MEGAUPLOAD HAS BEEN SHUT DOWN BY THE FEDS

Strikes aren't supposed to be "legal" because they're aimed at those who define legality, or the close friends thereof. All FDR did was legitimize Unions' right to assemble, while erecting a limited space for action.
Legality of strikes isn't even a relevant topic of discussion.

But you brought it up. Anyway, I'm afraid I have to disagree with you here as well; if, as you say, strikes are extralegal actions that target the government, one has a hard time explaining Congress passing the Norris-Laguardia Act and The National Labor Relations Act, in 1932 and 1935 respectively, which limited the power of federal courts to issue injunctions in labor disputes and authorized collective bargaining by unions, and that's not even counting the decades of legislation which came afterwards. People do have a voice in politics.

First things first, what exactly about this is "terrorism"?
Because some authoritative-looking dude said so on TV?
To me, a DDOS attack is the digital equivalent of blocking entrance to a bricks-and-mortar building. That's a form of striking. No lasting damage is done, unless you count the business that could have been, which is how a strike does it's damage. It only takes a few to bar the door or block the gates, but if popular opinion isn't supportive of the action, it'll reverse itself and go away within short order.
In this particular situation, popular opinion is almost overwhelmingly supportive of the shutdowns. Of course the government, the people who define legality, will send their best authoritative-looking dude to say "those guys are cyberterrorists" on TV.

People overwhelmingly support the shutdowns? Are there statistics for this? Maybe we browse different sites, but most of the blogs and posts I've read express annoyance to agitation that the hackers may have screwed up yesterday's gains with their actions, and concerns about a crackdown resulting from said actions. If most people support something, it would be the web protest and not the hackings. After all, the former seems to have made some significant gains and the latter may have screwed everything up.

I also don't accept that hacking is inherently a victimless crime. Sure, some of it is just the equivalent of trespassing, but to use your example of lost revenue, there is no face on the other side of the picket line to be held accountable or to make any kind of statement; there are only anonymous individuals striking out at obvious targets that they know will garner media attention (in other words, terrorist tactics). If such activities escalate, it is only a matter of time before some essential communication service is targeted, the denial of which could very well cost jobs or even lives. This isn't as far fetched as one might think.

So no, I don't support cyberterrorism and I doubt very much I ever will. You can call me naive if you like, but I still believe in the systems of democracy and what I have seen over the last few days has only strengthened that belief. We are nowhere close to having exhausted legal avenues of protest. I doubt we will reach a consensus on this, so let's just agree to disagree without derailing the thread any further.

Also, thank you SegNin for pointing that out. It seems whenever something goes down the scammers come out in force.

author=SegNin
PEOPLE, PLEASE STOP SPREADING AROUND WORD THAT MEGAUPLOAD IS BACK OR NOT COMPLETELY DOWN.

Like I said, just a rumor. Thanks for the clarification.

author=Lucidstillness
Anyway, I'm afraid I have to disagree with you here as well; if, as you say, strikes are extralegal actions that target the government

I did mention that "they're aimed at those who define legality, or the close friends thereof". Technically, strikes are performed against the striking workers' employer, but keep in mind that the employer had the full consent of the government to continue the working conditions up to that point. I'm talking about the real labor movements throughout history; not the piddly Paid Daycare or Dental Benefits stuff of the baby boomer generation.
If you look at the underlying reason for this chat we're having, it's because the mass strike is making a comeback. It's going to look a little different from the lawnchair and lemonade sit-ins of the last 20 years.

author=Lucidstillness
cyberterrorism

It's impossible for us to carry on a discussion about this because we don't agree on the definition of this totally loaded term. You see Cyberterrorism as a legitimate set of behaviors which pose a threat to property and life. I see it as a cheap label applied at convenience in order to antagonise the political opposition of the status quo crowd.
You're right. We should drop that.

author=Lucidstillness
most of the blogs and posts I've read express annoyance to agitation that the hackers may have screwed up yesterday's gains with their actions, and concerns about a crackdown resulting from said actions.

Which is a preposterous point of view.
In it's raid on megaupload, the US government has openly expressed it's willingness to escalate it's aggressiveness in enforcing it's own national rulebook on the world wide web. The natural response is an equally hearty counter-measure.
Sitting back and worrying that the government will escalate even further? It's not resistance that prompts the iron fist, but lack thereof.
"When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty." ~ Thomas Jefferson


Sorry. I know you're trying to wind this down, but I couldn't resist :x

"Even so, and putting aside the indictment itself, the timing is absolutely horrendous, and I can't imagine that it's an accident either."
No way, it's actually a classic, they have something under their sleeve and pull it out at the "right" moment : elections, etc.

Segnin, and others think it is to apease the SOPA supporters (lobbyists), seemed right but I'm actually having doubts now. What else could it be?

You mean people are going to be so horrified(?) by what MU did that they'll be able to pass SOPA-PIPA afterwards, I don't think I'm getting it right, but whatever the tactic, it's really worrying. Can you still be against the hackers in this case? I know, if this is the case, I'm 100% with them.
I've another problem : what law permitted the arrestation of the MU leaders? Was there one?

After watching this, it seemed that megaupload's shutdown was just step one of a much bigger picture. Sopa/Pipa or whatever was just a front for something much more horrifying...

What to say.. Terrifying (talking about terrorism..., yes, LucidStillness, THIS is terrorism!), wait and see how things actually turn out and act meanwhile!

Edit : apart from the fact that this guy doing the video is not considered as too serious, the young British student who was arrested is not just any megaupload user if at all, he has his site, a mini megaupload of sorts and THAT's why he was arrested (which doesn't make it that much better!) and the feds were wanting to arrest him since May 2011, soooooooooooooooooo the story's quite different, in fact it's a second strike on this type of site after MU.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/01/why-the-feds-smashed-megaupload.ars

At first I was mad. MU has been great for downloading big files quickly. I watch Game Center CX and when a new episode is subbed it goes on Multiupload which mirrors it to MU and of all the download services MU was the fastest by an order of magnitude. An LP I follow also mirrors off MU and it was great for the same reasons. Then I started reading on how MU operated and profited over piracy, protected those who uploaded it, shared pirated materials with each other, and refused legitimate take down notices now all I can say is good riddance.

Use it as ammo against SOPA, PIPA, and their future iterations. This was done with the DMCA and proper due process. NZ still needs to determine if who they arrested are up for extradition to the US. You gather evidence, work with foreign nations, and move in once the investigation is complete.

The half a trillion dollars in lost sales is still part of the idiotic mindset that each download translates into one lost sale at full price. I blame the RIAA and MPAA and similar lookalikes.

*edit*
http://www.vice.com/read/we-read-the-megaupload-indictment-papers-so-you-don-t-have-to-1

he's just scaring to get more views i guess

author=sbester
Dude reminds me of my copyright law teacher.

lol

GreatRedSpirit
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/01/why-the-feds-smashed-megaupload.ars.
At first I was mad. ... Then I started reading on how MU operated and profited over piracy, protected those who uploaded it, shared pirated materials with each other, and refused legitimate take down notices now all I can say is good riddance.

I have to agree here. As bad as the initial impressions of the take down were, there's no room for sympathy to MU after learning what exactly MU has been doing. =x