Megaupload shut down - Kim Dotcom arrested in NZ [Archive]

Archer0915

01-23-12, 09:00 AM

Big news in the world of file sharing

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/01/megaupload-indicted-shuttered/
http://www.megaupload.com/

YAY:) Now go arter the drug counterfieters. I am just sick of only letting hollywood and music be the main issue.

BenF

01-23-12, 11:35 AM

I heard about this when it first happened. Spawned a wave of attacks by Anonymous. I think they DDoSed the RIAA, MPAA, DoJ, FBI, and a couple production studios. Other file hosting companies are also changing their policies as a result. For example, filesonic.com made some changes so you can only download content that you upload. I have very mixed feelings about file sharing. Is it going to be like tape recorders and VCRs (which were supposed to DESTROY the movie and music industry) or is it going to actually cause these industries serious damage (actual lost says, not the 500,000 people downloaded so we lost 500,000 sales bs when no one knows what percentage of that 500,000 would have considered buying the content in the first place). Either way, if a business or a person is doing something illegal, they know the risks and that getting caught is just a matter of time.

freakdiablo

01-23-12, 02:59 PM

Was a little annoyed when I heard. Not going to deny that it was used for piracy, but I was following several small musicians that would host some of their own music on megaupload in an attempt to boost their popularity.

KonaKona

01-23-12, 03:14 PM

This is a big load of BS. Yes they made money off of it, but the fact of the matter is it could be used for legal things just as much illegal things. You didn't have to spend a dime to use the site if you didn't want to. What makes this even worse is that the US decided to play world police and go arrest people and shut down servers outside of their country. Are we going to shut down global shipping companies for all of the illegal things that get sent every day? No, because there isn't a dieing industry fueled by greed that has decided to make it a target and an excuse for it's own incompetence.

And they have the audacity to call this site a "Conspiracy".

KonaKona

01-24-12, 01:33 AM

Double post, but I just saw this. (https://plus.google.com/u/0/111314089359991626869/posts/HQJxDRiwAWq#111314089359991626869/posts/HQJxDRiwAWq)

4GHZ_or_bust

01-24-12, 04:36 AM

freakdiablo

01-24-12, 07:35 AM

I've read that a few companies are suffering from loss of MU because they used MU to store important files. Like an online backup service.

I wonder if those companies could legally sue USA for shutting down MU without warning, thus causing serious harm to the companies?

Is it just me, but does using only an online file hosting site like MU to backup files seem like a terrible idea? I mean, yeah, it's one way to backup files, but I'd never use it as the only way.

Archer0915

01-24-12, 07:50 AM

Is it just me, but does using only an online file hosting site like MU to backup files seem like a terrible idea? I mean, yeah, it's one way to backup files, but I'd never use it as the only way.

Well I actually paid for the service because of the unlimited uploads and storage but I did not put anything on there that I needed to be safe from peering eyes and definitely nothing critical. Everything was backed up as well.

I even posted things here from megavideo: http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6468723&postcount=40

The link in the post gives the FBI warning. I assure you that the video is not infringement and is my property. Some of you saw it.

Point being I used the site for legitimate purposes but I also did not fool myself and I knew it could go down any time.

freakdiablo

01-24-12, 08:03 AM

Well I actually paid for the service because of the unlimited uploads and storage but I did not put anything on there that I needed to be safe from peering eyes and definitely nothing critical. Everything was backed up as well.

I even posted things here from megavideo: http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6468723&postcount=40

The link in the post gives the FBI warning. I assure you that the video is not infringement and is my property. Some of you saw it.

Point being I used the site for legitimate purposes but I also did not fool myself and I knew it could go down any time.

Oh yeah, I'm not saying that MU should never have been used as backup. It just shouldn't haven't been used as the only backup. I'm sure most if not all of the users on OCF realize that, just a little surprised that a full blown company wouldn't be the same way.

Edit: Just want to say thanks everyone for reminding me to update some files on dropbox :D

Archer0915

01-24-12, 08:10 AM

Oh yeah, I'm not saying that MU should never have been used as backup. It just shouldn't haven't been used as the only backup. I'm sure most if not all of the users on OCF realize that, just a little surprised that a full blown company wouldn't be the same way.

What companies? Were they legit?

freakdiablo

01-24-12, 08:11 AM

What companies? Were they legit?

Dunno, 4GHZ_or_bust was the one that mentioned them.

Archer0915

01-24-12, 08:22 AM

Dunno, 4GHZ_or_bust was the one that mentioned them.

Well I want to see a 100% verifiable list of real companies that were 100% legitimate that lost stuff.

4GHZ_or_bust

01-24-12, 03:45 PM

Well I want to see a 100% verifiable list of real companies that were 100% legitimate that lost stuff.

I can't find the link but I read one of a small French company who relied heavily on MU to store important files. I did find this one: http://news.yahoo.com/doj-megaupload-users-lost-files-known-better-160011687.html

When MU first came on back in 2005, there weren't many online services that offered file storage like MU that didn't cost an arm and a leg. MU did offer paid service which allowed larger files to be uploaded and stored for longer period of time. Since MU is rather wide open, anyone can download anything if they wanted to and unless the files were password protected with strong password, MU is not good for online file storage.

While i don't have any experience (and never used) any file storage for large files as I am capped to 64Kb upload, if I were to suggest something Carbonite might be safer since they don't share what you upload to other people like MU did.

Archer0915

01-24-12, 03:58 PM

http://explore.live.com/skydrive

http://googledocs.blogspot.com/2010/01/upload-and-store-your-files-in-cloud.html

I use google but skydrive looks good.

Robert17

01-24-12, 06:37 PM

So, you've got the feds cooperating internationally to bust file share sites, but Hollyweird says we need SOPA/PIPA to stop file sharing.

What part of the argument am I missing?

Archer0915

01-24-12, 07:30 PM

So, you've got the feds cooperating internationally to bust file share sites, but Hollyweird says we need SOPA/PIPA to stop file sharing.

What part of the argument am I missing?

SOPA/PIPA are about much more than file sharing. They are about all types of infringement and counterfeiting/knockoffs. Medicine for one.

wa77ss

01-25-12, 03:01 AM

I guess its a good thing I didn't go to work for their hosting provider in ashburn two months ago, megaupload was their biggest customer.

This is crazy, I have a friend who is the director of ops for said hosting provider, he said he showed up to work and FBI was everywhere.

/dodge bullet

Robert17

01-25-12, 07:47 AM

SOPA/PIPA are about much more than file sharing. They are about all types of infringement and counterfeiting/knockoffs. Medicine for one.

There are already laws regarding infringing patents on medicine and other products. There are Trademark and Copyright protection laws, intellectual protection being widespread. If I remember correctly, the SOPA law was slopped together in a very short period of time, was poorly worded and ambiguous. On average there are about 75,000 pages of new federal laws enacted each year, and that doesn't include all the regulations that different departments write.

I would not argue that we don't need to protect intellectual property, but rather that it be done in thoughtful, concise, and in a specific directed manner. Same for any laws or regulations. In particular so that there is little room for various interpretations lending injustice the room to be bought or sold.

Archer0915

01-25-12, 08:06 AM

I would not argue that we don't need to protect intellectual property, but rather that it be done in thoughtful, concise, and in a specific directed manner. Same for any laws or regulations. In particular so that there is little room for various interpretations lending injustice the room to be bought or sold.

Well this was more about enforcement and I do think (know) it was pushed by the industry. This was more of an enforcment issue but the more I hear; the more I think, it was just way too comprehendive. That caused (causes) confusion.

I mean if components of the bill are mis-applied without looking at refrenced sub paragraphs some people could get screwed. I have not changed my mind about this and it is a start but it needs to be pushed by the people as well. We all need to help with this and not only fuss about the bad in the bill but compliment the good. I have said it many times - most people do not know what is in it and they are just following the heard.

nd4spdbh2

01-25-12, 01:44 PM

The real reason why megaupload was shutdown.....

https://plus.google.com/u/0/111314089359991626869/posts/HQJxDRiwAWq

KonaKona

01-25-12, 01:46 PM

Double post, but I just saw this. (https://plus.google.com/u/0/111314089359991626869/posts/HQJxDRiwAWq#111314089359991626869/posts/HQJxDRiwAWq)

The real reason why megaupload was shutdown.....

https://plus.google.com/u/0/111314089359991626869/posts/HQJxDRiwAWq

Archer0915

01-25-12, 02:01 PM

http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/permalink/2011/111221airvinyl

Interesting. Too bad he got his money hosting content the way he did or this may have been a hit.

Best scenario is he gets off with a huge fine and develops this.

To me it seems more like a war between him and universal than anything.

Tokae

01-25-12, 02:39 PM

It wouldn't surprise me one bit.

Deathhorse

01-26-12, 01:58 PM

megaracer will beat this and be back with a new scheme i wouldnt doubt he moves to another country.

Audioaficionado

01-26-12, 03:58 PM

What happened to people who tried to compete with the mafia?
Answer: they often got ambushed or worse. Today's corporations have too much influence in governments through lobbyists or other shady relationships and often actually write the bills that get through committee and actually have a chance to get voted on on the congressional floor. People don't get 'whacked' by mega corporations like the mafia did, but they do get whacked by the laws or legal system.

Having just said this as some of the possible cause of this take down, I don't want this to turn into a political debate. It still hasn't been proved that megaupload was deliberately trafficking in illegal content.

Deathhorse

01-26-12, 04:10 PM

i think their rules of their site allowed this stuff to happen so they were in essence at fault. But they may not have been the ones doing the actual uploads.

interesting video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJIuYgIvKsc

Theocnoob

01-27-12, 01:52 PM

interesting video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJIuYgIvKsc

Of course. The best way to tailor a solution to a problem as a means to some devious end is to cause the problem yourself.

xsuperbgx

01-27-12, 06:26 PM

I know one thing.....
I was changing the rom on my phone yesterday and all of the files, roms, and root utilities for that, were all very hard to find now. What a pita!

Deathhorse

01-28-12, 02:49 PM

i miss megaupload i had lots of links to files i cant find anymore. :( should of archived them myself.

Shiggity

02-03-12, 05:25 PM

What I found most interesting about the Megaupload saga was all of the legitimate content producers saying that this was a mistake.

People making legitimate content, uploading it, and getting paid for how many times it was downloaded (absolutely 0 piracy), were doing very well financially. So well in fact, many were making more money than some who had recording contracts and had put out CDs.

This business model scares the bajesus out of the RIAA, it completely nullifies their entire organization, rendering it completely obsolete, which it is, which they know.

Xtreme Barton

02-09-12, 06:55 PM

Well I actually paid for the service because of the unlimited uploads and storage but I did not put anything on there that I needed to be safe from peering eyes and definitely nothing critical. Everything was backed up as well.

I even posted things here from megavideo: http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6468723&postcount=40

The link in the post gives the FBI warning. I assure you that the video is not infringement and is my property. Some of you saw it.

Point being I used the site for legitimate purposes but I also did not fool myself and I knew it could go down any time.

so im not sure of all the facts here but may i ask you a question...

suppose the owner knew that there is possibilty of shut down. And did nothing to appeal to the courts or whom ever to be able to keep website open..

Who would you be more pissed at ? the owner of the webite .. or whom ever shut it down ?

just a hypothetical in some sense but its a close to the situation i can come.. its has to do with that poll and my school paper :D

Archer0915

02-09-12, 10:57 PM

so im not sure of all the facts here but may i ask you a question...

suppose the owner knew that there is possibilty of shut down. And did nothing to appeal to the courts or whom ever to be able to keep website open..

Who would you be more pissed at ? the owner of the webite .. or whom ever shut it down ?

just a hypothetical in some sense but its a close to the situation i can come.. its has to do with that poll and my school paper :D

Considering that I knew up front and only used it brcause of the low price I would be mad at me.

So if I had to be mad at someone besides myself it would have to be the owners I guess.