers, known for its facilitation of free access to copyrighted texts and scholarly articles.
## The Court’s Ruling: A $30 Million Penalty
Judge McMahon’s determination mandated that Libgen pay **$30 million** in damages to the copyright holders. However, the prospect of publishers ever collecting this amount is doubtful. Libgen’s administrators remain **anonymous** and **elusive**, rendering the enforcement of the penalty nearly unfeasible. This is not the first occasion Libgen has encountered such fines. In 2017, the site was directed to pay **$15 million** to another consortium of publishers, a penalty which remains unpaid.
In light of Libgen’s history of evading legal repercussions, McMahon issued an **extraordinarily broad injunction**. This injunction forbids not only Libgen from disseminating copyrighted materials but also extends to anyone “in active concert or participation” with the platform. This encompasses **hosting services**, **domain registrars**, **cloud storage services**, and even **advertising platforms**. The ruling further prohibits the usage of tools or browser extensions that connect to Libgen, establishing one of the most comprehensive anti-piracy measures to date.
## The Difficulty of Eradicating Libgen
Yet, despite the extensive nature of the injunction, the lingering question is: **Is it possible to actually dismantle Libgen?**
Libgen has long posed a challenge to publishers by providing unrestricted access to millions of books and academic works. The platform is fully aware of its legal standing, openly informing users that employing its services infringes copyright laws. In a 2023 video, Libgen remarked, “It is illegal to download (‘make copies of’) material that is protected by copyright. However, all that is illegal is not criminal.” The platform has historically capitalized on the reality that most users encounter **minimal legal risks** for downloading pirated material.
Libgen’s endurance is largely attributed to its **decentralized nature** and the **anonymity** of its operators. The site functions through a network of **volunteers** who upload content and share torrents, complicating efforts by authorities to identify a singular responsible party. This decentralized framework has permitted Libgen to withstand various legal challenges over the years.
### Initial Effects of the Injunction
As of Thursday, some of Libgen’s links were reported as **inaccessible**, with users experiencing **403 errors** or timeouts. Nonetheless, the bulk of the platform’s links, including its **primary domain**, remained operational. This partial restriction might be because the court’s ruling is still in its preliminary phases. Judge McMahon granted domain registrars **21 business days** to either transfer control of Libgen’s domains to the publishers or initiate technical measures to suspend or terminate the domains.
While some links have been impacted, the platform’s **core architecture** remains intact. This isn’t surprising, given that Libgen has a robust history of **dodging takedowns** by switching to new domains or utilizing **mirror sites**. The platform’s administrators have demonstrated a knack for staying ahead of legal entities, complicating the complete eradication of the site.
## The Importance of Advertising for Libgen’s Continuation
A critical element of the court’s decision is the **prohibition on providing advertising services** to Libgen. In recent years, the platform has heavily depended on **Google advertising** to support its activities. In a 2023 video, Libgen cautioned users that while its administrators are hard to identify, “Google gets informed of every download, and if a user has ever registered with Google, then Google knows exactly who they are, what they’ve downloaded, and when they downloaded it.”
If Google and other advertising companies adhere to the court’s ruling and sever Libgen’s **ad revenue**, the site could confront considerable financial challenges. Without a consistent income stream, maintaining servers and continuing operations at present capacity could become increasingly difficult for Libgen.
## Can Domain Management Halt Libgen?
The injunction also addresses **domain registration**, directing that any newly registered domains affiliated with Libgen be relinquished to the publishers. This might hinder Libgen’s efficient tactic of **continuously shifting to new domains** to dodge takedowns.
Historically, Libgen has managed to remain online by swiftly registering new domains whenever one is taken down. By focusing on future domain registrations,
