Homeland Security Seizes Dozens of Piracy Websites

[IRemember]

The investigative arm of the Homeland Security Department appears to be shutting down websites that facilitate copyright infringement.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has seized dozens of domain names over the past few days, according to TorrentFreak.

ICE appears to be targeting sites that help Internet users download copyrighted music, as well as sites that sell bootleg goods, such as fake designer handbags.

The sites are replaced with a note from the government: “This domain named has been seized by ICE, Homeland Security Investigations.”
For instance, borntrade.com, 51607.com, and amoyhy.com have each been seized.

One of the site owners told TorrentFreak that his site was shut down without any notice or warning.

The effort comes as Congress considers the Combatting Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA). Critics, including Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) say it is too heavy-handed. He has vowed to put a formal hold on the bill.

http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/General+News/76683/Homeland-Security-Seizes-Domain-Names.html

[liberal N proud]

1. Good, Piracy cost those of us who choose to do business legally.

[tinrobot]

4. True, but their methods are suspect.

Shutting down these sites without a court order is unconstitutional.

[jberryhill]

6. Do the words "pursuant to a warrant" suggest anything to you?

The Fourth Amendment authorizes seizure pursuant to a warrant.

Have a look at the notice in the OP again.

[hlthe2b]

5. I'm content to see them go after all the counterfeit software....

but I have qualms about what they are doing with the download sites, many which seem not to even host the material....That seems questionable to me....:shrug:

But, as to software, I say go forth and prosecute. A year or so ago, I lost several hundred $$ on an online purchase of MS Office. There was no way of knowing, from the website that this company was in China and the price was only marginally lower than the local Office Depot. All the official MS insignia and certifications were there on the website, along with the usual "guarantees. Apparently they sold enough legit software on startup to earn a few positive reviews before turning to the counterfeit stuff.

I have since tried to work with MS, the PO (since it was sent through the PO, it is postal fraud), Paypal and those online website reviews to warn off others... But MS really doesn't give a damn, it seems with small peanuts operations, Paypal just says "tough" and the PO is so far behind on these kind of cases, they are drowning.

As for the torrent sites, that seems to be a legal snare... I don't use them. I am assuming sites like hulu that allow you to stream a crappy quality version of shows, is legal...:shrug:

[Ruby the Liberal]

2. Are they only shutting down US-hosted sites, or also International?

[littlewolf]

13. under US law I dont think they can touch foreign sites

[Odin2005]

3. Authoritarian bullshit!

[JackRiddler]

7. Good luck to anyone who thinks this stops here.

[Nailzberg]

8. Good.

[L0oniX]

9. Good reason to use open source software. MP3's?? ...give me a break.

You can use Audacity and other free open source software to record HQ Youtube music from the videos or music tracks. What are they going to do about that? Shut down Youtube? The old dinosaurs still think they can charge for music. The new model is to give away your music for free and if it's good and becomes popular your band will make a lot of money from concerts and that's been where bands make most of their money anyway. Fuck the damn knuckle dragging record companies and their distribution, using government um er corporate jack booted thugs to keep them on life support. Just die already!

[Edweird]

10. Um, bands ALWAYS made their living from live shows and merchandising.

It's the record labels that profited from unit sales. Pirating MP3's only hurts predatory big business.

[corpseratemedia]

11. my question is, what do piracy sites have to do with terrorism or homeland security?

just wonderin'

[Canuckistanian]

12. Excellent question

I was wondering that myself. I suspect Vaterland Homeland Security is suffering from "mission creep".

[Catherina]

14. Anything that affects profit is considered terrorism under capitalism n/t