Only Time Will Tell if MEGA Has Staying Power

Megaupload was one of the most popular file-sharing services, until it was shut down. Its founder, Kim Dotcom, has been hailed as a pioneer and a lawbreaker around the world. Dotcom's new service, MEGA, seeks to do what Megaupload never did: Protect users and Dotcom from the legal ramifications of file sharing online.

Mega: Piracy or Privacy – An infographic by the team at Who Is Hosting This.com

MEGA offers an encrypted upload functionality that is supposed to keep a file private unless the user chooses to share it. This means that the uploader is the only one who knows what the file contains. MEGA believes that if they do not know what users are sharing, how can they be held liable for breaking the law? Dotcom has seen this type of clever legalese backfire on him before, and it has landed him in jail.

Other cloud-based services, like Google Drive, offer users a certain amount of space, sharing capabilities and other services. However, they do not blindly let users upload and download without taking some responsibility for it. In fact, most cloud services ask users to agree not to share copyright material in their Terms of Service. If you get caught sharing files protected by copyright, you will most likely lose your account in its entirety.

Is it possible MEGA's new scheme for protecting itself and users could work? Only time will tell. Dotcom and his varied services have proven one thing over time: He keeps coming back for more. Each time, he comes up with a new way to offer file sharing and cloud-based services in a way that is unique. No other service truly offers what MEGA does at the moment. Will others follow suit? Only if Dotcom gets off scot free, until then, MEGA could go either way: Pirate or Private. This infographic was produced by WhoIsHostingThis.