Indictment Charges Megaupload Site With Piracy

Originally posted by Arbitrageur

Originally posted by XPLodER
this action shows pipa and sopa are not necacery,
the feds already have ample powers to act and achive any real objective.
sopa and pipa will be bought back when no body is wactching.

You wrote what I was thinking.

What do we need sopa and pipa for? I think this case should demonstrate they aren't needed, and the existing laws should be adequate to fight piracy if the due process of law is followed, as it should be.

Trying to shortcut due process with SOPA should be a crime itself, and I'm hoping they don't bring it back when nobody is looking, but I'm afraid you might be right, that they might at least try that, so we need to be vigilant, to prevent that.

Perhaps there is a hidden agenda.

I purchased some electronics the other day and was sold the wrong item by the salesman at a major retail chain. My purchase came with software. After I installed the software and got started I realized that I had simple been sold the wrong product. It was time for me to go and make an exchange.
I got to the store and was informed that because my $200 purchase included software, I could NOT return it. Reason being because apparently the makers of this product were trying to prevent people from buying their product, ripping the software, and then repackaging and returning for a refund.
I had to waste time arguing that I was entitled to my money back. Most likely they could have denied me based on them possibly losing their relationship with the manufacturer.
All I'm saying is, if stuff like that continues, people will NOT be buying merchandise from retailers or manufacturers with this policy.
These anti piracy lawmakers are shooting themselves in the feet.

I was able to get my money back but it was extremely inconvenient and probably will just look to download the pirated version to avoid the displeasure and paranoia of getting beat for $200 on a luxury item that I just wanted to have some fun with. Not worth it.

Mega-Upload wasn't free.

They charged you membership to use the site.

Originally posted by boncho
It was not their official policy to facilitate criminal activity (In fact, it was against their t&c and they addressed orders to remove materials). Under your logic, American Airlines could be held responsible for 9/11.

That may be true, however take Scribd for example... they too have the disclaimer and policy that users must not post copyrighted works, yet Scribed has thousands of works that are clearly marked copyright.

So who gets the blame? The uploader? or the management that allows the work to remain on their site?

They have plenty of other sites though that do keep on popping up. I have my backup sites, and other ways though I will not post it on here. I will just say there are ways to convert YouTube music videos into MP3's if you don't already know about that...P|v| if you need assistance...

reply to post by Salamandy


This actually reminds me of when I bought a second hand game at a video game store. It was an online game and only one key is issued per purchase. The key had already been used.

When I returned the game I asked for a store credit so I could just get another game new, the person working claimed the store didn't take back used games however.

I then said, if I am to keep the game, they would have to call the software company and have a new key issued. He informed me that I could do that on my own time.

I believe this ended with me throwing the game at the person and him threatening to call the authorities, but I can't remember.

In any case, I stopped buying games for awhile. Things like that just motivate me to hit the golf course and relax.

There was a time when customer satisfaction was important, because it created loyalty, and repeat business. Now they just look for ways to force you to buy something a certain way....

reply to post by XPLodER


Like Sony developing and selling the tech that made it possible to copy music in the CD, then going bat# when someone used it to copy their music.

I'm still on the fence on the whole issue, but my position is that once a movie is shown on TV it is fair game, and that includes HBO and such.

If you want to destroy their system, just quit renting movies or going to the theaters and quit watch ball games and going to the stadiums, boycott everything, and watch how quickly they shut their Fn faces and get on their knees to knarfle the garfat

pull all your money from the banks and quit buying fuel.

I hope you know that all SOPA is about is to eliminate you from having the ability to communicate over the internet to your friends and the world when the military starts black bagging everyone for the FEMA camps, its the same thing they did to control all the analog radio and television signals, which forces you to listen to only them networking digital while they brainwash you with all their BS propaganda

Originally posted by zorgon

Originally posted by boncho
It was not their official policy to facilitate criminal activity (In fact, it was against their t&c and they addressed orders to remove materials). Under your logic, American Airlines could be held responsible for 9/11.

That may be true, however take Scribd for example... they too have the disclaimer and policy that users must not post copyrighted works, yet Scribed has thousands of works that are clearly marked copyright.

So who gets the blame? The uploader? or the management that allows the work to remain on their site?

If Scrib'd analyzed its customer files daily than I suppose they would be responsible. But if you bring something illegal to the gym, put it in the locker, is your gym responsible? or you?

ETA to clarify: A gym is not required to look in every locker when a member puts their socks in it...

Oh my. This is the start. A huge website, gone. Guys, sell your computers while they are worth something. These STUPID ***** ****** ***************** ******* **** ******* ****** ***** Feds are only out to destroy our lives, they don't care about any of you. Do you think that when the big companies are paying them money to do this, that they will stop and say " Oh wait this isn't right." It is clearly US against the U.S. We need to unify, our Government is a joke in every faucet of the game. They control us just like we could try to control a colony of ants. You can kill and torture, but soon the ants will just go back to colonizing, we are no different. We can get through this, lets get this Joke GOV out of here!

Originally posted by Nyiah
What are people's views on Movie Night at home with a group of friends? What are people's views on loaning a DVD to a friend to see a movie? Is this still withholding legitimate revenue?

Technically when you show a movie to friends it is considered a performance and thus in violation. Says so in the FBI warning on each movie (Yeah I know who reads that )

But recently one attack was squashed in court when the ruling showed it wasn't the original artist that was hurt by music sharing, but the record company profits. I know there is a thread on that here at ATS somewhere... but it got buried quickly

The other issue is that there are lawyers on the internet that are using the new copyright search programs seeking out plagiarism and when they find it its like money in the bank THAT is a real danger to anyone running a website or a forum...

My wife is taking an online course. All her work has to be run through a plagiarism checker before she is allowed to submit it.

I work very hard on my website to ensure proper credit and checking for copyright issues but sometimes you miss one and get emails demanding you remove it or change credits This happens when you pick something that has false credits from some other site... you think its been credited properly but the source has it wrong.

I try to stick to public stuff like NASA, Military etc and many sources that allow reprints and give permissions, etc... but all it takes in this new attack is ONE incident

I will likely have to shut down for awhile and go through each page to make sure I didn't miss something. I already took down my database and am searching it to make sure they are all public domain or are linked to the original

Gonna take a while...

And now all the people that had a megaupload/video/porn account will be on the governments list of internet terrorist pirates

Also, If free videos are gone from the internet, I think a proper solution would be to use the itunes format, and make streaming a video around 5 cents or something that won't empty our pockets overnight. Just a thought, can't have too many solutions when lunatics are busy creating problems.

Originally posted by AGWskeptic

Originally posted by SaturnFX
wait...so megaupload itself was giving away copywrited stuff, or simply facilitated the use of their service for users that they chose to use incorrectly?

this is like blaming roads for a bank being robbed because a road was used during the bank robbery.

Pawn shops don't break into peoples houses, but if they sell stolen goods they are still part of the problem.

Guy has the biggest mansion in the country, so I'd say there must be some profit in it.

Bad example. Pawn shops actively sell the product in question
This is closer to something stolen being sold on craigslist..if someone is selling a sterio that they sold, should the corporate hq get arrested? no..violators should get fined, sure..or at least shut down, but the service itself should not be held liable. It sets up very bad precidence that can and more than likely will be abused in a decade later once its established...remember, when dealing with law, never give it an ok because you believe in the spirit of what is is trying to do..it is a technical thing and every loophole will be used for good or bad

Think of it this way, the piracy thing is a guise by corporations to destroy and control all information in a 25 year timeframe..corporations don't think day to day, they think decade to decade, and every corporations motivation is consolidation of money and power completely...

The average person knows piracy is an issue..hell, the average pirate knows its an issue and often while pirating stuff is also hopeing it goes away, or at least tones down. I want personally video game companies to make a stupid fortune for putting out a good game so they want to put out another one soon..and sadly, video game companies putting out a good game simply means their game is pirated far more than normal.
but
Even though I am very strong on my ideal to give our cash to gaming companies, I will protest against such sweeping laws that destroy services that are incidently being used...no, the model must change.
and it can change easily
minecraft (some indie game) has it right. ppl can download the vanilla game, but if they want updates, they must get an account (and it must log in), if they want to mod the game (the game is all about the mods), then a valid login is required before they even work, etc. I know of 3 people whom got the pirated game, and purchased it the following day because they liked it, but they wanted to customize it.

Some games are already taking note (sort of) by requiring you to be actively logged in to get new and extra items and junk in games..the more they press this and give a greater game for being logged in, the less someone will pirate the game.

This is just the gaming industry.

One thing that annoyed me about the movie industry is, movies are made and then its hoped they do well...why not instead of that approach, give a tip based movie...aka, say you need 40m to make this epic movie...well, you put the concept out, suggest who the actors are, the storyline, etc...then a tip jar and let people donate. when it reaches the required amount, you make the movie and release it...if its a great idea, say a uber action sci-fi movie with will smith, it may get that amount within a matter of a couple months, if its a crap idea (say Adam Sandler plays the part of a retard in a nun school), it may never come close to their goal for years

Its a people decide based on tips world..and those willing to tip will have far more entertainment aimed at them (dammit, why do we keep having the life and times of Sarah Palin sequals!)

As far as music...meh, they are screwed. just get touring..hey, at least you don't have to wash dishes for a living.

I am sorry but I use megaupload to share files with my clients.

I am paying premium membership and now not only can't my clients access the files I have uploaded but I am also being barred access to the site itself. So the money I spent for the membership is in a way lost and the service I paid for no longer exists ????????

Its a grand scale robbery !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WANT MY MONEY BACK


What a great country AMERIKA is becoming !!!!! (sarcasm)


For info I live in Monaco and my business is based in Monaco so I am totally flabbergasted that the US has such a global influence concerning the policing of the internet.

reply to post by boncho


Yo ho Boncho,

I would think that with piracy being around for so long. So many gubmentalists being of," Skull and bones ". They can't expect to eradicate piracy. They use to hang people for it and that didn't work.

Go Raiders 333333---------->

www.universalmusic.com and www.justice.gov are currently down. most likely being ddos'd

Originally posted by Monte-Carlo
I am sorry but I use megaupload to share files with my clients.

I am paying premium membership and now not only can't my clients access the files I have uploaded but I am also being barred access to the site itself. So the money I spent for the membership is in a way lost and the service I paid for no longer exists ????????

Its a grand scale robbery !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WANT MY MONEY BACK

edit on 19-1-2012 by Monte-Carlo because: (no reason given)

What a great country AMERIKA is becoming !!!!! (sarcasm)

edit on 19-1-2012 by Monte-Carlo because: (no reason given)

Sue the fed. If not for their abrupt and bullying actions, your business would not have just taken a hit. The FED is comprised of adult US citizens right? Sue their behinds!

You have adapted to the status quo o current technology. Apparently the FED cannot adjust and are limiting modern business practices.

Originally posted by Fractured.Facade
The copyright warnings have been displayed for a very long time... Ignorance is no excuse for the law.

If there is a product for sale, at a price, and people are taking that product for FREE, that is STEALING.

No matter how you justify it, or defend it, stealing is wrong, and inside of every human is constant awareness of this.

You know right and wrong!

Just because it is available in digital form, doesn't make stealing it okay.... Society is lost when people have no respect for property and rights to it.

As soon as I can return an open movie to the store because it was terrible I'll agree with you. Until then I'll happily keep downloading away and then go purchase the actual blu-ray copy once I feel its worth the 20-30 dollars or more they are gonna charge me for it.

Originally posted by SaturnFX

One thing that annoyed me about the movie industry is, movies are made and then its hoped they do well...why not instead of that approach, give a tip based movie...aka, say you need 40m to make this epic movie...well, you put the concept out, suggest who the actors are, the storyline, etc...then a tip jar and let people donate. when it reaches the required amount, you make the movie and release it...if its a great idea, say a uber action sci-fi movie with will smith, it may get that amount within a matter of a couple months, if its a crap idea (say Adam Sandler plays the part of a retard in a nun school), it may never come close to their goal for years

Interesting concept.

And if implemented everyone who contributes to it, should be considered "investors" and entitled to a share in ownership and also shares in any profits.

Damn, what a concept.... Of course then the occupy crowd would show up and protest the whole thing and demand that everyone involved have their profits taken from them and redistributed to the poor.