shouldn't it be compared with something like stealing? why 50 years?..

@Ecstasy Thing is, "stealing" is taking something, meaning the previous owner loses it. Pirating, however, means that both the previous and the current owner both own the thing. The industry articulates with "people download pirated copies so we lose money they would have payed otherwise", but the problem with that is the "would" -- it's not lost money, it's potentially, possibly lost money.

@Gargron I see... well, there are many things I wouldn't buy just to try them and then throw away. There are things I buy after downloading a pirate copy, however there are people who won't pay even if they like the stuff. So this makes the situation a bit complicated. but still, 50 years, rly?

@Ecstasy Yeah, that's totally nuts isn't it. (Can I have an upvote, please?)

that the entertainment industry is most likely behind this decision (lobbying and whatnot)

This in it's entirety. You can almost compare this to the 90's where if you had any small amount of drugs on your person you could do more then a convicted serial murder/rapist who was a closet dog jerker. It's unreal and complete crap to think people would accept a 50 year stint in a penitentiary over this.

It isn't fair the amount of influence those in the entertainment business impose upon our government. Since it's a recession those in the industry are seeing thousand dollar checks instead of the usual hundred thousand and boy are they pissed. We as average citizens don't have the luxury to see all their movies, or buy all their music, or stay up to date on all that nice luxury software. So many of us turn to torrents and pirate to have a nice experience. Now since many celebrities are feeling their version of a recession, they seek to screw us over by sweetening politician pockets to get many undeserved dollars from their lackluster works they worked half as hard to produce.

Now i'm not saying i won't pay for software I love, or a movie to have the commentaries or extra features, or an album from an artist who truly deserves it. I'd gladly do that, but these artists aren't pushing for this. It's the we're rich as shit artists who just want more. Honestly do you think i'd support an artist going to such lengths just to get my 10$? No. No, I won't.

@Settsuo-kun Absolutely right! And most importantly, the money you pay for a physical CD are going to the label and only a small amount goes to the actual artist. And what do the labels do with your money? Right, buy politicians to limit your freedoms!

I propose a boycott of big corporations and labels. Maddox made a list

They weren't really charged over piracy, though. The indictment (available online) is pretty much based on the fact that the Megaupload higher-ups made a profit of 50 million dollars with blatant illegal activity while publically admitting such things. Nobody gets 50 years for pirating, but you might as well get that with corruption, fraud and embezzlement.

@Nandaba I understand this fact, but overall that wasn't the true intention of the arrest. It was a message for the internet community from my friends the american government.

@Gargron I'm all for it, if I can see some change I'd gladly go anywhere to see it happen. Besides he said something which I've always thought true.

It needs to get worse before it gets better.

It does because the world is corrupt that's no secret. It's like building a home with rotten wood. It never gets better, but you try to patch the leaks, fix it up to make it appealing to the outside, but the wood is still rotten. So the only way to have a better home is to knock down the old one and rebuild with better materials.

damn there in some deep shit

I feel sry for those guys ... 1st is the stuff how the hell should they know what ppl upload there since there were over 50M connections daily ... btw I would like to see their server building xD