Justice Dept. Cracks Down Internet Crime

[RedEarth]

WASHINGTON - The FBI (news - web sites) seized computers, software and equipment as part of an investigation into illegal sharing of copyrighted movies, music and games over an Internet "peer-to-peer" network, Attorney General John Ashcroft (news - web sites) announced Wednesday.


Search warrants were executed at residences and an Internet service provider in Texas, New York and Wisconsin as part of the first federal criminal copyright action taken against a P2P network, in which users can access files directly from computers of others in the network.


The warrants sought evidence about the operators of five "hubs" of the "Underground Network," an organization of about 7,000 users who, prosecutors charge, repeatedly violate federal copyright laws by swapping feature films, music, software and computer games.


"The message is simply this: P2P or peer-to-peer does not stand for 'permission to pilfer,'" Ashcroft told reporters at a Justice Department (news - web sites) news

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=562&ncid=738&e=7&u=/ap/20040825/ap_on_hi_te/computer_crime

[jdj]

1. unbeLEIVable.

Look at all the real news going on today, and this is what the doj is concentrating on...

truth is stranger than fiction

[MasonJar]

2. I wish that the dept would crack down on Asscrass. He's scary.

[Massacure]

3. So what happens if you use a proxy server to hide yourself?

[dumpster_baby]

4. and how about downloading but not sharing?

?

[Malva Zebrina]

5. well ain't that just grand

Ashcroft annointed himself with Crisco before embarking on this absolutely pressing issue.

[skooooo]

6. But !! But!! What about..

...prostitution in New Orleans, Asscraft?? Isn't that important anymore?