[LINK] Megaupload data may go bye-bye

[Brendan]

On 02/03/2012 03:24 PM, Michael Skeggs mike at bystander.net wrote:
> On 3 February 2012 15:12, Rick Welykochy <rick at praxis.com.au> wrote:
> 
>>
>> Prosecutors have no business removing material from Megaupload's servers
>> where the material's copyright lives with the uploader. The owner of the material
>> can probably take legal action against such a move. The fact that there may be
>> infringing material on the same server is irrelevant.
>>
> 
> I gather the problem is not actual removal, but that the megaupload
> company funds are frozen, so they cannot pay their hosting suppliers,
> who will cut them off - and presumably delete the files.
> My understanding is that law enforcement has copied all the evidence
> they require, and have no further interest in retaining the data.
> Whether they would allow the ultimate hosting providers to turn the
> servers back on to allow legit users to get their files is another
> question.

All the material is protected by copyright.  Apparently millions of people are now cut off from their copies of their copyright works, be they class notes, family photos or whatever.  The FBI, by seeking the orders that it has (eg cutting off access to MegaUpload) is preferring the interests of one set of copyright holders over another.