As a US lawyer, it seems odd to me that the DHS would have this role. International law enforcement matters are routinely coordinated by the Dept. of Justice. ICE is a relatively recent creation, gathering powers that traditionally resided with Customs and the INS. Marc. On Nov 28, 2010, at 10:56 AM, Milton L Mueller wrote: > Not so odd, Marc, because Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is part of DHS. > Customs would be the primary agency involved in transnational counterfeiting enforcement actions. > Recall ACTA and related negotiations. Interesting that this can go on without COICA. > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: NCSG-NCUC [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of >> Marc Rotenberg >> Sent: Saturday, November 27, 2010 8:26 AM >> To: [log in to unmask] >> Subject: Re: [NCSG-NCUC-DISCUSS] U.S. Government Seizes BitTorrent >> Search Engine Domain and More >> >> According to the New York York Times, it was the Dept of >> Homeland Security (the same agency that brought us >> airport body scanners) that seized the BitTorrent site and others. >> This seems odd since it is the US Dept of Justice that would >> typically investigate copyright matters. >> >> Note also that this action took place prior to Senate action >> on COICA. >> >> Marc Rotenberg >> EPIC >> >> ----------------------------- >> >> >> >> http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/27/technology/27torrent.html >> >> U.S. Shuts Down Web Sites in Piracy Crackdown >> By BEN SISARIO >> Published: November 26, 2010 >> >> In what appears to be the latest phase of a far-reaching federal >> crackdown on online piracy of music and movies, the Web addresses of >> a number of sites that facilitate illegal file-sharing were seized >> this week by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a division of the >> Department of Homeland Security. >> >> By Friday morning, visiting the addresses of a handful of sites that >> either hosted unauthorized copies of films and music or allowed >> users to search for them elsewhere on the Internet produced a notice >> that said, in part: "This domain name has been seized by ICE - >> Homeland Security Investigations, pursuant to a seizure warrant >> issued by a United States District Court." >> >> * * * >> >> >> >> >> >> On Nov 27, 2010, at 1:57 AM, Alex Gakuru wrote: >> >>> Does this mean *all* search engines with links will be shut down >>> anytime, including 'Big G'? >>> >>> On 11/27/10, Alex Gakuru <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >>>> Why complained earlier on expectations that cash strapped ccTLDs >> especially >>>> in Africa/developing cannot afford parallel servers, databases and >> time >>>> costs to enforce third parties IP/copyrights/trademark etc interests. >> It >>>> somehow 'feels' safer NOT to register a .com now? >>>> >>>> On Sat, Nov 27, 2010 at 7:34 AM, Robin Gross <[log in to unmask]> >> wrote: >>>> >>>>> The latest info that I've seen is that Verisign assigned new DNS >> servers >>>>> at the Registry level, and then locked the domain so that even the >>>>> Registrar >>>>> can't update it. So now it looks like it may have been VeriSign who >>>>> "seized" them. No word on ICANN's role in this situation, if any. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Nov 26, 2010, at 8:29 PM, Marc Perkel wrote: >>>>> >>>>> So was it ICANN that actually did the seizing? >>>>> >>>>> On 11/26/2010 7:25 PM, Michael Haffely wrote: >>>>> >>>>> The concerning part about the report from today is that the domain >> owner >>>>> never received any complaint or due process before the domains were >>>>> seized. >>>>> It appears that no Cease and Desist, warrant, suit, or other >> criminal >>>>> complaint was brought up before the domain was taken. What if (for >> an >>>>> example) this behavior is taken up by the Patent and Copyright >> "trolls". >>>>> What happens to an individual/nonprofit/organization when they have >> their >>>>> domain yanked out from under them? >>>>> >>>>> If ICANN is to seize domains from their rightful owners by demand of >> a >>>>> law >>>>> enforcement agency we need to have a clear, *rapid* appeals process >> to >>>>> prevent abuse by corporations, law enforcement agencies, and >> governments. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -Mike H. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 8:46 PM, Andrew A. Adams <[log in to unmask]> >> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Very similar moves are happening in the UK, with Nominet (UK non- >> profit >>>>>> with >>>>>> the .uk (and .gb) country-code delegation) engaging with the UK's >> SOCA >>>>>> (Serious and Organised Crime Agency *) to remove 1200 "sites >> engaged in >>>>>> selling counterfeit goods" recently and now doing a more explicit >> deal >>>>>> with >>>>>> the police to take down the DNS registration for sites "alleged to >> be >>>>>> involved in criminal activity". >>>>>> >>>>>> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/11/25/nominet_crime/ >>>>>> >>>>>> (*) The SOCA is a rather dodgy organisation, IMHO. When it was set >> up >>>>>> the >>>>>> then home secrewtary made a big thing of it not being actually >> police >>>>>> and >>>>>> therefore not bound by the requirements that the police have to >> respect >>>>>> the >>>>>> human rights of citizens. THat's a recipe for a secret police >> operating >>>>>> extra-judicially and here we see exactly that kind of approach. >>>>>> >>>>>> I am very worried by these kinds of moves. Zittrain's "The Future >> of the >>>>>> Internet" and Mueller's "Networks and States" concerns about >> censorship >>>>>> becoming the norm not the exception online seem to be coming true. >> While >>>>>> I'm >>>>>> not in favour of criminals having free reign, the trouble is that >> all >>>>>> the >>>>>> hard won freedoms such as due process, balance of rights, etc. seem >> to >>>>>> be >>>>>> being thrown out in the digital domain. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> Professor Andrew A Adams [log in to unmask] >>>>>> Professor at Graduate School of Business Administration, and >>>>>> Deputy Director of the Centre for Business Information Ethics >>>>>> Meiji University, Tokyo, Japan http://www.a-cubed.info/ >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> IP JUSTICE >>>>> Robin Gross, Executive Director >>>>> 1192 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA 94117 USA >>>>> p: +1-415-553-6261 f: +1-415-462-6451 >>>>> w: http://www.ipjustice.org e: [log in to unmask] >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> regards, >>>> >>>> Alex Gakuru >>>> http://www.mwenyeji.com >>>> Hosting, surprise yourself! >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> regards, >>> >>> Alex Gakuru >>> http://www.mwenyeji.com >>> Hosting, surprise yourself!