Please read - click the link & action. Thanks.
Besides this - this webpage does not allow to copy / paste content - I do not find this very funny !
Showing posts with label Protect IP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Protect IP. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Dotcom extradition hearing in August
and here the result for the date for Dotcoms extradition hearing - it will be only in 6 months !
Some of his bail conditions: He is not allowed to use the internet (thats bad............) & helicopters are not allowed to go to the place he is staying at..........
Some of his bail conditions: He is not allowed to use the internet (thats bad............) & helicopters are not allowed to go to the place he is staying at..........
Megaupload Founder Kim Dotcom Now Free on Bail Megaupload Founder Kim Dotcom Now Free on Bail
This from Yahoo - News !
A New Zealand court has granted bail to Kim Dotcom, the founder
of file-sharing site Megaupload. Dotcom, born Kim Schmitz, was
arrested last month on many charges stemming from the operation of Megaupload, which was
shut down by legal authorities (including the FBI) for encouraging piracy.
According to New Zealand's 3News, a district court judge Nevin Dawson said Dotcom wasn't a flight
risk and had "every reason to stay" in the country. Prosecutors pointed out that
Dotcom was a wealthy man with the resources to escape the country. However,
authorities froze Dotcom's assets and seized his multiple passports when he was
arrested, and the judge said the assumption was off base.
"The disposition that he is wealthy and must
have more assets is not evidence," Judge Dawson said. "It would seem that he
has every reason to stay (in New Zealand) to be with his family and to
fight to keep his significant assets."
[More from Mashable: Megaupload Data
Could Be Erased This Week]
Dotcom is reported to be banned from using
the Internet while on bail. Also on his forbidden list: helicopters. A date for
his extradition hearing is expected to be set later today.
Another judge had previously
denied Dotcom bail after New Zealand police arrested
Dotcom with three others at his extravagant residence in January. The U.S.
Department of Justice indicted seven people and two companies involved with the
site for copyright infringement. A new indictment, filed Friday, adds another
eight counts of fraud and violation of copyrights.
BONUS: The Strange and Epic Lifestyle of Megaupload’s Kim Dotcom
1. MegaRacer Domination Ends
Until recently, Kim Dotcom was the top Modern Warfare
3 player in the world. He even apparently posted a video to
prove it. We imagine it's tough to maintain such a coveted position while being
held in jail for multiple copyright violations.
This story originally published on Mashable
here.
Some news about Kim Dotcom aka Kimm Schmitz
Not really any GOOD NEWS for Kim Dotcom. He is still in jail in NZ waiting further procedures. The chance that he can get out on bail doesn't look too good. Bail was already denied 2 times. Here a report from here - just click:
quote
quote
Prosecutors Add New Charges to Megaupload Indictment
Founder Kim Dotcom continues to sit in a New Zealand jail as prosecutors prepare to have him face charges for aiding a massive copyright infringement conspiracy.
Federal prosecutors have sharpened their charges against Megaupload's leaders with a new superseding indictment that aims to show how Kim Dotcom and others allegedly aided and abetted massive copyright infringement.
PHOTOS: 10 Most Pirated Movies of All Time
Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice caused the shut-down of the once-popular file-storage website. Many of Megaupload's key executives were arrested and hundreds of millions of dollars in assets were seized.
In the aftermath, criticism of the action against Megaupload focused on two key areas.
First, some legal observers noted that criminal prosecutions are different than civil lawsuits, and that prosecutors would need to prove defendants' "willfullness" to aid copyright infringement. Even if the website couldn't avail itself of safe harbors under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, did the defendants reasonably believe they'd be protected from the conduct of its users?
Second, other legal observers expressed concern about legitimate data on the website. The company said that millions of its users stored family photos, personal documents and more on the website, and DOJ's efforts to erase the site from existence lead to some pushback from groups threatening to sue on behalf of the interests of "innocent customers."
In the latest indictment, prosecutors include more details about the personal involvement of the defendants to aid and abet a conspiracy that included both copyright infringement and fraud.
For instance, prosecutors say that Megaupload claimed to have 180 milllion registered users but really had only 66 million as of January 19. Less than a tenth of those users ever uploaded a file, they say.
STORY: Megaupload Founder Kim Dotcom Denied Bail
Instead, Megaupload was populated with copyright-infringing works from just a handful of users, and in an effort to mask what was happening, the company's leaders allegedly attempted trickery.
For example, the new indictment states "it was further part of the Conspiracy that members of the Conspiracy reproduced copyrighted works directly from third-party websites, including from YouTube.com. to make them available for reproduction and distribution on Megavideo.com and to create the false impression that Megavideo.com hosted primarily user generated content instead of copyright infringing content."
The indictment goes on to tick off the many ways that Dotcom and others allegedly participated willfully in what was going on, from telling copyright holders that it would cooperate only to fail to suspend flagrant users, not delete copyrighted works, and in some instances, allegedly participate in the creation of redundant links to copyrighted work.
Meanwhile, Dotcom has been in a New Zealand jail since January 20, awaiting possible extradition to the U.S. after his attempts to get a local judge to free him on bail were unsuccessful.
E-mail: eriqgardner@yahoo.com
Twitter: @eriqgardner
unquote
GOOD LUCK KIM !
our editor recommends
Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice caused the shut-down of the once-popular file-storage website. Many of Megaupload's key executives were arrested and hundreds of millions of dollars in assets were seized.
In the aftermath, criticism of the action against Megaupload focused on two key areas.
First, some legal observers noted that criminal prosecutions are different than civil lawsuits, and that prosecutors would need to prove defendants' "willfullness" to aid copyright infringement. Even if the website couldn't avail itself of safe harbors under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, did the defendants reasonably believe they'd be protected from the conduct of its users?
Second, other legal observers expressed concern about legitimate data on the website. The company said that millions of its users stored family photos, personal documents and more on the website, and DOJ's efforts to erase the site from existence lead to some pushback from groups threatening to sue on behalf of the interests of "innocent customers."
In the latest indictment, prosecutors include more details about the personal involvement of the defendants to aid and abet a conspiracy that included both copyright infringement and fraud.
For instance, prosecutors say that Megaupload claimed to have 180 milllion registered users but really had only 66 million as of January 19. Less than a tenth of those users ever uploaded a file, they say.
STORY: Megaupload Founder Kim Dotcom Denied Bail
Instead, Megaupload was populated with copyright-infringing works from just a handful of users, and in an effort to mask what was happening, the company's leaders allegedly attempted trickery.
For example, the new indictment states "it was further part of the Conspiracy that members of the Conspiracy reproduced copyrighted works directly from third-party websites, including from YouTube.com. to make them available for reproduction and distribution on Megavideo.com and to create the false impression that Megavideo.com hosted primarily user generated content instead of copyright infringing content."
The indictment goes on to tick off the many ways that Dotcom and others allegedly participated willfully in what was going on, from telling copyright holders that it would cooperate only to fail to suspend flagrant users, not delete copyrighted works, and in some instances, allegedly participate in the creation of redundant links to copyrighted work.
Meanwhile, Dotcom has been in a New Zealand jail since January 20, awaiting possible extradition to the U.S. after his attempts to get a local judge to free him on bail were unsuccessful.
E-mail: eriqgardner@yahoo.com
Twitter: @eriqgardner
unquote
GOOD LUCK KIM !
Saturday, February 11, 2012
6 Reasons to oppose ACTA
1.ACTA locks countries into obsolete copyright and patent laws. If a democracy decides on less restrictive laws that reflect the reality of the internet, ACTA will prevent that.
2.ACTA criminalizes users by making noncommercial, harmless remixes into crimes if "on a commercial scale" (art 2.14.1). Many amateur works achieve a commercial scale on sites like Youtube. ACTA, like SOPA, could mean jail time for the Justin Biebers of the world.
3.ACTA Criminalizes legitimate websites, making them responsible for user behavior by "aiding and abetting". (art 2.14.4). Like SOPA, the founders of your favorite sites could be sued or (worse) thrown in jail for copyright infringement by their users.
4.ACTA will let rightsholders use laughably inflated claims of damages (based on the disproven idea that every download or stream is a lost sale) to sue people. As if suing amazing artists, video makers and websites for millions wasn't hard enough!
5.ACTA Permanently bypasses democracy by giving the "ACTA Committee" the power to "propose amendments to [ACTA]" (art 6.4). In other words, voting for ACTA writes a blank check to an unelected committee. These closed-door proceedings will be a playground for SOPA-supporters like the MPAA.
6.Trade agreements are a gaping loophole, a backdoor track that, even though it creates new law, is miles removed from democracy. It's a secretive process that's tailor-made to serve politically connected companies. And the movie studios behind SOPA? They're experts at it. If we can't make secretive trade agreements harder to pass than US law, our internet's future belongs to the lobbyists behind SOPA.
From La Quadrature du Net
2.ACTA criminalizes users by making noncommercial, harmless remixes into crimes if "on a commercial scale" (art 2.14.1). Many amateur works achieve a commercial scale on sites like Youtube. ACTA, like SOPA, could mean jail time for the Justin Biebers of the world.
3.ACTA Criminalizes legitimate websites, making them responsible for user behavior by "aiding and abetting". (art 2.14.4). Like SOPA, the founders of your favorite sites could be sued or (worse) thrown in jail for copyright infringement by their users.
4.ACTA will let rightsholders use laughably inflated claims of damages (based on the disproven idea that every download or stream is a lost sale) to sue people. As if suing amazing artists, video makers and websites for millions wasn't hard enough!
5.ACTA Permanently bypasses democracy by giving the "ACTA Committee" the power to "propose amendments to [ACTA]" (art 6.4). In other words, voting for ACTA writes a blank check to an unelected committee. These closed-door proceedings will be a playground for SOPA-supporters like the MPAA.
6.Trade agreements are a gaping loophole, a backdoor track that, even though it creates new law, is miles removed from democracy. It's a secretive process that's tailor-made to serve politically connected companies. And the movie studios behind SOPA? They're experts at it. If we can't make secretive trade agreements harder to pass than US law, our internet's future belongs to the lobbyists behind SOPA.
From La Quadrature du Net
Here we go again - SOPA / ACTA
More action on that front - read here & do what you need to do.Click here first !
Hi--
Together, we beat SOPA in a huge victory for internet freedom. But this Saturday, internet freedom protests are breaking out in over 200 cities across Europe. Why?
But now the tide is turning. Fueled by the movement to stop SOPA, anti-ACTA protests are breaking out across the EU, which hasn't ratified ACTA. The protests are having an impact: leaders in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia have backtracked on ACTA.4 Now a massive round of street protests in over 200 cities is planned for this Saturday February 11th.
1. For more information on ACTA, read these excellent articles from Techdirt and La Quadrature du Net. For information on TPP, read this Ars Technica piece. For video, watch this.
2. Obama's signing of ACTA may have been unconstitutional. See Anti-counterfeiting agreement raises constitutional concerns and Techdirt.
3. Hollywood gets to party with TPP negotiators, public interest groups get thrown out of the hotel.
4. Ars Technica: Czech, Slovak governments backing away from ACTA, too.
Hi--
Together, we beat SOPA in a huge victory for internet freedom. But this Saturday, internet freedom protests are breaking out in over 200 cities across Europe. Why?
SOPA's supporters are pushing two agreements: ACTA and TPP1. ACTA would criminalize users, encourage internet providers to spy on you, and make it easier for media companies to sue sites out of existence and jail their founders. Sound familiar? That's right, ACTA is from the same playbook as SOPA, but global. Plus it didn't even have to pass through Congress2.
TPP goes even farther than ACTA, and the process has been even more secretive and corrupt. Last weekend (we wish this was a joke) trade negotiators partied with MPAA (pro-SOPA) lobbyists before secret negotiations in a Hollywood hotel, while public interest groups were barred from meeting in the same building.3
Trade agreements are a gaping loophole, a secretive backdoor track that--even though it creates new laws--is miles removed from democracy. Trade negotiators are unelected and unaccountable, so these agreements have been very hard for internet rights groups to stop.
But now the tide is turning. Fueled by the movement to stop SOPA, anti-ACTA protests are breaking out across the EU, which hasn't ratified ACTA. The protests are having an impact: leaders in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia have backtracked on ACTA.4 Now a massive round of street protests in over 200 cities is planned for this Saturday February 11th.
We're planning an online protest this Saturday to support the protests in the streets. Why? Because together we can drive millions of emails to key decision makers--and start tipping the scales like we did on SOPA.
We just built an ACTA & TPP contact tool, and it's not just a petition. It's code for your site that figures out the visitor's country and lets them email all their Members of European Parliament--the politicians who will be voting on ACTA in June--or the trade negotiators behind TPP. This direct contact between voters and their officials, driven by websites of all sizes, was instrumental in the fight against SOPA.
We can use the same tactics to defeat ACTA & TPP, but we need your help!
This is going to be tough fight. But we need to make secretive trade agreements harder to pass than US law. If we don't, our internet's future belongs to the lobbyists behind SOPA.
This is just the beginning,--Holmes Wilson, Tiffiniy Cheng, Joshua Blount & the whole Fight for the Future team.
P.S. This map of ACTA street protests in Europe is amazing. The largest has almost 50,000 RSVP's!
Sources:
1. For more information on ACTA, read these excellent articles from Techdirt and La Quadrature du Net. For information on TPP, read this Ars Technica piece. For video, watch this.
2. Obama's signing of ACTA may have been unconstitutional. See Anti-counterfeiting agreement raises constitutional concerns and Techdirt.
3. Hollywood gets to party with TPP negotiators, public interest groups get thrown out of the hotel.
4. Ars Technica: Czech, Slovak governments backing away from ACTA, too.
Monday, February 6, 2012
One more on KIM DOTCOM........
please read here:
quote
Megaupload founder to try and get assets back
From: AAP
February 05, 2012
KIM Dotcom is to try and regain control of his assets in court next week.
The 38-year-old Megaupload founder, who was again denied bail on Friday, will fight to get back millions of dollars seized in worldwide raids late last month.
Papers have been filed in the Auckland High Court which say the freezing orders used to seize Dotcom's fortune have gone too far and the money should be returned, the Herald on Sunday reports.
His lawyer, Paul Davison, has said Dotcom was disappointed with the outcome of Friday's High Court bail hearing, which challenged a North Shore District Court decision to keep him in custody.
Justice Raynor Asher agreed that Dotcom posed a flight risk.
A further application for bail can be made if there are new circumstances or the decision can be appealed.
Dotcom and three other men were arrested on January 20 after Dotcom's $30 million rented mansion in Coatesville was raided.
Dotcom's security chief alleges the arrest was a "home invasion by New Zealand police at the urging of the US Government" and that help was slow to arrive when Dotcom's wife Mona became ill but police are satisfied with their tactics.
More than $10 million from financial institutions, and assets, including luxury cars worth $6 million and expensive art works, were seized.
The men face charges in the US of racketeering, copyright infringement and money laundering. Extradition papers are expected to be filed on February 22.
Bail has been granted to two of Dotcom's co-accused, Finn Batato, 38, of Germany, and Dutch national Bram van der Kolk, 29, who holds New Zealand residency.
The other accused man is Mathias Ortmann, 40, of Germany.
It is alleged the group amassed $NZ216 million in criminal proceeds through the website
unquote
quote
Megaupload founder to try and get assets back
From: AAP
February 05, 2012
KIM Dotcom is to try and regain control of his assets in court next week.
The 38-year-old Megaupload founder, who was again denied bail on Friday, will fight to get back millions of dollars seized in worldwide raids late last month.
Papers have been filed in the Auckland High Court which say the freezing orders used to seize Dotcom's fortune have gone too far and the money should be returned, the Herald on Sunday reports.
His lawyer, Paul Davison, has said Dotcom was disappointed with the outcome of Friday's High Court bail hearing, which challenged a North Shore District Court decision to keep him in custody.
Justice Raynor Asher agreed that Dotcom posed a flight risk.
A further application for bail can be made if there are new circumstances or the decision can be appealed.
Dotcom and three other men were arrested on January 20 after Dotcom's $30 million rented mansion in Coatesville was raided.
Dotcom's security chief alleges the arrest was a "home invasion by New Zealand police at the urging of the US Government" and that help was slow to arrive when Dotcom's wife Mona became ill but police are satisfied with their tactics.
More than $10 million from financial institutions, and assets, including luxury cars worth $6 million and expensive art works, were seized.
The men face charges in the US of racketeering, copyright infringement and money laundering. Extradition papers are expected to be filed on February 22.
Bail has been granted to two of Dotcom's co-accused, Finn Batato, 38, of Germany, and Dutch national Bram van der Kolk, 29, who holds New Zealand residency.
The other accused man is Mathias Ortmann, 40, of Germany.
It is alleged the group amassed $NZ216 million in criminal proceeds through the website
unquote
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Kim DOTCOM - again declined bail......
So just got the info about this: Kim Schmitz aka Kim Dotcom has been declined bail again yesterday - The US want hin that urgently - this smells already ! Please read here - from here - just click or read the copy below:
quote
Dotcom's 'extraordinary' life keeps him in jail
By Edward Gay
quote
Dotcom's 'extraordinary' life keeps him in jail
By Edward Gay
n the end it was Kim Dotcom's money and his "history of taking an unorthodox route'' that saw the multimillionaire remain behind bars yesterday instead of going home to his family and his $30 million mansion. The man at the centre of what has been described as the largest copyright case in the US to date walked back into the cells last night after his latest bid for bail was declined at the High Court in Auckland. He will remain in custody at least until an extradition hearing is held unless a fresh appeal is launched.
Justice Raynor Asher upheld last month's decision by a judge in the North Shore District Court to decline bail for the German multimillionaire.
He said Judge David McNaughton had noted "the extraordinary features'' of Dotcom's life.
They included "his great wealth, taking on an unorthodox route, his connection to Germany and his incentive to get there''.
Justice Asher said that because Germany did not have an extradition treaty with the United States, Dotcom would be free from prosecution if he chose to escape to his birth country.
"He may or may not have the means to bring about such a scenario, however it was open to the judge and constituted a significant risk which could not be mitigated by [bail] conditions,'' Justice Asher said.
The FBI is seeking to extradite Dotcom and three of his associates to the US to face charges of conspiring to commit racketeering, conspiring to commit money laundering, copyright infringement, and aiding and abetting copyright infringement.
The FBI-led investigation has so far frozen $23 million in a Hong Kong bank account, $10m in New Zealand Government bonds, $6m in expensive cars.
The Megaupload co-founder showed signs of a sore back as he sat through the nine-hour court hearing and had to have his seat changed.
Dotcom, also known as Kim Schmitz, addressed the court for the first time since being arrested last month and said he had every intention of fighting the charges so that he could get back the millions of dollars frozen by the FBI.
"I'm aware that if I go to Germany I would be unable to unfreeze my assets. What I want to do is stay here to fight and get my money back. What would I do in Germany with five kids and a wife with no money?
"It is not an option for me.''
Crown prosecutor Anne Toohey, acting for the US Government, said there could be more money. She also said the court had to take into account the issue of flight risk, given Dotcom was found to have travel documents and credit cards in different names.
She said New Zealand had porous boarders and Dotcom had access to a helicopter.
Dotcom's lawyer Paul Davison QC said his client had changed his name for legitimate reasons and had no intention of deceiving officials.
He said that explained the passports and credit cards in different names.
"You left with a business man reeling from the fact that his business has been brought to a halt, his assets have been seized, his family is effectively devastated by this event.''
Earlier, Dotcom told the court how, while on remand, he had received letters from female prisoners and even a phone call from a man claiming to be a "prosecutor'' and asking for money in exchange for a favourable bail appeal.
Dotcom said he reported the phone call to prison authorities.
Fresh from visiting Dotcom in the cells after Justice Asher's decision this evening, Mr Davison told media outside court his client was disappointed with the decision.
Mr Davision described suggestions that Dotcom could flee the country by boat or jet as a "flight of fancy''.
He said Dotcom would now take advice on his next steps which could include a further appeal or a fresh application if his circumstances change.
Extradition papers against Dotcom are expected to be filed later this month.
Dotcom and his millions:
* $30 million rented mansion in Coatesville
* $10 million invested in NZ government bonds frozen
* Over $100 million assets frozen worldwide
* $42 million earned in 2010 year alone, according to the FBI
* $6 million worth of luxury cars removed from the property
Dotcom case at a glance:
January 18: District Court issues arrest warrant for Dotcom and three others
January 20: Police raid Dotcom's Coatesville mansion. Dotcom and three associates arrested
January 23: Dotcom applies for bail at the North Shore District Court
January 25: Judge McNaughton declines bail at the North Shore District Court
February 03: Dotcom's bail appeal at the High Court in Auckland declined by Justice Asher
- APNZ
By Edward Gay | Email Edward
Good luck Kim - we all hope that this will get some turnaround into a more positive situation for you !
Justice Raynor Asher upheld last month's decision by a judge in the North Shore District Court to decline bail for the German multimillionaire.
He said Judge David McNaughton had noted "the extraordinary features'' of Dotcom's life.
They included "his great wealth, taking on an unorthodox route, his connection to Germany and his incentive to get there''.
Justice Asher said that because Germany did not have an extradition treaty with the United States, Dotcom would be free from prosecution if he chose to escape to his birth country.
"He may or may not have the means to bring about such a scenario, however it was open to the judge and constituted a significant risk which could not be mitigated by [bail] conditions,'' Justice Asher said.
The FBI is seeking to extradite Dotcom and three of his associates to the US to face charges of conspiring to commit racketeering, conspiring to commit money laundering, copyright infringement, and aiding and abetting copyright infringement.
The FBI-led investigation has so far frozen $23 million in a Hong Kong bank account, $10m in New Zealand Government bonds, $6m in expensive cars.
The Megaupload co-founder showed signs of a sore back as he sat through the nine-hour court hearing and had to have his seat changed.
Dotcom, also known as Kim Schmitz, addressed the court for the first time since being arrested last month and said he had every intention of fighting the charges so that he could get back the millions of dollars frozen by the FBI.
"I'm aware that if I go to Germany I would be unable to unfreeze my assets. What I want to do is stay here to fight and get my money back. What would I do in Germany with five kids and a wife with no money?
"It is not an option for me.''
Crown prosecutor Anne Toohey, acting for the US Government, said there could be more money. She also said the court had to take into account the issue of flight risk, given Dotcom was found to have travel documents and credit cards in different names.
She said New Zealand had porous boarders and Dotcom had access to a helicopter.
Dotcom's lawyer Paul Davison QC said his client had changed his name for legitimate reasons and had no intention of deceiving officials.
He said that explained the passports and credit cards in different names.
"You left with a business man reeling from the fact that his business has been brought to a halt, his assets have been seized, his family is effectively devastated by this event.''
Earlier, Dotcom told the court how, while on remand, he had received letters from female prisoners and even a phone call from a man claiming to be a "prosecutor'' and asking for money in exchange for a favourable bail appeal.
Dotcom said he reported the phone call to prison authorities.
Fresh from visiting Dotcom in the cells after Justice Asher's decision this evening, Mr Davison told media outside court his client was disappointed with the decision.
Mr Davision described suggestions that Dotcom could flee the country by boat or jet as a "flight of fancy''.
He said Dotcom would now take advice on his next steps which could include a further appeal or a fresh application if his circumstances change.
Extradition papers against Dotcom are expected to be filed later this month.
Dotcom and his millions:
* $30 million rented mansion in Coatesville
* $10 million invested in NZ government bonds frozen
* Over $100 million assets frozen worldwide
* $42 million earned in 2010 year alone, according to the FBI
* $6 million worth of luxury cars removed from the property
Dotcom case at a glance:
January 18: District Court issues arrest warrant for Dotcom and three others
January 20: Police raid Dotcom's Coatesville mansion. Dotcom and three associates arrested
January 23: Dotcom applies for bail at the North Shore District Court
January 25: Judge McNaughton declines bail at the North Shore District Court
February 03: Dotcom's bail appeal at the High Court in Auckland declined by Justice Asher
- APNZ
By Edward Gay | Email Edward
unquote
Good luck Kim - we all hope that this will get some turnaround into a more positive situation for you !
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
One more before I board the airplane: Anonyupload: faceless group steps in after Kim Dotcom's arrest
the internet is big and wide. So just a few days after shutting down MEGAUPLOAD ....here is the next one. Please read here - just click !.......
quote
Anonyupload: faceless group steps in after Kim Dotcom's arrestLia Timson
January 24, 2012 - 1:14PM
It only took four days for another file-sharing service to surface.
The loose-knit hacking group Anonymous is attempting to replace the fire-sharing website Megaupload, following the latter's demise at the hands of the FBI.
Servers are being set up in Russia, according to the new website's welcome page, to provide an alternative file-sharing service called Anonyupload.
Megaupload.com was shut down by the FBI in the early hours of Friday (AEST) after charges were laid against seven individuals, three of which were arrested in New Zealand, including Megaupload's millionaire founder Kim Dotcom.
Members purporting to be from the Anonymous group have now set up Anonyupload and have called for supporters to join the group in hosting services in a decentralised fashion to "ensure the safety" of users and "rapid transfer" of files. The new site was registered on Monday and says it will be "launched" on January 25.
The site appears to be advocating a return to peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, given Megaupload's centralised service was arguably simpler for law enforcement to take down. P2P users allow others to share files hosted on their own computers.
"There are many reasons why (going to one centralised service) is not good, the first is that some of you store personal information and files on machines which are not belonging to you, and that you do not have any control on. The second is that you are always going through the same wires, it means that someone could spy on it, monitors your activities, or decides to cut it off as it happened with megaupload.com. This can be avoided by using decentralised technologies, the first thing to do if you are interested in doing it, is to host your own content, on your own machines," a statement on the website says.
It also says the group's infrastructure has been set up outside US jurisdiction in Russia, and thanks Mr Dotcom for his "service" adding "try not to make that amount of money next time and it should be alright".
It appears to shun profit-making by stating that the site has a "good economic plan" based on donations: "let's try to not get into a huge system that only works with money". It appears to accept donations via PayPal.
Some commentators say the closure of Megaupload has implications for other cloud hosting or "cyberlocker" services such as Dropbox, RapidShare and Hotfile. The sites have no control over the files users upload, and users have no guarantee the service will not be targetted in a piracy crackdown.
In retaliation for the closure of Megaupload, Anonymous crippled several official websites including the FBI, the US Department of Justice, Universal Music, the Motion Picture Association of America, and the Recording Industry Association of America with distributed denial-of-service attacks on Friday. Denial-of-service attacks cause websites to temporarily crumble under the weight of millions of requests for page views, disrupting service.
The FBI site is back online, but justice.gov was not at time of publishing.
Anonymous is against the anti-piracy lobby led by music, movie and book publishers. It found allies in opposition to US proposed copyright protection bills which many, including Google, Wikipedia and the father of the web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, say go too far in censoring the internet. Several US senators withdrew support for the bills late last week.
Voting on the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and its Senate cousin Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) has been postponed, amid the outcry.
unquote
Here some words from Kim dotcom from an article he wrote in December 2011 on torrentFreak.com:
"I made mistakes when I was young and I paid the price. Steve Jobs was a hacker and Martha Stuart is doing well after her insider trading case. I think over a decade after all of this happened it should NOT be the dominating topic.
"I am 37 years old now, I am married, I have three adorable children with two more on the way (twin girls – yeah) and I know that I am not a bad person. I have grown and I have learned."
He continued: "Mega has nothing to fear. Our business is legitimate and protected by the DMCA and similar laws around the world. We work with the best lawyers and play by the rules. We take our legal obligations seriously.
"Mega's war chest is full and we have strong supporters backing us. We have been online for 7 years and we are here to stay, so no need to worry about us."
Click here - one of Kim's lawyers steps out !
We all wish you good luck Kim !
quote
Anonyupload: faceless group steps in after Kim Dotcom's arrestLia Timson
January 24, 2012 - 1:14PM
The loose-knit hacking group Anonymous is attempting to replace the fire-sharing website Megaupload, following the latter's demise at the hands of the FBI.
Servers are being set up in Russia, according to the new website's welcome page, to provide an alternative file-sharing service called Anonyupload.
Megaupload.com was shut down by the FBI in the early hours of Friday (AEST) after charges were laid against seven individuals, three of which were arrested in New Zealand, including Megaupload's millionaire founder Kim Dotcom.
The site appears to be advocating a return to peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, given Megaupload's centralised service was arguably simpler for law enforcement to take down. P2P users allow others to share files hosted on their own computers.
"There are many reasons why (going to one centralised service) is not good, the first is that some of you store personal information and files on machines which are not belonging to you, and that you do not have any control on. The second is that you are always going through the same wires, it means that someone could spy on it, monitors your activities, or decides to cut it off as it happened with megaupload.com. This can be avoided by using decentralised technologies, the first thing to do if you are interested in doing it, is to host your own content, on your own machines," a statement on the website says.
It also says the group's infrastructure has been set up outside US jurisdiction in Russia, and thanks Mr Dotcom for his "service" adding "try not to make that amount of money next time and it should be alright".
It appears to shun profit-making by stating that the site has a "good economic plan" based on donations: "let's try to not get into a huge system that only works with money". It appears to accept donations via PayPal.
Some commentators say the closure of Megaupload has implications for other cloud hosting or "cyberlocker" services such as Dropbox, RapidShare and Hotfile. The sites have no control over the files users upload, and users have no guarantee the service will not be targetted in a piracy crackdown.
In retaliation for the closure of Megaupload, Anonymous crippled several official websites including the FBI, the US Department of Justice, Universal Music, the Motion Picture Association of America, and the Recording Industry Association of America with distributed denial-of-service attacks on Friday. Denial-of-service attacks cause websites to temporarily crumble under the weight of millions of requests for page views, disrupting service.
The FBI site is back online, but justice.gov was not at time of publishing.
Anonymous is against the anti-piracy lobby led by music, movie and book publishers. It found allies in opposition to US proposed copyright protection bills which many, including Google, Wikipedia and the father of the web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, say go too far in censoring the internet. Several US senators withdrew support for the bills late last week.
Voting on the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and its Senate cousin Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) has been postponed, amid the outcry.
unquote
Here some words from Kim dotcom from an article he wrote in December 2011 on torrentFreak.com:
"I made mistakes when I was young and I paid the price. Steve Jobs was a hacker and Martha Stuart is doing well after her insider trading case. I think over a decade after all of this happened it should NOT be the dominating topic.
"I am 37 years old now, I am married, I have three adorable children with two more on the way (twin girls – yeah) and I know that I am not a bad person. I have grown and I have learned."
He continued: "Mega has nothing to fear. Our business is legitimate and protected by the DMCA and similar laws around the world. We work with the best lawyers and play by the rules. We take our legal obligations seriously.
"Mega's war chest is full and we have strong supporters backing us. We have been online for 7 years and we are here to stay, so no need to worry about us."
Click here - one of Kim's lawyers steps out !
We all wish you good luck Kim !
Some news about Kim Dotcom - Megaupload
Still in jail in NZ Kim dotcom had to celebrate his 38 birthday behind bars. I guess there was no champagne. Today (yesterday...) was a hearing again in court - the decision if he and the others will be granted bail was adjourned to Wednesday 25.01.
Here the full story from stuff.co.nz - click it ! The photo cannot be copied so please use the link.
quote
Courtroom circus over Dotcom appearance
KIRSTY JOHNSTON
A quiet court erupted into circus-like chaos yesterday as the Mega Conspiracy accused made a plea for freedom and asserted their innocence.
Cyber-tycoon Kim Dotcom, 37, and his three alleged co-conspirators appeared in North Shore District Court for a day of legal ping-pong with little resolution.
At the end of a day of argument, spectacle and some confusion, Judge David McNaughton reserved his decision as to whether or not Dotcom should be released on bail.
The four were arrested in a dramatic FBI-led police raid on the German millionaire's Auckland mansion on Friday, with the US Government planning to extradite them and lay charges of racketeering, money laundering and three types of copyright infringement.
US authorities claim that Megaupload - a repository for films, TV shows and books, where users could watch content without charge - and its sister sites made more than US$175 million in criminal proceeds and cost copyright owners more than US$500m.
Dotcom has denied any wrongdoing.
Ringside seats to the courtroom drama yesterday were packed full of the men's supporters, forcing media from New Zealand and around the world to sprawl onto the floor, along the walls and even into the witness box.
The hearing provided further revelations into Dotcom's luxury lifestyle.
Defence lawyer Paul Davison detailed how some passports were found in a bed his client ''used for work purposes'' while the Crown brought its own set of evidence in an attempt to prove the accused posed an ''extreme'' flight risk.
At one point, an arms officer brought an allegedly modified shotgun into court in a paper package.
''I don't think it's necessary for you to be in here with the firearm in a package,'' Judge McNaughton said, asking the officer to leave.
The judge began the day by asking media to leave the court, causing a ruckus when some refused.
When the hearing finally began, only Dotcom was dealt with. Sitting in a chair seeming far too small for his black-clothed bulk, Dotcom sat quietly for most of the day, smirking occasionally when his lawyer made a good point.
A grin almost slipped out when Davison, in summing up, described his final reason why Dotcom should be set free.
''It won't escape the court's notice that Mr Dotcom is a man with a distinct [look], he's not the kind of man who is going to pass unnoticed through controls and checks without being readily identifiable.''
The arguments centred around a number of main points listed by Crown lawyer Anne Toohey as Dotcom's lack of respect for authorities, ready access to wealth, multiple aliases, access to a firearm, access to transport and alleged likeliness of reoffending.
Toohey described how Dotcom had several passports - Finnish, New Zealand and German - in different names.
He also had multiple credit cards, all discovered in the raid.
There were six in one wallet, 19 in another and ten in another. These were all in a variety of names, including the first name ''Tim'' rather than Kim, she said.
Davison counter-argued that his client ''collected'' the cards, and they were of no consequence.
The prosecution also gave details of the gun found in the panic room at the mansion. The gun, discovered in a safe just metres from where police arrested Dotcom sitting on the ground behind a pillar in his safe room, was a type never seen before by arms experts in New Zealand.
Defence lawyers said the gun was loaded only with a rubber bullet but Toohey said it was also loaded with buckshot.
She said a police arms officer believed the weapon had been modified.
''It couldn't be cut off any further back because of the position of the magazine,'' she said.
To get a license for that type of gun in New Zealand it would have had to be granted a permit. The arms officer didn't believe that would happen.
It was at that point the officer entered the courtroom with the gun, to be swiftly escorted out.
Also attracting attention during the hearing was Dotcom's previous altercation with the German and Thai authorities during 2002.
The Crown argued Dotcom had been arrested and deported from Thailand, while the defence said he willingly went back to Germany with police.
At the conclusion or proceedings, Judge McNaughton decided he needed more time to consider the bail application, and said he would make a written judgement as early as today.
Dotcom would remain in custody till then.
Bram van der Kolk, Mathias Ortmann, Finn Batato, who were arrested alongside Dotcom on Friday, were also remanded in custody, and will reappear on Wednesday.
The decision brought a flood of emotion from the gallery, with family members and friends rushing to say a quick word to their loved-ones before they were ushered back into custody.
One woman rushed up to touch her partner's hand, while he mouthed at her ''I love you''.
Other family, including teenage girls, were reduced to tears outside.
Dotcom's wife, said to be heavily pregnant with twins, was not present.
unquote
Here the full story from stuff.co.nz - click it ! The photo cannot be copied so please use the link.
quote
Courtroom circus over Dotcom appearance
KIRSTY JOHNSTON
A quiet court erupted into circus-like chaos yesterday as the Mega Conspiracy accused made a plea for freedom and asserted their innocence.
Cyber-tycoon Kim Dotcom, 37, and his three alleged co-conspirators appeared in North Shore District Court for a day of legal ping-pong with little resolution.
At the end of a day of argument, spectacle and some confusion, Judge David McNaughton reserved his decision as to whether or not Dotcom should be released on bail.
The four were arrested in a dramatic FBI-led police raid on the German millionaire's Auckland mansion on Friday, with the US Government planning to extradite them and lay charges of racketeering, money laundering and three types of copyright infringement.
US authorities claim that Megaupload - a repository for films, TV shows and books, where users could watch content without charge - and its sister sites made more than US$175 million in criminal proceeds and cost copyright owners more than US$500m.
Dotcom has denied any wrongdoing.
Ringside seats to the courtroom drama yesterday were packed full of the men's supporters, forcing media from New Zealand and around the world to sprawl onto the floor, along the walls and even into the witness box.
The hearing provided further revelations into Dotcom's luxury lifestyle.
Defence lawyer Paul Davison detailed how some passports were found in a bed his client ''used for work purposes'' while the Crown brought its own set of evidence in an attempt to prove the accused posed an ''extreme'' flight risk.
At one point, an arms officer brought an allegedly modified shotgun into court in a paper package.
''I don't think it's necessary for you to be in here with the firearm in a package,'' Judge McNaughton said, asking the officer to leave.
The judge began the day by asking media to leave the court, causing a ruckus when some refused.
When the hearing finally began, only Dotcom was dealt with. Sitting in a chair seeming far too small for his black-clothed bulk, Dotcom sat quietly for most of the day, smirking occasionally when his lawyer made a good point.
A grin almost slipped out when Davison, in summing up, described his final reason why Dotcom should be set free.
''It won't escape the court's notice that Mr Dotcom is a man with a distinct [look], he's not the kind of man who is going to pass unnoticed through controls and checks without being readily identifiable.''
The arguments centred around a number of main points listed by Crown lawyer Anne Toohey as Dotcom's lack of respect for authorities, ready access to wealth, multiple aliases, access to a firearm, access to transport and alleged likeliness of reoffending.
Toohey described how Dotcom had several passports - Finnish, New Zealand and German - in different names.
He also had multiple credit cards, all discovered in the raid.
There were six in one wallet, 19 in another and ten in another. These were all in a variety of names, including the first name ''Tim'' rather than Kim, she said.
Davison counter-argued that his client ''collected'' the cards, and they were of no consequence.
The prosecution also gave details of the gun found in the panic room at the mansion. The gun, discovered in a safe just metres from where police arrested Dotcom sitting on the ground behind a pillar in his safe room, was a type never seen before by arms experts in New Zealand.
Defence lawyers said the gun was loaded only with a rubber bullet but Toohey said it was also loaded with buckshot.
She said a police arms officer believed the weapon had been modified.
''It couldn't be cut off any further back because of the position of the magazine,'' she said.
To get a license for that type of gun in New Zealand it would have had to be granted a permit. The arms officer didn't believe that would happen.
It was at that point the officer entered the courtroom with the gun, to be swiftly escorted out.
Also attracting attention during the hearing was Dotcom's previous altercation with the German and Thai authorities during 2002.
The Crown argued Dotcom had been arrested and deported from Thailand, while the defence said he willingly went back to Germany with police.
At the conclusion or proceedings, Judge McNaughton decided he needed more time to consider the bail application, and said he would make a written judgement as early as today.
Dotcom would remain in custody till then.
Bram van der Kolk, Mathias Ortmann, Finn Batato, who were arrested alongside Dotcom on Friday, were also remanded in custody, and will reappear on Wednesday.
The decision brought a flood of emotion from the gallery, with family members and friends rushing to say a quick word to their loved-ones before they were ushered back into custody.
One woman rushed up to touch her partner's hand, while he mouthed at her ''I love you''.
Other family, including teenage girls, were reduced to tears outside.
Dotcom's wife, said to be heavily pregnant with twins, was not present.
unquote
Monday, January 23, 2012
More about Kim Dotcom
Kim Dotcom is still in New Zealand jail - but he is willing to fight and as reported he has hired the best lawyers possible. On Monday (today) there will be the decision if he will be granted bail. Personally (I do not know that guy - from all the reports about his lifestyle, maybe he is a little a**h**e - but who knows). If he has really broken the law (or only smart enough using loopholes) this will be decided by somebody else. The US want him that urgently - this is a problem for him.
Here some more info about the whole story (Click here )
This is from NATIONAL POST:
quote
Kim Dotcom, Megaupload founder, claims he is ‘smarter than Bill Gates’
Among the roll-call of hip-hop artists and other celebrities plugging Megaupload.com’s digital storage services in an online promotional video, a cameo from the website’s founder would have gone unnoticed by many.
As the voiceover boasts of the site’s billion users and four percent share of all Internet traffic, a colossal figure clad in black appears in a music studio.
“Bit by bit, it’s a hit, it’s a hit!” founder Kim Dotcom booms in a slight accent that hints at his German roots.
The hits may have just run out for Dotcom, also known as Kim Schmitz and Kim Tim Jim Investor, who spent his 38th birthday on Saturday in a New Zealand jail after 70 police raided his country estate and cut him out of a safe room he had barricaded himself in.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, which requested the raid, says Dotcom masterminded a scheme that made more than $175 million in a few short years by copying and distributing music, movies and other copyrighted content without authorization.
The arrest marks the latest twist in the checkered story of Dotcom, a former hacker who got his first computer at nine before going on to build an Internet fortune and friendships with music stars including Alicia Keys, Will.i.am and P.Diddy who appeared on the Megaupload.com promo video.
EARLY STARTER
Born in the German city of Kiel, Dotcom — who was then known as Schmitz — grew up in northern Germany.
As a child, he made copies of computer games to sell to his friends, and in the early days of the Internet, began hacking into computers via telephones, according to reputed German daily Die Welt.
Schmitz has made no secret of his controversial past as a cyber-raider, hacking into computer networks at NASA, the Pentagon and at least one major bank.
As the hacker pioneer generation came of age, so did Schmitz. After being convicted of computer hacking in 1998, he made a fortune providing computer security consulting and venture capital investment via the firm Kimvestor.
According to German magazine Der Spiegel, Schmitz once boasted he would become one of the richest men in the world. How was he so sure? “I’m smarter than Bill Gates,” he said.
Schmitz, who also called himself Kimble after the wrongly convicted doctor-on-the-run in the film “The Fugitive,” became well known for his lavish lifestyle as much as his computer skills.
He briefly became a fixture in Germany’s nouveau riche party scene and made his own film, shot with a hand-held camera, Kimble Goes Monaco. The hulking Schmitz — reportedly two meters tall and weighing more than 130 kg — was often shown in Germany’s tabloid press with fast cars and a model on his arm.
unquote
GOOD LUCK KIM !
Here some more info about the whole story (Click here )
This is from NATIONAL POST:
quote
Kim Dotcom, Megaupload founder, claims he is ‘smarter than Bill Gates’
Jan 22, 2012 – 10:00 AM ET | Last Updated: Jan 22, 2012 10:29 AM ET
By Lincoln Feast and Sarah MarshAmong the roll-call of hip-hop artists and other celebrities plugging Megaupload.com’s digital storage services in an online promotional video, a cameo from the website’s founder would have gone unnoticed by many.
STR/AFP/Getty Images
This TV grab shows Internet guru and founder of Megaupload.com, Kim Schmitz, also known as "Kim Dotcom", in an Auckland district court in New Zealand on January 20, 2012.
“Bit by bit, it’s a hit, it’s a hit!” founder Kim Dotcom booms in a slight accent that hints at his German roots.
The hits may have just run out for Dotcom, also known as Kim Schmitz and Kim Tim Jim Investor, who spent his 38th birthday on Saturday in a New Zealand jail after 70 police raided his country estate and cut him out of a safe room he had barricaded himself in.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, which requested the raid, says Dotcom masterminded a scheme that made more than $175 million in a few short years by copying and distributing music, movies and other copyrighted content without authorization.
Click here to read the FBI’s full statement regarding the charges against Mr. DotcomMegaupload’s U.S. lawyer said the company merely offered online storage, would “vigorously defend itself” and was trying to recover its servers and get back online.
The arrest marks the latest twist in the checkered story of Dotcom, a former hacker who got his first computer at nine before going on to build an Internet fortune and friendships with music stars including Alicia Keys, Will.i.am and P.Diddy who appeared on the Megaupload.com promo video.
EARLY STARTER
Born in the German city of Kiel, Dotcom — who was then known as Schmitz — grew up in northern Germany.
Nigel Marple/Reuters
Giraffe statues stand in the grounds of the Dotcom Mansion, home of accused Kim Dotcom, who founded the Megaupload.com site and ran it from the $30 million mansion, is seen in Coatesville January 21, 2012.
Schmitz has made no secret of his controversial past as a cyber-raider, hacking into computer networks at NASA, the Pentagon and at least one major bank.
As the hacker pioneer generation came of age, so did Schmitz. After being convicted of computer hacking in 1998, he made a fortune providing computer security consulting and venture capital investment via the firm Kimvestor.
According to German magazine Der Spiegel, Schmitz once boasted he would become one of the richest men in the world. How was he so sure? “I’m smarter than Bill Gates,” he said.
Schmitz, who also called himself Kimble after the wrongly convicted doctor-on-the-run in the film “The Fugitive,” became well known for his lavish lifestyle as much as his computer skills.
He briefly became a fixture in Germany’s nouveau riche party scene and made his own film, shot with a hand-held camera, Kimble Goes Monaco. The hulking Schmitz — reportedly two meters tall and weighing more than 130 kg — was often shown in Germany’s tabloid press with fast cars and a model on his arm.
unquote
GOOD LUCK KIM !
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Protect IP & SOPA
This is the result of the SOPA Strike 18.01.12 - click here.
And that is what it is all about (I have posted this already 2 days ago - but it is so important, that it doesn't matter to be posted again):
PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.
Dear Readers, please spread the word - this bill must be stopped completely !
SOPA Text - click here - 78 pages long !
Wikipedia on Stop Online Piracy Act - click here !
Wikipedia on Protect IP Act (PIPA) - click here !
And here another site to caste your vote against this nonsense:
Click here & vote !
And that is what it is all about (I have posted this already 2 days ago - but it is so important, that it doesn't matter to be posted again):
PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.
Dear Readers, please spread the word - this bill must be stopped completely !
SOPA Text - click here - 78 pages long !
Wikipedia on Stop Online Piracy Act - click here !
Wikipedia on Protect IP Act (PIPA) - click here !
And here another site to caste your vote against this nonsense:
Click here & vote !
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Protect - IP ?? Vote against that !!!
Please read / see below. Please be totally against that - this makes no sense !
Cast your vote here - just click !
Cast your vote here - just click !
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