FBI shuts down Megaupload site

[smashup]

Is this the beginning of the end for file sharing sites..?


Federal indictment claims popular Web site shared pirated material - The Washington Post

[smashup]

looks like the war has begun.. big shame this as i always found Megaupload the best for movies and Boxing etc until that bullshit 72 mins limiter was introduced..

Anonymous takes down Department of Justice, RIAA, Motion Picture Association and Universal Music

In response to today’s federal raid on the file sharing service Megaupload, hackers with the online collective Anonymous have broken the websites for the Department of Justice, Universal Music Group, RIAA and Motion Picture Association of America.

“It was in retaliation for Megaupload, as was the concurrent attack on Justice.org,” Anonymous operative Barrett Brown tells RT on Thursday afternoon.

Only hours before the DoJ and Universal sites went down, news broke that Megaupload, a massive file sharing site with a reported 50 million daily users, was taken down by federal agents. Four people linked to Megaupload were arrested in New Zealand and an international crackdown led agents to serving at least 20 search warrants across the globe.

Less than an hour after the DoJ and Universal sites came down, the website for the RIAA, or Recording Industry Association of America, went offline as well.

Minutes later, MPAA.org also returned an error as Anonymous hacktivists managed to bring the website for the Motion Picture Association of America. The group, headed by former senator Chris Dodd, is an adamant supporter of both PIPA and SOPA legislation.

Universal Music Group, or UMG, is the largest record company in the United States and under its umbrella are the labels Interscope-Geffen-A&M, the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group and Mercury Records.

Brown adds that “more is coming” and Anonymous-aligned hacktivists are pursuing a joint effort with others to “damage campaign raising abilities of remaining Democrats who support SOPA.”

Although many members of Congress have just this week changed their stance on the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA, the raid on Megaupload Thursday proved that the feds don’t need SOPA or its sister legislation, PIPA, in order to pose a blow to the Web.

Brown adds that operatives involved in the project will use an “experimental campaign” and search engine optimization techniques “whereby to forever saddle some of these congressmen with their record on this issue.”

http://rt.com/usa/ne...ersal-sopa-235/

[Kev]

I actually reckon they will fail and megaupload will be put back online.

They have always had the policy of removing copyrighted material as soon as is it is reported so it's frankly outrageous that the US can go to Hong Kong and shut them down when they violated no laws.

Hopefully they lose the court case and have to compensate the megaupload team and they will be put back on line.

Under this interperation google should be shut down as that links to every illegal site too.

[smashup]

Annoying as they had a massive fight collection!!

Napster shutting down just created more illegal music sites anyway but Megaupload was so fast and hassle free.. most of these movie sites now want you too join up or download some virus ridden software or scam..!

Agree on your google point tho.. Backhanders no doubt

[Saddo]

its prob down to the fact that they can take any domain name with a .com ending... rapidshare.com will be next and it will prob be the end of the file hosting sites with a .com ending only.

They will just reappear with prob a .CN ending domain name and be hosted in china as the host will still be alive and with all the files that where uploaded.

[0james0]

The big problem they face is the illegal sites are logistically the same as the massive powerhouses like Google.

No one will take on Google and win, so they are stuck as they know what they would like to do (shut down all illegal file sharing sites) would mean Google are equally guilty. But that is a war they don't want. So for the minute at least they are on a losing battle.

Or maybe they will just continue to be selective on who they target, pirate bay, mega upload etc.

Another massive problem in this cyber war, they are taking on people who have far more skills and power than they probably do. If they go all out online war on the pirates, the pirates and hackers can do damage where and when they like, hence the recent show of power.

If anything they should be recruiting these people to fight against other countries alongside them. I've got a feeling hackers will be more valuable than soldiers moving forward.

[Master]

Does that mean we cannot download porn anymore? What other use has the internet?

[Spicoli]

I'm guessing they will have a field day with u tube? Is Vevo an extension of the FBI, it sure acts like it.

[Conrad]

The only way they'll stop illegal downloading is by making the ISP's enforce it. The threat of having my internet cut off would stop me.

On a side note, anyone tried netflix? I keep hearing the adverts advertising unlimited TV & Movie access via instant streaming for £6 a month. If they ever stopped illegal downloading I think this kind of thing would be good value.

[Mars_ax]

Does that mean we cannot download porn anymore? What other use has the internet?

Don't worry Master, there's way too much porn out there and only a fraction of it gets regulated, mostly the trashy, criminal variety, like child porn, bestiality, et al.

[0james0]

The only way they'll stop illegal downloading is by making the ISP's enforce it. The threat of having my internet cut off would stop me.

On a side note, anyone tried netflix? I keep hearing the adverts advertising unlimited TV & Movie access via instant streaming for £6 a month. If they ever stopped illegal downloading I think this kind of thing would be good value.

Great in the USA, still getting started here.

Hasn't got loads of movies yet, but it will as time goes on.

Loads of places like Lovefilm stream films now too.

I'm going to give it a few months and then I might cancel my Sky Movies and survive just from streamed sites like Netflix.

[CFH]

Netflix Canada is not great. It's worth the $8/mo, but only just.