Homeland Security seizes domain names

The Hill

By Sara Jerome
11/26/10 04:25 PM ET

The investigative arm of the Homeland Security Department appears to be shutting down websites that facilitate copyright infringement.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has seized dozens of domain names over the past few days, according to TorrentFreak.

ICE appears to be targeting sites that help Internet users download copyrighted music, as well as sites that sell bootleg goods, such as fake designer handbags.

The sites are replaced with a note fromthe government: "This domain named has been seized by ICE, Homeland

Security Investigations."For instance, borntrade.com, 51607.com, and amoyhy.com have each been seized.

One of the site owners told TorrentFreak that his site was shut down without any notice or warning.

Theeffort comes as Congress considers the Combatting Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA). Critics, including Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) say it is too heavy-handed. He has vowed to put a formal hold on the bill.



As of right now there are 1040 comments on this article over at The Hill here.

Here is an article shining the light on why this is not good, at American Thinker Titled: "Why is Homeland Security Seizing Domain Names?"