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Thread: Feds shut down BitTorrent hub

  1. #1

    Default Feds shut down BitTorrent hub

    Federal agents shut down a popular Web site Wednesday that had distributed copyrighted music and movies, including versions of the latest "Star Wars" movie.

    Homeland security agents from several divisions served search warrants on 10 people around the country suspected of being involved with the Elite Torrents site, and took over the group's main server. The agency said it was the first criminal enforcement action aimed at copyright infringers who use the now-popular BitTorrent file-swapping technology. Visitors to the Elite Torrents Wednesday found a bright red screen displaying a message that operators were under investigation for criminal copyright infringement.

    "Our goal is to shut down as much of this illegal operation as quickly as possible to stem the serious financial damage to the victims of this high-tech piracy--the people who labor to produce these copyrighted products," Acting Assistant Attorney General John Richter said in a statement. "Today's crackdown sends a clear and unmistakable message to anyone involved in the online theft of copyrighted works that they cannot hide behind new technology." Federal investigators have been increasingly active during recent months in targeting organized groups of copyright infringers online, a process that has dovetailed with civil litigation launched by Hollywood studios and record labels.

    According to the investigators, the "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" movie was made available though the site before being shown in theaters, and was downloaded more than 10,000 times. The site had 133,000 members and distributed more than 17,000 individual movie, software and music titles, investigators said. "Today's actions are bad news for Internet movie thieves and good news for preserving the magic of the movies," said Motion Picture Association of America Chief Executive Officer Dan Glickman in a statement. "Shutting down illegal file swapping networks like Elite Torrents is an essential part of our fight to stop movie thieves from stealing copyrighted materials."

    Source: C|NET


    I can hear the oinking from here...

    How about that Osama Bin Laden and all those other guys who kill people? Surely they are more worthy of law enforcement resources?
    Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus

  2. #2

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    How about that Osama Bin Laden and all those other guys who kill people? Surely they are more worthy of law enforcement resources?
    Well, if there is any influence from the entertainment industry on this, I think they care more about their billions than folks who actually caused serious harm.


    - I'm not a pacifist, I'm a pansy.

  3. #3

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    Looking at what's going on in the region, it looks as if the U.S government's left it to the Pakistanis to capture Bin Laden...
    I've got half a mind to kill you...and the other half agrees.
    - Church (Red vs Blue)

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by ODST
    Looking at what's going on in the region, it looks as if the U.S government's left it to the Pakistanis to capture Bin Laden...
    Heh, it's real nice to know we've given up. Thats the spirit.

    They've given up on stopping a real threat, but instead put their resources on stopping a bunch of nerds who are just stealing. Last time I heard, killing is worse than stealing.


    - I'm not a pacifist, I'm a pansy.

  5. #5
    Those hollywood ghouls. Yeah, my heart bleeds for them
    "The way to a man's heart is through his ribs."

  6. #6
    hormiga's Avatar Senator
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    People dont seem to realize that law enforcement people dont all look for Osama.... every agency has divisions ranging from murder to burglary even to computer piracy issues.

    saying "they should be out lookin for killers!!!!111" is like saying that gynacologists and dentists should be trying to cure cancer.

    Get a grip people.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by hormiga
    People dont seem to realize that law enforcement people dont all look for Osama.... every agency has divisions ranging from murder to burglary even to computer piracy issues.

    saying "they should be out lookin for killers!!!!111" is like saying that gynacologists and dentists should be trying to cure cancer.

    Get a grip people.
    Well, it did say Homeland Security agents. I guess the name is decieving then, as computer piracy has little to do with Homeland Security.


    - I'm not a pacifist, I'm a pansy.

  8. #8
    Darkragnar's Avatar Member of Ordo Malleus
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    My my they think thats a big blow to the illegal file swapping network,bah theres gonna be 2 more bit torrent sites up and running by the time these ppl get the trial started.

  9. #9

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    Serves them pirates right. Shouldn't do illegal things, nope.

  10. #10

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    People dont seem to realize that law enforcement people dont all look for Osama.... every agency has divisions ranging from murder to burglary even to computer piracy issues.

    saying "they should be out lookin for killers!!!!111" is like saying that gynacologists and dentists should be trying to cure cancer.

    Get a grip people.
    Well, maybe they should concentrate their efforts on worthier causes. I mean, it is not like record company employees are dropping dead from starvation. From what I heard they were still making an assload of profit. which means they make enough money to cover their expenses, so aside from having a little less money a year (it is still hundreds of millions), nobody exactly gets hurt.
    Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus

  11. #11

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    Well, maybe they should concentrate their efforts on worthier causes. I mean, it is not like record company employees are dropping dead from starvation. From what I heard they were still making an assload of profit. which means they make enough money to cover their expenses, so aside from having a little less money a year (it is still hundreds of millions), nobody exactly gets hurt.
    Not now, but someday. This kind of crime has a domino effect --- as more people do it, the idea that it's "safe to do" spreads and then even more people are doing it. Since software, music and video piracy started, an upsurge in the crime has increased exponentially in subsequent years. Should the record and movie industries wait until "they REALLY lose serious money" before they do something about it? Come on. Say you own a fruit stand in a busy city and you're making a killing from all the pedestrians walking to and from work. It's only fruit, but you're extremely profitable. One day a few kids come by and snatch a few oranges. You shout at them and shake your fist in the air but they vanish. The next day a few more kids steal some fruit. One or two pieces here and there. It's not even beginning to cut into your profit margin but you're seeing an increase in frequency. Moreover, who are these G-d-mned little punks to steal YOUR fruit? There's a principle here as well.

    And as this goes on every day, how long will it be before you stop a passing officer and report the daily theft?

    Oh, you greedy b-stard! You've made more than enough money with this highly lucrative fruit stand and you don't have enough heart to give a few pieces of fruit away to the kids? What kind of monster are you?

    It always makes me laugh when a site like this gets shut down and every cyber-geek out there starts complaining: "But they have PLENTY of money! They shouldn't care that we're stealing from them! They should be HAPPY that we're stealing from them because ... uh ... because well speaking for myself, I know many times I steal a movie and like it so much I go out and BUY it ... yeah, that's the ticket ... I see it sort of like a PREVIEW."

    And since 9/11, oh boy --- Osama Bin Laden has become the posterboy spokesman antithesis justifier for all internet piracy. What a good joke. "Bin Laden is still at large ... we should be able to steal software because HIS crimes are bigger than ours!"

    And if Bin Laden is ever captured, what next? Drug kingpins, serial killers, white supremacist neo Nazis, rapists, the guy who held up a convenience store with a revolver --- "real" criminals of every kind. "Don't go after me --- I'm just stealing SOFTWARE. As long as those other criminals are at large, you have NO RIGHT to go after me! You should be making me SAFE from these other psycopaths and miscelaneous petty criminals!"

    Before you throw a fit over "the man's" sheer audacity in trying to shut down these illegal sites, just ask yourself --- is it a crime? Should crimes be punished? If your answer is no, then go reevaluate yourself and whatever you do, don't respond to this post because your an idiot.

    "But ... but it's NOT FAIR! We have a really good thing going here ... lots of free software, music and movies! They have no right to take that way from us! It's OUR THING! I HATE THEM SO MUCH!"

    Yeah. Blah blah blah blah blah. Get a job, go earn some money you stinking lazy bum and BUY the :wub:.

    MQA

  12. #12

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    Oh one more thing....

    Should law enforcement in the United States just come to a grinding halt because Bin Laden is still at large?

    Tell you what. Next time you get a speeding ticket I want you to roll down your window and say to the cop:

    "Hey buddy ... don't you have anything better to do ... like looking for BIN LADEN???"

    See how much of a ticket you get for that one.

    People never cease to amaze me.

    MQA

  13. #13
    Erik's Avatar Dux Limitis
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    The funny thing is that while piracy has increased a lot in the past few years so did profits in the movie and game industries.

    Nobody knows the exact effects of piracy but I beleive piracy has some positive effects on content sales too.
    Friends of mine who download lots of movies also buy lots of DVD's.

    IMHO the movie and game industry should focus on selling extra's (cool maps, books, etc) with their content, and spread free copies themselves with ads in it.
    There are more ways to make meney, if you are a little bit creative.... oh wait: we are talking "hollywood".



  14. #14

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    Mark,
    The comparison isn't actually correct, since when music is pirated there is no real theft so to speak. There is only possible loss of income. It's not even true loss in most cases, most people wouldn't buy that or that CD, but since they get it for free through the net, they take it.

    Me, yeah, I have downloaded a 'few' songs(its legal here though, uploading isn't) but on the other hand I have also bought several CD's that I would never had bought had i not first pirated the songs. I support those that earn it, if there's a problem, it aint mine.

  15. #15
    Trajan's Avatar Capodecina
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    Haven't you guys heard about the recent shut down of Elite torrents by the FBI. It's the biggest crack down in all file sharer history. The FBI or the MPAA says that people who buy or download pirated movies are funding terrorism. What a bunch of crap. There's a war going on and they care about pirated movies. Just a few days ago, the MPAA filed law suits against BitTorrent users. It seems that this recent crackdown is caused by the releasing of Star Wars EP3 6 hours before it hit theaters. Check out this BitTorrent news site for all the new and recent articles on the major crack downs that are occuring around the world. http://www.slyck.com/index.php

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Milteades
    Well, maybe they should concentrate their efforts on worthier causes.
    Who decides what's worthy?

    I suppose property crimes against the wealthy should be ignored, in general?

    Quote Originally Posted by Perkele
    The comparison isn't actually correct, since when music is pirated there is no real theft so to speak.
    Okay so... are pirates using the service? Yes. Are they paying for it? No. Have they been given permission by the creators to use it for free? No. Have the creators, in fact, specifically stated many times that they DO NOT want the pirates to use it for free? Yes.

    How isn't that theft?

    Theft is theft no matter what you think of the owners. No matter how uncreative or draconian you think they are being. No matter how much you think they overcharge. No matter what it is that you are stealing or how you steal it.

    Quote Originally Posted by Perkele
    There is only possible loss of income. It's not even true loss in most cases, most people wouldn't buy that or that CD, but since they get it for free through the net, they take it.
    Right, so when you are walking down the street and you see the bus sitting at the curb, and the driver has stepped into the restroom at a nearby convenience store but he accidentally left the door wide open, and you weren't going to spend the money to take the bus, but since you have the opportunity to get on for free, you sneak on and hide on the back row and think to yourself, I weigh nothing in comparison to this bus plus all the other people on it that paid to get on, it doesn't cost them any more gas to drive me around and there are plenty of seats left for more people to get on, so they aren't REALLY losing any money...

    ...that isn't theft?

    Quote Originally Posted by Perkele
    Me, yeah, I have downloaded a 'few' songs(its legal here though, uploading isn't) but on the other hand I have also bought several CD's that I would never had bought had i not first pirated the songs. I support those that earn it, if there's a problem, it aint mine.
    You are such an angel! You have bought a few CDs from 5% of the artists whose music you stole. I suppose you should be awarded a medal of some kind.

  17. #17
    Carousel's Avatar Need help? Ask me! Hit PM
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    How isn't that theft?
    Theft is criminal. This would probably be a civil case for copywright infringement.
    Extremely grateful and indebted to my friend and patron: Spartan
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  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by Carousel
    Theft is criminal. This would probably be a civil case for copywright infringement.
    Do federal agents get involved in civil cases?

    (edit) I'm asking, I don't actually know. I know there is already a civil case on the docket. And I would note for those out there reading that copyright infringement is a crime that involves taking something that isn't yours without permission, which by dictionary definition, if not legal definition, is pretty much theft. Not that I am saying Carousel was making any kind of value judgement as to which is worse or anything, he may have just been pointing out a legal distinction.

  19. #19
    Zuwxiv's Avatar Bear Claus
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    *sigh*

    As long as there is an internet, there will be illegal file sharing. The internet is just a way to share things... Its obvious that eventually things will be shared that some people might not want to be shared.

    There is no way to stop it, its just like "Oh, its down. Aw well, I'll go to the other one."

    And regardless of whether or not there is a section of homeland security for this, why the hell are they wasting resources on things like that?

    Is Osama going to be running around downloading torrents and watching Episode III?

    How is this dangerous to homeland security? I mean, we are at war right now, don't we have something better to do? That was probably the work of hundreds of people, who could instead be tracking down terrorists (Yes, even terrorist orginazitons have websites).

    And somehow, I find it really hard to pity the poor multi millionaires who had a couple people see their movie without paying the movie theater.

    One question here: Even if someone downloads a movie, does it really hurt the industry? I mean, do the makers of Episode III get money for every ticket sold? If so, its probably like 1 cent. But if not, nobody is losing money. Even the theaters are not losing money, because:

    1) they are selling a 5 cent Coke for 5 dollars
    and
    2) if you weren't going to see the movie, then not going doesn't lose the theaters money. It just means they don't get money.

    (get what I mean? Its not like you are walking into the theater and taking money from the register, they don't spend any money on you and you don't give them any money... so they aren't losing anything)

    Edit: And libertus: For a freedman you sure don't have much freedom...

    Which raises a question: is theft a freedom?
    No.
    Why not?
    Because it damages someone else. (The basis for the US laws is that we have freedom for everything as long as it doesn't encroach on anyone elses freedom... like their freedom to live, so we can't kill, ect.)

    So the reason theft isn't something we are allowed to do, the reason it isn't a freedom, is because it hurts someone else.

    What if it doesn't hurt anyone? What if it is a victimless theft?

    Shouldn't that be a freedom, when you look at it philosophically?

    Currently worshipping Necrobrit *********** Thought is Quick
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  20. #20
    Carousel's Avatar Need help? Ask me! Hit PM
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    Yes I was. It could be taken to criminal court if they wished, but often for these things the criminal courts just leave it for the corporations to bleed them dry (punishment enough - saves time).

    In my country theft is defined as the removal of another persons property with the intent to keep it and deprive the owner of its use.

    Therefore it would not be classed simply as 'theft' here. It would be copywright theft, which as you say is just a legal distinction

    EDIT: @Zuwxiv: It's all relative, millions of dollars lost by the music publishers to copywright = millions of dollars of tax money to US government
    Extremely grateful and indebted to my friend and patron: Spartan
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