You can almost smell the fear at this point. Because the FBI didn't just shut MegaUpload down; they've now terrified an entire group of potentially infringing peers. Almost immediately after the raid-and-shutdown of MegaUpload, a number of locker services dramatically changed their file-sharing policies. But some are taking the extreme nuclear option of shutting their services down - for good.
That shut-and-shuffle group now includes BTJunkie, which is actually a BitTorrent tracker. Sounds like a totally different type of service, though that may be an unimportant nuance to federal investigators. BTJunkie may not be hosting anything beyond BitTorrent signposts, though this is one of the largest trackers on the planet - or at least, was one of the largest. And that made it a big, fat target, just like Kim Dotcom.
Which leaves BTJunkie and the sites like them with a choice: face a potential raid a-la Dotcom, or walk away with the money and servers you still have. We're not sure what discussions or threats have been happening behind closed doors, but in a discussion with Torrentfreak, BTJunkie indicated that recent actions against MegaUpload and the Pirate Bay strongly informed the decision to jet.
BTJunkie is not alone. In the days following the MegaUpload rip-down, Uploadbox.com also voluntarily shut itself down, and Uploaded.to closed all access to US users. Others, most notably FileSonic, disabled any trading of files between users, while RapidShare stayed put.
More as it develops.
Comments Closed
Visitor Monday, February 06, 2012
Good sign. But we'll see where it leads...
Visitor Monday, February 06, 2012
good bye internet. it was fun.
Maxwellian Monday, February 06, 2012
ha ha, dude where's my internet (in 2013)...?
::MW
jack Monday, February 06, 2012
agreed, make sure you follow SOPA!
FOR OUR FREEDOM!!!
Visitor Monday, February 06, 2012
"Your right to communicate". Nice euphemism.
- Versus
Jack Monday, February 06, 2012
Good bye NET FREEDOM
Please follow SOPA on the net to support the fight on bills that give the power to the governmet to police the net ANY WAY THEY SEE FIT!!!
T Chandler Monday, February 06, 2012
I think you may be blowing the SOPA and PIPA out of proportion here. Yes, these bills would have granted the government the authority to shut down entire websites due to one or two infringements, however, the likelihood of this happening is staggeringly small. Lots of the oposition to these bills came from people who were afraid that they would "break the internet" but didn't bother to read the legislation. I'll be the first to say that we need end the age where lobbyists can simply throw cash at Congress and get their way without public support, but what reactionary oposition to these bills started was essentially a fear campaign that facebook would get shut down because a picture of some puppy was copyrighted. Hopefully this article can shed a little light on the subeject.
CLebLabs*(TM) Monday, February 06, 2012
It is good to see some action on the Anti-Piracy front. One Day the true Artist will gain their true royalty. We at CLebLabs*(TM) are creating two means of saving your work in all our APPS by JANSTONAPPS-JANSTON PtyLtd.,(Australia):-[ http://cleblabs.yolasite.com ]. Firstly any work created will by (Default) save as a "COPYRIGHT WORK", but if you are just mucking around, you can post for no royaly into any of your chosen Social Network's, as a Social piece for all People to listen to. There will be 12 Categories to choose from, including "MOVIE STAR". You can be a Child who dreams of becoming a "MOVIE STAR", or you may actually be one. Either way with our APPS you do not need any prior Music Education or knowledge. Anyone will be able to "PLAY AROUND with SOUND"(TM)- in the following APPS being developed:-"VINCIAZEE"(TM)-the "A to ZEE" of "MUSICEZEE"(TM)-"a UNIVERSE of SOUND made easy"(TM) and the APPLE release, IPADHARMONY*(TM):-[ http://www.ipadharmony.biz ]: to be released by JANSTONAPPS:-JANSTON PtyLtd.,(Australia):-[ http://ipadaracmusic.com ]-[ http://vinciazee.yolasite.com ]-[ http://www.ipadharmony.biz ]. (C) Copyright Paul Callanan 1987-2012_All Rights Reserved.
Sarah Lish Monday, February 06, 2012
It is censorship any way you look at it. Whatever freedoms that still exist will soon go by the wayside. Be thankful our political leaders still allow us the freedom to pay taxes and support their lifestyle and the lifestyles of those who have political favor. Thank you.
Miles A.P. Kahaloa Wednesday, February 08, 2012
No it's not censorship if someone steals your work. It's theft! I want my government to stop these criminals who make a living off of stealing and selling works which do not belong to them. If you download from these crooks then you are part of the problem. Take some time to understand that you support these criminals everytime you download from them.
insider Tuesday, February 07, 2012
BTJunkie made around 4 mil, not that bad. You always know that there will be a day that you will have to go away. And when your lawyer says it's time to go, then it is time to go. Not a second later. Lawyers don't fool around with these things. It's better to go with the cash, than losing that and doing some jail time on top. No brainer. As for the guys saying it is censorship, no, just a business decision, you just don't understand that not everyone wants to end up in jail. Hey, if you are willing to do the time instead, go ahead and front something. Let me see you putting your real name on a business and have a taste.
@addthis Tuesday, February 07, 2012
:- TIMES they are a changin
Serge Tuesday, February 07, 2012
It's a good start.
Y U NO PR? Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Funny how every financial scam is called "free speech" and every action against a mafia group is called "censorship". Wall Street is really pressing on its lexicon.
boo hoo my foot Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Bye bye BT
You WON'T be missed.
Take all your fugging friends with ya! Don't let the door hit ya on the way out!
Visitor Wednesday, February 08, 2012
?? Wednesday, February 08, 2012
You say that as if the money from ISPs goes to the people who are creating the content which is available on sites like btjunkie.
Sam @ Projekt Wednesday, February 08, 2012
You think you deserve free music, games, music, software, p$rn because you pay for broadband? that's good for a laugh! : )
the Icon Thursday, February 09, 2012
Visitor Thursday, February 09, 2012
The only way you won't misss these sites is if you were to stupid to figure out how to operate them.
Kenneth S. Barnard Thursday, February 09, 2012
It's rather amusing that everyone is so up-in-arms about SOPA, PIPA, OPEN etc...... Our current socio-economic situations and the ways "our" politicians seek to remedy them reminds me of the old story of a person trying to plug a leak in a dam with their fingers. Which holes do you plug first? What happens when you run out of fingers?
We are taught from a very young age to lead by example. Let's start with the way "our" politicans and multi-national corporations behave. Then, and only then, should we start to address the myriad of percieved wrongs that keep us from making any real progress on the subject of "Internet Neutrality."
Visitor Thursday, February 09, 2012
Going to have to pay for downloads now. Sounds like these people are going to die if they have to pay.
VIsitor Thursday, February 09, 2012
For those of us that mourn the (temporary) loss of free downloads there may be help eventually. China has some of the best hackers in the world constantly trying to steal intellectual properties. Now theres a vacuum with the loss of stateside bt services, they will probably fill the void:)
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