Harry Guerrilla
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The indictment returned by a grand jury in Virginia alleges, "In exchange for payment, the Mega Conspiracy provides the fast reproduction and distribution of infringing copies of copyrighted works from its computer servers located around the world. Premium users of the site... are able to download and upload files with few, if any, limitations."
Describing the operation of the site and relations with users the indictment noted, "For much of its operation, the Mega Conspiracy has offered an 'Uploader Rewards' Program, which promised premium subscribers transfers of cash and other financial incentives to upload popular works, including copyrighted works, to computer servers under the Mega Conspiracy's direct control and for the Conspiracy's ultimate financial benefit."
An hour after the indictment was announced, the Justice Department's website, www.Justice.gov, came under cyberattack with a denial-of-service attack. Anonymous, the hacktivist computer group, is claiming responsibility.
A different article with a few more details on this: Justice and FBI Crack Down on Megaupload.com - ABC News
Also, proving once again that Anonymous are assholes:
So Pete, you applaud criminals and don't trust law enforcement. You make tons of unsubstantiated claims, which apparently we are supposed to trust, because...well, just because, but that damn justice department, can't trust them...
I dont trust one word coming out of the US justice department on this since they are using near terrorist wording to justify world wide arrests on a US matter.
First off, Megaupload is one of tons of similar services and frankly is rarely used now days for illegal things.. relative to others. Why? Because Megaupload were fast as hell to remove copyrighted content... ironic no? I loved megaupload/video because of their interface, but it was a matter of hours before stuff was removed from the site, so you had to be quick if you wanted to view your stories....
Secondly, all sites have uploader rewards programs of some sort. Rapidshare, fileserve and so on all have a rewards program.. but it is based on the amount of downloads your upload gets, not based on what you upload. I doubt megaupload was any different. Youtube has a similar reward program.
Thirdly, proving that they actually gave incentives to upload copyrighted works will be a bitch to prove unless they actually wrote it in their sales material, which I highly doubt they did.
Fourthly.. people should worry big time. Everything from Youtube to iTunes is under threat from these arrests, not to mention every search engine out there. The internet is under serious threat if you can get arrested for providing services that some use for illegal purposes.. The fact that the US Justice department have to invoke near terrorist threat language to get foreign governments to help them is... frankly shocking.
Hardly.. I fully support their attacks on the moron rights holders. It is time to change copyright laws to reflect the modern times we live in.
Just as an example on how idiotic these rights holders are... anyone want a DVD copy of Warhorse and other oscar contenders? They are out there on the net because the rights holders have sent DVDs out to the members of the Motion Pictures of America for the Oscar show.. Or maybe the movie Immortals? it is out in R5.. aka Russian DVD, and long before it comes out on DVD elsewhere..
Does it justify stealing? Of course not, but you cant come crying if you leave the freaking door unlocked. Provide the services to people and piracy will go down!
A different article with a few more details on this: Justice and FBI Crack Down on Megaupload.com - ABC News
But I disagree with you in regard to Anonymous. Their actions were uncalled for, destructive, illegal and they should be hunted down and prosecuted.
I always find it funny that people who don't really commercially produce anything of any artistic merit are the biggest supporters of illegal downloading and copyright infringement.
How many people here on this website work in the movie industry? Maybe any web designers? No? Photographers? Paid musicians? Anybody here so much as make necklaces and market them under his/her name? No? I didn't think so.
Only if the politicians bought off by the media industry joins them in jail. And of course certain media executives like Rupert Murdoch. They are just as destructive if not much more than Anonymous ever can hope in being.
I always find it funny that people who don't really commercially produce anything of any artistic merit are the biggest supporters of illegal downloading and copyright infringement. How many people here on this website work in the movie industry? Maybe any web designers? No? Photographers? Paid musicians? Anybody here so much as make necklaces and market them under his/her name? No? I didn't think so.
I always find it funny that people who don't really commercially produce anything of any artistic merit are the biggest supporters of illegal downloading and copyright infringement. How many people here on this website work in the movie industry? Maybe any web designers? No? Photographers? Paid musicians? Anybody here so much as make necklaces and market them under his/her name? No? I didn't think so.
I'ts good to know we should degrade and ignore your input on any matters of law enforcement or the military since I dont believe you've worked in either field ever.
Also, which people in here have stated in thread they're in favor of illegal downloading?
Or how those purporting that area of expertise come up with ridiculous strawmen against people - to the point of putting words in their mouthes.
Most annoying "debating" technique ever.
Making question after question, and answering them like that, and using that as if it "proves" your point when in actuality made a bunch of rehetorical remarks, and presumed FOR people - without letting them answer first - that your reaction is correct is NOT intelligent - it is petty, childish, and really makes you look like you'd rather shut the door in the face of real debate rather than even try.
Lots of artists, programmers, etc here - not that you'd let anybody point that out.
In response to another post you made on the subject - forgot which thread - you did not, nor ever REALLY have beaten "copyright infringers" in debate here, you just accuse people of supporting it when their ideals don't match, create ridiculously stupid strawmen like the above quoted, misconstrue arguments and flat out refuse to hear anything other TO THE POINT where people just give up.
Face it, you may have very valid points, but until you actually convey it without attacking people, putting their words in their mouthes, and in a manner where ideas can be exchanged without people throwing their hands up and giving up, or banging their head against a ****ing wall, you won't win the intellectual side of a debate on the issue for your life.
I'ts good to know we should degrade and ignore your input on any matters of law enforcement or the military since I dont believe you've worked in either field ever.
Also, which people in here have stated in thread they're in favor of illegal downloading?
I don't. There seems to be a constantly expanding idea of Intellectual Property which enters far into the area of monopolistic privileges to me. I think they have long been too expansive, but they really took off after the Uruguay GATT agreement. There are all sorts of ridiculous Intellectual Property rights to do with biological issues for example. Until this mess is sorted out I have a hard time sympathising with those bemoaning piracy, though I have little time for corporate-capitalism anyway.This seems to enforce my earlier arguements that SOPA really wouldn't have done anything that couldn't already be done. All it was, was an attempt by D.C. to tell the monied interests that "they care". It wasn't the end to the internet as we know it.
While they should get their day in court I support actions to stop piracy.
I don't. There seems to be a constantly expanding idea of Intellectual Property which enters far into the area of monopolistic privileges to me. I think they have long been too expansive, but they really took off after the Uruguay GATT agreement. There are all sorts of ridiculous Intellectual Property rights to do with biological issues for example. Until this mess is sorted out I have a hard time sympathising with those bemoaning piracy, though I have little time for corporate-capitalism anyway.
But I do agree with those who think anonymous sucks.
I think that companies should suck it up and go after individual users. This attempt to attack the problem without alienating the base isn't really fair and could end up hampering the progression of legal internet technology.
At the same time, I think copyright law needs to be seriously edited. There is no justification, for example, for a term of life of the author plus 70 years.
I think that companies should suck it up and go after individual users. This attempt to attack the problem without alienating the base isn't really fair and could end up hampering the progression of legal internet technology.
At the same time, I think copyright law needs to be seriously edited. There is no justification, for example, for a term of life of the author plus 70 years.
Why isn't there? Doesn't property get passed down from one generation to another long after the original holder of the property rights dies?
Sure there is.Why isn't there? Doesn't property get passed down from one generation to another long after the original holder of the property rights dies? If I want to pass down my intellectual property to my kids, there is absolutely no legal argument of any kind one can make for why I shouldn't.
Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8, US ConstitutionTo promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;