In a deal aimed at reducing illegal Internet traffic in pirated films, Hollywood reached an agreement Tuesday with the creator of the popular file-sharing software BitTorrent. Under the terms of this agreement, Bram Cohen, founder and CEO, BitTorrent, has agreed to remove links which direct users to pirated content owned by the seven studios that are members of the Motion Picture Association of America. It is said that the deal might also pave the way for eventual adoption of BitTorrent's technology by movie studios for new, legal services.

"BitTorrent Inc. discourages the use of its technology for distributing films without a license to do so," Cohen said in the statement. "As such, we are pleased to work with the film industry to remove unauthorized content from bittorrent.com's search engine."

MPAA Chief Executive Dan Glickman declared, ""They're leading the way for other companies by their example."

Cohen disclosed in September his company had raised $8.75 million in venture funding to develop commercial distribution tools for media companies.

The BitTorrent technology pioneered by Cohen _ and used by an estimated 45 million people _ assembles digital movies and other computer files from separate bits of data downloaded from other computer users across the Internet. Its decentralized nature makes downloading more efficient but also frustrates the entertainment industry's efforts to find and identify movie pirates.

The agreement with Cohen would not prevent determined Internet users from finding movies or other materials using tools or Web sites other than Cohen's, but it removes one of the most convenient methods people have used.