Feds shut down popular file-sharing website Megaupload

Feds shut down popular file-sharing website Megaupload

McLEAN, Virginia — One of the world’s most popular file-sharing sites was shut down, and its founder and several company officials were accused of facilitating millions of illegal downloads of films, music and other content.

A federal indictment Thursday accused Megaupload.com of costing copyright holders at least $500 million in lost revenue. The indictment was unsealed one day after websites including Wikipedia and Craigslist shut down in protest of two congressional proposals intended to make it easier for authorities to go after sites with pirated material, especially those with overseas headquarters and servers.

The news of the shutdown seemed to bring retaliation from hackers who claimed credit for attacking the Justice Department’s website. Federal officials confirmed it was down Thursday evening and that the disruption was being “treated as a malicious act.”

A loose affiliation of hackers known as “Anonymous” claimed credit for the attack. Also hacked was the site for the Motion Picture Association of America and perhaps others.

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Feds shut down popular file-sharing website Megaupload

Is THIS what you want to see when you click on your favorite web page?

I can understand why *artists*, and I use that term artists loosely, I understand how and why these actors, singers and writers would not want their work pirated, it is, after all, how they make a living and support themselves and their families.

Most bloggers have NO problem with their work being reposted on other sites, as long as the site that re-posts uses a link back to the place of origin.

I use material from other blogs and many news sources, but I don’t steal their material, I always link back to the original site.

I give full credit and I never plagiarize another bloggers work, and I don’t repost their pictures without hosting them on MY picture server. That way I am not infringing on their blogs bandwidth either.

I make every effort to NEVER engage in violation copyright laws.

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We are making such material available in an effort to advance the understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc.

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For more information go to: US CODE: Title 17,107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use.

If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. Fair Use Policy

Not ALL bloggers, and other web pages adhere to those standards, if they did, this SOPA thing would be irrelevant.

SOPA and PIPA will hurt ALL users of the Internet. SOPA and PIPA are nothing more than a effort by the U.S. government to exert control of something that they need to leave alone. We do NOT need a *net nanny* and the censorship that comes with it.

Please see this: End Piracy, Not Liberty and know, if SOPA/PIPA are passed, YOU will be the one that suffers the consequences.

Don’t *pirate* material from the web, don’t support sites that do. Don’t support sites that won’t adhere to the idea of Journalistic Integrity and the Fair Use Policy. If a site is engaged in these acts, tell them what you think about it and make them painfully aware that you WILL cease to support, link or visit their site and that you will encourage your friends to do likewise.

We don’t need the government to regulate our sites, WE can police the ‘net pretty well all by ourselves. If you take away *page hits* you take away revenue and search engine hits.

Nothing hurts a site more.

Regarding the enforcement of LAWS on the ‘net, if there are criminal activities then would be the time for Law Enforcement to step in and act against an individual or site such as this Megaupload.com and it’s staff.

If they have stolen, or facilitated the theft of material, they have committed a crime, but why should WE have to suffer because they are criminals?

Say NO to Net Nannies!

Related Reading: After protest, Congress puts off movie piracy bill