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FBI Closes File-Sharing Site; Anonymous Gets Revenge

After Megaupload is shut down, hackers hit Justice Department

By John Johnson,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 19, 2012 5:45 PM CST

(Newser) – After yesterday's SOPA protest comes more online piracy fun: The FBI today shut down the file-sharing site Megaupload.com and charged seven people with copyright infringement, reports the Wall Street Journal. Soon after, the hackers of Anonymous sought revenge by taking down the websites of the Justice Department, Universal Music, and the Motion Picture Association of America, reports CNET.

Megaupload is a so-called "digital locker" that is "widely used for free downloads of movies and television shows," according to the Los Angeles Times. The site boasted of having 50 million daily visitors and insisted that nearly all of its traffic was legit. The indictment, however, says it has cost copyright holders about $500 million, adding that today's action is "among the largest criminal copyright cases ever brought in the United States."

This undated image obtained by the Associated Press shows the homepage of the website Megaupload.com.
This undated image obtained by the Associated Press shows the homepage of the website Megaupload.com.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 48 comments
niconathan
Jan 20, 2012 9:19 AM CST
Way to go! They got the RIAA too!  Let's see who the government sides with....the people or the money? I think we all know.
Mr_Joshua
Jan 20, 2012 3:26 AM CST
Its whack a mole, it will pop up somewhere else under a different name. And besides that, there are many clones of this site already. No story here. And you can call me................Mr Joshua
janelanejones
Jan 20, 2012 3:07 AM CST
if mitt romney can keep millions tax free in the cayman islands, then file sharing companies should take up residence there. 
 

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