Rapidshare: We're Different from Megaupload

Following the closing of file sharing service providers Megaupload.com by the FBI, a number of similar websites began to restrict its services. Filesonic is one example.


But Rapidshare, which has a similar service, did not fear the same fate with Megaupload. The reason, Rapidshare and Megaupload have different business models. It is delivered Daniel Raimer, attorney Rapidshare in an interview with FastCompany.

"The technology behind Megaupload and Rapidshare may be the same, but we apply the same technology is similar to the Apple-developed technology iCloud and Microsoft SkyDrive. Ethics of our business with them (Apple and Microsoft, Ed.) similar," said Raimer.

So, Raimer argued, if Rapidshare is closed, and the Apple iCloud Mcrosoft Skydrive and dropbox and Youtube are also to be closed. Raimer said that Rapidshare is more like some of these companies, compared with a Megaupload. Rapidshare service is used for private purposes by users.

Most Prominent differences

The most prominent difference between the Megaupload and Rapidshare according Raimer is the business model adopted. "Are you funded the hijacking? Are you intense earning revenue from piracy?" Raimer said.

"Or, you want to have a serious customer who has a long relationship with you in the whole world because you believe in? That's what we do. We are very afraid of piracy and trying to keep him away from our system," said Reimer

According to Raimer, Rapidshare has never supported the piracy. Meanwhile, Megaupload, openly profit from piracy. No wonder the court demanding compensation of 500 million U.S. dollars and seized assets worth Megaupload 175 million U.S. dollars.

Only 5 Percent of Illegal Data

Rapidshare itself has software that can detect content that violates copyright and remove it immediately. The same is also done by Youtube.

"We had to deal with piracy-related lawsuits as much as 50 times. Of all the demands, we won 45 cases in between. This is proof that we have sought to limit piracy. Next, we will develop the software," said Raimer.

Although I have the exact figure, Raimer boldly states that no illegal content on Rapidshare would be more than 5 percent of the total content. Rapidshare does not deny the existence of illegal content, but all were followed according to company policy.

"Most of the content that is uploaded to Rapidshare is not downloaded again by many others. This proves our services are widely used for the storage of personal data," lid Raimer.