Re: Megaupload.com seized

[Owen DeLong <owen () delong com>]

On Jan 20, 2012, at 2:25 AM, Robert Bonomi wrote:

> Mark Andrews <marka () isc org> wrote:
> > I suspect most file sharing site don't have illegal content.  Most
> > would have some content that is there without the permission of the
> > copyright holder.  These are different things.
>
> <nitpick>
>  "Without the permission of the copyright holder" _is_ contrary to
>  statute, and thus 'against the law'.  As such 'illegal' is _not_
>  an incorrect term to apply to the situation.
>
>  It may not be a _criminal_ violation, but it is still proscribed by law.
>
>  "Illegal" and "criminal" -- _these_ are different things.
>
>  Junk faxing is illegal, Telemarketing calls to cell phones are illegal,
>  Public distribution without the permission of the copyright owner is
>  illegal.
>
>  Except in special cases, none of those actions are _criminal_, but 
>  they are all violations of law, and thus _illegal_.

Actually, they are all criminal violations. They may be infractions, or, they
may not often get prosecuted, but, each is, in fact, a criminal violation.

Owen