Media Fire

[Rowena, Group Owner]

This is an outrage... and this link will probably not be good for very long.

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=bb...

Media Fire is a file storage/sharing site that works on the honor system. Members upload files and images (MyWolfLover88 illegally uploaded 4 versions of 2 of my ebooks).

MediaFire makes it possible for any visitor to MyWolfLover88's page to download my copyrighted works by embed, by email, by posting directly to Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Digg, or StumbleUpon.

MediaFire makes no attempt to verify that the content belongs to the uploader, nor does it post a copyright warning on the page, nor is it possible for me to flag the page or leave a comment.

The damage could be incalculable.

[Guido]

Mediafire is only one of these storage/sharing sites. Rapidshare.com is probably the biggest one out of these, followed by Mediafire and Badongo.com

[Rowena, Group Owner]

Thanks for the comment, Guido. Do Rapidshare and Badongo have the same "share" feature so that anyone at all who visits a user's page can distribute any image or link to Twitter etc?

That's what upsets me.

[Guido]

Yes, they do have that. Users have an account there and in that account are listed all their uploads. So a user simply has to make a link to their public account available and anyone can download all the content they have there. Easy enough also to publish any link of the account profile link through social networks.

[Sandy]

Rowena, Guido,
I looked at the Mediafire link and saw a "login" button. Does a person have to be a member or user of Mediafire to download the files shared there? It would be nice to find a way to report the site and then track what persons have downloaded/stolen merchandise. Receiving a letter announcing that they've done something illegal might put some fear into people who have no clue. Others won't care, of course, but for those who truly are taken in by such scamming, it might be a good educational tool.
In the meantime, I also so no way to report to the site that MyWolfLover88 was doing something illegal. This Mediafire site is, in my opinion, condoning illegal activity if it's not allowing a checks-and-balances system.
Rowena, once again, you have my sympathies. If you find a way to contact this site owner, please share and I'll send a note as well to let them know this person has uploaded material that doesn't belong to him/her.

From Sandy Lender

[Guido]

Sandy,

Users do not need an account with Mediafire to download content. Anyone can. All you need is a link.

The accounts are for "premium users." This means they will have higher bandwidth but also a user profile. In that user profile all their uploads are stored, which makes it easy for other people to find a specific person's files.

Say, I'm a pirate and specialize in eBooks. I will create an account, upload all the eBooks I can get my hands on and then send my profile link about to the world. As I keep adding new content, that one link will give people access to these new uploads. Essentially, like your own public file server.

Rapidshare and Badongo work the same way.

[Guido]

By the way, you can report copyright violations to Mediafire using this email address abuse@mediafire.com , though I am not sure how reactive they are, because all of these sites have so far been havens for all sorts of digital pirates, ranging from software, music, movies and images to eBooks.

[Rowena, Group Owner]

Guido,

Mediafire will give you the runaround unless you answer every item of required info, and also supply all the links about which you wish to complain.

It's worth visiting the pirate's home page to see what else is in the folder.

So, it takes time, and in that time, other pirates can share the links or download the novel and re-up it.

[Zetta]

I see on their homepage they have been "recognized" by places like PC World, PC Magazine, Cnet.com. Would they be fazed at all by being associated with a pirate site?

[Rowena, Group Owner]

Zetta,

Pardon my cynicism, but I think that might depend on the attitude of PC World and PC Magazine and Cnet.com to Net Neutrality, Creative Commons, copyright, the DMCA, and file sharing. A lot of "pirate sites" don't think of themselves as pirates

[Zetta]

Rowena wrote: "Zetta,

Pardon my cynicism, but I think that might depend on the attitude of PC World and PC Magazine and Cnet.com to Net Neutrality, Creative Commons, copyright, the DMCA, and file sharing. A lot ..."

Cynicism is much appreciated. Considering I don't subscribe to any of those mags, they could very well have more sympathetic views towards the pirates. I dunno.

[Guido]

I has to do with the fact that these sites are not per se pirate sites. They have a lot of other uses, such as people generally sharing data with other people, but you are in fact making a very good point.

Thinking about it, no actual, clean use of such a "storage space" comes to mind at all. It would be interesting to hear PC World's stance on this, actually, since there is virtually no use for these sites other than for piracy purposes.

[Rowena, Group Owner]

Hey, Guido,

Why don't you ask them for us all and report back?

[Guido]

Sure. I'll try to get in touch with them.