Megaupload shut down

[Sigma]

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/...est=latestnews

(I know it's Foxnews, bloohoohoo)

"Federal prosecutors in Virginia have shut down one of the world's largest file-sharing sites, Megaupload.com, and charged its founder and others with violating piracy laws -- a day after a 24-hour blackout of popular websites such as Wikipedia drew national attention to the issue.

The indictment is among the largest criminal copyright cases ever brought by the United States, according to the FBI."

It looks like we're getting a taste of SOPA already. Well it looks like alot of the mods are going to have to find a new place to upload their files. :/

But for more proof try going to the Megaupload site. You can't. So this adds more credence to the story.

[bushbush]

come on guys, Megaupload is pretty obvious as an example of pirating intellectual properties online. Theft is not ok just because it is on internet.

[ivan_the_terrible]

come on guys, Megaupload is pretty obvious as an example of pirating intellectual properties online. Theft is not ok just because it is on internet.

It's not quite the same as theft. As a lawyer you should know that.

Anyway whoever said that it's idiotic DRM and backward business practices on behalf of some of the big companies that are perpetuating piracy is totally correct. These companies should look at how CDProjekt (GOG) and Paradox do business and learn from them - no malware, no treating the customer with condescension, extensive customer support, etc. Bottom line is that they'll never stamp out piracy, but they can at least insure that more people buy their products than currently do by improving their service and building some customer loyalty.

I for one would never pirate from Paradox or CDProjekt - I respect them too much. As for someone like EA...well...let's just say I don't respect them at all.

[AqD]

come on guys, Megaupload is pretty obvious as an example of pirating intellectual properties online. Theft is not ok just because it is on internet.

They don't ask you to upload pirated stuff. You can share your own works on it, legally.


Let's say your business is to lend cars to others, why is it even your problem that some of your customers use those cars for theft or robbery?






Next time they will shut down online forums because people discuss terrible stories or government secrets (and they're already doing this to wikileaks!).

And one day they will come here

[Pontifex Maximus]

come on guys, Megaupload is pretty obvious as an example of pirating intellectual properties online. Theft is not ok just because it is on internet.

I've used the website for the past four years in non-illegal ways. Its punishing everyone for the sins of the few as the US government becomes more and more of a nanny.

[Kanaric]

Megaupload went down replaced by file jungle and another site whose name escapes me

Website whack a mole.

no reason to complain about fox news when they are reporting facts that can't be slanted.

[Jom]

Megaupload is based in Hong Kong, though. I don't see how the site was able to be shut down by the FBI.

[bushbush]

Megaupload is based in Hong Kong, though. I don't see how the site was able to be shut down by the FBI.

i am guessing that federal indictments are very persuasive.

[Bobz]

Megaupload is based in Hong Kong, though. I don't see how the site was able to be shut down by the FBI.

I read on the BBC local authorities in several countries seized servers and other assets (bank accounts I guess).

There were a lot of legimate files on Megaupload, even if it was heavily geared towards piracy, so I hope that this is going to go through courts correctly. A new site, presumably with a domain name outside the US, is just going to spring up anyway. Pointless ultimately.

[YukonTrooper]

Megaupload is based in Hong Kong, though. I don't see how the site was able to be shut down by the FBI.

Various governments cooperated with the sting: Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong, some others I can't remember off the top of my head.

EDIT: Maybe that's already been answered, this thread has grown quite large. Lots of gamez, videoz and musicz downloaders up in here, I imagine.

[Kanaric]

Hmm really? Odd.

Maybe they have local servers.

[alhoon]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megaupload

"Megaupload is an online Hong Kong–based company established in 2005 that ran a one-click hosting online service of the same name, along with its sister services. The site was shut down by the FBI on January 19, 2012, during an investigation into alleged copyright infringement.[2]
"

How they shut down a HK based site?

[Jaketh]

I just bought a 4 year premium account and then this!??

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[ToonTotalWar]

I just bought a 4 year premium account and then this!??

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Wasted your money mate
But good point though, will all the buyers of premium accounts be refunded? or are the users also going to be seen as pirates so they get jack shitt?

[Blau&Gruen]

Wasted your money mate
But good point though, will all the buyers of premium accounts be refunded? or are the users also going to be seen as pirates so they get jack shitt?

If the owners get convicted, then it appears logic that first those with the larger claims get refunded. How likely is it that Mr. Schmitz's company or the owners themselves have anything left at the end, if they are not innocent?
This is a very interesting topic. I am learning a lot of new aspects here.

[High Chunker Greens]

Seems suspiciously similar to that case of the UK citizen being extradited to the US for trial. The US is throwing its weight around on the international stage again, it seems.

[Kanaric]

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/01...wn-by-fbi.html

Here it says people were arrested in new Zealand

Look at the charges in this article. Very serious as if they are targeting the mob.

[Menelik_I]

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/01...wn-by-fbi.html

Here it says people were arrested in new Zealand

Look at the charges in this article. Very serious as if they are targeting the mob.

four people are already in custody, having been arrested in New Zealand for crimes including conspiracy to commit racketeering

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/01...wn-by-fbi.html

Racketeering charges ? the FBI is over its head on this one.

[s.rwitt]

Seems suspiciously similar to that case of the UK citizen being extradited to the US for trial. The US is throwing its weight around on the international stage again, it seems.

Wouldn't be possible without the cooperation of the countries actually doing the arresting.

[High Chunker Greens]

Wouldn't be possible without the cooperation of the countries actually doing the arresting.

It wouldn't have happened at all if the US got its nose out of other people's affairs.

If an international policing unit was set up to deal with worldwide problems such as internet piracy, piracy (like Somalian pirates), then problems like this could be solved without the US having to appear as the big bad monster that's going to sue your citizens if you don't do what they say.