U.S. seizes sites linked to copyright infringement

[quade 4]

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The U.S. government has launched a major crackdown on online copyright infringement, seizing dozens of sites linked to illegal file sharing and counterfeit goods.

Torrent sites that link to illegal copies of music and movie files and sites that sell counterfeit goods were seized this week by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division of the Department of Homeland Security. Visitors to such sites as Torrent-finder.com, 2009jerseys.com, and Dvdcollects.com found that their usual sites had been replaced by a message that said, "This domain name has been seized by ICE--Homeland Security Investigations, pursuant to a seizure warrant issued by a United States District Court."

Source; http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20023918-93.html

I'm confused here. Since when is Copyright and Trademark the purview of "Immigration and Customs Enforcement division of the Department of Homeland Security"?

Isn't it supposed to be the job of the FBI?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Meso 38]

It's sickening...

Time for everyone to move to WUGs.

*hint*

[NewGuy2005 53]

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It's sickening...

Time for everyone to move to WUGs.

*hint*

So we should be allowed to steal intellectual property with impunity?

[skyrider 0]

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The U.S. government has launched a major crackdown on online copyright infringement, seizing dozens of sites linked to illegal file sharing and counterfeit goods.

Torrent sites that link to illegal copies of music and movie files and sites that sell counterfeit goods were seized this week by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division of the Department of Homeland Security. Visitors to such sites as Torrent-finder.com, 2009jerseys.com, and Dvdcollects.com found that their usual sites had been replaced by a message that said, "This domain name has been seized by ICE--Homeland Security Investigations, pursuant to a seizure warrant issued by a United States District Court."

Source; http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20023918-93.html

I'm confused here. Since when is Copyright and Trademark the purview of "Immigration and Customs Enforcement division of the Department of Homeland Security"?

Isn't it supposed to be the job of the FBI?

Odd indead....

[Andy9o8 2]

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I'm confused here.

Never admit that. Better to "ask for clarification".

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Since when is Copyright and Trademark the purview of "Immigration and Customs Enforcement division of the Department of Homeland Security"?

Focus on "Customs". It's a mixed-mission agency, like the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms. Anyhow, the music and movies are intellectual property (of course); and if any of those items of property are transmitted into the US via offshore internet networks, they become products imported into the US (even if they were originally produced in the US). Thus they come within the Customs jurisdictional purview of ICE.

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Isn't it supposed to be the job of the FBI?

Of course; as in, "Yes, them, too". It's a classic example of law enforcement agencies with overlapping missions and jurisdictions who, given human nature, are as apt to compete with each other as cooperate.

[BIGUN 1,486]

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Focus on "Customs". It's a mixed-mission agency, like the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms. Anyhow, the music and movies are intellectual property (of course); and if any of those items of property are transmitted into the US via offshore internet networks, they become products imported into the US (even if they were originally produced in the US). Thus they come within the Customs jurisdictional purview of ICE.

You are correct. I had to review the ICE site and found...

Cyber Crimes Section

The Cyber Crimes Section (CCS) is responsible for developing and coordinating investigations, Internet-based immigration and customs violations. The CCS investigative responsibilities include fraud, theft of intellectual property rights, money laundering, identity and benefit fraud, the sale and distribution of narcotics and other controlled substances, illegal arms trafficking and the illegal export of strategic/controlled commodities and the smuggling and sale of other prohibited items, such as art and cultural property.

The CCS is involved in the development of Internet undercover law enforcement investigative methodology, as well as new laws and regulations to strengthen U.S. cyber-border security. C3 supports ICE Homeland Security Investigations' domestic field offices and foreign attachés offices with cyber technical and covert online investigative support.

Intellectual Property Rights — CCS has encountered thousands of websites based in the United States, as well as foreign countries that are engaged in the sale of counterfeit merchandise, including music and software, via the Internet. The CCS continues to work closely with the National IPR Coordination Center, the Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section at the Department of Justice and industry representatives to identify websites responsible for the sale of the counterfeit items.

SOURCE: http://www.ice.gov/cyber-crimes/

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Andy9o8 2]

Yes; and I meant to but forgot to say above, that cyber-attacks are probably the way that the Chinese and Iranians are preparing to fight the US & the UK in The Next War. For example, I just read a story about how it's believed that recently the Israelis temporarily disabled an Iranian nuclear facility with a cyber attack. So yes, cyber-stuff does logically fall within the ambit of the Department of Homeland Security.

[DSE 5]

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3998442#3998442

When this passes, you'll see more broad seizures and shutdowns.

[Meso 38]

As an administrator on this site, I would suggest no such thing.

[NewGuy2005 53]

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As an administrator on this site, I would suggest no such thing.

Sorry. I misunderstood you.