Megaupload Seizure, Charges Throw Gasoline On Piracy Debate Fire

This is going to be way too charged for all the facts and implications to be sussed out in a rational way, but apparently the FBI and US Justice Department in conjunction with New Zealand have seized the site Megaupload and arrested several of its major players. I'm totally unfamiliar with such sites including that one, but the French-language comics news clearinghouse ActuaBD.com has a screen capture up that suggests comics content was available through the site in addition to the film and music one could obtain there.

This puts a number of ideas into play, which I imagine will break down for most individuals according to their previous beliefs and thoughts on the matter. There was some retaliatory hacking in response. That will get played up because it's cool-sounding, and some people will be on board with it, but I imagine there's probably a bit of distaste for that sort of thing from a lot of people largely undecided or uncommitted on the issues involved which should make it a PR wash. The visual and first impression of the site's primary mover and shaker isn't a good one, nor are initial reports about how much the site has profited. On the other hand, US legal authorities pushing for the arrest of people in another country and their subsequent extradition also has obvious negative connotations, as does word that private e-mails will be used to build a case against some of the arrested. Even if all charges are true in a way that might aid pro-SOPA/PIPA folks in that it establishes that sites like these exist and do harm in the shape of X, Y and Z, what you gain that way might be lost in that it didn't take a new law to take these folks down. This dramatic action could also be portrayed as proof authorities are willing to act at the outermost edges of what the law permits, which could play into fears of abuse concerning the specific laws on the table. And so on and so on.
 
posted 5:00 am PST | Permalink
 

---

 
Daily Blog Archives
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
 
Full Archives