Websites seized/closed for Copyright

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by mikemc2

I don't find this the least bit impressive. What gives the government the right to seize a domain that neither hosts copyrighted files nor operates a torrent tracker? They seized a search engine. Google.com can be used to find torrents why not seize that too? Oh that's right, Google has hordes of cash to spend on lawmakers. And Homeland Security? "If you buy fake Prada bags the terrorists have won!" Another heartwarming example of government Of The Lawyers, By The Lobbyists, For The Corporations.

There is a vast difference in a generic search engine and one intended to specifically search for pirate goods.

[Krystian Galaj]

It makes me laugh though, when I think Google is better to search for rare releases than all those specialized engines.

[kennyc]

True.

[Format C:]

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

I see no controversy in shutting down sites that violate copyright.

So, if one of us posts the lyrics of a song in the Lounge, Mobileread has to be closed...



I'd rather remove said material and only that, and only when the violtaion is proved beyond doubt.
If what is left after the copyright cleaning is a blank page, so be it.
But, if a site says "Hello" and posts illegal files, I firmly believe that the "Hello" part is to be preserved. Sharing copyright does not erase one's freddom of expression.

[Worldwalker]

Originally Posted by kennyc

There is a vast difference in a generic search engine and one intended to specifically search for pirate goods.

When you let someone draw that line, they are not likely to draw it where you want them to.

[MR. Pockets]

Originally Posted by Steven Lake

Guys, I'm no fan of piracy in any measure. In fact, I actually preach pretty strongly against it. However, I also don't think the federal government has any authority to do what they're doing. The job of policing copyright is up to the corporations, not the federal government. Now if this was Baen or Warner Brothers or someone else shutting down those sites, I wouldn't say anything. But when the Fed steps into an area outside their jurisdiction, then I complain.

And before you say it, my reasonings are simple. The more we allow government to go where they're not supposed to, the more they'll take from us until there's nothing left to take. Government is already overstepping its bounds now. Allowing it more power is just suicide. Now since this discussion is likely to quickly devolve into political mudslinging, I'll leave my comments at that.

I both agree and disagree. The Fed has far over stepped it's bounds, but I'm not sure that this isn't a case where it has rightful authority. As far as some of the sites are concerned, some of the sites (Torrent-Finder.com being the major one) weren't hosting illegal files, just providing links to or being a search engine for the files. I would question if that is technically illegal (it probably is but I don't know). The Constitution does grant Congress the right to create and enforce copyrights.

Originally Posted by Article 1 Section 8

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

However, it also puts a small check on the copyright laws. They are to; 1. Promote the progress of science and useful arts (writing books, etc), 2. to be for a limited time, and 3. Be for the author or inventor. Current copyright laws (as concerns books and music) only partially fits the first, it can be argued that it doesn't fit the second, and certainly doesn't fit the third.

So, it could be argued that the government didn't have the authority to do what it did. Also, is the ICE the right department to do it?

[mr ploppy]

Originally Posted by Format C:

So, if one of us posts the lyrics of a song in the Lounge, Mobileread has to be closed...



I'd rather remove said material and only that, and only when the violtaion is proved beyond doubt.
If what is left after the copyright cleaning is a blank page, so be it.
But, if a site says "Hello" and posts illegal files, I firmly believe that the "Hello" part is to be preserved. Sharing copyright does not erase one's freddom of expression.

This site has lots of ebooks for download that are copyright in the UK (and probably other countries). Our new law that says it can be removed from the internet because of that copyright violation says nothing about leaving behind any non-copyright material.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by kennyc

There is a vast difference in a generic search engine and one intended to specifically search for pirate goods.

Like YouTube?

[corona]

I think one problem is that selective enforcement is the reality of all sorts of policing. I remember reading somewhere authoritative that the average person commits dozens of illegal acts every day.

So one question is in whose interests the enforcement is carried out, and who then gets the wrong end of the stick. One example is the correlation between minor drug busts and race. In our case, the entertainment industry has the political and economic clout to get the laws enforced in a way that meets its needs.

I think the comments contrasting Google with the much smaller search engine outfits that got busted are on point here. Yes, Google returns a higher proportion of "legal" results, but so what. It presumably returns more sanctionable ones as well. Just because a bank robber goes to church on Sunday doesn't mean he doesn't rob banks.

I was joking earlier about the proliferation of awesome badges that appear on these shut-down sites; one implication is that the government is throwing a lot of money and time at this effort. Could these resources be better used in some less punitive way, or in some way that supports new legal and business models that might enhance value for content creators?

Edit: One reason I think the answer is "No" is because the real strategic objective here, or at least one of them, is to once and for all smother net neutrality in its crib. Another good reason to leave Google alone. http://almiraatblog.files.wordpress....n-internet.jpg

[Steven Lake]

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

Oh, really? So you never complained when the RIAA sued alleged file sharers? You sure about that?

There's a difference. The RIAA is to music what the NRA is to guns. The RIAA doesn't own ANY of the copyrights they sue over. So no, I don't feel they should be suing anyone. Now if EMI sued a file sharer for infringement of copyrights they owned, then I'd be all for it as they'd be directly defending their own copyrights as they have legal right to do.

[KenJackson]

I'm concerned about the government becoming the blob, absorbing everything in its path at an accelerating pace (even the healthcare market, financial companies and car companies).

So I'm very pleased to read mostly good comments from citizens concerned about government overreach and abuse.

[Ervserver]

Typical govt approach to solving a problem. Govt seizes huge caches of drugs daily, has it slowed illegal drugs use? nah Many of those listed sites are already running again...elsewhere

[Steven Lake]

Agreed Ervserver. The solution to stopping the problem of these illegal sites, as well as other illegal activities is education. The problem is, the solution is a bit of a catch 22 for the government. The dumber the citizens, the easier they are to control, but the wiser they are, the less these problems exist. So, uh, yeah. They're resorting to trying to fix the problems while keeping the populace dumb and easy to control. (no, not everyone by a long shot, but certainly a growing number)

[Doug Huffman]

In re 'education', read Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt's 'The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America" and John Taylor Gatto's 'The Underground History of American Education', both, interestingly and apropos, self-published and 'on-line'.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Doug Huffman

In re 'education', read Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt's 'The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America" and John Taylor Gatto's 'The Underground History of American Education', both, interestingly and apropos, self-published and 'on-line'.

I'll check them out but I always cringe at anything like this that is self-published.

Amazon Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Underground-Hi...1209446&sr=1-1

and

http://www.amazon.com/deliberate-dum.../dp/0966707109