The Day after SOPA - FBI shuts down Megaupload & MegaVideo

Interesting. I don't think anyone will miss the pirates -- but take note that there is no mention whether the site was shut down via due process of if they just yanked it - and what the circumstances are in doing so. I know last year when they seized 82 websites they did so with no due process. Since I am not familiar with the site, I don't know if the whole site was at fault for misdoing or if this is just another of the same sort of act as last year's. Perhaps the timing was meant to cool off some of us and make SOPA look like a good thing. Didn't work if that was the plan - due process or not.

What about the "customers" can they be arrested. That is probably what has a LOT of people sweating about now.

George Wright

was the site based in the US

What is amazing about this is that the FBI can pursue, arrest and potentially convict copyright pirates in other countries, with laws that are currently on the books.

If they can do this with existing legislation, then additional legislation is potentially completely unnecessary.

If it was only about hosting video they don't have the rights to host, would this be a big deal? You can find all kinds of copyrighted material on youtube, still. They will take it down if they find it or get a request to do so, but you still can find old videos on there with copyrighted material, no doubt.

So what's the difference with megavideo? Is megavideo actively taking part in the proliferation of copyrighted material they do not own and not shutting down a link unless they get a DMCA?

But in this case, they (FBI) claim there's massive money laundering. I want to know what they define as money laundering?

The article I read just raised more questions in my mind than answers. Interesting stories, for sure, but I think there's still a lot of clarity needed on this issue, worldwide.

Also, it says the site is based in Hong Kong but they arrested people in New Zealand. I'm betting U.S. authorities caught them when they went on vacation or something and New Zealand allowed the arrests to take place in their country whereas Hong Kong (China) wouldn't? Just guessing...

WOW!

I did NOT hear about this....and I even get the Wall Street Journal delivered to my door every morning. =)

Things are starting to get out of hand. Sure it may have been a two year investigation but it is no coincidence it happened the day after SOPA protests.

Also, thanks for the video link to the TED talk. Anything TED puts out is quality.

And it looks like Anonymous may be the cause of justice.gov going offline today just after the takedown went public. Check out the link in my post on this thread: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...-hammered.html

Surely they could shut down links using a DMCA and like has already been said .. there's copyrighted content all over youtube and other video sharing sites ...

The site owners surely can't keep track of every file that may or may not be in breach of copyright .. besides I don't think the FBI have the concerns of the true copyright holders at heart and when they file these "claims" they make judgements on what is actually concerned illegal sharing, some uploads may simply be with the copyright owners consent.

Here is an example .. Not sure if anyones into hip hop but there's a site called Dajaz1.com (or something similar) ...

They got shut down because of the US Government, I think it was "ICE" who was at the heart of it all .... and what evidence did they should the site down based on?

The word of one guy who is a VP at a major record label who had no way of knowing whether these songs were or weren't being distributed illegally ..

NO PROOF WHAT SO EVER!

And all the songs ICE claimed were being illegally distributed were all distributed at the consent of the copyright holders of the music for publicity purposes to increase their exposure and help them sell more music ....

So the site was shut down, eventually after a year ... but no site can really recover from such huge disruption ...

And i'm sure people relied on that site as a source of income and others rely on it to publicize their music .. but the government screws them over and it's ok ...


Timing of this is a bit strange too ...

And don't forget Hollywood was founded on the basis of stealing other peoples idea's...

Kudos to the FBI for this takedown. Good riddance to the pirates. Goes to show that if they can do this, they certainly don't need SOPA and PIPA to go after pirates.

I ALWAYS see their Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe in town.. Guess not now

It feels like a war zone this week.

- Millions more online accounts hacked.

- Entertainment industry withholding money from politicians.

- Websites shutting-down in protest.

- FBI going after more websites with criminal charges.

- Hackers going after government websites shutting them down.

Is this the wave of the future?

For all the talk about the maturity of the Internet, it is still an amazingly insecure and chaotic place where everyone is constantly subject to being attacked from viruses.

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I chuckled at this, but then I remember my uncle in the US who is in a lot of trouble for taking pictures of what he believes is a FEMA camp.

That was in Illinois. He is going to be fined or something, I last heard. :rolleyes:

Just the governments way to stop occupy wall street rallies and have more control on the people.

Great to see the participation in this thread, and to hear the many opinions, a good few of which I share.
In particular, government involvement in every little breath we take lately, under the guise of "protecting us from...what?" is quite frightening. Where exactly does invasion of our privacy and restriction of our basic human rights and free speech start? Because it feels terribly like they're there already

It's interesting that the CEO of Megaupload, a rapper and producer and husband to pop star Alicia Keys, was not listed among those charged. link



Andrew

Yikes. It just died just like that. Kinda sad in a way.

This really is a dark day on the web.

Why is it that Youtube is still up?

That site is FULL of copyrighted material.

Oh wait, hang on, thats owned by Google. :rolleyes:

Some things to note:

Justice Department indictment of MegaUpload - Los Angeles Times

Welcome to information super highway.....

Well said, Johnny.

This is hilarious! Love it!

Michelle