UptoBox data centers have been raided by police in France.
In a surprising turn of events, Uptobox, a popular French file-hosting platform, has emerged amid a significant crisis.
The platform, a thorn in the side of major entertainment companies for years, recently experienced a significant disruption.
Here’s a comprehensive look at what transpired and the implications for the future of file-hosting services.
A Brief Background on Uptobox
Uptobox, established in 2011, quickly rose to prominence by offering users a platform to upload, store, and share files effortlessly.
In April 2023 alone, the platform boasted a staggering 34 million visits, with a third originating from France.
Despite facing domain blocks by French ISPs in May, Uptobox remained resilient, even providing users with advice on bypassing these blocks.
The Disruption Begins
The first sign of trouble came when Uptobox’s official account tweeted about a “severe disruption” in their network.
As users across Europe found themselves unable to access the platform, speculations ran wild.
The real shocker, however, was the revelation by French news outlet l’Informé: Uptobox was the target of police raids at two datacenters, Scaleway and OpCore, located in Vitry-sur-Seine.
UptoBox Raided by Police: A Closer Look
The raids, authorized by a French court, responded to complaints from entertainment giants like Columbia, Paramount, StudioCanal, Warner Bros, Disney, Apple, and Amazon.
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All these companies are part of the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), the world’s most formidable anti-piracy coalition.
As of now, all Uptobox domains remain inaccessible.
The Tweet That Sealed the Fate?
An intriguing detail emerged from l’Informé’s report.
A tweet from 2018, posted by someone believed to be Uptobox’s chief technical officer, might have inadvertently exposed the platform’s server location.
This revelation could have provided the necessary lead for the subsequent police action.
The Aftermath and Uptobox’s Response
Despite the chaos, Uptobox has proactively communicated with its user base.
They confirmed the loss of access to user files but assured that the database remained unaffected.
In a bid to protect user data, they relocated the database off-web and wiped the site’s servers.
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Uptobox remains hopeful of regaining access and reconnecting user accounts and files.
They’ve also promised to compensate premium subscribers for the downtime.
ACE’s Official Statement
In a recent statement, ACE confirmed its role in the operation, announcing Uptobox’s and Uptostream’s shutdown.
Labeling them as “notorious illegal video hosts,” ACE highlighted the massive audience these platforms attracted and their extensive library of infringing content.
The statement also shed light on the operations’ scale, revealing that the two individuals behind the service operated from Dubai, profiting from advertisements and premium subscriptions.
Here is ACE’s full statement:
“The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), the world’s leading anti-piracy coalition, today announced it has shut down Uptobox and Uptostream, two of the digital piracy world’s most notorious illegal video hosts.
The action, conducted in France and the United Arab Emirates, puts an end to a piracy operation that was well known for a decade among distributors of infringing content. The illegal service boasted massive audiences, mainly from France, but also from Indonesia, India and Mexico, with 1.5 billion visits over the last three years. The services hosted a sizable infringing library of film and television titles affecting all ACE members and many other rightsholders, allowing users to stream and download copyright-protected content at no cost or through a paid premium subscription.
The two French nationals who ran the illegal service are based in Dubai, where they amassed illegal gains from selling advertising and premium subscriptions.
“The action we announced today demonstrates that even the most sophisticated piracy operations are not above the law,” said Jan van Voorn, Executive Vice President and Global Content Protection Chief of the Motion Picture Association and Head of ACE. “This case sends a strong message to criminal operators that their illegal actions will be put to an end eventually. They may think their operations are undercover, but ACE has the network, resources and expertise to identify them and shut them down.”
“Canal+ supports swift action when acts of piracy compromise intellectual property rights, which in turn has an impact on our business,” said Céline Boyer, Head of Content Protection at Canal+. “Our partnership with ACE is essential to ensuring that the creative marketplace continues to thrive by addressing content piracy at its source.”
“France Televisions has zero tolerance for piracy and illegal distribution of content and channels,” said Nathalie Bobineau, Senior Vice President of International Development of French public broadcaster France Televisions. “By collaborating with ACE, we reinforce our commitment to upholding the principles of copyright protection and preserving the value of original content.”
The Bigger Picture
This incident underscores the ongoing battle between file-hosting platforms and entertainment giants.
While platforms like Uptobox provide a valuable service to many, they often walk a fine line between legitimate file hosting and copyright infringement.
The recent events serve as a stark reminder to similar platforms about the potential consequences of hosting copyrighted content.
Furthermore, it raises questions about user data privacy and the lengths to which companies will go to protect their intellectual property.
With the ever-evolving digital landscape, such incidents are bound to become more frequent, forcing us to reevaluate our stance on digital rights, privacy, and the future of online content sharing.
In conclusion, the Uptobox saga is a testament to the complex interplay between technology, law, and entertainment.
As the dust settles, it will be interesting to see how the digital community responds and what measures platforms will take to safeguard both their operations and their users.
For more information on this story, refer to the ACE press release and the TorrentFreak report.
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