DOJ Website Downed After it Closed File-Sharing Site: Anonymous Takes Credit
- Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:02pm by
Liz Klimas
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The Department of Justice shut down one of the world’s largest file-sharing sites today, charging the founders of Megaupload.com with violating piracy laws. Anonymous, a hacker collective advocating for a free and open Internet, did not take kindly to this.
As of Thursday afternoon, the Department of Justice website (www.justice.gov) has not been functional. Gizmodo reports that this seems to be the result of a DDoS attack and states that its “easily the widest in scope we’ve seen in some time.”
The websites for the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), Universal Music Group and MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) are down as well.
Here are some tweets from some of Anonymous’ common Twitter handles revealing involvement:
RT reports that Anonymous member Barrett Brown said that the attack on these groups “was in retaliation for Megaupload”. RT has more on the sequence of events:
Less than an hour after the DoJ and Universal sites came down, the website for the RIAA, or Recording Industry Association of America, went offline as well.
Minutes later, MPAA.org also returned an error as Anonymous hacktivists managed to bring the website for the Motion Picture Association of America. The group, headed by former senator Chris Dodd, is an adamant supporter of both PIPA and SOPA legislation.
Universal Music Group, or UMG, is the largest record company in the United States and under its umbrella are the labels Interscope-Geffen-A&M, the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group and Mercury Records.
Screenshot showing Justice.gov unable to load.
RT reports that Brown has said more will be coming, including “damage [to the] campaign raising abilities” of democrats who support SOPA.
The Justice Department said in a statement earlier today that Kim Dotcom, formerly known as Kim Schmitz, and three other executives were arrested Thursday in New Zealand at the request of U.S. officials. Two other defendants are at large.
An indictment accuses Megaupload.com of costing copyright holders more than $500 million in lost revenue from pirated films and other content. The indictment was unsealed one day after websites including Wikipedia and Craigslist shut down in protest of two congressional proposals intended to thwart online piracy.
Megaupload was unique not only because of its massive size and the volume of downloaded content, but also because it had high-profile support from celebrities, musicians and other content producers who are most often the victims of copyright infringement and piracy. Before the website was taken down, it contained endorsements from Kim Kardashian, Alicia Keys and Kanye West, among others.
The Hong Kong-based company listed Swizz Beatz, a musician who married Keys in 2010, as its CEO. He was not named in the indictment and declined to comment through a representative.
Before the site was taken down, it posted a statement saying allegations that it facilitated massive breaches of copyright laws were “grotesquely overblown.”
“The fact is that the vast majority of Mega’s Internet traffic is legitimate, and we are here to stay. If the content industry would like to take advantage of our popularity, we are happy to enter into a dialogue. We have some good ideas. Please get in touch,” the statement said.
The site boasted 150 million registered users who could download films, TV shows, games, music and other content for free, but made money by charging subscriptions to people who wanted access to faster download speeds or extra content. The website also sold advertising.
The indictment was returned in the Eastern District of Virginia, which claimed jurisdiction in part because some of the alleged pirated materials were hosted on leased servers in Ashburn, Va.
Dotcom, a resident of both Hong Kong and New Zealand, and a dual citizen of Finland and Germany, made more than $42 million from the conspiracy in 2010 alone, according to the indictment.
Dotcom is founder, former CEO and current chief innovation officer of Megaupload.
Stay tuned for more information on the Anonymous attack as it develops.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Comments (99)
2theADDLED
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 7:24pmNext step storming into homes like Nazi stormtroopers to inspect your CD’s, DVD’s and ipods.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 8:07pmI canceled my subscriptions to the GigaNews and EasyNews news-groups back in 2008 when I lost my job. I always thought that since I was paying them to download stuff from their servers that I was within the law. I had to replace my HDD”s back in 2010 so everything is gone now and no trace is left on my PC.
Report Post »I wonder if the DoJ will get a warrant to go through the stored data at Carbonite in search of pirated data? I wouldn’t be surprised.
turkey13
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 8:17pmMoveon is saying that the president has ordered Seal Team 6 to apprend if possible and take to Gitmo. The order said ammo is cheaper than jet fuel.
Report Post »V-MAN MACE
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 8:42pmTerrorists DOWN!!!!!
ARREST OBAMA, HOLDER AND NAPOLITANO!!!!!
RESIST THE NAZI POLICE STATE!!!
Report Post »WAKEUPUSA2012
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 9:12pmThis is just the beginning.
Report Post »MYHEROISRON
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 9:30pmThe Dept. of Justice … an enemy of the American people … you realize, Holder, you will be hanged for treason … right? You Godda*n traitor!!
Report Post »hidden_lion
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 9:38pmWho goes to the DOJ website anyway? Waste of talent.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 10:14pmIf Anonymous is looking for a way to convince clueless Americans that it’s really in their best interest that our government needs to “protect” the Internet “for our safety”, then by accessing a government server without their permission, they are giving them the kind of excuses for which they’re looking.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 10:28pmOh, it’s a DDoS attack, so it’s not “accessing” anything.
I was wrong.
Still, the government will say that it’s in our best interest that they take control of the Internet to protect a “vital” resource.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 10:33pm@V-MAN MACE,
“ARREST OBAMA, HOLDER AND NAPOLITANO!!!!!”
Agreed.
Keep your eyes on the Gunrunner Scandal, folks.
See here.
The Gunwalker Scandal: Overview and Timeline
Report Post »http://rinosandrats.com/2011/09/the-gunwalker-scandal-overview-timeline/
2theADDLED
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 10:46pmIsn’t it Ironic Anonymous learned their craft from the free internet and it outdoes our best.
Do you want the best tools for your childrens learning ?
How many kids go to college and have to work with outdated operating systems and software and are left to learn on their own making College a waste of time.
Freedom of the internet must be preserved.
“Information is not knowledge.
Report Post »Knowledge is not wisdom.
Wisdom is not truth.
Truth is not beauty.
Beauty is not love.
Love is not music.
Music is THE BEST.”
― Frank Zappa
GETLIFE
Posted on January 20, 2012 at 4:04amZappa knows.
Like AnonyOps suit instead of the mask.
OWS ruined the mask for Anonymous.
YourAnonNews should get rid of the Muslim Bro Swords.
Report Post »omgfolks
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 7:23pmGood for them, Maybe the goverment will understand they work for the people and not corperations. Just saying..
Report Post »jhaydeng
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 8:44pmThe first couple of tweets made sense, but they lose me on some of the latter. I wish some of these kids would run for office because they are probably very smart and in a common sense sort of way!
Report Post »Gumbercules
Posted on January 20, 2012 at 12:09am@jhaydeng
Lurk Moar!
Report Post »Gumbercules
Posted on January 20, 2012 at 12:10am@jhaydeng
Lurk Moar.
Report Post »BMartin1776
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 7:16pmFolks the Supreme Court ruled in 1984 about the “file sharing” of those times in Sony vs Universal. What is going on today is same difference as then, VHS and VCR’s have become computers/DVRs and hard drives. TV & radio airwaves are now the internet! http://tinyurl.com/7xyw2uc
Report Post »Scaz
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 11:39pmGood post martin! I remember this.
Report Post »GETLIFE
Posted on January 20, 2012 at 3:56amDid the DOJ just come in and shut down Sony or Universal without due process?
Report Post »I don’t remember the police coming in and shutting them down just because they were accused of something.
The citizen who cares
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 7:07pmAnyone want to bet there‘s a clause hidden in these bills censoring sites like Glenn’s?
Report Post »termase
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:58pmWow, http://www.justice.gov is still down.
Report Post »southernORcobra
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:54pmif this doesn‘t give a reason for people in this country to lock and load I don’t know what if anything will
Report Post »Meyvn
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:51pmhehe ;-)
Report Post »WiredRight
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:49pmChalk one up for the good guys…
Report Post »iamgorilla
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:44pmCan‘t someone get one of these anonymous dudes a date so they’ll have something better to do? Theres alot I don’t like about this new law, but people should have to pay for a product someone else spent time and money to produce!
Report Post »wildbill_b
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 10:21pm@iamgorilla
people should have to pay for a product someone else spent time and money to produce!”…
I agree, but the IRS says my labor has no value and everything someone pays me for the day of my life lost , and the cost of staying alive , is paid for nothing, yet somehow it is “taxable income”. Make sense?
Report Post »MrMagoo
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:36pmI like a free internet as much as the next person,but this is dangerous.Taking down websites is one thing,what if was something more critical?
Report Post »waking_giant
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 11:31pmSo we are willing to put peoples lives in danger to protect the free flow of democracy in some foreign country.
We are willing to put peoples lives in danger to protect the free flow of oil in some other country.
But we should draw the line at putting peoples lives in danger to protect the free flow of commerce and ideas in our own country. Protecting freedom is dangerous because the people that are willing to take it away from us always have the bigger guns.
Report Post »IrenaBriganti
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:35pmGood job, Blaze staff. Between Anonymous and attacking the character of Newt’s abused ex-wife, nobody is talking about this:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-rt-us-newscorp-hacking-compensationtre80i2aw-20120119,0,759782.story
Report Post »A Conservatarian
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:49pmPretty good article to me and Liz usually doesn’t write trash, thanks for the link though!
Report Post »goofyfoot2001
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:32pmWish they would hack this site and fix the comment SORT!
Report Post »BetterDays
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 7:46pmKeep dreaming, maybe someday people will actually be able to discuss things in real time with alerts and everything here, like friending people you agree with, wow! I’m guessing in about forty years. Or that the Blaze doesn’t want well thought out constructive debates on the issues?
Report Post »Lone Wolf
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 10:33pmComment section is screwed up.
Report Post »goofyfoot2001
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:31pmIt is trying to come up but having a hell of a time LOL. Good deal ANONYMOUS
Report Post »Tom
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:31pmI’m happy at how Anonymous is wielding his powers now… he too can still be one to fear.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 9:50pm@Tom
Report Post »Until he’s pissed off at you and shuts down your Internet connection! An IP address is still just an IP address and you can be shut down far eaisier than the Big Boys!
SacredHonor1776
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:27pmJust hope this isn‘t a ’false flag‘ by an inside group to drum up support to justify further ’shut downs’ of other sites…
With a ‘see people can’t be trusted to use the internet’ wisely, they pose a ‘national security risk’ accusations…
Report Post »A Conservatarian
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:24pm:)
They a brass virtual balls.
Report Post »A Conservatarian
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:24pmduhhhh *have
Report Post »JUSTANOTHEROPINION
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:22pmNotice to Anonymous, WTG!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »sWampy
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:22pmWish the people had since enough to know that stopping piracy for multi national corporations isn’t the job of the federal government, if they stopped it 100% revenue wouldn’t go up 5% as most of those that pirate either can‘t afford the content or don’t want it bad enough to pay what the multinational companies want for it, and will just do without it if they can’t get it free. People should demand stop this completely, don’t rewrite it to make it less intrusive. Like the DMCA this has no place in a free society.
Report Post »Pontiac
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 7:53pmExactly. They’re not going to pay for it. Music and Movies aren’t necessary things and have no real tangible value. And to say they could stop or let alone dent online piracy is absurd. There are already viable encrypted anonymous filesharing networks being used now that are impervious to government censorship & prosecution and they gain more users every time the government grows another tentacle. Government needs to focus on cutting spending, not looking for ways to spend more of our money on things it cannot comprehend.
Report Post »randy
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:18pmI just wish Anonymous would gather up all of Obamas old records he is trying so hard to hide
Report Post »RichNGadsden
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:31pmDitto!!
Report Post »The citizen who cares
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:36pm^^^^ This ^^^^
Report Post »texrubarts
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:45pmI second that!!!… Oh YEAH get Obama’s transcripts to see what radical papers he wrote!!!
Report Post »jijbarton
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 7:21pmI third that motion!
Report Post »JohnTwoFeathers
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 7:46pmI’m all for full disclosure of Oschmuckos records. Full disclosure should have already happened. Remember that word he used during his campaign…..transparency. Just another fairytale. Whats he gonna use this time around…rabbit outa my butt trick I’l bet.
Report Post »BetterDays
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 7:49pmI so fully agree, NOW that would be news!
Report Post »thetroll01
Posted on January 20, 2012 at 12:55amGood luck with that! They’re locked up tighter than a bulls azz at fly time
Report Post »Bronco II
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:16pmGOD works in mysteriouse ways and yes he also does covert action and can do what we can’t what is impossible with man is always possible with GOD.
Report Post »hallkbrdz
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:15pmWell played Anonymous – well played!
When congress rolls back the copyright terms to something reasonable, we’ll pay attention to your laws again.
Report Post »NOTAMUSHROOM
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:14pmI’m beginning to really like this Anonymous group…………A LOT! I like this comment:
“Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master.”
Report Post »skitrees
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:47pm@notamushroom
Be careful what you wish for. When such statements are uttered by tech folks, it usually means ANY information…meaning, no copyright for anything. Meaning: anything you can personally think up and write to paper belongs to “society” and you have no special claim to it. This would mean a person could not profit from intellectual property – that personal ideas belong to society as a whole.
It is dangerous thinking, as all rights are stripped from the individual, and all incentive for individual thought is removed. (Just look at Google infringing on the copyright of all the photographers of the world, the Book authors of the world, etc. – same thing)
Report Post »Lord_Frostwind
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:55pmI don’t know, I am kind of a Tsundere when it comes to this group. Sometimes I utterly love what they do and applaud them, other times they are acting like a bunch of whinny new age occupy groupies. AH! It’s all so confusing! (If you have never heard of a Tsundere look it up on Tvtropes.org)
Report Post »momprayn
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:13pmLOL !!! The whole Dept. of INjustice is dysfunctional – criminals themselves! Hey – maybe it’s a sign that real justice is…………coming !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES !!!!!
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:10pmProbably done on purpose to expunge all the HOLDER and Obama crime records..
Report Post »SacredHonor1776
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:37pmYa, it smells like a false flag job… Anonymous have OWS ties I think… They are not to be trusted…
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 7:24pmI guess the point they are trying to make, don’t get between a computer nerd and his free porn, he will have too much time on his hand, and his other hand.
Report Post »IMPEACHBHO
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 6:05pmCorrection please, Dept. of Injustice as long as Holder is there.
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