I'm beginning to think we are actually losing the internet as we know it.

But fascism is, as always, alive and well!

The "free" (as in speech) Internet already died when privately controlled mailboxes like "Facebook" and "Twitter" took over.

Good point. No idea if there's really any viable alternatives anymore. My ISP even ditched their email server recently.

I hope the SOPA won't pass. Just after pages like Wikipedia did their blackout they go and get rid of Megaupload. That's bad timing, as one of their excuses was that it was impossible to attack site like Megaupload.

Still, here in Spain we had problems with a similar law. Just like SOPA it talked about the dangers of internet and piracy, but actually it was all about giving companies power to get rid of webpages, without making any public demand, a company goes, does a private demand, a special organism created just for that decides what to do and then, if they wish, the page goes down.

Well, now I look at it, it seems that at the end it was passed. It's insulting, the law had lots of problems, they tried to hid it with other laws so they could pass it without too much noise, ended without support, it was revealed that it was actually a law forced by the americans (but nobody got surprised by this), and at the last moment when the government changed both parties, showing a great deal of cynism, decided it had to be approved, otherwise the new president would start with a delicate subject on hands.

I may ranted a bit. But it's insulting all the cynism, how much they talk about the dangers of internet. When actually what they dislike of Megaupload, what they consider immoral and unacceptable, is that they aren't the ones getting money from that service.

This Megaupload incident severely blows my mind. Not only is criminalizing copyright infringement absurd, but the US is arresting citizens in other countries and stealing everything they own before even being found guilty in a court of law. I suppose the lesson here is: WE, THE POWER ELITE, OWN YOU.

BTW, here's a great chart showing how the industry's whining has led to them making even more profit after each copying technology:
http://www.infowars.com/sopa-and-the-film-industry/

Actually, this Megaupload thing came just after they knew SOPA wouldn't pass. Now everybody is thinking on the SOPA, which failed, and Megaupload, and nobody remembers PIPA. So maybe it wasn't such a bad timing on their part.

I find it hard to feel pity for "Megaupload", with "Kimble" being behind it...

What are you saying, you only have pity for others getting shafted by fascist government when you like them?

No. I'm saying that this guy is ridiculous incarnate. It's not like he's a freedom fighter. Don't try to make him into one. He was just looking for quick money (as always).

The problem is not the guy behind him. Actually, better said, he is another problem, the press as usual may have remarked too much his lifestyle, but still a guy like that only helps to make these services like ran by criminals.

And thanks to him, many people thinks that nothing is lost with Megaupload.

But still that is not the problem. The problem is they are criminalizing these file sharing services, but give two years until iPhone gets one, and then the big companies start creating their own.

What I see is the usual, instead of using their resources to take advantage of an opportunity, big companies wait for other to do the job, then attack them and try to get the leftovers to do the same they criticized.

That's a good point. Remember when "file sharing networks" were the big hype to download music in MP3 format? Legal repercussions followed to the max. Now, for a couple of years, Google is providing "all" pop music for free through Youtube, all ready for download and completely in the open... in MP3 format as well. No nasty letters from any lawyers.