Judge declines to kill 25 petabytes of Megaupload data

Last week, attorneys for the former top cyberlocker Megaupload came out swinging, calling the criminal prosecution of the site's top executives "unduly adventurous," while accusing the government of trying to destroy evidence in the case.

"In essence, the government has taken what it wants from the scene of the alleged crime and is content that the remaining evidence, even if it is exculpatory or otherwise relevant to the defense, be destroyed," said defense attorney Paul Brinkman at the time.

On Friday, a federal judge declined to pull the plug on the seized data, which amounts to 25 petabytes, the same as 25 million gigabytes.

The government has openly admitted to copying "selected data" from the servers and has now cleared hosting service Carpathia to delete the rest. The data currently costs Carpathia $9000 per day to host with no one footing the bill now that Megaupload's assets are frozen. The US District Judge Liam O'Grady did not agree with the government's plans to make the information disappear, and instead is ordering the various parties connected to the case to broker a deal.

Megaupload says the data is necessary to show the site was not a criminal enterprise but instead a locker with "substantial non-infringing uses."

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 15 Apr 2012 20:38

edensasp

It is about time, the judge is thinking, Megaupload is like a mini storage facility and just because one or several renters of storage units have alleged illegal contraband inside their units, the state and government cant seize the entire facility and contents of other law abiding "tenants" of that and every other chain facility just because one or several renters of storage units are suspected of criminal activities.

I am seeing the bigger picture, beyond copy right infringement.

Asset seizure and denial of access to and destruction of lawfully owned or acquired property or content to other "tenants" or storage space users who are not engaged in criminal activity.

Does the law have the authority to deny my access and seize my lawfully acquired and owned property in my "storage locker" because the tenant/user "adjoining" my space/unit is suspected of criminal activity? And is it the responsibility of the "storage space" provider to know the entirety of my units storage content?

Boy I wish I had paid storage service and data stored on this companies server. I'd be contacting ACLU.

Is anyone that is a paid subscriber concerned that they are being denied their right and access to their personal property have been seized by law enforcement in violation of their constitutional rights?

20.4.2012 16:57 #1

edensasp

I found mny answer... And it is YES... The Electronic Frontier Foundation is representing Megaupload users, including an Ohio businessman who is demanding his video footage of high school sports be returned from the Megaupload seized servers.

20.4.2012 17:24 #2

xboxdvl2

sounds to me like the prosecuter is trying to destroy any legit files so they can point the finger at megaupload and say all they did was illegally share copyrighted files.

R.I.P. mr 1990 ford falcon.got myself a 1993 toyota corolla seems to run good.computers still going good.

21.4.2012 04:15 #3

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