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That's a pretty aggressive message they posted. If you have downloaded, you face maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and an "unlimited" fine. Unlimited? Is this how they're raising money for anti-piracy programs now? And SOCA has the capability of monitoring and investigating me? I'm not even in the UK, and I never visited the site before. This is shameless fear-mongering.

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Yeah, no kidding. I read the message with my IP and OS/browser and the message "we're coming to get you, Barbara!" and just rolled my eyes. Visiting a domain is not illegal, let alone "serious organized crime".

Not so sure about that. Check here: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-9899151-38.html

I don't think this is the same. In the FBI case, the link was very obviously going to something labeled as illegal. The case would have to show intent, which the FBI was able to prove. In this case, all you'd have to do to defend yourself against legal repercussions is show this HN article. The CNet article doesn't give any indication that these people clicked the FBI's links expecting to get anything OTHER than illegal materials.

Indeed, particularly as it would come under civil law and not criminal, if done for personal use. Plus I was under the impression that here in the UK downloading is legal, and it was the uploading that wasn't.

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