I thought this was going to be a birthday thread

I thought this was going to be a birthday thread

[15:17:49] <Aristocrat> At this rate we're going to lose MediaFire, RapidShare, FileServe, etc.
[15:17:56] <Aristocrat> until every file hosting site is down
[15:18:08] <IceHaven> ?
[15:18:13] <Hiryuu[Android]2> isn't MU outside the States?
[15:18:34] <Aristocrat> "Megaupload is an online Hong Kong–based company established in 2005 that ran a one-click hosting online service of the same name, along with its sister services. The site was shut down by the FBI on January 19, 2012, during an investigation into alleged copyright infringement."
[15:18:49] <Aristocrat> Yeah, outside of the states
[15:19:01] <Hiryuu[Android]2> that's out of bounds
[15:19:16] <@Zeta> ...
[15:19:31] <Hiryuu[Android]2> unless we pressured HK off-camera to shut them down
[15:19:36] <@Zeta> Megaupload shouldn't be affected by SOPA by that.
[15:19:42] <Hiryuu[Android]2> money talks
[15:19:44] <Aristocrat> SOPA didn't even pass yet
[15:19:48] <Aristocrat> how are they able to do this
[15:19:59] <Hiryuu[Android]2> they aren't
[15:20:08] <Hiryuu[Android]2> legally anyways
[15:20:49] <&Kradorex> Why is the FBI involved in what should be a civil matter anyways?
[15:20:55] <&Kradorex> Copyright is civil, not criminal
[15:21:24] <Aristocrat> This better stir up a shitstorm in the mainstream media
[15:21:28] <@Zeta> ...not sure what legal rules apply to international cases...
[15:23:17] <&Kradorex> Taking one of megaupload's IPs...
[15:23:43] <&Kradorex> xeron@omeganine:~$ whois 174.140.154.23|grep -i Country
[15:23:44] <&Kradorex> Country: US
[15:23:54] <Aristocrat> "The indictment was returned in the Eastern District of Virginia, which claimed jurisdiction in part because some of the alleged pirated materials were hosted on leased servers in Ashburn, Virginia."
[15:23:58] <&Kradorex> Apparently they operated their network in the US
[15:24:01] <@Zeta> ...
[15:24:09] <Hiryuu[Android]2> hm
[15:25:22] <Eris> they were able to do it because megauploads founder and owner was on US soil
[15:25:55] <Eris> dont know why the fbi is involved though
[15:29:08] <Eris> ..
[15:29:20] <Eris> lol they got the fbi involved by calling it "racketeering"
[15:29:31] <Eris> the fbi can move against any form of 'organized crime'
[15:29:55] <Eris> god stretching loopholes

They should shut down all car rental companies because some people don't follow all traffic laws.

The Dajaz1 case became particularly interesting to us, after we saw evidence showing that the songs that ICE used in its affidavit as "evidence" of criminal copyright infringement were songs sent by representatives of the copyright holder with the request that the site publicize the works -- in one case, even coming from a VP at a major music label. Even worse, about the only evidence that ICE had that these songs were infringing was the word of the "VP of Anti-Piracy Legal Affairs for the RIAA," Carlos Linares, who was simply not in a position to know if the songs were infringing or authorized. In fact, one of the songs involved an artist not even represented by an RIAA label, and Linares clearly had absolutely no right to speak on behalf of that artist.

The government was required to file for forfeiture by May. The initial (supposed) secret extension was until July. Then it got another one that went until September. And then another one until November... or so the government said. When Bridges asked the government for some proof that it had actually obtained the extensions in question, the government attorney told Bridges that he would just have "trust" him.

Mr. Dotcom and his associates were arrested in New Zealand, which may or may not make things politically interesting. I mean, residents of NZ arrested by cops at the request of the US FBI for shutting down a company based in Hong Kong (which just happens to have some servers in Virginia) sounds a bit odd to me.

I also wouldn't be surprised if this was a political move; did you notice the timing for this in respect to SOPA/PIPA? Something along the lines of "Look at all these terrible hackers! Nothing is safe unless we regulate the internet!" would work if there are serious backlashes. </conspiracy>