It seems Anonymous has called for war, and this won’t be pretty. Reason? The US raided and pulled down Megaupload, on foreign soil (New Zealand – where they passed or close to passing ACTA – don’t worry, if the EU or your country passes ACTA they will come for you too).
So Anonymous, who has been waiting for something like this as part of #OpBlackOut pulled several of their sites down, from Department of Justice, RIAA, Universal (who were in battle over the notorious Megaupload music video produced by Swizz Beats who was apparently CEO of Megaupload!), MPAA and Copyright.gov – 10 sites within the hour…get the popcorn, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride! But aside from symbolic yet fairly harmless DDos attacks I think this measures a moment where people are getting together to face upto to the US’s bullying in trade agreements and copyright treaties, inside the States and outside….certainly there’s already links between Occupy and Anonymous, so if this floods from the Internet and onto the streets then the US government have a real problem on their hands…the timing is awful, with the very public Internet blackout over SOPA and PIPA – but this raid on Megaupload proves that those laws aren’t needed in ACTA countries, in fact Megaupload would be exempt. So what gives? I guess it’s a corruption of lobbydollars and the multi-pronged approach, like the hydra the rich copyright industry knows if one head is cut off they need many more.
But can they face up to their own consumers rising up against them? This is far beyond the likes of Metallica vs Napster and suchlike, it seems easier than ever to link up the abuses of corporations and capitalism and mass propaganda and privacy invasion with such laws as ACTA, SOPA, PIPA, NDAA, and the hypocrisy of the banks and the State. I’ve said for a long time that wll before Wikileaks, well before Iran than a new politic was emerging via social media. There’s been fits and starts, and lulls and lolz, but it finally seems to be happening in the West rather than just a far off Arabian Night(mare) – or Dream?
But even if it’s just Anonymous having their fun, it’ll be fun watching the fireworks….;-) I know I shouldn’t be cheering them on, but at the current time they are one of the few true Robin Hoods out there…aiming for lulz as much as the apple on Little John’s head, but still their heart, and their aim, is in the right place.
I’m not bothered really about the likes of Megaupload – surprised since they had the trappings of proper business and loads of support – but like a lot of these sites it is a get-rich scheme along the likes of porn and gambling sites (and that silly video), but the criminal operation on foreign soil is a scary concept – and what worries me is this shift as part of ACTA criminalising copyright infringement (sadly the safe harbour or Google defence seems to be crumbling, hence why they are worried) from what used to be a civil offence…as I said in my letter to my MEPs, why should local police who should be protecting people and patrolling looking for violent and dangerous criminals, do Hollywood’s dirty work for a victimless crime? You and I pay their wages to protect us all (sadly doesn’t work like that as we know, but it’s worth reminded them they are your employee) not cosy up to the MPAA and the United States. That should be the shockwaves in New Zealand and elsehwere about Megaupload and the strategy – the US is basically forcing your own countrymen to do their dirtywork, and will do same if EU passes ACTA here. Don’t let them…and let everyone know that fact….because in this economy what’s ‘best value’ for societies and communities? Chasing up sites like Megaupload or finding rapists, killers and real burglars? Should be the latter, surely? In this age of proposed police cuts, why is all this money being spent making American corporations happy and not on local issues or problems? I’d ask your representatives about that.
There are wider issues than how many millions these people earned through file locker sites (although strangely Megaupload was one of the ones that did take links down) – more that again and again the US wants to enforce it’s laws on the rest of the world…and then go invade Iran which really would be Mayan end of the World War III, unlike a few kids wrecking a few sites…but the greed and lack of respect – and new politic and Internet – means that it’s all connected. Strike one for Anonymous, we’ll see what the US do in response.
Oh and do what Anon says – spread that video far and wide…I think many people should hear them roar at the moment.
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