Hotfile has recently gotten attention from the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) as a part of their series of battles with file-sharing websites. One might consider Hotfile's status to be close to Megaupload, since it is commonly used and all kinds of files are uploaded to it. It also made the world's top 100 websites in terms of traffic. Hotfile does remove illegal content upon request of the copyright holder, but since when has a plan that required the MPAA to do any work been favorable to them?
The main problem with Hotfile being taken down in this manner is that it gives Hollywood more power over tech companies. If their case against Hotfile is successful, they would have enough power to threaten big companies that offer uploading and sharing services like YouTube. They wouldn't necessarily take down YouTube, considering how much it currently benefits them to spread their trailers and music videos, but they can approach Google with requests that they cannot deny, simply because they have enough power to threaten the company's branches. That is why Google itself has stepped in this time. Google's lawyers are taking Hotfile's side and defending it in court, stating that Hotfile, like any other content-sharing site, is protected under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The last people the world would want to give more power are companies that find it this necessary to either play by their own rules or throw the entire game board away. They certainly will not stop with Hotfile's employees going to prison. They'll keep finding site after site and shutting it down, leading to an internet owned by shallow media companies, whose only goal in life is to gain more profits from entertainment media at any cost.
An internet owned and operated by the people is definitely a reality the MPAA wants to escape. These Hollywood companies have worked years on setting up their loss-proof game plan only to have it be destroyed by the internet. However, ignorance deserves no empathy. Modern software and video game companies have already found their ways to successfully work around piracy and generate profits. The film and the music industries being too slow to catch on shouldn't give them the right to force everyone to slow down and wait for them. They need to find more appropriate ways of generating profits without harming the people's freedoms and damaging the lives of those simply offering the world a useful service like file-sharing.
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References:
- Paul Sloan, "Google defends hosting site under attack by MPAA," CNET News, March 19, 2012; http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57400361-93/google-defends-hosting-site-under-attack-by-mpaa/?tag=mncol;cnetRiver#postComments
I find it particularly interesting how Google has sided with the MPAA in their battle against other file-sharing websites. It's clear that everyone is out to maximize their profits regardless of what it might mean for the greater good or for the sake of file-sharing in general. Whatever the case, there needs to be more consistency on the application of the laws under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. No discrepancy should be found when opposing small companies or big ones. That's the only way to enforce standards upon the Internet world.
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