Mega Search is the first third-party index of Kim Dotcom's resurrected Mega file-sharing service. At Ars, Megan Geuss analyses the legal implications: 'Clearly, not all of this content is infringement (there are plenty of links to personal files and public domain items, Italian-language Agatha Christie books for example). But a quick glance at the front page reveals many files that probably are.'

  • oasisob1

    I seems to lean very heavily French, but I really haven’t explored it much. I do like the thumbs up/thumbs down to indicate when filename poorly matches expected content.

  • dragonfrog

    I thought the whole point of Mega was that all file data, including file names, were encrypted under keys that Mega doesn’t have access to.

    Given that, how the heck was this service able to index any content?  Are they lying?  Was Mega lying about every single aspect of their technical approach?

    • dragonfrog

      Nevermind, now I have RTFA.

      Given that these are links submitted by the uploaders, with the encryption keys attached, it would be difficult to draw any kind of conclusion as to the overall content of Mega – that’s a very specific use case of the site, and probably not generalizable.

      It’s also a use that really defeats the main features of Mega – why have all the encryption features if you’re just going to blab publicly about what the content is?  Seems puzzling to me…

      • jaduncan

        The encryption is as much to protect Mega. The user might have told an entire warez board, but Mega have no knowledge of what is being shared until they get a takedown request with the key included.

        • http://www.xradiograph.com/ OtherMichael

          I’ve been hearing all the “Mega is unsafe/encyption in insecure” blathering on various technical forums, and I think they miss the point. Mega could have used ROT13, the encryption is for deniability. That Mega themsevles do not provide a search is part of the point “heck, WE don’t know!”

          Are they responsible for trawling the internet looking for links?
          G-d only knows what the courts might determine.

          IOW, I’m agreeing with @jaduncan, and arguing with @dragonfrog

  • lafave

    According to TorrentFreak, all files indexed on that search site are being automatically suspended pursuant to DMCA takedowns, legal uploads or no.

    http://torrentfreak.com/dotcoms-mega-removes-legal-files-citing-bogus-dmca-requests-130131/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Torrentfreak+%28Torrentfreak%29

  • Wild Rumpus

    Woo Hoo – I found the link to Kim Dotcom’s “Party Amplifier”.  You can’t find THAT on any other file sharing site!

    https://mega.co.nz/#!I0FiTRxL!UggAoGTNkfnkZ1wVAYNAunO8qfAnkiICkvgaqmImljY 

    He’s the Party amplifier and a bunch of other things that rhyme with “fire”.

  • Conan Librarian

    Careful now, I categorize and upload all my German Midget Snuff Porn using popular titles of Hollywood movies and songs, just for the irony of it. 

  • http://twitter.com/WikiTruths Wiki-Truths

    is this down already?

  • http://twitter.com/beep54orama B E Pratt

    Not at all sure what use this is if mega.co.nz is still a no-go.