Re: Megaupload.com seized

[bmanning () vacation karoshi com]

On Fri, Jan 20, 2012 at 03:05:47AM -0800, Owen DeLong wrote:
> On Jan 20, 2012, at 2:25 AM, Robert Bonomi wrote:
>
> > Mark Andrews <marka () isc org> wrote:
> > > I suspect most file sharing site don't have illegal content.  Most
> > > would have some content that is there without the permission of the
> > > copyright holder.  These are different things.
> >
> > <nitpick>
> >  "Without the permission of the copyright holder" _is_ contrary to
> >  statute, and thus 'against the law'.  As such 'illegal' is _not_
> >  an incorrect term to apply to the situation.
> >
> >  It may not be a _criminal_ violation, but it is still proscribed by law.
> >
> >  "Illegal" and "criminal" -- _these_ are different things.
> >
> >  Junk faxing is illegal, Telemarketing calls to cell phones are illegal,
> >  Public distribution without the permission of the copyright owner is
> >  illegal.
> >
> >  Except in special cases, none of those actions are _criminal_, but 
> >  they are all violations of law, and thus _illegal_.
>
> Actually, they are all criminal violations. They may be infractions, or, they
> may not often get prosecuted, but, each is, in fact, a criminal violation.
>
> Owen

        depends on the jurisdiction me thinks.  Do US laws apply in India? Nigeria?
        Mars?  Your broad generlizations  may not hold.  

/bill