Megaupload shut down, company workers indicted

**Valigarmander** · 01-19-2012, 02:52 PM

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/20/te...th-piracy.html

Quote:

McLEAN, Va. — Federal prosecutors in Virginia say they have shut down one of the world’s largest Internet file-sharing sites, Megaupload.com, and charged its founder and others with violating piracy laws.

An indictment accuses the company of costing copyright holders more than $500 million in lost revenue from pirated films and other content. The indictment was unsealed Thursday, one day after Web sites shut down in protest of two Congressional proposals intended to thwart the online piracy of copyrighted movies and TV programs.

Megaupload.com has claimed it is diligent in responding to complaints about pirated material.

The indictment says that at one point, Megaupload was the 13th most popular Web site in the world.

I'd be pretty angry about not being able to download movies, music and porn off that site anymore, if I did any of that.

Edit: Megavideo is down too.

CuccoLady · 01-19-2012, 04:45 PM

God dammit if I ever streamed fansubbed anime off of megavideo I would most certainly be pissed that I wouldn't be able to anymore

**Cravdraa** · 01-19-2012, 04:53 PM

They'll be back. Or if not them, a company to replace them. One that's moved it's servers out of the country.

**Valigarmander** · 01-19-2012, 05:16 PM

Anonymous has retaliated by DDoSing the websites for the Department of Justice, Universal Music Group, RIAA, and MPAA. Now they're going after WhiteHouse.gov.

Bomby · 01-19-2012, 05:49 PM

I have never extralegally downloaded music from MegaUpload.

***CaptHayfever*** · 01-19-2012, 05:59 PM

I've used it to get things from actual content creators who chose to put their own stuff on Megaupload & who now are forced to find another way to conduct their perfectly legal affairs, but never for piracy.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

**Deku Trii** · 01-19-2012, 06:04 PM

War were declared.

**Loot** · 01-19-2012, 06:09 PM

When extreme actions call for extreme retaliation.

Jere · 01-19-2012, 06:51 PM

If someone had a list over the must read "asian gentelmen magazines" from /h/ they had spent time doing that someone would be pretty pissed right now.

Kil'jaeden · 01-19-2012, 10:49 PM

If someone were right in the middle of acquiring the pieces of something from some site, and it suddenly got wiped out when they were not home, and now said person had only one half of a suddenly useless thing, that person might be fairly livid. But such a thing is absurd.

I doubt anything will come of it, what with it being based in Hong Kong(which has no piracy/copyright stuff to worry about) and the founders and employees scattered everywhere. I fail to see how a court in the US can actually do anything here. It is a file locker, which obviously has non pirating uses, people that pay for premium accounts or use it to distribute their art/work got screwed over, and I suspect this has something to do with hurt feelings over SOPA. If they can go to this extent already, what did they ever need SOPA for? And they are bringing up monetary damages already. I would like to know how they calculate those. Plus, Pirate Bay somehow is still alive, as many times as it has been attacked, which says something.

On the down side, this might be the start of a massive attack against everything else people here never use. Like ****fire or *il*son** or file***** or *********, ********* and **********.

Katty Bard · 01-19-2012, 11:09 PM

MU is back, but not in full.

Kil'jaeden · 01-19-2012, 11:18 PM

How exactly is that?

Looks like they set up a new domain. Guess that's how.

Kargath · 01-20-2012, 02:56 AM

If what's in the indictment is true, the MegaUpload people are pretty screwed. The FBI apparently have transcripts proving that the people knew they were hosting illegal content, and actively sought to delay or stop its removal. They also say the MU people made a fake 'Top 100' downloads in order to hide the fact that the real top 100 were pirated movies etc.

**Valigarmander** · 01-20-2012, 08:41 PM

Now Anonymous wants to go after Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and XBox Live, among others.

Kil'jaeden · 01-21-2012, 05:04 PM

Now they are probably going to have more arrests for all the people that ever used Megaupload. They can set up new superprisons just for that purpose. Hell, we can start enforcing US laws worldwide, because it isn't like any other countries have laws that matter.

CuccoLady · 01-21-2012, 05:23 PM

Don't these people have better things to do? I'm pretty sure the federal prosecutors have better things to do.

**Loot** · 01-21-2012, 05:25 PM

I'm so glad all the child abusers, thieves, and murderers are behind bars so they can now focus their attention on internet piracy

Kil'jaeden · 01-21-2012, 05:33 PM

The legal system is all about money, and murder and child abuse is not where the money is at. I might have said this before, but the Supreme Court said that the police are not even obligated to protect you. Most laws in place are meant to protect some special interest or meant to stifle their competition. Lawyers for lobbying groups actually write a great deal of proposed bills too.

Panfan · 01-21-2012, 05:38 PM

meh, i've always preferred mediafire anyway

I REALLY HATE POKEMON! · 01-21-2012, 07:00 PM

One day, the Internet will suck. Thanks a lot, d*cks.

I hate seeing this type of thing happen, really.

01-19-2012, 06:51 PM	#9
Jere Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sutme Gender: Posts: 3,648 Thanks: 404 Thanked 331 Times in 256 Posts Blog Entries: 3	If someone had a list over the must read "asian gentelmen magazines" from /h/ they had spent time doing that someone would be pretty pissed right now. __________________ From where it counts: Lapland

01-21-2012, 05:25 PM	#17
Loot Apparently I'm a mod? Join Date: May 2001 Location: LEGITIMATE BUSINESS Gender: Posts: 13,208 Thanks: 236 Thanked 1,237 Times in 659 Posts	I'm also unoriginal I'm so glad all the child abusers, thieves, and murderers are behind bars so they can now focus their attention on internet piracy

01-19-2012, 04:45 PM	#2
CuccoLady Anime and Cartoons Mod Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: THIS LOCATION REMINDS ME OF A PUZZLE, LUKE Gender: Posts: 9,077 Thanks: 2,825 Thanked 1,221 Times in 821 Posts	God dammit if I ever streamed fansubbed anime off of megavideo I would most certainly be pissed that I wouldn't be able to anymore

01-19-2012, 04:53 PM	#3
Cravdraa VGF RPG Mod Join Date: May 2001 Location: It's Round on the sides and high in the middle. Gender: Posts: 8,469 Thanks: 171 Thanked 661 Times in 403 Posts	They'll be back. Or if not them, a company to replace them. One that's moved it's servers out of the country.

01-19-2012, 05:16 PM	#4
Valigarmander The Bee's Knees Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The land of rain and trees (Oregon) Gender: Posts: 29,755 Thanks: 1,649 Thanked 5,700 Times in 2,580 Posts Blog Entries: 20	Anonymous has retaliated by DDoSing the websites for the Department of Justice, Universal Music Group, RIAA, and MPAA. Now they're going after WhiteHouse.gov.

01-19-2012, 05:49 PM	#5
Bomby You just freaking blew Joe Biden's mind! Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: WHAT?house Gender: Posts: 19,491 Thanks: 513 Thanked 1,449 Times in 849 Posts Blog Entries: 5	I have never extralegally downloaded music from MegaUpload.

01-19-2012, 05:59 PM	#6
*CaptHayfever* Smash SuperMod Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: (n) - the place where I am Gender: Posts: 27,659 Thanks: 1,991 Thanked 2,486 Times in 1,513 Posts	I've used it to get things from actual content creators who chose to put their own stuff on Megaupload & who now are forced to find another way to conduct their perfectly legal affairs, but never for piracy. And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

01-19-2012, 06:04 PM	#7
Deku Trii PP&R Mod Current Events Mod Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Texas Gender: Posts: 9,031 Thanks: 521 Thanked 1,099 Times in 583 Posts	War were declared.

01-19-2012, 06:09 PM	#8
Loot Apparently I'm a mod? Join Date: May 2001 Location: LEGITIMATE BUSINESS Gender: Posts: 13,208 Thanks: 236 Thanked 1,237 Times in 659 Posts	When extreme actions call for extreme retaliation.

01-19-2012, 10:49 PM	#10
Kil'jaeden Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: in your mind Gender: Posts: 2,132 Thanks: 21 Thanked 146 Times in 99 Posts	If someone were right in the middle of acquiring the pieces of something from some site, and it suddenly got wiped out when they were not home, and now said person had only one half of a suddenly useless thing, that person might be fairly livid. But such a thing is absurd. I doubt anything will come of it, what with it being based in Hong Kong(which has no piracy/copyright stuff to worry about) and the founders and employees scattered everywhere. I fail to see how a court in the US can actually do anything here. It is a file locker, which obviously has non pirating uses, people that pay for premium accounts or use it to distribute their art/work got screwed over, and I suspect this has something to do with hurt feelings over SOPA. If they can go to this extent already, what did they ever need SOPA for? And they are bringing up monetary damages already. I would like to know how they calculate those. Plus, Pirate Bay somehow is still alive, as many times as it has been attacked, which says something. On the down side, this might be the start of a massive attack against everything else people here never use. Like ***fire or ilson* or file*** or *****, ***** and ********.

01-19-2012, 11:09 PM	#11
Katty Bard Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Athens, GA Gender: Posts: 386 Thanks: 76 Thanked 18 Times in 17 Posts	MU is back, but not in full.

01-19-2012, 11:18 PM	#12
Kil'jaeden Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: in your mind Gender: Posts: 2,132 Thanks: 21 Thanked 146 Times in 99 Posts	How exactly is that? Looks like they set up a new domain. Guess that's how.

01-20-2012, 02:56 AM	#13
Kargath et in Arcadia ego Join Date: Jul 2001 Gender: Posts: 8,334 Thanks: 1,226 Thanked 780 Times in 488 Posts	If what's in the indictment is true, the MegaUpload people are pretty screwed. The FBI apparently have transcripts proving that the people knew they were hosting illegal content, and actively sought to delay or stop its removal. They also say the MU people made a fake 'Top 100' downloads in order to hide the fact that the real top 100 were pirated movies etc.

01-20-2012, 08:41 PM	#14
Valigarmander The Bee's Knees Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The land of rain and trees (Oregon) Gender: Posts: 29,755 Thanks: 1,649 Thanked 5,700 Times in 2,580 Posts Blog Entries: 20	Now Anonymous wants to go after Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and XBox Live, among others.

01-21-2012, 05:04 PM	#15
Kil'jaeden Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: in your mind Gender: Posts: 2,132 Thanks: 21 Thanked 146 Times in 99 Posts	Now they are probably going to have more arrests for all the people that ever used Megaupload. They can set up new superprisons just for that purpose. Hell, we can start enforcing US laws worldwide, because it isn't like any other countries have laws that matter.

01-21-2012, 05:23 PM	#16
CuccoLady Anime and Cartoons Mod Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: THIS LOCATION REMINDS ME OF A PUZZLE, LUKE Gender: Posts: 9,077 Thanks: 2,825 Thanked 1,221 Times in 821 Posts	Don't these people have better things to do? I'm pretty sure the federal prosecutors have better things to do.

01-21-2012, 05:33 PM	#18
Kil'jaeden Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: in your mind Gender: Posts: 2,132 Thanks: 21 Thanked 146 Times in 99 Posts	The legal system is all about money, and murder and child abuse is not where the money is at. I might have said this before, but the Supreme Court said that the police are not even obligated to protect you. Most laws in place are meant to protect some special interest or meant to stifle their competition. Lawyers for lobbying groups actually write a great deal of proposed bills too.

01-21-2012, 05:38 PM	#19
Panfan AND HE PRAYS Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Grayskull Gender: Posts: 18,802 Thanks: 1,405 Thanked 2,247 Times in 1,337 Posts Blog Entries: 15	meh, i've always preferred mediafire anyway

01-21-2012, 07:00 PM	#20
I REALLY HATE POKEMON! Goku lives on the Sun Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: California, U.S.A Gender: Posts: 12,717 Thanks: 1,334 Thanked 275 Times in 234 Posts Blog Entries: 1	One day, the Internet will suck. Thanks a lot, d*cks. I hate seeing this type of thing happen, really.