Megaupload Shut Down

[Nedew]

Just the government wants a cut and they don't get it.

 

Eh, it's nothing to do with the government 'wanting a cut'. Unless VAT is crazy high, they won't see any extra money coming in from record sales or whatever. This is more about private companies, record labels etc., having a tantrum about it, then using their money to lobby the politicians to do what they want them to. It's not so much that your government is evil, just corrupt

[djthefunkchris]

You might want to check out this. I don't know how much is true, but they claim that the same people that are trying to sue are the same one's that distrubted it and taught people how to use it.

 

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

[juggaloninjalee]

You might want to check out this. I don't know how much is true, but they claim that the same people that are trying to sue are the same one's that distrubted it and taught people how to use it.

 

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

 

That is a very interesting video! Everyone does need to see that.

[djthefunkchris]

Eh, it's nothing to do with the government 'wanting a cut'. Unless VAT is crazy high, they won't see any extra money coming in from record sales or whatever. This is more about private companies, record labels etc., having a tantrum about it, then using their money to lobby the politicians to do what they want them to. It's not so much that your government is evil, just corrupt

 

This... I remember a study a while back, when Napster was out, about the downloading of .mp3's actually seemed to help sell CD's, not cut profits.

 

The "powers that be" whomever that might be... an artist, a record label, or what have you... They seem to think if people don't have the option to download the music for free, they would pay for it=lost sells. However, the study I watched (which I think actually supported that idea at first) on TV, found that people that downloaded the .mp3's either wouldn't have bought the music no matter what, or actually bought the full CD because they liked the singles so much=more sells. At the time I remember them quoting Prince, at the time, supporting the download era. For some reason his name comes up now, but I have no idea why.

 

I only seen that one time, and it was a normal news type show. I never seen anything about it afterwards.

 

Weird (at least here) that I haven't heard any of this recent stuff on the news yet... only on the internet.

[juggaloninjalee]

This... I remember a study a while back, when Napster was out, about the downloading of .mp3's actually seemed to help sell CD's, not cut profits.

 

The "powers that be" whomever that might be... an artist, a record label, or what have you... They seem to think if people don't have the option to download the music for free, they would pay for it=lost sells. However, the study I watched (which I think actually supported that idea at first) on TV, found that people that downloaded the .mp3's either wouldn't have bought the music no matter what, or actually bought the full CD because they liked the singles so much=more sells. At the time I remember them quoting Prince, at the time, supporting the download era. For some reason his name comes up now, but I have no idea why.

 

I only seen that one time, and it was a normal news type show. I never seen anything about it afterwards.

 

Weird (at least here) that I haven't heard any of this recent stuff on the news yet... only on the internet.

 

The reason you don't see it on the news is because the people who do the news get paid by a lot of the companies that support this. CBS owns the sports talk station I listen to every day 97.1FM The Ticket in Detroit. 97.1 suspends workers if they do something that CBS doesn't like. Mike Valenti has been suspended quite a few times for things like this.

 

Anyways a lot of the companies from the video you posted such as Disney, Time Warner, and CBS have a lot of pull all over the media world.

[djthefunkchris]

That is a very interesting video! Everyone does need to see that.

 

It doesn't really surprise me, if it's true. This whole internet "freeware/Freeshare" stuff is exactly the same (although admittedly a bigger number of people) as when they tried to do exactly this same thing to people that recorded music with tape's dating way back. Funny that it was the same people that made the tape's and even tape players, that were wanting to do it. I mean... How can someone like Sony sell things like .mp3 players and tape decks, and then say "You can't record records or videos onto them", when it was exactly what they were made for. They wanted to make it a crime if you taped an album, or just a mixed tape for friends to listen to, and to be honest, it's now illegal to do that, if this stands now. Of course, you would do it on a CD instead of a tape, but it's the same exact thing as sharing it over the internet.

 

IF anything, I think record sells are going to really get hurt by this, when people figure out, when people figure out that is the best way to fight against this.

 

It's really insane that my own government bassically had a closed door law made that has so much power over something I could care less one way or the other about. I mean, really... How many people on this websight really cares if people are sharing music or not, and how many of us does this effect if all the sudden sharing was impossible to do? My guess, no where near as many people that they think.

 

In all honesty, I believe most of these were used by normal poeple to upload and share things that are completely legal, such as mods, private pictures, video's and the like.

 

Another thing is that they are completely ruining things for the "unknown" artists that get alot more play and recognition, and even money from downloads that would otherwise be snubbed by the record labels. I guess this is another way to kick would be competition out of the equation "You will listen to what we want you to listen to, and only what we want you to listen to!"

 

All kinds of motivation behind this, and almost all of it violates a normal civil right (at least in the USA). I guess what they need to do is just re-write the constitution to say something like "Subject to change".

 

Don't get me wrong, I don't advocate "Piracy", but there is a thin line between what is piracy, and what is legitimate "fair use" and what is "Sharing". I just know what I do shouldn't be illegal, which is make mixed CD's (I used to make tapes) and share them with people. On a grander scale, making tapes and sharing them on the internet, although bigger, is the same thing.

 

However, making a copy(s) of a copyright CD/Video, and selling it. That's a total different ballgame.

[smartman]

Wait, some of you are getting this confused with SOPA. This has nothing to do with SOPA as it isn't even law yet (and hopefully will never be). Piracy has always been illegal under current US law.

 

My understanding of why Megaupload was shut down was that the owners were making it really easy for piraters to upload stuff without removing it AND selling memberships to make it faster to download pirated stuff. Also, considering how much stuff the people they arrested had, we'll probably find out that they were actively selling pirated DVD's and CD's that they made from the links making it more like they were using people as low-level thugs to get the material then profiting off of said material like Mob bosses did.

[juggaloninjalee]

Using Megaupload as the example. I just think they should have to review music files and video files before it becomes active. As for data I don't want that to be reviewed... such as TEW mod files. No more real world pictures could be used then since WWE owns all of their images and such.

[djthefunkchris]

Using Megaupload as the example. I just think they should have to review music files and video files before it becomes active. As for data I don't want that to be reviewed... such as TEW mod files. No more real world pictures could be used then since WWE owns all of their images and such.

 

Just use one of CBS or Disney, or any of the "other" people that are responsible for shutting down Mega-Upload. Just use their filesharing software, because there's won't be shut down. As long as they are the one's making a profit, I don't think they will have a problem (Anything C-Net supports, as C-Net is owned by CBS/Viacom).

[moon_lit_tears]

Wait, some of you are getting this confused with SOPA. This has nothing to do with SOPA as it isn't even law yet (and hopefully will never be). Piracy has always been illegal under current US law.

 

My understanding of why Megaupload was shut down was that the owners were making it really easy for piraters to upload stuff without removing it AND selling memberships to make it faster to download pirated stuff. Also, considering how much stuff the people they arrested had, we'll probably find out that they were actively selling pirated DVD's and CD's that they made from the links making it more like they were using people as low-level thugs to get the material then profiting off of said material like Mob bosses did.

 

That was my point. They were doing it illegally. They will serve time in jail for it. I'm shocked they were shut down before Piratebay and other sites like it.

 

And yes I still stand by my statement about the government wanting a cut. If the Government had a hand in Piracy it would not be so easy to shut these sites down. It's true. Look around you. There are many things illegal because the Government can't get their hands into it, yet so many things that are just as bad as say drugs that are legal. Think about it.

 

If the US government opened a site allowing you and I to upload and download music, would it get shut down for piracy? NOPE.

[bigtplaystew]

i believe pirate bay is based on offshore server and the US has no jurisdiction. I am not 100% sure, but that was my understanding. Megaupload has offshore servers, but also had servers in VA if I remember correctly.

[bak42]

i believe pirate bay is based on offshore server and the US has no jurisdiction. I am not 100% sure, but that was my understanding.

Not that stops people from trying to kill the pirate bay, it seems like every other week some country implements a ban on them that typically gets a workaround within an hour.

[Remianen]

My understanding of why Megaupload was shut down was that the owners were making it really easy for piraters to upload stuff without removing it AND selling memberships to make it faster to download pirated stuff. Also, considering how much stuff the people they arrested had, we'll probably find out that they were actively selling pirated DVD's and CD's that they made from the links making it more like they were using people as low-level thugs to get the material then profiting off of said material like Mob bosses did.

 

Get outta here with your stinky facts and lack of emotional conjecture based on hearsay!

 

Bottom line here, people, the folks who were arrested were morons. If they had housed their host servers in China or Russia or Korea or Moldova like every other (smart) pirate does, this would've never happened. You put your servers and infrastructure in the US, Canada, AUS/NZ for convenience sake (easier to get to them and often, more reliable service due to the tech level of the countries) but there's a price for that.

 

For those who might not know what these people did wrong, lemme give you an example or three.

 

You get a reviewer's copy of a movie, let's say Underworld: Awakening. You rip said copy to your computer. You compress said movie (in multiple files/packs) and upload them to Megaupload with innocuous file names (like 'Vacation pics' 1-14). You send the link to another person who downloads the files, reassembles them and plugs the reassembled file into a burner farm (i.e. a computer with several DVD-R drives) and get to rippin'. Now, you can sell Underworld: Awakening on DVD before the movie is even open in theaters. Let's take it even farther and go bigger. You open several accounts on Megaupload and upload your 'Vacation Pics' 1-14 onto every one of them. Then you sell the accounts to people so THEY can do the grunt work of selling the DVDs. If the directors/executives of a company are complicit in participating in and perpetuating this level of piracy, they can be charged. You see the Chief Technical Officer on that list of defendants? That tells me that they were assisting in the commission of crimes of piracy (CTO can do a whole lot with code/operations).

 

This isn't about the big, bad government going after "the little guy". This is an example of the government finally popping someone in their backyard. The people mass producing fake Louis Vuitton bags in China? Still working. The folks selling credit card numbers in 500 card blocks out of Russia? Didn't even bat an eye. The smart(-er) pirates doing the same thing these people were doing? Laughing their butts off. You give the government low hanging fruit and they'll take it, every time.

[djthefunkchris]

Get outta here with your stinky facts and lack of emotional conjecture based on hearsay!

 

Bottom line here, people, the folks who were arrested were morons. If they had housed their host servers in China or Russia or Korea or Moldova like every other (smart) pirate does, this would've never happened. You put your servers and infrastructure in the US, Canada, AUS/NZ for convenience sake (easier to get to them and often, more reliable service due to the tech level of the countries) but there's a price for that.

 

For those who might not know what these people did wrong, lemme give you an example or three.

 

You get a reviewer's copy of a movie, let's say Underworld: Awakening. You rip said copy to your computer. You compress said movie (in multiple files/packs) and upload them to Megaupload with innocuous file names (like 'Vacation pics' 1-14). You send the link to another person who downloads the files, reassembles them and plugs the reassembled file into a burner farm (i.e. a computer with several DVD-R drives) and get to rippin'. Now, you can sell Underworld: Awakening on DVD before the movie is even open in theaters. Let's take it even farther and go bigger. You open several accounts on Megaupload and upload your 'Vacation Pics' 1-14 onto every one of them. Then you sell the accounts to people so THEY can do the grunt work of selling the DVDs. If the directors/executives of a company are complicit in participating in and perpetuating this level of piracy, they can be charged. You see the Chief Technical Officer on that list of defendants? That tells me that they were assisting in the commission of crimes of piracy (CTO can do a whole lot with code/operations).

 

This isn't about the big, bad government going after "the little guy". This is an example of the government finally popping someone in their backyard. The people mass producing fake Louis Vuitton bags in China? Still working. The folks selling credit card numbers in 500 card blocks out of Russia? Didn't even bat an eye. The smart(-er) pirates doing the same thing these people were doing? Laughing their butts off. You give the government low hanging fruit and they'll take it, every time.

 

This goes on with alot more then Mega-Upload, and shutting them down doesn't stop anything as the people that do these things will go to another sight "smarter" if that's what you want to call it, then Mega Upload.

 

I'm actually feeling un-attached to all of this, but surprisingly curious...

Supposedly Anonymous has issued a demand, which is re-instate Mega Upload, or they are going to take out the UN, Xbox Live, US Bank, Capital One, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube websights.

 

I honestly feel like grabbing some popcorn, and watching this stuff unfold... curious to see if they do what they are threatening, and how far they will really go to get their way...

 

I just feel like there has to be a better way then the actions they are taking.... on both sides.

 

I always thought World War III would end up being on the internet, lol.

[ampulator]

I always thought World War III would end up being on the internet, lol.

 

Dude, you NEED to write this down. It's a great joke.

[Remianen]

This goes on with alot more then Mega-Upload, and shutting them down doesn't stop anything as the people that do these things will go to another sight "smarter" if that's what you want to call it, then Mega Upload.

 

chris, 'low hanging fruit'. If a dude is selling drugs in front of a police station and gets arrested, do you defend the arrest by saying there are other people selling more drugs elsewhere? One of the defendants is from Estonia. If they had set up the operation in his house/backyard, this would've never happened.

 

Know where many of the biggest pirating organizations are setting up shop in the West? Venezuela. The reason can be summed up in two words: Hugo Chavez. If broadband proliferates Cuba just a little more (outside of the resort area), hoo boy, look out! Takes a bit longer to get to Cuba from the US (fly to Toronto/Cancun/Nassau/Freeport, stay overnight (*the horror!*) then fly to Havana) but sometimes inconvenience is a shroud for safety.

[smartman]

And that's why the only solution for the Movie and Music studios in the US is to get the internet providers to put a stringent cap on downloading from sites other than approved sites like Netflix/Hulu/Steam/Anti-virus sites/etc.

 

Imagine yourself going from unlimited/unlimited for everyone but pirates to about 2GB/month BUT every site in the US is exempt from counting on your data limit. Or you could up the cap and restrict the free downloading to certain sites like those above. That would truly be the answer to severely squashing piracy in the US, but the key is that the cost and responsibility of monitoring it is on the ISP's and the studios instead of on the website owners like SOPA (which is thankfully very dead). It wouldn't stop overseas pirating, but nothing is going to do that short of taking over the world. Either that or somehow force China to agree to a deal with the movie studios that they pay the studios $30-100 million (depending on the movie) to show it there (with them doing a reverse theater setup where they'd get only 10% of the gross while China gets 90%). I guarantee you that that will motivate the Chinese to crackdown on pirating there.

[praguepride]

You know what bugs me? The media industry spent over $150 million lobbying the government, mainly about cracking down on piracy. $150...million. in one year.

 

(granted this is across big media giants like News Corp and Sony etc. but still...$150 just to lobby the US government).

 

Meanwhile, Valve's Steam and Netflix have probably been the most effective tools in combating piracy: Providing content easily to consumers at a reasonable cost.

 

Piracy is a pain in the a** and you never know if you're going to get Mission Impossible or Swap.avi or a big bundle of viruses (or both) so instead of spending $150 million trying to destroy the very people they are supposed to be selling to, why not invest that money into a Steam/Netflix/itunes model to make it better, easier, and cheaper for consumers to legitimately acquire products.

[trypio]

Using Megaupload as the example. I just think they should have to review music files and video files before it becomes active. As for data I don't want that to be reviewed... such as TEW mod files. No more real world pictures could be used then since WWE owns all of their images and such.

 

It would be easy to get past that review system then. Just put it in a .rar and it will not get reviewed or change the extension from .mp3 to .doc or something and let the user change it back manually later. I wouldn't want them to review everything either. If I upload family pictures or stuff like that and want to share them with a friend that lives very far away I wouldn't want them to see those pictures. (You could say "mail it to him", but mailing in essence is a file sharing system as well, I could've just as easily mailed an illegally downloaded song by mail as well...)

Another problem would be that you'd need to employ a lot of people to review all the files that get uploaded. The current system they had (Letting other people report illegal uploads) is the best they can do really.

 

This SOPA thing reminds me a bit of the prohibition in the early 1900's. It's not because it can be used wrong that it has to be prohibited. It's the people who use it (filesharing in this case) wrong that should be punished. They don't arrest bar owners because people can get drunk there, do they?