Wupload, FileServer Disable File Sharing Functionality
The number of file sharing sites that have changed their business model, ceased operations or disabled part of their service continues to increase after the Megaupload takedown earlier this year. Sites like FileSonic have disabled all file sharing capabilities, while Uploaded.to blocked visitors from the U.S. from accessing the site. Others, like Uploadbox, shut down completely.
In the beginning of April word got out that the MPAA was targeting additional file hosting sites, which Alfred Perry, vice president for worldwide content protection at Paramount Pictures, called rogue cyberlockers. Among the services mentioned by Perry was the popular file host Wupload, one of the top 1000 sites on the Internet according to Alexa.
Wupload, likely as a consequence of that speech and the Megaupload takedown, have disabled all file sharing capabilities on the website. This basically means that files can only be downloaded by the original uploader, and no one else.
When you look at the sites reach over at Alexa, you will notice that it has dropped 24% in the last seven days, and more than 40% in the last 3 months.
Wupload is on the other hand not the only file hosting and sharing service that has changed its business model recently. Fileserve, a top 300 site according to Alexa, has also disabled sharing capabilities for all accounts after being mentioned by Perry. Users are notified on the website's homepage that users can only download and retrieve files that they have uploaded personally to the file host.
When you look at the reach, you will notice that the site too has lost in the last three months. The seven day reach lists a decline of 9%, while the 3 month reach a decline of nearly 40%.
The sharp decline since January can be attributed in both cases to the closing of the affiliate program. Affiliates were rewarded when they brought new paying customers to the file sharing site. It is likely that we will see further decline in the coming months when users who want to share files flock to the remaining file sharing sites that still allow that to happen.
Closing Words
It is likely that we will see the fallout continue for a while, even though no operator or company has yet been convicted. If you need file sharing capabilities, you are probably better off currently using services such as Dropbox or SkyDrive, as it is unlikely that those will be targeted anytime soon.
What's your take on all of this? Let me know in the comments.
Update: Wupload has closed its doors for good. The website and service is no longer available.
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I learned half-dozen of new filesharing sites, in addition to those sites and torrent-trackers that didn’t stop work so far.
“I suppose there’s no way of putting the mushroom cloud back into that nice, shiny uranium sphere.” © Isaac Asimov
We shared on cassette tapes {20 years ago in 1991 I got a few games and many music albums that way}
We shared on floppy disks
We shared on HDDs
We shared on CDs and DVDs
We shared by email, ftp, http, p2p and torrents
It requires a global war to stop filesharing.
Please don’t say anything here – FBI might come after you too!!!
I use MediaFire as I don’t really like using DropBox that often. Once in a while I do use it, especially with group/collab work.
If I need to send a file to someone I just use MediaFire, and that’s that. I hated people who hosted files on other filehosts that required to type in one of those google captcha, or wait a period of time to download a file.
So fileserve, wupload, crocko, extabit e.t.c can all go to Hades and stay there.
I’m glad MF didn’t have any affiliate program to wreck it. Although I’ll say that I used to like megaupload before it got the timer.
I think Wupload and Fileserve lost much of their visitors and customers when Megaupload was shut down and their panic resulted in them basically locking up their sites as they have done again more recently. This kind of panicking doesn’t instill much confidence in the users that the sites will be operational in the near future so I wouldn’t be surprised if those two sites never recover from these visitor losses. Also, their panic suggests that maybe they are aware of some shady business going on, otherwise, they would have shrugged it off pretty nonchalantly like Mediafire did.
I definitely don’t like this war on cyberlockers since they’re causing alot of problems for me in downloading custom ROMs for my phone and various mods for PC games which aren’t illegal. I end up having to constantly deal with files that are no longer accessible due to cyberocker restrictions/closure or massively reduced speeds that are intended to thwart pirates. The collateral damage from the attacks on cyberlockers are just too disrupting and the worst part is that I’m sure it’s just like DRM where pirates have found ways around these pitfalls and it just ends up having a larger affect on legitimate customers instead. There needs to be some kind of compromise, but I know that won’t happen since the MPAA and RIAA basically demand unconditional surrender.
My take is that the MPAA is a crime syndicate.
They certainly are, it just so happens their product is legal, though they still use unethical and overwhelming tactics to facilitate their protection racket.
Copywright is a good concept but who’s talking about customers wrights. When you pay for a shit such as a bad movie or a silly book they don’t return your money back. The deception is coming from a malicious and promptly convincing marketing. You loose your money and on the other side actors and publishers are so generously paid that no way to spend what they gain other than gambling or looking for addiction or whatever. When mega upload was running like a hell, the sale of movies and albums was full of benefice but those people are like blood suckers, no way to satisfy them. It was a better life 100 years ago, show me what you play, and then I would pay …
Bitupload is still allowing filesharing though?
http://www.bitupload.com
I have been looking for websites which are PPD and also work in India as recently we had many sites being banned in here. If you folks can guide me on this.