Hackers Attack Justice Department, Music Industry After Feds Shut Down MegaUpload

The internet has been at the center of attention in news outlets across the country thanks to two potential bills that would have changed the World Wide Web as we know it. A widespread rally against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) delayed a decision on passing the bills, but popular file sharing site MegaUpload became a victim of the Justice Department a day later.

As reported by SPIN and countless other media sites, SOPA and PIPA were designed to protect the works and intellectual properties of others from sites like MegaUpload, Rapidshare, Mediafire and more from copyright infringement. However, opponents of the bills said that while the intentions were valid, the wording and power of SOPA and PIPA were too broad.

Shortly after the House and Senate made the decision to reevaluate the bills, the Justice Department and FBI shut down MegaUpload and arrested several people involved with the site. Those taken into custody included MegaUpload founder Kim Dotcom (yes, Dotcom).

Technically, it's not surprising the feds took down MegaUpload since a ridiculous amount of content was shared illegally every day. However, many people are not pleased with this outcome and are PISSED that their internet has been messed with. Few are more powerful than well-known hacker group Anonymous, who sought revenge and took down the websites of the Justice Department, Universal Music and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

As of Friday, January 20, at 2:14pm, Universal Music's site is still down. They hacked into the friggin' Justice Department's site! These guys are never playing around when they take up on a cause. Anonymous even boasted about it on their Twitter page.

"http://www.justice.gov seems to be besieged by some pirate ships," they said in a series of tweets. "Can't handle the pirates? Don't sail the proxeas! Payback is a bitch! Even more than a year later. http://www.riaa.com has some speed issues as well. Yo ho, hoist the colors! #megaupload."

Anonymous has once again declared war on those who they perceive attempt to censor the internet. With SOPA and PIPA still lurking in the background, it will be interesting to see who survives in the aftermath.

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