Man arrested for running a linking site

[air2004]

Brian McCarthy ran a website, channelsurfing.net, that linked to various sites where you could watch online streams of TV shows and sports networks. A couple months ago, the government seized his domain name and on Friday they arrested him and charged him with criminal copyright infringement -- punishable by five years in prison. We just obtained a copy of the complaint (below) that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) made against him -- and they don't even allege that he made a copy of anything! Just that he ran what they call a "linking website" which linked to various sites with copyrighted material. Under that sort of thinking, everyone who's sent around a link to a copyrighted YouTube video is a criminal. This is another shocking overreach by DHS and ICE -- a steamship-era department that's proving once again that it doesn't understand the Internet. We need to push back -- and fast -- before they try to lock up more Americans.
PETITION TO JANET NAPOLITANO, DIRECTOR OF HOMELAND SECURITY, AND JOHN MORTON, DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT: There's nothing wrong or illegal about posting a link to a website. This is another shocking overreach by DHS and ICE: You need to drop the charges against Brian McCarthy right away.
Source

 

[Zetta_x]

I don't want to be apart of this nation but I will continue to accept that there is nothing that can be done and learn to adapt.

 

[Ace]

Well, while we know that he provided only links and not embedded streams, let me point out that "linking" in itself is a very loose term. Hence, why he is being prosecuted unjustly, according to the online community. Linking can mean something as simple as the spam page that flies up on a dodgy/NSFW site, to the embedded videos from YouTube on GBAtemp.
Remember the PB trial? It's a bit like this: they only provided links to their tracker, and torrent files: no actual content. In this sense, it also says that the man being prosecuted will likely be jailed (Swedish Court went easy on TPB)

 

[haflore]

Ace, you can't talk about that site by name, at least, I don't think so.

 

[Ace]

Ace, you can't talk about that site, at least, I don't think so.

Oh, horseapples.
Can't we just call that damn website The Peanut Butter from now on? That'll just make my life so much easier

 

[haflore]

Ace, you can't talk about that site, at least, I don't think so.

Oh, horseapples.
Can't we just call that damn website The Peanut Butter from now on? That'll just make my life so much easier

Maybe they could put a filter on it.

On-topic, they're being a bit overzealous, I think.

 

[xist]

Isn't this old news?
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110303/16584013356/ice-arrests-operator-seized-domain-charges-him-with-criminal-copyright-infringement.shtml

 

[Kiaku]

The government needs to understand the difference between an internet link and an actual copyrighted file. You can't just arrest someone for something they didn't even do.

 

[the_randomizer]

To the people who sued this guy, sod off.

 

[bytor]

Erm...doesn't this mean that the likes of Google and Yahoo are deep in trouble lol

 

[air2004]

I wonder if there gonna arrest me for posting this Link , because after all , thats all this guy did.

 

[Sheimi]

Aren't they going a bit too far on posting a link to a different site?

 

[Rydian]

So I'm sure none of you guys would mind if I linked to some porn, right here in this thread?

I mean it's not like I'm actually e-mailing you the porn, I'm just giving you the links and it's up to you to click on them...

The government needs to understand the difference between an internet link and an actual copyrighted file. You can't just arrest someone for something they didn't even do.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conspiracy
Conspiracies (of certain types) are illegal in the US, BTW.

 

[Flamestar666]

porn

What's going on in this thread?
So wait, So not hosting, owning, distributing something that someone owns is illegal? SOMEONE THINK OF THE PS3 OWNERS!

 

[Kioku]

So I'm sure none of you guys would mind if I linked to some porn, right here in this thread?

I mean it's not like I'm actually e-mailing you the porn, I'm just giving you the links and it's up to you to click on them...

The government needs to understand the difference between an internet link and an actual copyrighted file. You can't just arrest someone for something they didn't even do.

http://dictionary.re...owse/conspiracy
Conspiracies (of certain types) are illegal in the US, BTW.

Well then.. I guess half the population has a warrant for arrest then, eh? xD
People ask what's wrong with this world... Well... Heh. If you don't have your answer by now, you probably never will.

 

[notmeanymore]

This doesn't bode well for my favorite warez sites...
Because links are all I trust anymore, since most hosters have privacy policies to not reveal your IP.
Torrents, by function, cannot.

 

[Redhorse]

Thinking that someone can not be arrested for 'nothing' is a clear sign of someone who obviously hasn't had a whole lot of dealings with the US government... They CAN and WILL arrest for anything they want and will often do so JUST to 'make an example" of someone...

This very travesty is exactly why "innocent until proven guilty" is so important to uphold as well as The US constitution... TO THE LETTER, even those parts we ourselves don't particularly agree with. If even one letter becomes 'interpreted', then it all becomes open for change.

I served in the military 30+ years ago and I witnessed tons of illegal things take place the government would NEVER admit to........... I don't fault them for doing wrong, we all do it at some time or another, I DO fault them for abusing power and not trying to do better. If all men (and women) are created equal, then who has the ultimate authority to change the balance of power and make some people 'more equal' than others.. This country sickens me and I am ashamed t have fought for it. Sorry for the rant guys, but I'm more than a little disappointed that our forefathers words have been so blatently distorted in the name of money and power...

I am US retired military (Disabled Veteran) and I support this messege.

 

[Chikaku-chan]

This seems really idiotic.

 

[steveo1978]

Was the site a non-profit site? I mean did it make money from ads or subscription fees? I am pretty sure the site was out for profit and what is worse is the site was just turning a profit off other sites "hustle". Dude knew what he was doing was wrong and he did it any way so he deserved to get caught.

 

[air2004]

wether he is making money or not , all he was doing was telling you where you can find the information...... Kinda like a library