Plans for new Megaupload site revealed

Dotcom outs plan for new Megaupload site

Kim Dotcom has revealed that the rebirth of his online file storage service Mega is set for January 20.

Net,

1 November, 2012

Charismatic New Zealand-based Megaupload-founder Kim Dotcom has revealed his plans to launch the site's replacement — known simply as Mega — as he continues to fight against US authorities over copyright infringement claims.

The teaser page for Mega. (Screenshot by Josh Taylor/ZDNet)

Megaupload was  shut down in January; Dotcom had his Auckland mansion raided, with four arrested at the time.

The new site, previewed by Dotcom today, promises to be "bigger, better, faster, stronger, [and] safer" than the original, and will be launched on the one-year anniversary of his arrest.

According to the site, documents will be safe on the service, because data will be encrypted and decrypted in the users' browser, rather than through the site.

"You hold the keys to what you store in the cloud, not us."

Dotcom is looking for partners to become "Mega Storage Nodes," by providing servers, support, and connectivity.

"Make us an offer. We prefer unmetered, fixed monthly payments," the site states.

Dotcom has said that he will need 60 servers when the site goes live, and the servers must be hosted outside of the US, meaning that the companies will also need to be based outside of the US.

"It is not safe for cloud storage sites or any business allowing user-generated content to be hosted on servers in the United States, or on domains like .com/.net. The US government is frequently seizing domains without offering service providers a hearing or due process."

Dotcom has also requested interest from investors and API partners who will get access to Mega's software development kit.

Since launching the teaser page today, Dotcom has tweeted that millions of users are visiting the site, causing servers to overload. He claimed FBI agents were also visiting the page.

Dotcom has previously argued that Megaupload was protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, but US prosecutors allege that the website encouraged users to infringe on copyrighted music, software, and movies, costing copyright owners an estimated US$500 million in revenue.

In June, the raid on Dotcom's residence was ruled illegal by the High Court, which called into question the admissibility of the evidence obtained during that raid. In July, the hearing into whether Dotcom should be extradited to the US was delayed until March 2013.

The New Zealand government apologised to Dotcom in September, after it was revealed that the Government Communications Security Bureau illegally spied on the Megaupload founder prior to his arrest.