It works like this: Users upload files to the host and then post links to the files on online forums and bulletin boards catering to the subject matter being uploaded. Copyright holders and porn fighters (claiming to be copyright holders) scour the boards and report files which are then removed by the file host. In practice, links are valid from hours to weeks before the files are removed. But the dead links are replaced by repeated uploads and uploads to multiple servers at once.
The file sharing sites offer limited free service with paying customers able to up and download larger files much faster.
Supposedly, by honoring copyright removals basically on demand, the file hosts were considered safe from legal action. The FBI has apparently decided to make Megaupload a test case. The FBI’s modus operandi is to hold and harass website operator for several years until obtaining guilty plea bargains and then shutting the rest down with a second wave of several more arrests and the chilling effect to close the rest without ever going to trial.
Essentially identical to Megaupload are ALL the file sharing operations:
(With cheap terabyte storage now available, this list of sites just scratches the surface.)
1fichier.com
1filesharing.com
2shared.com
4filehosting.com
4shared.com
Adrive.com
Anonym-filehosting.co.cc
Aobox.net
Axfile.com
Badongo.com
Bearshare.com
BigFilebox.com
Bighugefile.com
Bigupload.com
Blubster.com
BooMP3.com
Box.net
BOXSTr.com
Depositfiles.com
DivShare.com
Driveway.com
Dropbox.com
Dropsend.com
Dushare.com
Easy-Share.com
Egnyte.com
Enterupload.com
Esnips.com
Ewedrive.com
Exabyte.com
Exaroom.com
Fileadded.com
Filecargo.com
FileDEN.com
Filedropper.com
Filefactory.com
Filefront.com
Filehat.com
FileHo.com
Filejumbo.com
FileNanny.com
FilePanda.com
Filesanywhere.com
Filesavr.com
Fileserve.com
Filesonic.com
Filesovermiles.com
Files2u.com
Filexoom.com
Flypicture.com
Freakshare.net
Freefilehosting.net
Freefilehostingnow.com
Ge.tt
Getcloudapp.com
GigaSize.com
Glumbouploads.com
Hotfile.com
Hulkshare.com
I2drive.com
In.solit.us
Jigsawshare.com
Jumbodir.com
Keepandshare.com
Letitbit.com
Letscrate.com
Limelynx.com
Localhostr.com
Mailbigfile.com
Massmirror.com
Mediafire.com
MediaMax.com
Megashare.com
Metahyper.com
Midupload.com
Minus.com
Missupload.com
Mlfat4arab.com
Mofile.com
Multiupload.com
MyDataBus.com
MyFabrik.com
Myfile.in.th
Myfilehost.com
Myfreefilehosting.com
OneDump.com
Pando.com
Pipebytes.com
QuickSharing.com
Rapidshare.com
Sendoid.com
Senduit.com
Sendspace.com
Sendthisfile.com
Sharebee.com
Sharenload.com
Share-online.biz
Sharefile.com
Sharingmatrix.com
Sharingzone.net (claims to host 180 BILLION files alone)
Slingfile.com
Snapdrive.net
Soundcloud.com
Streamfile.com
Supload.com
TagAndFile.com
Temp-share.com
Turbobit.com
Turboupload.com
Upfordown.com
Ugotfile.com
Ulozto.net
Uploadbox.com
Uploaded.to
Uploadhere.com
Uploading.com
Uploadking.com
Uploadline.com
Uploadmb.com
Upshare.me
Usershare.net
Webcargo.net
Webfilehost.com
Wikisend.com
Wikiupload.com
Woofiles.com
Xdrive.com
Yousendit.com
Ziddu.com
Zippyshare.com
Zomgupload.com
zShare.com
zUpload.com
FBI will not be able to go every where. Places like China, Russia, etc... will not allow it. So I really don’t think it’s going to do much. Plus there are too many people and the FBI does not even have the resources to do that.
For everyone they shut down 10 more will pop up.