Megaupload down, FBI Charges Seven With Online Piracy • Hacker News Board

Re: Megaupload down, FBI Charges Seven With Online Piracy

#181

Post by andrewfelix » Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 10:33 PM UTC

DennisP wrote: post #174

AlexMuir wrote: post #39

At the risk of megadownvoting here... Megaupload never complied with DMCA requests - I made several as part of some research and never received any response. The site charged for access to, and provided advertising around, pirated content. The site paid people (users/staff - it's a fine line) to provide popular content. It went to extraordinary lengths to hide the identity of its operators. Now if people believe that…

I don't understand this. Megaupload is based in Hong Kong. How does the DMCA apply to them? The site operators were arrested in New Zealand. Most aren't even U.S. citizens: http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/01/megaupload-indicted... Now they're being charged by the FBI. How did it happen that the entire world is supposed to comply with U.S. law?

"The arrests were carried out by Organised & Financial Crime Agency New Zealand (OFCANZ) and police, following a mutual legal assistance request from the United States"

NZ Herald has more: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&obj...

Re: Megaupload down, FBI Charges Seven With Online Piracy

#182

Post by squarecat » Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 10:33 PM UTC

iamandrus wrote: post #106

muuh-gnu wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Megaupload is Swizz based No, they were Hong Kong based. Rapidshare (Switzerland/Germany) has already been sued there, and won, so their (current) business model, for the time being, is not accessible for american "shock and awe" justice.

No, I think he was joking because Swizz Beats is/was the CEO of MU.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DontExplainTheJok...

Re: Megaupload down, FBI Charges Seven With Online Piracy

#183

Post by thebigredjay » Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 10:35 PM UTC

I can't really stand up for Megaupload, but I'm frightened by the power wielded by labels. Perhaps it's time to start a movement of only consuming local and independent art.

Re: Megaupload down, FBI Charges Seven With Online Piracy

#184

Post by andrewfelix » Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 10:36 PM UTC

A graphic designer was one of those arrested...

I have a lump in my throat, I thought down in the pacific we were safe from your batshit crazy FBI.

Re: Megaupload down, FBI Charges Seven With Online Piracy

#185

Post by rmoriz » Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 10:36 PM UTC

Hah, and I was downvoted a couple of weeks ago for pointing to the HK company registry and money laundry

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3344512

Re: Megaupload down, FBI Charges Seven With Online Piracy

#186

Post by rmoriz » Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 10:37 PM UTC

andrewfelix wrote: post #184

A graphic designer was one of those arrested... I have a lump in my throat, I thought down in the pacific we were safe from your batshit crazy FBI.

It's probably Finn, Kims favourite designer who works for K. since forever.

Re: Megaupload down, FBI Charges Seven With Online Piracy

#187

Post by Zirro » Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 10:37 PM UTC

electromagnetic wrote: post #140

davorak wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unless they were paying their employees to knowingly submit pirated content, however I unaware evidence in support of this.

It's absurd that they'd have to pay their employees to submit pirated content when there's droves of people online who would willingly submit it for free. This accusation is as absurd as saying TPB had to pay its employees to upload trackers of pirated content.

I can't resist pointing out that this is exactly what Grooveshark is currently being sued for.

Re: Megaupload down, FBI Charges Seven With Online Piracy

#188

Post by squarecat » Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 10:38 PM UTC

I guess I missed the press release that the announced the FBI's change in sponsorship. Are they adding the the UMG logo to their uniforms and vehicles?

Re: Megaupload down, FBI Charges Seven With Online Piracy

#189

Post by troll24601 » Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 10:38 PM UTC

molmalo wrote: post #145

noonespecial wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

First they come for the sites that are 90/10 pirate to legit. Seems reasonable. Then 80/20. Then 70/30. Now they're getting the process streamlined. How far will they go? 20/80? 10/90? When will it be too much? When does it become un reasonable?

Your comment reminds me of Martin Niemöller: First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak out because I was Protestant. Then they came for me and the…

It's disgusting that you chose to reappropriate that quote in this context.

If you read the indictment, it's clear that this was the purposeful monetization of pirated material. It wasn't a few users who uploaded some things. It was a criminal site, operating in bad faith, committing a multitude of crimes.

You should seriously be ashamed of yourself for comparing those famous words to seven criminals (who have strong evidence against them) who are about to get a jury trial.

Re: Megaupload down, FBI Charges Seven With Online Piracy

#190

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Jan 19, 2012, 10:39 PM UTC

molmalo wrote: post #145

noonespecial wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

First they come for the sites that are 90/10 pirate to legit. Seems reasonable. Then 80/20. Then 70/30. Now they're getting the process streamlined. How far will they go? 20/80? 10/90? When will it be too much? When does it become un reasonable?

Your comment reminds me of Martin Niemöller: First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak out because I was Protestant. Then they came for me and the…

[deleted]