Canadian Court Rejects US Demand For Full Access To Megaupload Servers

An anonymous reader writes "Nearly one year ago, the U.S. government launched a global takedown of Megaupload.com, with arrests of the leading executives in New Zealand and the execution of search warrants in nine countries. Canada was among the list of participating countries as the action included seizure of Megaupload.com servers. Last week, a Canadian court rejected a request to send mirror-imaged copies of 32 computer servers to authorities in the U.S., indicating that a more refined order is needed. Megaupload successfully argued 'that there is an enormous volume of information on the servers and that sending mirror image copies of all of this data would be overly broad, particularly in light of the scantiness of the evidence connecting these servers to the crimes alleged by the American prosecutors.'"

The site is down, what's the point

[schneidafunk]

What is the official reason for requesting the data anyway? Kim is being prosecuted and the site is down.

Re:And in other completely unrelated news

[gstoddart]

"The Government is disappointed with the United States' decision to include Canada in its [year here] Special 301 "Watch List." Canada does not recognize the Special 301 process due to its lacking of reliable and objective analysis, and we have raised this issue regularly with the U.S. in our bilateral discussions."

"In regard to the watch list, Canada does not recognize the 301 watch list process. It basically lacks reliable and objective analysis. It's driven entirely by U.S. industry. We have repeatedly raised this issue of the lack of objective analysis in the 301 watch list process with our U.S. counterparts."

Unless policy has changed, that watch list is largely regarded [michaelgeist.ca] as being mostly about special interest groups with no good basis.

Sorry, but that is a wish list written by industry of the pony they want to be given. It's all about them getting the most draconian, invasive measures they can find.

It isn't an objective document in any way at all, and only the US pretends it is.

Re:And in other completely unrelated news

[Anonymous Coward]

You know, if the US weren't so actively and obviously trying to make enemies all over the world, maybe they wouldn't have so many of them.

US thinks it is ruler of world

[danbuter]

I love living in the US, but our government has been on a massive powertrip for decades now. It really needs to be reigned in.

Typical US Law Enforcement techniques....

[erp_consultant]

This is how the US authorities go after everything - with massive, overwhelming, completely unnecessary force. Ever see the video of the invasion of Kim's compound? You'd think they were invading a small nation with that army of agents. It's like those cop shows on tv where they burst into some guys house - 10 or 20 or them, armed to the teeth - and all you see is some redneck standing there with no shirt and unarmed.

It's looking more and more to me like the US authorities had a pretty flimsy case with improper search warrants. Now they are trying to get everything they can, thus the "mirror" request. But the Canadian authorities have stuck a finger in the eye of the American justice machine by refusing to just hand over the contents of the entire server, not just what Kim is accused of being involved with.

My prediction is that not only will Kim not get extradited to the US, his lawyers will find a way to get him off the charges. Of course, it will cost him several years of his life and several million dollars. The US government, on the other hand, has virtually unlimited resources (thanks to the taxpayer). Backed up by the greedy Hollywood producers they will continue their campaign of harassment.