Feds shut down file-sharing website
One of the world’s largest file-sharing sites was shut down Thursday, and its founder and several company executives were charged with violating piracy laws, federal prosecutors said.
An indictment accuses Megaupload.com of costing copyright holders more than $500 million in lost revenue from pirated films and other content. The indictment was unsealed one day after websites including Wikipedia and Craigslist shut down in protest of two congressional proposals intended to thwart online piracy.
The Justice Department said in a statement said that Kim Dotcom, formerly known as Kim Schmitz, and three others were arrested Thursday in New Zealand at the request of U.S. officials. Two other defendants are at large.
» via Associated Press
Can anyone explain to me how this case is sustainable given current case law? (Unless someone can prove lack of DMCA compliance, I guess?) And prior restraint of the website strikes me as being on exceedingly dangerous ground now that they’re targeting someone with the wherewithal to fight back.
Of course, we’re probably looking at maybe a year before extradition, nevermind how long the case itself will take, so this will probably go the way of UMG v. Veoh. Bleh.
