As Americans spent July 4 celebrating the anniversary of the United States’ independence from Britain, German-born Kim Dotcom was reveling in a re-birth. According to the founder of Megaupload, his file storage site will rise again.
In a tweet to his followers this week, the man behind the world’s most famous file-locker site — and one of the FBI’s biggest foes — hinted that Megaupload will be brought back to life. “SOPA is dead. PIPA is dead. ACTA is dead. MEGA will return. Bigger. Better. Faster. Free of charge & shielded from attacks. Evolution!” reads a tweet from the official @KimDotcom Twitter account. Dotcom— born Kim Schmitz — is currently being targeted by international authorities over his role with the website, which American official say was the centerpiece in a vast online piracy conspiracy.By masterminding the operations of Megaupload, the Federal Bureau of Investigations insists that Dotcom caused the American entertainment industry to lose $500 million in revenue. Law enforcement agents raided his home this past January in a highly publicized sting that has since been condemned by not just Dotcom and his supporters but even justices in New Zealand. Commenting on the case last week, Justice Helen Winkelmann ruled that the warrants used during the January 20 raid were too vague and that authorities interpreted them so poorly that the future of the entire case is now uncertain. If Dotcom cannot be charged with a crime in New Zealand, the court could refuse an extradition to America, much to the chagrin of US authorities.In addition to announcing plans to put Megaupload back online, Dotcom also commended the death of three Internet-linked bills that could have greatly crushed online freedoms around the world. In the five months since his home was raided, the Stop Online Piracy Act, the Protect IP Act and the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement have all encountered roadblocks that have rendered them dead.“To all Megaupload users, let's all unite,” another message sent through his Twitter account on Friday reads. “It's time to fight back. Spread the tweet!”