MegaUpload Versus the U.S. Government Versus a Girl Crying About Sopa
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If you were trying to watch season one of The Wire yesterday afternoon on MegaUpload, you were probably left with a lot of time on your hands to wonder why the site wasn't working. The major file-sharing website was shut down this afternoon by the U.S. Department of (in)Justice (we kid, we kid. Please, no, we love you.), resulting in one big old gigantic U.S. criminal copyright case.
In addition, seven people were indicted on five counts of copyright infringement and conspiracy, according to the New York Times. It's also estimated that more than $500 million was lost in revenues by copyright holders thanks to downloaders and MegaUpload. Though it was widely reported that hip-hop producer Swizz Beatz (Alicia Keys' hubby) is the CEO of the company, Forbes claims he's not mentioned in the indictment. He recently helped orchestrate a pro-MegaUpload video that featured his wife, Kanye, Snoop, and Will.i.am.
With everyone pissed about antipiracy bills SOPA and PIPA, it's not surprising that, as Gizmodo reported, hacker collective Anonymous shut down the U.S. Department of Justice website and a few major media sites, including Universal Music Group and the U.S. Copyright Office. All this just one day after Wikipedia, Reddit, and other sites went black for 24 hours in protest of the bills.
Anonymous bragged earlier on Twitter about its triumph. It also issued a statement that includes personal info on Motion Picture Association of America CEO Chris Dodd. Like now we know he's a Democrat. What a mess.
Finally, what you've all been waiting for, a video of a little girl who declares, "No me gusta la sopa!" A sentiment illegal downloaders and lovers of freedom can totally relate to right about now.
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