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FBI takes down over 400 .onion sites

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Re: FBI takes down over 400 .onion sites

#11

Post by nowarninglabel »

kordless wrote: post #2

As little as 50 years ago, selling these drugs wasn't illegal in the US. Look how far we've come.

In response to negativity around the drug war, I'd say that for the first time in a long time we should be very optimistic about the future of legalization in the United States. Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Colorado, and D.C. now have full legalization in legislation. Florida got nearly 58% on medical marijuana vote that unfortunately needed 60%. 23 states have legalized medical marijuana. (Up to date map: https://localtvwtvr.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/marijuana-ma.... ) More importantly, criminalization is moving towards citations across the nation. We are getting rid of draconian mandatory sentencing for drug crimes. This is all very good news, and while it's slow, remember that the government moves slow, but as long as it keeps moving in the right direction, we can look forward to a time in which full legalization of all scheduled drugs may eventually become a reality. So instead of being defeatist or spouting sarcasm, step up and support the people making this happen. It's not just public opinion changing, it's SSDP, MPP, NORML putting money, time, and effort into lobbying for these changes. That's against stiff competition from lobbying being done by prescription drug manufacturers (http://www.thenation.com/article/180493/anti-pot-lobbys-big-...) Now is a time of pendulum swing in the right direction, and we should be keeping the momentum going behind it.

Re: FBI takes down over 400 .onion sites

#12

Post by dobbsbob »

The SR2 guy 'defcon' was also selling his services as a .onion developer/ops so likely all these other sites he set up for vendors and they were seized when he was caught and cooperated. From the FBI complaint he was completely careless like all other recently busted darknet admins and mods so wouldn't be surprised if they were all hosted at the same host too.

Re: FBI takes down over 400 .onion sites

#13

Post by oofabz »

Was anyone charged with a crime? It disturbs me that the FBI has free rein to seize people's property without even giving them their day in court.

The Fourth Amendment says "nor shall any person [...] be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law". I don't see any process of law here. The FBI is law enforcement, not judicial.

Re: FBI takes down over 400 .onion sites

#14

Post by [deleted] »

sliverstorm wrote: post #4
kordless wrote: post #2

As little as 50 years ago, selling these drugs wasn't illegal in the US. Look how far we've come.

As little as 50 years ago, putting lead in gasoline was legal. Look how far we've come. As little as 20 years ago, spraying your crops with DDT wasn't illegal. Look how far we've come. As little as 5 years ago, selling furniture treated with brominated flame retardants wasn't illegal in the EU. Look how far we've come. We are wrong about chemicals all the time. The regulatory status of chemical X fifty years ago rare…

[deleted]

Re: FBI takes down over 400 .onion sites

#15

Post by mikecb »

oofabz wrote: post #13

Was anyone charged with a crime? It disturbs me that the FBI has free rein to seize people's property without even giving them their day in court. The Fourth Amendment says "nor shall any person [...] be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law". I don't see any process of law here. The FBI is law enforcement, not judicial.

*Fifth.

Re: FBI takes down over 400 .onion sites

#16

Post by ogijaoijfawje »

MysticFear wrote: post #6
sliverstorm wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As little as 50 years ago, putting lead in gasoline was legal. Look how far we've come. As little as 20 years ago, spraying your crops with DDT wasn't illegal. Look how far we've come. As little as 5 years ago, selling furniture treated with brominated flame retardants wasn't illegal in the EU. Look how far we've come. We are wrong about chemicals all the time. The regulatory status of chemical X fifty years ago rare…

The responsible use of drugs for your own use doesn't affect anyone except yourself. The chemical uses you brought up affects more than just yourself.

So alcohol, which is for your own use, can't affect anyone except yourself?

Re: FBI takes down over 400 .onion sites

#17

Post by pcthrowaway »

oofabz wrote: post #13

Was anyone charged with a crime? It disturbs me that the FBI has free rein to seize people's property without even giving them their day in court. The Fourth Amendment says "nor shall any person [...] be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law". I don't see any process of law here. The FBI is law enforcement, not judicial.

They don't necessarily know who the administrators of these sites are to charge them. It should be noted that Blake Benthall of Silk Road 2.0 was charged yesterday.

Re: FBI takes down over 400 .onion sites

#18

Post by fabulist »

dobbsbob wrote: post #12

The SR2 guy 'defcon' was also selling his services as a .onion developer/ops so likely all these other sites he set up for vendors and they were seized when he was caught and cooperated. From the FBI complaint he was completely careless like all other recently busted darknet admins and mods so wouldn't be surprised if they were all hosted at the same host too.

Every time something like this happens, lots of people shout that the sky is falling and Tor is "dead."

Thank you for putting forward a reasonable hypothesis amid the FUD.

That being said, I doubt he was a developer for 399 other sites, thats quite a few. I think a "watering hole" style attack is likely here, but I think there must be a part of the story that hasn't been revealed; perhaps there was a federation of .onion marketplaces that Benthall was a part of.

Re: FBI takes down over 400 .onion sites

#19

Post by krapp »

oofabz wrote: post #13

Was anyone charged with a crime? It disturbs me that the FBI has free rein to seize people's property without even giving them their day in court. The Fourth Amendment says "nor shall any person [...] be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law". I don't see any process of law here. The FBI is law enforcement, not judicial.

The government is allowed to gather evidence before it arrests people and tries them. You're jumping the gun a bit on the moral outrage.

Re: FBI takes down over 400 .onion sites

#20

Post by orbifold »

kordless wrote: post #2

As little as 50 years ago, selling these drugs wasn't illegal in the US. Look how far we've come.

I think people in power realized that the counter culture of the 60s and 70s posed a real threat to a capitalistic society, so they eliminated factors that could give people the idea their life purpose was not to be a drone in a large corporation.
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