Megaupload file-sharing site shut down

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don570
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Megaupload file-sharing site shut down

#1 Post by don570 »

Megaupload file-sharing site shut down
Megaupload charged users a fee to upload large files anonymously

Megaupload, one of the internet's largest file-sharing sites, has been shut down by officials in the US.

The site's founder have been charged with violating piracy laws.

Federal prosecutors have accused it of costing copyright holders more than $500m
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16642369

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Dingo
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#2 Post by Dingo »

I have dozen of pet packages on megaupload, How much I must ask to these IDIOTS, to have lost access???

USA government must pay me and many other
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jamalexa
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#3 Post by jamalexa »

Holy Moley! Mega was one of my favorite download sites. How can the US Govt. arrest, charge, and seize assets from someone overseas? Big Brother is reaching out for you! Any people say that the New World Order is for conspiracy nuts.

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Dingo
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#4 Post by Dingo »

it seems that the TRUE REASON of FBI operation (solicited by...?) was the next launch of MEGABOX SERVICE by megaupload, giving ability to musicians to sell directly music bypassing greedy companies

http://torrentfreak.com/megaupload-swizz-beatz-120120/

https://torrentfreak.com/megaupload-shut-down-120119/
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8-bit
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#5 Post by 8-bit »

What is truly sad is that if Meagupload was shut down, all of the legitimate files stored on it are then not accessible either.
So, was the entire file-sharing site shut down, or just the areas that had been targeted as being illegal.

Something like that is worrisome besides.

Picture this forum that allows file attachments to posts.
Some new user makes a post and attaches a music file and posts that you can now have it without having to pay for it.
But beforehand, he notifies the authorities to watch this forum for illegal file sharing.

So my question is could in possibility someone be able to shut down this forum by such actions?

I am using this only as an example of how the proposed web regulations could be used to cause major problems for legitimate sites and forums if it passed.

I am not in favor of cheating any artist out of his livelihood.
But there are artists that actually want to sell their wares directly on the web with no music companies taking the lions share of the profits and leaving the artist with starvation earnings.
Could a music company actually take legal action to prevent an artist from trying to distribute his own wares for sale?

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8-bit
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#6 Post by 8-bit »

If anyone has files on Megaupload, you may want to get them now just in case.

According to ABC World News, the site is trying to stay alive and is currently on a no name site in the Netherlands.

This clip of from the article may help you.
Megaupload is now on a server that has no domain name but has the address http://109.236.83.66. According to the website www.urlquery.net, the Megaupload's new server is based in the Netherlands.
.

My reference was http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/megaup ... d=15405292[/quote]

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TheAsterisk!
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#7 Post by TheAsterisk! »

8-bit wrote:Picture this forum that allows file attachments to posts.
Some new user makes a post and attaches a music file and posts that you can now have it without having to pay for it.
But beforehand, he notifies the authorities to watch this forum for illegal file sharing.

So my question is could in possibility someone be able to shut down this forum by such actions?
Conceivably, yeah. This is the danger; this type of legislation could jeopardize all user-generated content and sites based upon that. It's also susceptible to bogus claims used to stifle competitors and dissidents.

Keep in mind that one of the charges of conspiracy against MegaUpload is based upon the site not listing downloads that infringed upon copyright law amongst their list of the top-100 downloads. Their reasoning is circular, and something along the lines of, "Well, we just know that this site is a den of no-good pirates, so if they don't list pirated films, albums, etc. in their top-100 list then they must be lying to us!" It's in the conspiracy-theorist-esque tradition of using an absence of evidence as if it were evidence.

Once that puts things into perspective, and if you recall the MPAA and RIAA's penchant for pulling financial numbers (revenue lost, value per file, economic worth of large content corporations, etc.) out of thin air, then it doesn't seem like a very big stretch that they could try something like what you mention.

Whether or not that tactic would work legally is another matter, but these two bills , SOPA/PIPA, along with all the others like them that we've seen and will undoubtedly see again, have a tremendous potential for misuse and abuse, regardless. That on top of the DMCA-based abuses we've already seen used to stifle criticism and critique of businesses and products.

EDIT: It should be noted that the MegaUpload takedown was carried out under existing law, not proposed legislation. The whole mire of current and proposed copyright enforcement law and legislation is mad, just in varied flavors.
I've been reading too much news...
Last edited by TheAsterisk! on Sun 22 Jan 2012, 12:24, edited 1 time in total.

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pemasu
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#8 Post by pemasu »

The guy has finnish nationality (german too) and his family lives in Finland. So...there is quite a reports of the arresting of the founder in finnish media.

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jamalexa
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#9 Post by jamalexa »

I still don't understand how the FBI, which is supposed to operate in the US only, can arrest people and seize assets in another country. They can't track drug money in offshore accounts but can shut down legal businesses on just a guess.

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#10 Post by WindUpToy »

What provided the "justification" for the operation was that Mega goofed and had two of their host sites located in the US.

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#11 Post by jamalexa »

So does this mean that if someone takes puppy, adds some non free code or program, the FBI can shut down puppy linux sites?

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#12 Post by WindUpToy »

While this forum continues to be hosted in US, of course they can.

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#13 Post by musher0 »

Have Americans legislators :x fallen on their head?

Euh... Try Canada?

According to https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... _in_Canada, there's not much piracy in Canada. As well, the RCMP has decided it had more important criminals to chase, and has basically given up on tracking down personal copiers. See : http://www.ledevoir.com/2007/11/08/163562.html (in French).

If I find a good filesharing site in Canada, I'll let the gang know -- and I'll use it too! Up to now I was using limelinx, but it's in Texas. So better be safe than sorry, I'll find somewhere else to upload the puppy material I want to share.

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#14 Post by musher0 »

Out of protest, join the Pirate Party? :) There's probably a branch in your country.

Here's the comment of the Canadian branch about the MegaUploads foolishness.

https://www.pirateparty.ca/uncategorize ... p-fighting

This post is actually not entirely political, since the Pirate Party of Canada has set-up a torrent distiribuation system, called CapTain, for artists using Creative Commons licence. I've left them a message asking if they'd consider dsitributing GPL-branded distros such as Puppy derivatives. I'lll let you know their answer ASAP.

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#15 Post by kooliepup »

Have Americans legislators fallen on their head?
That really tickled me. I don't quite know why.

Actually, they know EXACTLY what they are doing.

Big Corporate, in the guise of the US government, of both persuasions, is hell-bent on destroying the US for its people and business.

I note, in that article, that the US is threatening to use trade as a weapon for recalcitrant countries.
Bi-lateral trade is now, as far as the US is concerned, becoming a one-way street.. inbound.
The world doesn't want to know the US anymore, except for the goods it can sell into the US.
Worldwide sales of brands like Motorola have dropped through the floor.

Sadly, it is always the people who suffer.
There's no place like 127.0.0.1

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#16 Post by musher0 »

Hi, kooliepup
kooliepup wrote: [...]
Bi-lateral trade is now, as far as the US is concerned, becoming a one-way street.. inbound.
Well, they're the ones who initiatied the North American Free-Trade Agreement. Countless Canadians lost their jobs (about 20 years ago), when it became in force, to Americans or Mexicans. Trade goes up and down, you know. If it favours this nation at one time and this other partner nation at another time, you have to go with the flow.
kooliepup wrote: The world doesn't want to know the US anymore, except for the goods it can sell into the US.
I actually like Americans. They did great things. We visited cousins in New England when I was a boy. It's their legislators I find weird.
kooliepup wrote: Sadly, it is always the people who suffer.
Indeed that's the saddest part.

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#17 Post by musher0 »

Just heard back from the people in charge of the CaPTain torrent system:

Yes, GPL material such as a Puppy derivative can be transmitted through their torrent.

Good news, that. :)
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#18 Post by kooliepup »

On my visits to the US, I found people to be mostly very nice,
but then I didn't move in government or corporate circles, or my estimation would have surely taken a battering.

Do you have any details yet of how we could upload to them?
I presume an account would have to be created.
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jamalexa
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Fileserve and Filesonic accounts down.

#19 Post by jamalexa »

In the wake of Megaupload, FileServe and Filesonic are closing down their affiliate accounts. You can only upload and download your own files. This announcement was made by members of a European sports forum.

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#20 Post by Dingo »

fileden says its servers are currently in maintenance. Mhhh... very strange timing... if they delete my LEGITIMATE puppy linux packages, how can I ask for a multimillionaire refund?
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