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Comment by bproper | Hacker News Reader

The shutdown of MegaUpload was the result of an FBI investigation that took place over the last two years. The idea that an international legal case with multiple extradition arrangements was motivated mostly by a music service launched a month ago is hard to swallow and distracts from the serious debate around online piracy and the future of copyright.

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Fully five top DOJ officials are former RIAA lawyers. You think they will treat MegaUpload in a "fair and balanced" way?

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/04/obama-taps-fift/

I was not aware of that...but then I'm not surprised.

Didn't someone at Universal Music said they were taking down Megaupload "just because they can", in response to the whole video they made?

It depends. Attorneys and lawyers can and do take cases representing opposing sides all the time (from one case to the next). It's pretty much a requirement they be able to represent their employer (without personal bias, etc.) It's what allows them to defend indefensible people like, say, murderers --it's not that the lawyer believes in murder, but they are paid by someone to represent the murderer, for example.

So, unless we think they are acting as moles in the DoJ, I don't see much issue with it, unless they have a conflict of interest such as being an investor in the industry or the like.

Police/investigators don't "schedule" take downs in the same sense that a programmer/manager would schedule a project launch. The FBI wouldn't plan to make the takedown they factor it around multiple situations and a big one is that of future "threat". The police gather evidence long enough until they have an open/shut case against the convicted but should intelligence arise that the suspect is planning a major move that puts people in danger they'll act on what they have and try to make it work in the sense that they'll be protecting others.

I'm just playing devil's advocate here, but actions by the Mega staff may have triggered such a reaction. Its not unheard of for something "in the works" to trigger the takedown.

While the points you make are valid it is naive to believe that the FBI and other major government organizations are not political animals who will consider the political and PR impacts of such high profile raids. Like most things in life this is a very complicated issue with no black and white answers or clear division of sides.

I agree. My point is two fold:

A) That we ought to be aware of the genesis of these conspiracy theories. I believe it's based on the influence of objectivist bias (objectivism being common amongst hackers). By human nature, we perceive the world in a way that agrees with our philosophy. For better or worse, that is called bias.

B) That we ought to be singularly focused on the subjects of fair use and free speech.

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