Websites seized/closed for Copyright

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by MR. Pockets

Far to true. The Republicans are just as much to blame for the state of the country as the Democrats. Republicans = go-slow-Democrats.



Here is a very good article on the right to privacy and "nothing to hide, what are you afraid of" line.
http://www.wired.com/politics/securi.../2006/05/70886

Thanks for that. Kindle version of the blog/article writer's book at:

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Fear-Th...1083729&sr=8-3

[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.

[J. Strnad]

I don't think that any private corporation has the authority to shut down a website, i.e. "take the law into their own hands." This seems appropriate government territory to me.

Operation In Our Sites v. 2.0

I'm glad the people involved have a sense of humor, even if it is a rudimentary one!

[SlowRain]

Originally Posted by kennyc

So if I don't like you I can take all your stuff. Cool!

Fair point. If you think I'm a greedy jerk who is acting in an unfair way that is counterproductive to a healthy and reasonable society, then I give you, a responsible person, my permission. It'd be a good lesson for me to pull my head out of my a**. :-)

[Kali Yuga]

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.

Guess again.

Copyright laws were established in the Constitution; the Copyright Office is a federal agency; copyright laws are federal laws; copyright agreements between nations are handled by national governments. The US Copyright Act of 1976 explicitly references both civil remedies and criminal penalties for infringement:

http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92appg.pdf

And yes, references to criminal enforcement does go back to at least 1976, and most likely earlier laws: http://www.copyright.gov/reports/guide-to-copyright.pdf

Sometimes the enforcement is local -- e.g. the NYPD occasionally busts counterfeiters. In other cases, the actions are private, e.g. the RIAA's lawsuits, or private companies working with eBay to shut down counterfeiters. None of this precludes federal enforcement of federal laws.

Apparently one file sharing site was nailed, namely "Torrent-Finder.Com". The owner cries that he had no notice or previous actions, but that's not required by any stretch of the imagination; all the government needs to do is collect evidence of infringement. The site clearly pulled all sorts of shenanigans to appear like a shell rather than what it is -- a pointer to infringing torrents. To pretend that it is doing anything else is, to put it mildly, disingenuous.

Since it appears that ICE/DHS has warrants, at least one judge, and legislators for almost 35 years, seem to agree that this is a legit move.

Originally Posted by Steven Lake

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.

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

[corona]

Originally Posted by Steven Lake

The job of policing copyright is up to the corporations, not the federal government.

I agree, but then we'd miss out on those way-cool badges. I think it's especially awesome that something as dry and buttoned-down as "Intellectual Property Rights" should get that fierce screaming eagle. I'm assuming Colbert got the appropriate royalties...

[mikemc2]

Originally Posted by Lemurion

Impressive work. Getting serious I see.

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.

[Ervserver]

so.....we have insiders leaking docs to Wikileaks, constant threat of terrorists, and the govt is spending time and money taking over websites which in the long run accomplishes nothing.

[mikemc2]

Originally Posted by Ervserver

so.....we have insiders leaking docs to Wikileaks, constant threat of terrorists, and the govt is spending time and money taking over websites which in the long run accomplishes nothing.

You get more bang for your campaign donation buck by having the government go after sites that link to Hip-Hop mixtapes. There's no ROI for going after people leaking sensitive documents. I can't wait for the copyright cops to start going into schools and seizing Xerox machines because the band teacher was the ringleader of a piracy ring that for years was duplicating and distributing copyrighted sheet music. Just wait till they find out about people pirating recipes from magazines. Best they just seize all of the photocopiers now.

[jhempel24]

Originally Posted by J. Strnad

I don't think that any private corporation has the authority to shut down a website, i.e. "take the law into their own hands." This seems appropriate government territory to me.



I'm glad the people involved have a sense of humor, even if it is a rudimentary one!

I agree, and even if the site doesn't actively host the content, the sites are a direct outlet to search for them, so it could be argued that because of those sites, people are getting access to pirated and illegal content.

That being said, 82 sites isn't the tip of the iceberg I don't think LOL.

[doreenjoy]

Originally Posted by SlowRain

It's probably not appropriate to say openly, but I'm fine with copyright infringement so long as the person or organization you are infringing upon is a complete jerk. And, because I can foresee the question now: I decide, by my own standards, who is a jerk, and you decide, by your own standards, who is a jerk.

I'm on my way over now with a U-haul.

[SlowRain]

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

I'm on my way over now with a U-haul.

I'll leave the door unlocked and a plate of cookies on the coffee table. Help yourself to the milk in the fridge.

[murraypaul]

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.

Google is by far the biggest copyright infringer on the planet. Scraping portions of other peoples' web sites, ditto with images, 99% of what is on YouTube, the books project,...

[James_Wilde]

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

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

Without due process?

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by mikemc2

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.

That was not the impression that I got from the articles. They are saving the innocent buyers that thought those were real.