MegaUpload founder Kim Dotcom has launched a new cloud storage service called Mega, offering users a massive 50GB of file storage online for free.
Dotcom is currently on bail and fighting extradition to the US over charges his Megaupload website facilitated the illegal sharing of copyrighted films, TV shows and music.
Launched over the weekend. Mega has already pushed passed one million registered users.
The official Mega press conference was held on Sunday, with Dotcom describing the site as as “a platform for knowledge and education.”
While still a long way off Dropbox’s hundred million users, Mega rate of growth is much faster.
“250,000 user registrations. Server capacity on maximum load. Should get better when initial frenzy is over. Wow!!!,” tweeted Dotcom on Saturday.
“If you are currently experiencing slow access to #Mega its because of the unbelievable demand. We are working on more capacity,” clarified Dotcom in a tweet posted later that evening.
In terms of privacy, Mega, as company, has no way to tell just how its users are accessing the service (or what files they’re storing and sharing) as a result of the mandatory file encryption that Mega demands of its uploaders.
Additionally, the enforced encryption means that uploaders will have to list both a link to their files and an accompanying encryption key if they’re looking to share their Mega-hosted data with other people.
“By using Mega you say no to those who want to know everything about you. By using Mega you say no to governments that want to spy on you. By using Mega you say yes to Internet freedom and your right to privacy,” Dotcom said.
However, Mega keeps as part of the account generation process includes records of users’ IP addresses, communications, use of the site itself, and other personal information submitted during the site registration.
Mega is free for users for up to fifty gigabytes of storage. Pricing tiers for storage requirements beyond that start at approximately $13 per month for 500 gigabytes and run all the way up to around $40 per month for one terabyte of storage.
A year ago, Dotcom – born Kim Schmitz – was awakened by the dawn arrival of New Zealand police officers. They found him cowering in a “panic room”, near a safe containing a shotgun.
The officers, armed with automatic weapons and acting on a request from the FBI, confiscated millions of dollars worth of cars, Harley Davidson motorbikes, jetskis and artworks.
In what has been called the world’s biggest online piracy case, US authorities allege Mr Dotcom earned more than $175m from advertising on Megaupload and from the site’s premium paid service.
Charged with money laundering, racketeering and copyright theft, he could be jailed for up to 55 years if convicted. His extradition hearing is in August.
View a BBC report on Kim Dotcom’s new venture here:
