U.S. Government Seizes Multiple Domain Names and Sites
Quite some interesting news spreading around the internet today about the government and Homeland Security seizing and shutdown a large amount of domains around the web. “The Hill” has the full articles, which states the following:
The investigative arm of the Homeland Security Department appears to be shutting down websites that facilitate copyright infringement.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has seized dozens of domain names over the past few days, according to TorrentFreak.
ICE appears to be targeting sites that help Internet users download copyrighted music, as well as sites that sell bootleg goods, such as fake designer handbags.
The sites are replaced with a note from the government: “This domain named has been seized by ICE, Homeland Security Investigations.”
For instance, 2009jersey.com, 51607.com, and amoyhy.com have each been seized.
TorrentFreak has another article about the domain seizing and also has a large list of “infringing sites” and domains that are no longer in possession of their original owners. The article includes the following recap:
“Following on the heels of this week’s domain seizure of a large hiphop file-sharing links forum, it’s clear today that the U.S. Government has been very busy. Without any need for COICA, ICE has just seized the domain of a BitTorrent meta-search engine along with those belonging to other music linking sites and several others which appear to be connected to physical counterfeit goods.”
Stay tuned as more information on ICE, site infringements and domain names that have been seized all continue to be released…
We're fine, piratebay is on!
Wow, didn't think they'd stick a big notice up on a website like that. Looks like the majority of the websites were fake shoes and clothes.
So an they only seize .com domains?
Guess they are just starting with .coms first… there is a never ending supply of sites they could shut down.
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Ya,I heard about the copyrighted music but not the other details.Well luckily they won't get me so I am very happy. 😉
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The list of domains the seized ranges over several markets. Affiliate marketers that build niche sites have to be really careful before purchasing domains.
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I would have preferred a more subtle approach, sticking that big notice publicly on domains seems a bit drastic. But after all, they are shutting down websites with illegal activities, you can't really start grudging now, and I'm quite comfortable with the idea of shutting down activities that sell fake designer goods.
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Not to mention how easy it is for these types of sites to throw up a new site on an offshore server, then spam to millions of users, then generate a ton of new business and money…. then rinse and repeat the process.
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Watch for the new WSO:
"Sieze and Flip – Bail Out Your Government…Overnight!!"
Its just reassuring that the government is playing an active role in policing the internet. Just hope they won't shutdown some legitimate sites out of false information.
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It is good then. Just say no to pirates all the time. And help the spammers blocked.
site being seized is a very important subject, thanks for raising this up on zac, i think everybody owning a domian must be careful with what type of steps they are taking, make sure your very careful.
This is typical of how the US government deals with problems. They let it build and build until they feel the need to hammer away at the problem with brute force. Instead of trying to solve the root of the problem, they throw money at efforts that hurt the perpetrators. It's as if the politicians working on this want to ensure they have a comfy job for life.
Ok so what exactly happens to the owners of these sites once their domain is seized? Are they taken to court, jail, fined, what? What about the sites that are hosted outside the US and have a domain that wasn't registered in the US, they can't touch them can they?
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