NEWS FLASH: Megaupload shut down!

**Equinox** · 01-19-2012, 01:32 PM

I don't know if this belongs more in Politics or Computers, but
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.

Is anyone suspicious of the timing? Feels almost like the feds are cracking down to scare all the folks who were protesting by blacking out major sites yesterday. At any rate, I don't support piracy, but I'm completely against ACTA, SOPA, and Protect IP as they currently stand. They're one-sided regulations that unfairly benefit the entertainment industry and unfairly detract from consumers' ability to enjoy the free flow of information on the Internet. (Yes, I'm a bit biased--I just turned in the final draft of an article about ACTA that might get published.)

**INTelliJent** · 01-19-2012, 01:42 PM

I don't know why you are complaining. This is just a part of the master plan of our benevolent overlords to keep us safe, by inhibiting those dangerous freedoms.

**Imperator** · 01-19-2012, 01:48 PM

When they shut down Napster, did that stop people from downloading music?

The feds are fighting a losing battle, and they should know it.

The MPAA is going to learn the hard way to never piss off the internet when a bunch of irritated computer nerds finally grow tired of their nonsense and hack all their shit.

Hell,
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....

What happened when the feds went after Anonymous and the CEO of HBGary, an Internet security company got ballsy?
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and literally said "don't fuck with Anonymous".

This is nothing but a desperate show of force prompted by the MPAA. But everyone and their mother seems to know this barking dog lacks teeth.

**Vermillion** · 01-19-2012, 02:11 PM

First they ban online poker now this. If I were a hacker I'd be gearing up for a serious cyber war...

Question: If a site like MegaUpload is hosted on a server outside the US is it beyond their jurisdiction?

**superflax** · 01-19-2012, 02:20 PM

All I keep thinking too myself is are people that greedy that they go to sooooo much effort?

Anyway, we all know it's gonna fail. Nothing to see here folks. Keep it moving.

**SirJamesIII** · 01-19-2012, 02:25 PM

Eh who cares. I use usenet anyways (i.e. Newzbin) and whenever their site gets shut down, a clone one replaces it the next day.

**Equinox** · 01-19-2012, 02:38 PM

	Originally Posted by Vermillion To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	First they ban online poker now this. If I were a hacker I'd be gearing up for a serious cyber war... Question: If a site like MegaUpload is hosted on a server outside the US is it beyond their jurisdiction?

Generally no. The Pirate Bay was located in Sweden, and Megaupload was apparently based in Hong Kong (the people they arrested are in New Zealand). I don't know about e-jurisdiction yet (though I plan to take a class on it), but I'd guess that because the locus of the sites' illegal activity was computers in the US, they can probably be sued there AND where their servers AND headquarters are located.

Valiyn · 01-19-2012, 02:38 PM

Apparently Annon has now taken down the MPAA, RIAA, and the U.S. Department of Justice websites.

**Equinox** · 01-19-2012, 02:49 PM

	Originally Posted by Valiyn To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Apparently Annon has now taken down the MPAA, RIAA, and the U.S. Department of Justice websites.

I often question whether Anonymous really has the best motives (they seem to do things "just because" at least as often as for good reasons), but...in this case it's called for.

IotaNull · 01-19-2012, 03:06 PM

They've also taken down the sites of Universal Music, who I think were responsible for the lawsuit, and copyright.gov.

**CharlieBrown** · 01-19-2012, 03:15 PM

	Originally Posted by Equinox To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I often question whether Anonymous really has the best motives (they seem to do things "just because" at least as often as for good reasons), but...in this case it's called for.

I disagree. This can potentially discredit and undermine the legitimate protests that took place yesterday.

**INTelliJent** · 01-19-2012, 03:20 PM

The United States Government has issed a statement in regards to liberty:

"The beatings will continue until morale improves"

**Tristan** · 01-19-2012, 04:26 PM

Just to point out some issues here. While preventing filesharing on the interbutts is futile, that alone does not automatically make it right to profit off someone else's work in this manner. The police said Megaupload made $175 million in profits from membership fees and advertising. I do not know whether this figure is true, and there is no word on the portion of revenue that came from actually distributing copyrighted material, but there is undeniably piracy afoot which justifies arresting the heads of the operation. I don't see a cause for righteous, anti-government fury over this.

**somethingelse** · 01-19-2012, 04:44 PM

Does anyone think its wrong that they can take down a website like this without so much as a trial or hearing? Or does innocent until proven guilty not stand anymore? Shouldn't they be able to give their side before this sort of damage is done to their business?
There are legitimate and legal forms of filesharing. And, I may be wrong but, isn't the current policy under the DMCA that a website must remove infringing content at the request of a copyright holder (which Megaupload often did)?

**ModernLit** · 01-19-2012, 04:47 PM

what? oh no!

**scorpiomover** · 01-19-2012, 05:18 PM

Oh well. Another porn file-sharing website taken down.


	The Justice Department said in a statement said that Kim Dotcom, 37, and three other employees were arrested Thursday in New Zealand at the request of U.S. officials. Three other defendants are at large.

Is "Kim Dotcom" a real name? Sounds like the name of a dodgy website to me (kim.com).

**Equinox** · 01-19-2012, 05:36 PM

	Originally Posted by scorpiomover To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Oh well. Another porn file-sharing website taken down. Is "Kim Dotcom" a real name? Sounds like the name of a dodgy website to me (kim.com).

People actually do that--they change their legal name so it's harder to use a certain name as their own. If your company is called kim.com and your name is Kim Dotcom, that's two sources of evidence on your side.

**theiceman** · 01-19-2012, 05:37 PM

Will not really be missed, I watched a few TV shows on there but they moved recently. I never was a big fan of megaupload but it was semi-useful.

**LaoTzu** · 01-19-2012, 06:14 PM

The Government wants to put them out of business, so that They can take Megaupload's place.

**SarcasticVlad** · 01-19-2012, 06:20 PM

So they don't really need SOPA to do this shit after all. SOPA will only make things easier. I guess America had set out to piss off everyone, not just brown Middle Eastern people.

	Originally Posted by theiceman To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Will not really be missed, I watched a few TV shows on there but they moved recently. I never was a big fan of megaupload but it was semi-useful.

You couldn't have missed the point more if you wanted to kick a baby and ended up destroying Japan instead.

**Traverser** · 01-19-2012, 07:39 PM

	Originally Posted by Tristan To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I don't see a cause for righteous, anti-government fury over this.

Here's
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. When you get the chance, please let us know what you think.

**iWonder** · 01-19-2012, 07:40 PM

Home of the free my ass.

**INTelliJent** · 01-19-2012, 07:44 PM

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Outstanding!

**Imperator** · 01-19-2012, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by Tristan
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Just to point out some issues here. While preventing filesharing on the interbutts is futile, that alone does not automatically make it right to profit off someone else's work in this manner. The police said Megaupload made $175 million in profits from membership fees and advertising. I do not know whether this figure is true, and there is no word on the portion of revenue that came from actually distributing copyrighted material, but there is undeniably piracy afoot which justifies arresting the heads of the operation. I don't see a cause for righteous, anti-government fury over this.

There's an inherent problem in that logic, which I will point out using you as an example using nice round numbers:

Let's say you've made $1 million over the course of 10 years.
Now, some of that money may have come from drug dealers who work in your employ or are customers. Can't really be sure how much.

You are under arrest for being a drug kingpin and money laundering.

**Sk8ordude** · 01-19-2012, 08:20 PM

They are just gonna keep taking, exponentially with each new precedent we let them set, people just dont care if it doesn't affect them specifically. Watch this one as it works its way into invading our privacy. The way I see it, if the government can work its way from the fourth amendment to searching citizens body fluids, the internet doesn't have a chance.

01-19-2012, 01:32 PM	#1
Equinox Veteran Member [63%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,537	I don't know if this belongs more in Politics or Computers, but To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. . Is anyone suspicious of the timing? Feels almost like the feds are cracking down to scare all the folks who were protesting by blacking out major sites yesterday. At any rate, I don't support piracy, but I'm completely against ACTA, SOPA, and Protect IP as they currently stand. They're one-sided regulations that unfairly benefit the entertainment industry and unfairly detract from consumers' ability to enjoy the free flow of information on the Internet. (Yes, I'm a bit biased--I just turned in the final draft of an article about ACTA that might get published.)
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01-19-2012, 01:42 PM	#2
INTelliJent Veteran Member [87%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 3,493	I don't know why you are complaining. This is just a part of the master plan of our benevolent overlords to keep us safe, by inhibiting those dangerous freedoms.
INTelliJent is offline post a comment

01-19-2012, 01:48 PM	#3
Imperator Core Member [113%] MBTI: InTJ Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 4,544	When they shut down Napster, did that stop people from downloading music? The feds are fighting a losing battle, and they should know it. The MPAA is going to learn the hard way to never piss off the internet when a bunch of irritated computer nerds finally grow tired of their nonsense and hack all their shit. Hell, To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. .... What happened when the feds went after Anonymous and the CEO of HBGary, an Internet security company got ballsy? To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. and literally said "don't fuck with Anonymous". This is nothing but a desperate show of force prompted by the MPAA. But everyone and their mother seems to know this barking dog lacks teeth.
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01-19-2012, 02:11 PM	#4
Vermillion Veteran Member [88%] MBTI: XNXX Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 3,538	First they ban online poker now this. If I were a hacker I'd be gearing up for a serious cyber war... Question: If a site like MegaUpload is hosted on a server outside the US is it beyond their jurisdiction?
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01-19-2012, 02:20 PM	#5
superflax Member [33%] MBTI: ENFJ Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,335	All I keep thinking too myself is are people that greedy that they go to sooooo much effort? Anyway, we all know it's gonna fail. Nothing to see here folks. Keep it moving.
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01-19-2012, 02:25 PM	#6
SirJamesIII Member [35%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 1,433	Eh who cares. I use usenet anyways (i.e. Newzbin) and whenever their site gets shut down, a clone one replaces it the next day.
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01-19-2012, 02:38 PM	#8
Valiyn Veteran Member [51%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 2,078	Apparently Annon has now taken down the MPAA, RIAA, and the U.S. Department of Justice websites.
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01-19-2012, 03:06 PM	#10
IotaNull Core Member [229%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 9,188	They've also taken down the sites of Universal Music, who I think were responsible for the lawsuit, and copyright.gov.
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01-19-2012, 03:20 PM	#12
INTelliJent Veteran Member [87%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 3,493	The United States Government has issed a statement in regards to liberty: "The beatings will continue until morale improves"
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01-19-2012, 04:26 PM	#13
Tristan Member [36%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 1,472	Just to point out some issues here. While preventing filesharing on the interbutts is futile, that alone does not automatically make it right to profit off someone else's work in this manner. The police said Megaupload made $175 million in profits from membership fees and advertising. I do not know whether this figure is true, and there is no word on the portion of revenue that came from actually distributing copyrighted material, but there is undeniably piracy afoot which justifies arresting the heads of the operation. I don't see a cause for righteous, anti-government fury over this.
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01-19-2012, 04:44 PM	#14
somethingelse New Member [01%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 4	Does anyone think its wrong that they can take down a website like this without so much as a trial or hearing? Or does innocent until proven guilty not stand anymore? Shouldn't they be able to give their side before this sort of damage is done to their business? There are legitimate and legal forms of filesharing. And, I may be wrong but, isn't the current policy under the DMCA that a website must remove infringing content at the request of a copyright holder (which Megaupload often did)?
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01-19-2012, 04:47 PM	#15
ModernLit Core Member [181%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 7,278	what? oh no!
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01-19-2012, 05:37 PM	#18
theiceman Member [42%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 1,705	Will not really be missed, I watched a few TV shows on there but they moved recently. I never was a big fan of megaupload but it was semi-useful.
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01-19-2012, 06:14 PM	#19
LaoTzu Core Member [106%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 4,263	The Government wants to put them out of business, so that They can take Megaupload's place.
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01-19-2012, 07:40 PM	#22
iWonder Member [03%] MBTI: INTj Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 138	Home of the free my ass.
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01-19-2012, 07:44 PM	#23
INTelliJent Veteran Member [87%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 3,493	To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Outstanding!
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01-19-2012, 08:20 PM	#25
Sk8ordude Veteran Member [59%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 2,385	They are just gonna keep taking, exponentially with each new precedent we let them set, people just dont care if it doesn't affect them specifically. Watch this one as it works its way into invading our privacy. The way I see it, if the government can work its way from the fourth amendment to searching citizens body fluids, the internet doesn't have a chance.
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