Websites seized/closed for Copyright

[slayda]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

T

Torrent sites often don't host any material at all; they just share links. Why is it okay to shut down a torrent-linking site, which shows where files are available to download even if that's illegal in your location, but not okay to shut down MR, which shows where files are available to download even if that's illegal in your location?

I wonder that it's not illegal to point out that banks have money in them & people could steal it. Isn't that about the same as having links but not hosting illegal material. I admit it is much easier to steal the copyright material via the internet than money from a bank but the principle seems the same to me.

[MR. Pockets]

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

It's my understanding that Torrent Finder was the only file sharing site caught in this dragnet. The rest of the sites sell counterfeit goods, and the ICE press release only discusses counterfeits.

There was at least one other site (hiphopgodfather or something) that only pointed to illegal downloads. I think there were others but I'm not sure.

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

It seems pretty clear that they have the authority, and would almost certainly arrest the counterfeiters and close their shops if they were physically located in the US.

What I meant was that ultimately they might not have the authority. The current law codes definitely give them the authority, the question though is whether the codes are in compliance with the Constitution.

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

Since almost all of the sites are counterfeiters, Customs is the right department.

I'm not disagreeing, but I don't see how Customs is the right department.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Fbone

My comment was directed to the other Americans on MR. Sorry.

There are items that are still in US copyright and shouldn't be downloaded from the library by other Americans.

Certainly. Just as there are numerous items on the Project Gutenberg web site which shouldn't be downloaded by people outside the United States. All any eBook site can do is to host material which it is legal for it to host, and to advise people who may be located elsewhere to check whether or not an item is legal in their country before downloading it. It's certainly not the site's "duty" to know what is or is not in the public domain in every country in the world.

[DMSmillie]

Originally Posted by kennyc

That doesn't seem to matter when we are talking pirate sites.

Perhaps it should?

I don't know... this is getting into areas I don't really know much about, but the impression I'd gained was that, with regard to pirate sites which are not actually hosting material that would be illegal in their location, the legal case largely revolved around intent, and the notion of "inducement to infringe copyright", whereas sites like Project Gutenberg and MR clearly say "this material is legal to host and download where we are - please only download it if it's legal to do so where you are".

- Donna

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Certainly. Just as there are numerous items on the Project Gutenberg web site which shouldn't be downloaded by people outside the United States. All any eBook site can do is to host material which it is legal for it to host, and to advise people who may be located elsewhere to check whether or not an item is legal in their country before downloading it. It's certainly not the site's "duty" to know what is or is not in the public domain in every country in the world.

Totally agree