LimeWire has sent a response (PDF from Wired.com) to Congress where he explains the steps that the P2P company is taking to prevent document sharing.  This will prevent users from sharing government documents or inadvertently sharing tax return letters.

LimeWire had to add extra safeguards due to Congress re-opening an investigation against the company.  Information regarding President Barack Obama’s helicopter “Marine One,” along with medical records and tax return information had leaked over the a P2P network recently.

“LimeWire 5 by default does not share documents even if a user purposely attempts to do so,” stated Gorton. “LimeWire will not allow it. In fact, LimeWire 5 [released in December] goes so far as to automatically un-share documents that a user may have shared using a 4.x version of LimeWire.”

A response was demanded from Gorton by The House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.  This is because Marine One data was downloaded by an IP address in Iran.  Older versions of LimeWire by default asked if you would like to share folders containing audio, video, documents, and software.

[via Wired]

Limewire recently announced a number of upcoming upgrades to its P2P software. The company is going more social by adding social networking features into verson 5.0 of its software. The company also shared its vision of turning Limewire into a platform for services.

Here is a list of upcoming features in Limewire 5.0:

Set up secure personal sharing networks based on existing contacts; users can choose to limit distribution to personal network only

Integrate buddy lists from Jabber-compatible services

Provide better virus protection

Interface with The LimeWire Store

Easier navigation with a new visual design of both website and application allowing users more security and better ability to manage shared files, download, search and connect with friends

Via: MarketWatch

+1 Records represents some of the most interesting indie bands.  Some of the artists on their labels include Johnossi, The Morning Benders, Oh No! Oh My!, Monsters Are Waiting, The Boy Least Likely To, Future Sounds, Kate Nash, Trainwreck Riders, Illinois, The Heavy, The Kooks, Jamie T., The Phoenix Foundation, Stellastarr, Ambulance Ltd, Diesel-U-Music, Editors, Two Gallants, and the US Air Guitar Association. 

Nat Hays, Chairman of the Brooklyn-based indie record company decided to enlist two ways to distribute his label’s music.  This includes Apple iTunes and Lime Wire.  “I consider Lime Wire a really important player in what we are trying to do,” stated Hays.  However, the RIAA blames Lime Wire for a decline in sales for the music industry.  Lime Wire has 70 million users and the RIAA wants to put the file sharing software out of commission. 

Like Napster, Lime Wire wants to become more of a legitimate and legal music distribution entity.

“We’d love to work with the entire music industry,” stated Lime Wire CEO George Searle. “I think there are some people in the majors who see the potential of Lime Wire.”  Lime Wire has even offered Universal, Warner Music, EMI, and Sony to create a music search engine which would lead Lime Wire users into buying music.

MySpace was caught in a legal battle with record labels as well.  Unauthorized copies of music was distributed on social network profiles.  But now that MySpace Music has launched, the record labels have calmed down.  They can still receive royalties via music profiles through MySpace.

The ball is now in the court of the music labels.  Either they can spend millions of dollars fighting against anti-piracy software or they can choose to embrace the future and partner with these companies.  If MySpace can fight a legal battle and then partner with the labels, so can Lime Wire.

New York City-based, Lime Wire LLC started in 2000.   The company is especially known for its P2P software, LimeWire.  Now the strong team of Lime Wire’s developers and business- men and women are building a social community and LimeWire Store.

“What’s really going to get interesting is when and how we’ll start connecting these new capabilities and communities, to benefit all,” stated George Searle, CEO of Lime Wire LLC.  “This year, alongside the usual LimeWire search results, we’ll begin integrating links to extended content in LimeSpot, LimeWire Store and, eventually, across the web [information souce: Lime Wire blog].”

Lime Wire also recently integrated BitTorrent.  Lime Wire’s revenues are primarily collected from apparel, license costs, and “Extended Pro” licenses.