Submitted 3 months ago by downpunxx@fedia.io to technology@lemmy.world
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y363lw204o
The internet entrepreneur faces several criminal charges in the US, including copyright infringement.
U.S. authorities say Mr Dotcom and three other Megaupload executives cost film studios and music producers more than $500m in losses.
Ok, so it’s a phony case based on imaginary numbers. Sharing files costs nothing.
I know this dude is a total dickhead. Yes yes yes I know. But he made some entertaining videos back on the late 90s with those cannonball runs.
Characters like him are targeted because they are both successful and anti establishment
We can’t have that. You’re only allowed to commit crimes if you’re successful and support the establishment.
so what happens to mega? does someone else own it now?
Dotcom has not been in control of Mega for a long time now…
thanks, I didn’t know. I was never even aware that it was all connected to him until a few years ago.
darkevilmac@lemmy.zip 3 months ago
It’s hard to feel any sympathy for the guy at this point, he went from odd eccentric file sharing site founder, to adware distributor, all the way to misinformation spreading conspiracy theorist.
SkaveRat@discuss.tchncs.de 3 months ago
no. he basically started with credit card fraud and “sueing people who fileshare”. Together with a lawer he basically invented the practice of “see which IPs share copyrighted data, request the user data from the ISP and send out C&D extiotion letters to the ISP customers”
Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 3 months ago
Could you provide more info? Yes he and every hosting provider did that because they were forced to by Hollywood. They and all other hosting providers/isps certainly don’t want to do it because it costs money to track the infringers and then they lose a customer.
darkevilmac@lemmy.zip 3 months ago
Wasn’t aware of his history before Megaupload really.
KryptonNerd@slrpnk.net 3 months ago
Wait what happened?!
Neon@lemmy.world 3 months ago
spread russian propaganda afaik
refurbishedrefurbisher@lemmy.sdf.org 3 months ago
Sure, but this isn’t about the person; it’s about legal precidence.
smooth_tea@lemmy.world 3 months ago
Am I the only one who fails to see anything seriously wrong with what you list there? I’m purposefully ignoring “misinformation spreading conspiracy theorist”, because that’s a pretty meaningless accusation and is often added as an easy character assassination rather than something substantial, but I’d like to see you elaborate.
I mean, we’re talking jail time and extradition, and nothing you’ve mentioned is even against the law in the slightest. Yes, there was piracy on his file sharing site, but that’s true for practically any service on the internet, from Google drive to Amazon S3 and anything in-between and vaguely related.
Characters like him are targeted because they are both successful and anti establishment, the eccentricity just tops it off. But why should that result in a lack of sympathy? The world doesn’t have enough of these people who rock the boat if you ask me.
darkevilmac@lemmy.zip 3 months ago
You ignored the adware distribution, if you want to see him spreading misinformation feel free to check his Twitter. It runs the gamut from antivaxxer to literal Russian propaganda.