The Electronic Frontier Foundation wants to save non-pirated user data from file sharing service Megaupload, allowing users to access their legitimate data before the company’s two U.S. based hosting services delete those files forever.
The EFF is currently working with Carpathia Hosting to “assess the scope of the issue facing Megaupload users.” In the meantime Carpathia has already launched the website MegaRetrieval.com which allows users to submit details of their data situation on an individual bases.
According to EFF staff attorney Julie Samuels:
“EFF is troubled that so many lawful users of Megaupload.com had their property taken from them without warning and that the government has taken no steps to help them,” and “We think it’s important that these users have their voices heard as the process moves forward.”
Carpathia is no longer being paid to house Megaupload data since the US Department of Justice froze the file sharing company’s assets, however they also state that they have “no immediate plans” to wipe out the data from their servers.
In the meantime some file retrieval may hinge on the US Government which copied a portion of the sites files allowed through a governmental search warrant before taking down Megaupload servers.
According to an official EFF statement:
“The government has finished its investigation of Megaupload’s servers and claims that the companies that own those servers – Carpathia and Cogent – are free to delete their contents,” and “Luckily, those companies aren’t following the government’s example of shooting first and asking later.”
The Electronic Frontier Foundation isn’t the only group fighting for the retention of files, lawyers for Megaupload are also attempting to retain data for more than 50 million users.
Do you think users should be given one last shot to retrieve their data before Megaupload is closed permanently?
