Online Piracy Company Takes A Hit
Many of your favorite Internet websites went black on January 18 in protest of SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act), in case you were living under a rock, these acts were proposed legislation that would monitor online content by the government.
In a huge victory for online piracy opponents, (when you illegally download a movie, book or song without paying for the content) the feds shut down Megaupload.
Megaupload is the one of the largest file sharing networks in the world “generating more than $175 million in criminal proceeds and causing more than half a billion dollars in harm to copyright owners.”
The site’s CEO Swizz Beatz teamed up with some of his music industry friends to make the megaupload song, which featured everyone from Kanye West to will.i.am, Diddy, Chris Brown, and Kim Kardashian pledging allegiance to the site.
The Department of Justice raided the offices in New Zealand and northern Virginia to serve indictments and have four people in custody. The Justice Department charges Megaupload, which was once the world’s 13th largest website, with “generating more than $175 million in criminal proceeds and causing more than half a billion dollars in harm to copyright owners.”
Although you may not consciously think about it, every time you download a song, movie or program without paying for it you’re committing a crime. The government is getting more serious about such offenses so I’d advise you to stop.
Jail is just not worth a $9.99 album.
Do you download songs over the internet? Why or why not?
