Free Republic

"Watch me in 2020." Seven years since U.S. authorities shut down the file-sharing platform, Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom is hoping to use a database of former users' emails to influence the 2020 presidential election. In a series of tweets this morning (Aug. 12), Dotcom suggested that he plans to encourage former users of the long-defunct site to oppose the presidential ambitions of former U.S. vice president Joe Biden, whom Dotcom has long blamed for instigating the site's downfall. "Still waiting to get access to your Megaupload files? I will email 30 million former US Megaupload users a video link in...

New Zealand's High Court has ruled that the police raid on Kim Dotcom’s house was unlawful along with seizure of the hard drives that were later cloned and illegally taken from New Zealand to the US by the FBI. ­The warrants issued to search Dotcom’s mansion were general and did not clearly describe the offences they stipulated, ruled Justice Helen Winkelmann. “They were general warrants, and as such, are invalid,” she explained.

Is the U.S. government's huge criminal trial against Megaupload in trouble? Federal judge Liam O'Grady is being quoted as saying, "I frankly don't know that we are ever going to have a trial in this matter." The comment was reportedly made at a hearing over Megaupload's data where O'Grady expressed concern to the FBI over the issue of whether Megaupload has been served court papers. It was picked up by a local newspaper in New Zealand, where Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom awaits word of whether he'll be extradited.

SNIPPET: "While these various elements of the jihadist network are distinct, the Internet brings them together, especially at the grassroots level. Videos, websites and online magazines indoctrinate aspiring militants in the jihadist ideology and provide a forum for like-minded individuals and groups."

The takedown of the file-sharing site over copyright violations provides a warning about being careful where you store stuff. Megaupload file seizure shows why many cautious about the cloud Megaupload users are crying foul after their personal files, not necessarily copyright-infringing material, stored with the file-sharing service was seized on Thursday along with a trove of illegally distributed copyrighted works. Some of those users took to Twitter complaining about the loss of their files, as first reported by TorrentFreak. "I had files up there...gone forever..and they were personal recordings! No copyright infringement!" said Twitter user J. Amir. Another user complained...

You know what the biggest MISTAKE that Kim Dotcom of MegaUpload made? Simple. He didn't donate at least $10 million to the Obama campaign. If he had he wouldn't have been arrested. More likely he would have gotten a front row seat along with Jeffry Immelt at Obama's speech at the Democrat convention next year.

Full title: Internet's Dr Evil sprang electronic locks in his 'Bond villain lair' and retreated to safe room as police swooped. (Megaupload.com) It sounds like something more reminiscent of a James Bond film than real life. When police officers attempted to arrest the man accused of being one of the world's biggest internet pirates at his multi-million pound mansion, things were a bit trickier than they might have expected. Instead of giving himself up easily, Kim Dotcom refused to let the police in, activated a number of locking mechanisms in his sprawling home and then hid in a safe room....

"According to Digital Music News, Megaupload's new venture, MegaBox, is a "cloud-based music locker, download store, and do-it-yourself artist service." So far, partners of MegaBox include 7digital, Gracenote, Rovi and Amazon, the world's largest online retailer. Megaupload founder Kim Schmitz said Universal "knows that we are going to compete with them via our own music venture called Megabox.com, a site that will soon allow artists to sell their creations directly to consumers while allowing artists to keep 90 percent of earnings." 90% for the artists - That would have had an impact on the greedy Universal Music and other Record...

Seven executives charged as filesharing site shut down over accusations they cheated copyright holders out of $500m

The Justice Department seized Megaupload.com, one of the world's most popular file-sharing sites, and several of its related sites on Thursday. Prosecutors charged seven employees of Megaupload with criminal copyright infringement, conspiracy to commit racketeering and other charges. Each faces up to 55 years in prison.

Anonymous, the group of activist hackers, claimed to have crashed the Justice Department website on Thursday in retaliation for prosecutors shutting down the popular file-sharing site Megaupload.com. "The government takes down Megaupload? 15 minutes later Anonymous takes down government & record label sites," the group wrote on its Twitter account. A Justice Department spokesman did not confirm whether the agency had suffered a cyber attack, but justice.gov was not loading as of Thursday afternoon.

Hackers who sympathize with radical Islamic groups increasingly are using hijacked accounts at online file-upload and distribution services to disseminate large files, such as videos of attacks on Western forces in the Middle East, new research suggests. Services like RapidShare, Ziddu, and MegaUpload allow users to share large files, yet each places certain restrictions on non-paying users, such as limiting the number, speed, and size of files that free users can upload and download. But according to analysts at iDefense, a security intelligence firm owned by Verisign, hackers from various online jihadists forums have in recent months begun posting lengthy...