US government shuts down Megaupload.com
Move over Wikileaks, because this week’s internet site that the US government loves to hate is Megaupload.com – or at least it was until the FBI and US Department of Justice shut it down yesterday and arrested most of the people running it. Megaupload allowed users to upload files of virtually any kind and receive a unique download URL to share with their friends, clients or whoever. The basic free service allowed for files up to 2GB, while the premium service had no such limits. Files were deleted if no one grabbed them for 21 days. However, the FBI and DOJ claimed Megaupload was used to distribute pirated material – including video games – on a massive scale. The authorities alleged that the site’s operators were not only aware of this but encouraged it and only paid lip service to removal notices from copyright holders. Read more…
