Megaupload closed down by the Feds.

How can the hoster of a file uploaded that the content is illegal when the files are often compressed, password-protected, encrypted and often given a name like "zxt345x.rar", which is a meaningless name. If a copyright holder discovers his site is hosting illegal copyright contect, take the file off the website, but to shutdown the entire website is draconian to say the least.

I am sure that there must have been a disclaimer/user policy on the site that said that any illegal content will be take off if discovered.

Seriously, how can the hoster know the content of the files, if they are protected in the way I advised above. Its not as if you can open every file that is uploaded to detemine what is in it, with the protection I outlined above. In addition how can the hoster be able to keep up with all the millions of links to these files from thounsands of other files.
 
Well they can try to control internet as if it was theirs for closing this or that server but they will never be able too close decentralized peer-too-peer networks for instance. If they star turning off servers and webs we will start turning on Kademlia. So trying to control file sharing is a lost battle anyway.
 
How can the hoster of a file uploaded that the content is illegal when the files are often compressed, password-protected, encrypted and often given a name like "zxt345x.rar", which is a meaningless name. If a copyright holder discovers his site is hosting illegal copyright contect, take the file off the website, but to shutdown the entire website is draconian to say the least.

I am sure that there must have been a disclaimer/user policy on the site that said that any illegal content will be take off if discovered.

Seriously, how can the hoster know the content of the files, if they are protected in the way I advised above. Its not as if you can open every file that is uploaded to detemine what is in it, with the protection I outlined above. In addition how can the hoster be able to keep up with all the millions of links to these files from thounsands of other files.
A lot of files are uploaded like that, and megaupload would have to hire an army of clerks to open each file and check that nothing in it is illegal in every single country you can access the website from. That is, even if possible. Sometimes people change the extension so you start having to find out what the real one is, maybe it's a compressed file, maybe it's a CD/DVD image ripped from the original, maybe it's a sound file, maybe it's a lot of flash animations or a ppt containing pirated music, or maybe it's one of several parts of a file that you need a program to put back together into whatever it was.
 
... and your failing to see that demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding of how piracy on the internet works.

...If you think shutting down centralized services impacts piracy in any way then you don't know enough about piracy to comment on it.

So somebody please explain it. What is it about Internet piracy that we and law enforcement don't understand?
 
That trying to stop it is a huge waste of resources that will only stop it a tiny bit.
 
You're not familiar with how peer-to-peer networks function?

I am, I used to download free music on the old Napster. How does this prevent Internet regulations from being promulgated and enforced?
 
I am, I used to download free music on the old Napster. How does this prevent Internet regulations from being promulgated and enforced?
It doesn't. It just suggests that it won't achieve what they want it to.
 
It doesn't. It just suggests that it won't achieve what they want it to.

Respectfully, I don't see that. One had to go to Napster to get in the network to share peer-to-peer. As I recall regretfully, they shut down Napster.
 
I was under the impression that Napster was on a centralized server. Was i wrong.
 
I was under the impression that Napster was on a centralized server. Was i wrong.

No you're correct. But isn't Megaupload centralized? What am I missing here?

I'm supporting of Internet "Freedom" to an extent. But if crime is being committed - and it is - than shouldn't law enfocement get involved?

Your arguments seem to be - law enforcement is too stupid. Or, it's just too difficult to bother. Or, they're doing it wrong. Do I misunderstand you?
 
Respectfully, I don't see that. One had to go to Napster to get in the network to share peer-to-peer. As I recall regretfully, they shut down Napster.
No you're correct. But isn't Megaupload centralized? What am I missing here?
The centralised model employed by Napster is entirely obsolete. It has no bearing on contemporary peer-to-peer filesharing.

I'm supporting of Internet "Freedom" to an extent. But if crime is being committed - and it is - than shouldn't law enfocement get involved?

Your arguments seem to be - law enforcement is too stupid. Or, it's just too difficult to bother. Or, they're doing it wrong. Do I misunderstand you?
Crime isn't a moral category. If it was, then you'd still be rounding up runaway slaves.
 
OK, than what does?
Bittorrenting would be the obvious, given that it now constitutes the absolute majority of internet traffic. That's a protocol which connects peers directly, without having to go through a centralised- and thus vulnerable- middle man.
 
you can bit-torrent anything these days.

Bittorrenting would be the obvious, given that it now constitutes the absolute majority of internet traffic. That's a protocol which connects peers directly, without having to go through a centralised- and thus vulnerable- middle man.

Alright, Wiki'd bit-torrent. You have to download bit-torrent from a company, right? BitTorrent Inc. Can't by law, regulations be created to control the use of it's product for criminal purposes - like stealing copyrighted material? Newspapers, Radio, Television all have these regulations.
 
you can bit-torrent anything these days.
Yup and that's the beauty of the internet. It's grown too big to be contained. The distribution of digital media is going to change, whether these corporate thugs like it or not. They can try to pass laws like SOPA but as we've fortunately seen, all that's doing is pissing a lot of people off.
 
Stop the press. I just had a revelation. A serious one. There was actual light in the sky.

It was right in front of our noses the whole time, and nobody ever saw it: the CFC forum rules.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/faq.php?faq=updated_rules_2011
Your rights to Freedom of Speech don't apply here.
There it is, folks. And this isn't unique to CFC, either. I see lots of web sites do this, and some, such as the forum at the Sins of a Solar Empire web site, go so far as to prohibit all political discussions in their Off Topic section (and seeing as how holding a civil political discussion online is almost impossible, they definitely have a point).

Free Speech doesn't apply on the web. And it's impossible for SOPA to take away something you never actually had.

Freedom of Speech doesn't apply to the web. That was never the point behind it. The idea behind Freedom of Speech is that governments should not arrest you for speaking your mind. The right to speak your mind does not include the right to log onto someone else's web site and spout, or to have your opinion published in the Opinion section of a newspaper, or to wave protests signs on someone else's front yard.
 
Householders right.
This server is private property. The internet isn't.
I can control what can be said on my site. That's fair.
But nobody else should control what I say on my site. But that's what SOPA tries.

Alright, Wiki'd bit-torrent. You have to download bit-torrent from a company, right? BitTorrent Inc. Can't by law, regulations be created to control the use of it's product for criminal purposes - like stealing copyrighted material? Newspapers, Radio, Television all have these regulations.

...but they can't control it. That's it.
With bittorrent, every user is not only a downloader, but also an uploader. You can shut down MegaUpload, because they have their servers at a few hosters. You can't shut down bittorrent, because everyone is a server.
 
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