SOCA shuts down RnBXclusive.com

Earlier this week, UK officials have shut down the music website RNBXclusive.com and warned its users they could face legal action for downloading content. As BBC points out, the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) have arrested a man for fraud, while a takedown notice warned visitors that the punishment for downloading music from the site could be 10 years in prison, as well as an unlimited fine. In addition, SOCA posted a message on the site, which also displays the users’ IP address, implying that the majority of music files that were available via it “were stolen from the artists.”

“Soca has the capability to monitor and investigate you and can inform your internet service provider of these infringements. You may be liable for prosecution and the fact that you have received this message does not preclude you from prosecution. As a result of illegal downloads, young, emerging artists may have had their careers damaged. If you have illegally downloaded music, you will have damaged the future of the music industry.”

The message has since been replaced with the simple statement: “SOCA has taken control of this domain name.” A SOCA spokesman added in a statement:

“Members of the public can become facilitators of organized crime by obtaining property or services from its perpetrators. Soca is committed to raising awareness of this threat, its potetnail consequences, and the steps people can take to avoid involvement.”

It is worth pointing out that SOCA is not listed as an official law enforcement in the UK, but as a vigilante group.

As previously reported, file-sharing website Megaupload.com was shut down by the FBI for violating piracy laws. The FBI described the dispute as one of “the largest criminal copyright cases ever brought by the United States” and said it “directly targets the misuse of a public content storage and distribution site to commit and facilitate intellectual property crime.” Leave your thoughts on this delicate matter below.