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FBI: 90% of MegaUpload Users Never Uploaded a Single File...

Friday, February 17, 2012
by  paul

The FBI and Department of Justice are continuing to make their case against MegaUpload, especially as attention shifts towards trial phase.  According to expanded indictment documents sent to Digital Music News by DOJ prosecutors, 90 percent of all MegaUpload users were exclusively downloading content - without ever uploading a single file.  "Although the defendants have claimed more than 180 million registered users, the records on their internal computer systems suggest that they had only 66.6 million registered users as of Jan. 19, 2012," DOJ prosecutors relayed.       

 

"The records also indicate that only 5.86 million of these users ever uploaded a single file to either Megaupload.com or Megavideo.com, demonstrating that more than 90 percent of their registered users only used the defendants’ systems to download."

 

 

 

 Full Indictment Document

 

On the flip side, a portion of the remaining 10 percent were exclusively uploading content, which means that the percentage of users actively uploading and downloading files was staggeringly low.  Which, if the FBI stats are accurate, makes MegaUpload look more like a candy store than a healthy locker service.

 

 Also check out: "What Really Killed MegaUpload? MegaBox, That's What..."

 

 

The prosecutors further isolated one heavy uploader to make its case, identifying the suspect only as 'VV':

One repeat alleged infringer referred to as “VV” was identified as a registered user for nearly six years;

VV had been the subject of numerous takedown emails, including 85 notices from one representative, to Megavideo since 2008;

VV received five 'rewards' payments from the Mega Conspiracy totaling $3,400 in 2008 and 2009;

VV uploaded approximately 16,950 files to Megavideo.com and Megaupload.com, which generated more than 34 million views;

VV's uploads included infringing copies of popular copyrighted motion pictures, including Ocean's Thirteen, Ratatouille, and Evan Almighty;

Internal records reflect no deletions of any of VV’s uploaded files;

 

Which brings us to the most damning allegation, which is that MegaUpload took repeated steps to keep infringing content on its service, despite repeated takedown demands and false reassurances issued to rights holders. 

 

"The Mega Conspiracy created a computer system architecture which kept its most frequently downloaded files in memory (rather than in storage) on a number of dedicated high-end servers.  Most of the files on these servers were infringing copies of copyrighted works."

 

More as it develops.



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