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Megaupload started out being presented as a regular copyright enforcement case. However as the facts of the military-style raid surfaced, followed by details of the many serious legal irregularities, it quickly became very peculiar and atypical. Soon, when former president Barack Obama arrives in New Zealand later this month, Kim Dotcom aims to try to find out what he knew about the case through subpoena.
Kim Dotcom is claiming that an associate was able to hire a friend of the Obamas to ask about the Megaupload case. "Mistakes were made. It hasn't gone well. It's a problem. I'll see to it after the election," Barack Obama reportedly said. With Obama due to land in New Zealand next month, Dotcom says he'll have a court subpoena waiting for the former president.
One of the interesting items that might eventually come from the case is what the difference between Megaupload and its competitors was. So far, there have been no raids, big or small, against Box, Dropbox, One Drive, Google Drive, Spider Oak, and the others.
Source : Dotcom: Obama Admitted "Mistakes Were Made" in Megaupload Case
See also : past soylentnews posts on Megaupload
(Score: 5, Informative) by bradley13 on Thursday March 01 2018, @06:59PM (1 child)
IIRC, the difference between Mega and the rest is that Mega specifically encouraged copyright infringement. "Oh noes, don't upload copyrighted films here, or we might pay you based on how many downloads you get". Technically, they said "no", but in practice they said "please do, more is better".
Of course, that doesn't change the fact that the whole matter was handled disastrously. Extralegal (or outright illegal) behavior is business as usual for the FBI in the US. Asset forfeiture, changing interview transcripts so they can accuse people of lying, whatever it takes. In the US, they mostly get away with it - I mean, who's going to protest, when they might you after you next? Going outside the US and doing the same thing, they got caught, and it's not so easy to sweep under the rug.
Dotcom is a scumbag, there's no much doubt about it. However, that is no excuse for the way he's been treated. Anyone with fewer resources would be rotting in jail. If we don't stand up for his legal rights, who's next?
Everyone is somebody else's weirdo.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 05 2018, @08:13AM
> Technically, they said "no", but in practice they said "please do, more is better".
It says this but it totally means THAT, sir. Is it thoughtcrime yet?