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Google Removes Links in Response to DMCA Complaint

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the now-thats-just-scary dept.

dioscaido writes "If you search Google for Kazaa Lite, you'll find the results a bit lacking. Ironically enough, Sharman Networks, using the DMCA, filed a legal complaint to block Kazaa Lite sites. " Google links the DMCA request at the end of the results which contain the URLs in question, but the URLs aren't really the point. It's scary that the DMCA makes URLs a copyright violation. How long before libraries can't index books? Or own them?

13 of 495 comments (clear)

  1. Ironic by heironymouscoward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    KazaaLite is a hack of Kazaa, and thus blatant piracy. But Kazaa itself is dubious stuff, filled with spyware. Sigh. Perhaps we will see a version of KazaaLite distributed through Kazaa?

    --
    Ceci n'est pas une signature
    1. Re:Ironic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I believe that Sharman Networks is attempting to sell a version of Kazaa called Kazaa plus, which is kazaa with new search and download features minus the banner ads and popups. Does this mean that it is spyware free? If so, then Kazaa lite is a threat to the sales of their "new and improved" software. Of course they are going to do what they can to cut off access to the hacked versions of their software.

  2. Priceless. by acceleriter · · Score: 4, Interesting

    A company whose entire business model is based on facilitating copyright infringement calls "Smithers, unleash the hounds" on Google over another company it believes is infringing its copyright.

    --

    CEE5210S The signal SIGHUP was received.

  3. It's time to put the DMCA to FAIR USE by Natchswing · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I think it's time that the online community to the responsible thing and take care of the DMCA. It's time for everyone to start drafting letters.

    Create a nice recording of some chimes, name it chimes.wav. Now, write letters to ISPs around the saying that someone with chimes.wav (a standard windows installed WAV file) is violating your copyright.

    If everyone on slashdot sends a dozen bogus requests, all around the same time, and completely flood the ISPs and halt their ability to respond to these requests then I think we'd see finally see an uproar of the problems this bill causes.

    The RIAA can send out bogus claims, why can't we help them make the DMCA so obnoxious that it must be stopped?

  4. Google's downfall by SnowWolf2003 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Is this the beginning of the end? When google stops returning the results I am looking for, it is time to start looking for a new search engine that will.

    1. Re:Google's downfall by recursiv · · Score: 4, Interesting

      No, this isn't the end of anything. They link to the DMCA complaint, which gives all the URLs! Google, defiant as always. I fucking love google.

      --
      I used to bulls-eye womp-rats in my pants
  5. But it's still appearing in the Adwords!!! by donnacha · · Score: 5, Interesting


    This is hilarious:

    Before I even had a chance to scroll down the page to look at the DMCA message, I noticed that the Adwords are full of links to Kazaa Lite!

    I guess Google's financial team is a little tougher than their search team.

  6. Google for India also carries a DMCA notice. by Futurepower(R) · · Score: 4, Interesting


    It is interesting to note that the version of Google for India also carries a DMCA notice for Kazaa Lite. Does the U.S. government make worldwide law now? The DMCA is just a local law affecting less than 5% of the people in the world.

  7. Re:DMCA ... by RonnyJ · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Unfortunately, the same message is displayed on the google.co.uk version, where the DCMA should have no effect - why can't they just have the restriction on the .com site?

  8. Meanwhile, outside Googleland... by Linker3000 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I have just tried Kazaa Lite on various other search engines and meta search engines, and without fail they return at least one of the forbidden 8 sites that Google removes:

    Altavista

    Webcrawler

    Teoma

    Dogpile

    Obviously not a comprehensive effort (I have a 3yr old son to entertain right now and that's much more important!), but it leads to the conclusion that either the complainant thinks the world revolves around Google OR the other sites haven't checked their mail yet!

    As others have pointed out, the genie is out of the bottle and so semi-hiding the links is going to be pointless. I loved the written up DMCA complaint--putting the list of banned sites on it is kind of like having an English test question that says: Write down the correct spelling of following word: 'incomprehensible'? .

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    AT&ROFLMAO
  9. Re:And I'm just sure... by MunchMunch · · Score: 4, Interesting
    "Google's simply complying with the request and blocking the URLs that were validly mentioned in the takedown notice."

    The funny thing is, I noticed they demanded one additional site to be taken down, in addition to all the Kazaa Lite hosts: www.zeropaid.com.

    I'm not sure what your definition of "valid" is, but I did a quick check over at the site, which is a file sharing news site, and there was no actual Kazaa Lite software onsite. Instead, the software download link pointed to one of the sites mentioned in the DMCA takedown demand. In other words, looks like they weren't just going after the biggest sites that had the software, but a site that even only linked to the software site. In otherwords Google had to remove a link to a link. I'd say that's going a bit far beyond what even the DMCA thinks is valid.

  10. thought police by dbc001 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Apparently there are pieces of information that Americans are not allowed to write down. We are definitely edging towards thought crime here. Between this and the illegality of writing virii (i know its spelled wrong but it looks better), we are on our way! I just wonder when someone will get punished for writing these things with pen & paper instead of electronically...

  11. Re:Really? by Guspaz · · Score: 4, Interesting

    You're forgetting that this is Canada... The DMCA has no effect here. Assuming your hosting is in Canada, you can simply send a reply telling gamespot that you are not under the jurisdiction of the DMCA, and that you will not be complying with their request.

    If your hosting is in the US... Well, then you're in a bit more of a bind. IANAL, but I'd suspect that while YOU are not liable, the American hosting company would be, and would be forced to remove the content from their servers.

    Of course, surely you chose Canadian web hosting to keep your dollars in the country, no? :p