Microsoft has rescinded the copyright complaint that resulted in the shutdown of the long-standing whistleblower website, Cryptome.org, after it published Redmond's spy guide for law enforcement. The company said it has asked Cryptome's ISP, Network Solutions, that the website be restored and that it no longer wants the …

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Thursday 25th February 2010 23:57 GMT Crazy Operations Guy

Probably a publicity stunt

Shut down the site for a few days and make sure the document is circulated properly, then later use it to demonstrate privacy laws or something. Although, I would be very interested in seeing a paper like this from Google....

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Thursday 25th February 2010 23:57 GMT Frozen Ghost

Streisand effect

Barbra would be proud.

Not only has this incident caused multiple media outlets to report on this documents existence but it also shows M$ in a bad light for a draconian reaction which feels more like restricting free speech than copyright infringement.

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Friday 26th February 2010 00:28 GMT Tim Herklots

MS didn't want the court case

Mr Young refuted the DMCA under the grounds that the document was public interest and therefore publishable depsite copyright issues. MS would not want to lose that court case. I expect that was the real reason they pulled out.

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1. Friday 26th February 2010 11:20 GMT Anonymous Coward
  
  MS didn't want the court case
  
  It could be, but i also suspect that once it appeared on Wikileaks, they realised it was pointless continuing with the bad publicity this was generating. Withdrawing the complaint was probably the least worst of their options.
  
  Nastier and larger organisations than Microsoft have tried and failed to get stuff removed from there.
  
  Paris, because unlike Microsoft, she succeeded in getting everything removed...
  
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Friday 26th February 2010 11:08 GMT amanfromMars 1

No balls, obviously. ...... or brains either, for a double whammy of misfortune?

What is Network Solutions excuse for bending over and getting a roasting from Microsoft/doing dodgy outside lead counsel for Microsoft's bidding and disadvantaging one of its paying customers?

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1. Friday 26th February 2010 13:13 GMT Anonymous Coward
  
  Do Something?
  
  The DMCA. If they didnt do something when Cryptome refused to, they would be jointly liable.
  
  Whatever the Ins and outs of the case, its not really a position you really want to be in unless your absolutely sure your right.
  
  Paris, because she's very aware of the in's and out's of the web.
  
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  1. Friday 26th February 2010 16:26 GMT Alan Thompson
    
    Do Something? - Not!
    
    With the DMCA, once cryptome.org refuted Microsoft's claim (public interest, etc.), Network Solutions immediately was in the wrong for taking any action. The ISP doesn't get the right to evaluate the merits of the claims - that's left to the courts. Network Solutions could be facing a hefty lawsuit here and Microsoft are simply helping them back out gracefully.
    
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    1. Saturday 27th February 2010 04:49 GMT Anonymous Coward
      
      not - not
      
      Are you sure? i was certain that if Cryptome didnt file a counter notice, NS *had* to take it down.
      
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    2. Saturday 27th February 2010 04:49 GMT Anonymous Coward
      
      Ah
      
      Ah right, i see, they did provide the counter notice.
      
      Error between chair and keyboard. :)
      
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2. Saturday 27th February 2010 04:16 GMT Anonymous Coward
  
  ACTA
  
  Probably a precursor for all ISP's if the ACTA proposals get accepted.
  
  How would the RoyalMail/PostOffice/La Poste/USPS like it if they were responsible for any (insert don't like this content cos the gov said so) being carried by their company?
  
  Now change the RoyalMail/PostOffice/La Poste/USPS bit to an ISP and you will see that they will adopt a defensive , client is guilty as one client aint worth a lot policy.
  
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