Rapidshare To Be Forced to Shut Down Following Court Defeat?

[cibomatto2002]

The music industry in Germany has secured a legal victory over the hugely popular file-hosting service, Rapidshare. According to the rights holders, Rapidshare is going to have to stop its users from downloading infringing music tracks from its servers, or face the prospect of being shut down.

http://torrentfreak.com/rapidshare-t...defeat-080129/

[Jale]

Which one? .de or .com?

rapidshare.de is in Germany and rapidshare.com is in the US.

[azoreseuropa]

I am not concern about music because I am not into it. I think they should shut it down because music is very popular and many famous people are hard at work to sell the music for money. Many people are getting it to sell for profits instead of themselves most of time.

[TchuBacha]

But rapidshare isnt breaking any copyright laws. All they are doing is provide space for their users to upload and share their files easily across the 'net. Its what the users of their service are doing which is break copyright laws.

[RockY]

well, I still have megaupload

[onewecallgod]

But rapidshare isnt breaking any copyright laws. All they are doing is provide space for their users to upload and share their files easily across the 'net. Its what the users of their service are doing which is break copyright laws.

If you're the get-away driver for a bank robber, does that mean you're completely innocent of the crime? If you know people are using your service for illegal activities and you do nothing to stop it, then you're just as guilty.

I pirate software all the time, but I'm not ignorant enough to justify it through some illogical loophole.

[Ryanfaescotland]

If you're the get-away driver for a bank robber, does that mean you're completely innocent of the crime? If you know people are using your service for illegal activities and you do nothing to stop it, then you're just as guilty.

I pirate software all the time, but I'm not ignorant enough to justify it through some illogical loophole.

Well no because the get-away driver is aiding and abetting (sp?) the robbers and most likely getting a share of the theft. A closer analogy would be if the robbers used a gun then isn't the company that manafactured the gun accountable?

[TchuBacha]

If you're the get-away driver for a bank robber, does that mean you're completely innocent of the crime? If you know people are using your service for illegal activities and you do nothing to stop it, then you're just as guilty.

I pirate software all the time, but I'm not ignorant enough to justify it through some illogical loophole.

If you take that approach then the people who make CDR's and DVDR's are involved in piracy.

The people who sell DVD recorders, VCRs are acting illegally.

This forum is illegal because it contains guides on how to run ISOs and ROMs.

ISPs are illegal because they let you connect to the internet and allow you to download anything.

Microsoft is also involved in illegal activities because many people uses Windows to burn their warez.

Google is illegal because you can use it to search the 'net for ISOS and ROMS.

eBay, Ebuyer, amazon, play........ are all illegal because they sell software to burn ISOS and blank media


We all know Google will never get sued because they are there to provide a way for people to search the internet for anything illegal or otherwise. Its just that the people that use google are using illegally. Probably only 0.0000001% of searches made with google are for illegal files.

Rapidshare is just as illegal as google. RS provide space on the internet for people to share their files. Their motto (I guess) is "The easy way to share your files". I no way do they blataintly advertise "come here and download illegal ISOS/ DVD rips / ROMs etc.... for free".

Rapidshare without question will remove any files that are illegal if they are made aware of them being uploaded and stored on their servers.

Does that sound like the actions of an illegal service?



^ My 2 cents

[onewecallgod]

You are taking my analogy too far (although it wasn't very good, I'll admit that). All those things you mentioned, OSes, cd burners, Google...etc have many legitimate uses. Rapidshare is like a torrent site: it uses a legitimate protocal for the purpose piracy. Let me ask you this: how much of Rapidshare's bandwith is used for legitimate means?

[TchuBacha]

You are taking my analogy too far (although it wasn't very good, I'll admit that). All those things you mentioned, OSes, cd burners, Google...etc have many legitimate uses. Rapidshare is like a torrent site: it uses a legitimate protocal for the purpose piracy. Let me ask you this: how much of Rapidshare's bandwith is used for legitimate means?

I have no idea.

How many CDRs and DVDRs are used legitimately?


RS has its own legitimate uses. Torrent sites have their legitimate uses. P2P programs have their legitimate uses. But you can't shut them all down tomorrow because their users are abusing it.

If RS openly advertises it was hosting illegal software then shut it down. Because it isnt openely advertising the illegal software that is on their servers I dont think they should be forced to shutdown.

There was a P2P program that was shutdown a few years back because they were openly advertising the illegal files (Casino Royale I think it was) that could be obtained through their services. That I agree with.

Shutting down RS would open the gates to have all file hosters shutdown leaving nowhere for anyone to share their own files.