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Showing posts with label SOCA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SOCA. Show all posts

Wednesday 15 February 2012

SOCA seize rnbxclusive.com. Due process, anyone?

I've never heard of RnBXclusive (rnbxclusive.com), but it is a site to do with Urban Music which isn't really my cup of tea. However, visitors to the site today get a message from SOCA saying:

SOCA has taken control of this domain name.    
The individuals behind this website have been arrested for fraud.

The majority of music files that were available via this site were stolen from the artists.    
If you have downloaded music using this website you may have committed a criminal offence which carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment and an unlimited fine under UK law.      
     
Your IP     Your Browser     Your OS     Time / Date
193.110.241.235
    Firefox10.0.1     WinXP     06:46:37
15/02/2012
   
    The above information can be used to identify you and your location.

SOCA has the capability to monitor and investigate you, and can inform your internet service provider of these infringements.

You may be liable for prosecution and the fact that you have received this message does not preclude you from prosecution.

As a result of illegal downloads young, emerging artists may have had their careers damaged. If you have illegally downloaded music you will have damaged the future of the music industry.

Visit pro-music.org for a list of legal music sites on the web.

One annoyance is that SOCA display the IP address of the visitor and basically accuse the visitor of being a criminal. But, more seriously, SOCA's message indicates that the site operator was guilty of illegal activities without a trial. Remember courts? Judges? That sort of thing? Any good lawyer could probably argue that SOCA's statement is prejudicial.

Also of interest, the .com name is registered through GoDaddy in the US, the site is hosted on 83.138.166.114 which appears to be in a Rackspace facility in the UK. It looks like SOCA might have gained control of the server rather than the domain name which shows no WHOIS changes.

TorrentFreak have some additional information here.