What does copyright laws have to do with Homeland Security?

I agree it is not really a matter of National Security. However, playing the devils advocate, States really cant do much regarding a website. The internet is much further reaching than a local governments arm. I dont agree with these actions, it scares the hell out of me actually.

and what a time to pick to close down counterfeit good selling websites - just before christmas . i think bored and mean-spirited is the phrase you are looking for.

Without a warrant, court order, or due process, boy I thought we had this discussion about something else except you were defending the federal government's use of not obtaining a warrant, court order, or due process. So the fourth amendment only applies when you want it to apply is that it? Now we are accusing Homeland Security of violating the Constitution the hypocrisy is so rich.

Well I agree with you on that one. When the law becomes a law in itself, it becomes a worry. The true of the matter is that there are no law governing the internet. So there is no judge in the land which could lawfully issue a warrant or a court order, since they have no judisriction over the internet. However, they can go after the legitimate businesses. And for the internet to exist at all, it requires two major businesses. The ISPs, which permits everyone to log on the internet. In order to exist, the ISPs have to accept the blackmail of governments and filter what people can access on the internet. They also have to provide the identity of any of their customer if the law enforcement ask for it. The second major one, are the hosting services. You cannot have a website on the internet without a hosting service. Unless you register your own hosting service with the government. The law enforcement tells the hosting service to close a particular website. If the hosting service refuse, they take its licence away, and it is out of business. So as you see, we are all living under the illusion that the internet belongs to the people. But the government is slowly taking it over. The hosting service is in the front line of being close down for anyone breaching the rules of the government. So it pass the responsability on the owner of mylot, and tells mylot that if it does not monitor what its members are saying, it will close the website before the government can knock on its door.

Ahmadinijead must be so proud. Perhaps this is Obama's olive branch to him showing that here in the US he's willing to attack the internet as well.

I'm not familiar with U.S. laws, but this may not be a copyright issue. From the perspective of security experts, the internet is a means of communication for their enemies. So, disrupting somebody else's communication seems valid (to them) thing to do. But of course, this is a bit problematic since we live in the information age and there are various channels for communications.

Another way to say it is what to Recording Industry of America profits have to do with homeland security. As I understand it, this is the latest attempt by RIAA to stop the pirating of media, since other attempts have really not worked. I wonder if anyone in the Napolitano family is a big time investor in the recording business. Someone is. obama's government is a run-away government. They will be remembered as being out of control and oblivious to established government precedent and protocol. And, it will all turn out to be for the benfit of obama's liberal friends and harmful to every other American.

Still think the biggest threat to our freedom comes from the outside? Our politicians and government has done more damage to the constitution than any terrorist could ever do. Any one who might question whats going on is called a sympathizer or dissident and they wave the flag and the majority of the people fall in line without ever questioning who is waving the flag or if they even care about what freedom means or what motives they might have. What a waste this generation has become all the countless lives that have been sacrificed for our freedom and we sell it off for a false sense of comfort and safety. There is no justice or freedom when the highest law in the land means nothing now.

Two sides to this first the copyright Copyright identifies and protects the producer of the document, organization or idea against someone taking their idea or activity and saying it is theirs. If someone does not "wish" to get their documents, organization or ideas copyrighted they may be intentionally trying to hide or omit the origin of their idea, organization

Copyright laws are a very serious breech. Yes, I tend to place more emphasis on this particular crime. The US Constitution actually protects the copyright of artists. "To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries" from the Powers granted to Congress by the Constitution. http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#A1Sec9

Yeah we long past the moment where warrants are needed. I mean look at the Bush Era and you will find a certain NSA thing where they decided. They could listen to your phone conversations, request from your Wireless/Telcom Company any and all records of who you called/texted all without a warrant. As well as the time for due process the Patriot Act got rid of a lot of things. But hey we are all safer now....right? As for these sites I don't see it is really a part of the DHS's job but then again they don't really have a place with the CIA,NSA, DOD, ICE and any number of other organizations that deal with our national security so can your really blame them for trying to find something worth while. Oh and they also have taken down Limewire recently due to the gross amount of violations that this precise of software was being used for but that was done with a court order. As for sites being taken down due to copyright violations they just need to fall under 2 categories in the DMCA to be safe from being taken down. Also the Pirate Bay is still up as well it is one of the few torrent sites that have been able to handle this issues as when ever it goes down it always comes right back up. So I wouldn't worry to much you will be able to still break copyright laws if you so choose to steal from the artist.