Who is that Kim Dotcom guy people have been talking about lately? He is a hacker, an internet entrepreneur and the founder of Megaupload, the file-sharing site which cost hundred of millions to the entertainment industry.
Megaupload was shut down by the US Department of Justice a year ago, Dotcom was charged with online piracy, and arrested after a spectacular raid at his $24 million mansion in New Zealand, just like the ones you see in Hollywood movies. However, the guy didn't give up a minute, as, last Sunday, he re-launched his new service 'Mega', the day of the anniversary of Megaupload’s demise!
The site offers 50 GB of free storage as well as easy privacy… But how does he think he can get away with this new one? In an interview with the Guardian, he explained that only users will be responsible for the files that they have uploaded:
‘The good thing here is that you can now be sure when you upload your files into the cloud that only you hold the keys – not the service provider, not anyone else outside the service provider, only you personally hold the keys. And what you do with that is your responsibility."
Meaning, you are the only person viewing the contents, therefore Mega cannot be responsible for the contents of uploaded files… smart! But what will be the music industry’s response?? Dotcom has declared the new site will operate legally, but this seems to be a total contradiction with his previous description: if Mega cannot check the content, how could they know if the uploads are legal or not?
On Monday, he announced that close to one million users have already signed up and he seemed to be very certain that nothing will stop him this time:
‘This is not some kind of finger to the US government or to Hollywood. Legally, there's just nothing there that could be used to shut us down.’
And he didn’t re-launch the site without throwing a party, the colorful man even staged a re-enactment of the police raid on his home, by hiring female guards of course!… this guy is too much, and he certainly won’t be able to maintain his opulent life-style with just a drop-box site.
Everything has been said on the subject, the traditional music industry is certainly dead and the new generation doesn’t see copyright infringement and sharing files as theft, it is a fact. Even the term ‘share’ suggests a friendly move and not at all a crime. I am not saying we should all do it, but may be Mega is the future.