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FileServe shutters in light of file-sharing site crackdown

Summary: With Megaupload now defunct and shut down by U.S. authorities, more file-sharing sites, including FileSonic and now FileServe, are shutting down their services to limit potential fallout.

Zack Whittaker

By for Between the Lines |

FileServe is the latest high profile file-sharing site to effectively pull the plug on its own service, by disallowing all downloads except those "that you have uploaded personally".

The company has not made any official comment. It comes less than 24 hours since similar file-sharing site FileSonic disabled its service, only allowing users to download content that they have uploaded themselves.

It is thought that FileServe follows FileSonic and other sites in response to the wider crackdown on file-sharing sites by U.S. authorities.

Reddit brought to light the sudden move by FileServe, which currently holds as the 132nd most popular site on the Web, according to Internet traffic analytics firm Alexa.

Many other file hosting websites have closed their affiliate programs, which allows users to generate revenue based on the number of downloads clicked per uploaded file.

Sites like FileServe can be a hotbed for hosting illegally uploaded copyrighted material, such as television shows and films, to allow users to make a quick buck or two by sharing the links with online forums. ZDNet's Stephen Chapman explained how in an article last year.

Online forums and link-sharing sites allow users to submit not only their torrent files for peer-to-peer sharing, but operate on an open-comment system. This gives community users the ability to leave comments that include links to file-sharing sites, such as FileServe, RapidShare and the now defunct Megaupload.

As many other file-sharing sites are closing their sites and affiliate links, others are taking the drastic measure by deleting entire swathes of accounts and files stored on their servers. Others like Uploaded.to are taking to blocking IP addresses from the United States to mitigate any future potential damage.

Image source: FileServe.

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25 comments
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  • RE: FileServe shutters in light of file-sharing site crackdown

    Torrents, anyone?
    Aerowind
    Reply Vote

  • In related news

    17 new fille sharing sites pop up in other countries...
    NoAxToGrind
    Reply Vote

  • This will drive innovation

    Just as the shutdown of Napster drove the development of P2P, this will probably drive a new generation of collaboration tools and technology. It's sort of an arms race, to see what new capabilities can be created by the diverse pool of talent across the internet. It would be nice to see that effort put to good use instead of illicit ones, but such is not always the case.
    terry flores
    Reply Vote

    • RE: FileServe shutters in light of file-sharing site crackdown

      @terry flores
      An arms race to figure out how to do something illegally? Ugh!
      nebel722@...
      Reply Vote

      • Powers that be do it all the time...

        @nebel722@... Why not? the US govt. races to figure out how to screw people all day long and its called lobbying and making laws only to further corporation interest and not for the good of the people which is what the constitution provides for. Not company but people. And they structure law to make it legal to take campaign contributions which is another word for BRIBE which is a crime.
        princern
        Reply Vote

    • RE: FileServe shutters in light of file-sharing site crackdown

      @terry flores
      You are right. I agree with what you said. Megaupload and the like would have been tolerated, but lately it got really out of control. One can download pretty much anything, except money, unfortunately.
      MrTito
      Reply Vote

  • RE: FileServe shutters in light of file-sharing site crackdown

    @nebel722 you know how many legal shared TB files are used in sites like Megaupload and Fileserve? I upload my work on the hosting sites for my friends to download, things like Photos and own personal work.

    I watch some none American shows that will not and probably never been released internationally that I download from those sites. Why should I suffer cuz Hollywood wants to make more money for their shitty programs that we don't even care about.

    File sharing is not illegal.
    ajailani
    Reply Vote

    • RE: FileServe shutters in light of file-sharing site crackdown

      @ajailani Thank you guy for helping to explain that filesharing is not a crime and if it is it shouldn't be. Every freaking law that walt disney decides should be a law and pays off congress to pass, doesn't make it a right and just law. Under fair use Mickey Mouse is supposed to be public domain right now but instead they pay of congress to change that law so they can retain sole rights to a character that they STOLE from a character called "Steamboat Willy". Why is it when I buy software I cannot use it as I please, but they can use the money I pay them as they please? Why can't I get my money back when I am not using the software anymore if I can only license it for a specific use? Why can't I specify what they use the money for? When I purchase something I should own it. "F" the corporations. File sharing is legal!
      princern
      Reply Vote

      • RE: FileServe shutters in light of file-sharing site crackdown

        @princern
        Filesharing is not a crime. It becomes a crime when you share materials that belong to someone else. You want to watch a movie without paying for it? Well, legally, you cannot! So, either you break the law and you know you are breaking it or you do like me and just do not spend the money on a movie ticket or a dvd and read a book instead (possibly not illegally downloaded). Imagine you made that movie or wrote that book. How would you feel about it?
        MrTito
        Reply Vote

    • RE: FileServe shutters in light of file-sharing site crackdown

      @ajailani
      it stinks, I agree, but not for the reasons you brought forward. I too have occasionally dowloaded old foreign movies that I cannot obtain anywhere else but, unfortunately, Megaupload, Fileserver, Filesonic really had gone completely out of control. If Hollywood programs are ***** as you say, the alternative is very simple: just do not watch them! For other purposes I am sure filesharing will be resurrected.
      MrTito
      Reply Vote

  • RE: FileServe shutters in light of file-sharing site crackdown

    you know what the messed up thing about this is. How a site like megaupload that was taking down all requested copyrighted materials that they could and yet they shut them down. Do you know how many sites like youtube do the same. So why haven't they taken down youtube? But I guess youtube shouldn't be taken down because they have money... more than megaupload. Why after years of operation they didn't take down megaupload even though the site has gotten more stringent with dmca takedowns hmmm money and political influence do these SOPA supporters not realize the convenient timing of this action. This goes to show US citizens that the fbi doesn't work for you they work for Lamar Smith, SOPA, and China
    hellsing3000
    Reply Vote

    • RE: FileServe shutters in light of file-sharing site crackdown

      @hellsing3000 Yes you answered your question. Google owns youtube now and they have the means to fight back. You can also add RIAA and MPAA to the list of clients for the FBI. They have nothing better to do than to police movies and music LOL.
      princern
      Reply Vote

  • RE: FileServe shutters in light of file-sharing site crackdown

    While I qgree with alot of people that file sharing is legal, you have to remember that, that means uncopyrighted material. Not music, unless you made it yourself and not movies, unless they're home movies. As far as the these companies go they know what is going on on their servers and they could put a stop to if they wanted to. But because they don't they're just as guilty of piracy as the person that shared that file to begin with. This was the wake call to these companies to start doing the right thing, and stop piracy.
    pagraves
    Reply Vote

    • RE: FileServe shutters in light of file-sharing site crackdown

      @pagraves : Companies/individuals like Megaupload and FileServe basically looked the other way while charging for "premium" downloading servers [plus advertising]. Whether or not Megaupload actually made something like $150 million is [to me] unbelievable.
      Those who complainabout the shutdown obviously have never created anything only to be stolen by others. Can you imagine finding out the music you just recorded and mixed [that took months] was on the Internet for "free" at or before it went on sale?
      Gisabun
      Reply Vote

      • RE: FileServe shutters in light of file-sharing site crackdown

        @Gisabun That still doesn't make the company illegal. They cannot be held accountable for what others do. That same musician should arrest the criminal not a legitimate company. And they did not look they other way, the deleted pirated material quickly and regularly.
        princern
        Reply Vote

    • RE: FileServe shutters in light of file-sharing site crackdown

      @pagraves Again you put requirements on computer based businesses you don???t put on other manufacturers. If someone uses a Sony camcorder to produce child pron, you don???t go after Sony because it was there camera. So for the same reason you should not be able to go after Megaupload for what its customers do with its service. Besides, Megaupload deletes any copyrighted material that it knows about on their server. That is probably what gets then in trouble because then people seem to think that it is easy to control. If you are going to hold this company liable for criminal use by its customers, then you have to also shut down the drug companies for allowing their prescription drugs to fall in the hands of criminals who then illegally sell it on the street. You have to shut down Smith & Wesson for allowing criminals to use their guns for illegally killing people. They are putting unfair requirements on computer companies that they don???t put on traditional companies. Your argument is not consistent. You say they know illegal material is on the server as does Sony knows that its cameras are used for illegal activity as Smith & Wesson knows its guns are used for illegal activity yet they are allowed to do business every day.
      princern
      Reply Vote

  • Hehehe

    Shows what FileServe has been keeping around.
    Gisabun
    Reply Vote

  • RE: FileServe shutters in light of file-sharing site crackdown

    We live in sad times. The US has been taken over by the people that want us to believe that they are censoring everything for our own good. The sad part about all of this is people like to forget history and what has happened to countries/empires that keep pushing their people into a corner. Revolution doesnt take much especially when a country like the good old USA had done so many things wrong in the last 30 years. If you look at history there are only three things that cause countries/empires to fail and it only takes one of them, but the US has hit them all.<br><br>No. 1 You stop educating your citizens. The US stopped doing that 30 years ago and now you have a bunch of mindless sheep that earn minimal wage (if they can get a job that an illegal immigrant has) that really dont know or care what the government is doing.<br><br>No. 2 You consume all of your own natural resources. Just look at the US, oil gone, raw materials (i.e. steel, copper, gold all almost gone). No natural resources, equals no jobs.<br><br>No. 3 You spread your own military so thin that you can no longer defend your own boarders. I dont know about most of you, but if you look around the amount of illegal immigrants that have entered the US in the last 20 years is unprecedented. 18 million is the estimate which is most likely on the low side and since over half of them have fake identification, the only ones benefitting from here occupation is Social Security for which they will never collect.<br><br>File sharing is only one little prick in the issues troubling the USA. Hell over half the movies aren't even made in the US anymore so what jobs are you protecting buy not allowing the 15 year old kid the joys of downloading an R rated movie.
    satanikos
    Reply Vote

    • RE: FileServe shutters in light of file-sharing site crackdown

      @satanikos You know you make a good point with file sharing being a pin prick and you make an excellent point about where movies are processed. I'm not familiar with movies, but now that you mention it. The TV animation such as The Simpson's and Family Guy are absolutely sent to South Korea to be animated because of the cheap labor. The art and animation directors routinely speak about sending it there to be created. And yes I purchased both series or I would not have access to the DVD commentary and what did my money help? but some people over in South Korea and people here have no jobs. You hit the nail on the head with that aspect of your post.
      princern
      Reply Vote

  • RE: FileServe shutters in light of file-sharing site crackdown

    Fileserve owns Filesonic so no surprise that both would make this move at the same time. Also there is no notification of the change in service on Fileserve's website until you attempt to download a file. There is no straightforward procedure made available to cancel a subscription and future billings as well. These are shady people who run like rats when the lights come on. Even after this all settles down I would continue to avoid them like the plague.
    renegadefl
    Reply Vote
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