Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Programming Discussion : 48 Hr Upload/Download Site Project

[web-1]

I was thinking of writing a simple script, sort of like "wwwboard", where people could post or upload and download ANYTHING, but the twist is that anything posted would be completely deleted in 48 hours.

It would be great for freedom of speech sites, posting documents on corruption, and things like that.

I would love to hear the legal issues with running something like this on a server. I think that DMCA notices would be automatically handled since everything is gone in 48 hours, and it may be possible to keep a MD5 of anything uploaded to make sure it doesn't get posted again for 6 months (or whatever time period).

The fun part from a webmaster's point of view is no maintenance! You don't have to review posts, edit them or anything since it's all gone in 48 hours anyway.

The other part of this would be to have a RSS feed containing every post, and have the ability to sort of "link" all the sites like this together. Each site could pick RSS feeds of content they like and post those items on their site etc... Even the RSS thing could be automated, where a cron script goes out daily looking for other RSS feeds to add.

It probably wouldn't be hard to modify the wwwboard script to do this since it already handles posting and has been around a long time.

I'm just throwing this out there to see if it's possible.

Some people have been looking for a useful project, here's one, go ahead and run with it. There could be many versions of this script, the only thing that should be somewhat standard is the RSS feed, but I bet there's already a good standard out there for forum posting or something we could follow.

Any suggestions or info would be appreciated.

[mooseweb]

The script would be fairly easy to write, although without limits you'd get a bunch of random crap.

Not to mention, certain things would get you or the individuals who uploaded them into a LOT of trouble, despite DMCA notices.

[Xeentech]

Sounds like an excellent place to host malware payloads... Bad people always ruin things like this.

[KMyers]

Hello,

Granted, you are somewhat correct that all DMCA complaints will be resolved within 48 hours, you can still get into a load of s%$^ because you would not have a way to prevent abuse.

As someone pointed out, you would be creating a festering placefor virus payloads and worse.

[ItsRetroBby]

It will end up being full of spam, warez, virus, and porn (il/leagal)

[web-1]

Thanks for the comments.

The USENET NEWS Groups and places like the Pirate Bay are completely open, I assume they have/had the same problems, but their content stays around a lot longer. What about places like Rapidshare? Malware everywhere?

From what I've been reading it seems like a automated system where you don't do much to control content is better in the legal sense.

Another approach might be to have big lists of MD5's of all the big corporations' files they want detected, use that but also post the data list you use to detect so that people can detect and compare against the list and won't bother uploading those files.

Of course if you do that, you are then in total control and if something slips through you might be held responsible.

It seems to me that right now if you put something up on a web page and then someone sends a notice to take it down, as long as you take it down within a reasonable period, you are OK. I think 48 hours is a reasonable time.

And what makes a ISP immune? They just pass data along, with some delay due to packet switching, then it's gone off their system. But at what delay period can you say it's still a ISP? 10 minutes? Hours? 48?

You could make a site called "the stream", where you browse to a URL and just like a video stream, a flash program runs and you start receiving the stream. At any point you can take files off the stream or put them on and they go to the other people that are also receiving the stream.

It's just like a ISP. No control over the content and it's just being passed along.

Now slow that down so that each packet is held for 1 hour in a buffer, then slow it to 48 hours, what's the difference? Then hold the packets in sections or bunches called "files"

[Xeentech]

You would be an ISP of sorts, it's a service you'd be providing over the internet. Calling yourself an ISP doesn't mean you're no liable though.

"ISPs" as you're using the term, meaning ADSL/Cable companies have common carrier status. They don't look at the content they're transferring, thus not liable for it.. but they DO react to DMCA and other copyright violation notices. USENET is not an exception. When ISPs receive notice from copyright holders about content available on USENET it IS taken down.

This is really something you should seek proper legal advise about if you still intent to go a head with this. Though, I really don't think the "I do abide by DMCA/Copyright law, it's deleted after 48 hours" argument will fly in any courtroom.. let alone a court/legal system that has DMCA like legislation.

I wouldn't host you, and I doubt my DC would sell you colo or a dedi if they knew this was the purpose, put it that way.

[KMyers]

Originally Posted by Xeentech

I wouldn't host you, and I doubt my DC would sell you colo or a dedi if they knew this was the purpose, put it that way.

Hello,

I have to agree with you on that one. From what it sounds like, you are almost encouurageing this platform to host illegal content (warez, music, nulled scripts, etc).

[web-1]

OK, so let's say that it only allows text posts with a link. Again, it's all gone in 48 hours.

People would just point links to Rapidshare. What's the difference between uploading to this type of site and places like Rapidshare? I don't see them getting taken down.

A file is available instantly on Rapidshare and anyone can download it. They only take it down if they get a notice, and I bet that takes at least a few days.

Are Rapidshare users having problems with malware? People upload zip and rar files, you don't know what's really in them until you unpack them.

Are people having problems with malware on normal regular web sites? So what's the big deal here?

Actually, if it was restricted to text only, it's almost the same as any existing blog right now that allows anon posts with a link.

What about picture posting sites? You can post a picture to imagevenue.com without registering and it's immediately available for viewing or download.

Is Imagevenue or Rapidshare a place full of malware, warez or illegal content? Is their *intent* to provide a place for that? No. Do they get bad files uploaded and have to take them down? Yes.

What small guy has the time to watch their blog/forum 24/7? Why not make it automatic?

The (free) script I'm talking about would ensure the deletion of posts and/or content within 48 hours. I haven't seen anything out there that does that.

And what about freedom of speech online? If sites like this can't exist, how can someone post things like whistle blower info? Corrupt government official info etc...

Xeentech has a good point, you might have to put this on a dedicated server at a place that is more "liberal" with their policies. Like for instance if they don't allow Adult content, I wouldn't try it there. Or any place that suspends your service without notifying you first, or at least asking questions / reads the FAQ on your site.

Think of the traffic and the repeat visits you would get.

So, does anyone else out there want to run something like this?

Any host providers out there want to tell us how to approach you with something like this up front so we don't get suspended later? What do you do about open blogs, open picture/file posting sites, or open forums that allow file uploads? If I call it a blog or forum script, would that make you feel better?

[Xeentech]

All of the sites you refer to Rapidshare, Imagevenue etc.. they all have policies to deal with court orders and take down notices. "It will automatically delete after 48 hours" is not an acceptable policy IMO.

Freedom of Speech does not extend to hosting malware, viruses and child pornography.

[ItsRetroBby]

Originally Posted by Xeentech

All of the sites you refer to Rapidshare, Imagevenue etc.. they all have policies to deal with court orders and take down notices. "It will automatically delete after 48 hours" is not an acceptable policy IMO.

Freedom of Speech does not extend to hosting malware, viruses and child pornography.

Its like saying its OK to break laws, aslong as its only for 48 hours

[dreamrae.com]

Originally Posted by ItsRetroBby

Its like saying its OK to break laws, aslong as its only for 48 hours

lol, exactly

[web-1]

Originally Posted by ItsRetroBby

Its like saying its OK to break laws, aslong as its only for 48 hours

But, in this country at least, that's what happens with the DMCA, it takes a while for the rights holders to find the content, then contact the web site, then the web site needs time to check out the information to make sure it's legit, then the web site takes it down.

You actually save everyone all that trouble since they all know it's going to be gone in 48 hours. And that helps the little guy who wants to run a site but doesn't want the job of 24/7 internet censor police.

We are still back to how is this different than places like Rapidshare and image hosting sites like Imagevenue. Or any open Blog or Forum that allows anon posts.

Are they breaking the law up to the point they get a notice and take the info down? But "the law" (DMCA) allows that in this country, so it's really not breaking the law unless they don't take it down.

[ItsRetroBby]

Originally Posted by web-1

But, in this country at least, that's what happens with the DMCA, it takes a while for the rights holders to find the content, then contact the web site, then the web site needs time to check out the information to make sure it's legit, then the web site takes it down.

You actually save everyone all that trouble since they all know it's going to be gone in 48 hours. And that helps the little guy who wants to run a site but doesn't want the job of 24/7 internet censor police.

We are still back to how is this different than places like Rapidshare and image hosting sites like Imagevenue. Or any open Blog or Forum that allows anon posts.

Are they breaking the law up to the point they get a notice and take the info down? But "the law" (DMCA) allows that in this country, so it's really not breaking the law unless they don't take it down.

So your happy too host illeagal porn, software etc for 48 hours?

How can you stop child porn being uploaded? But hey who cares, its only for 48 hours for each file.

[Xeentech]

Originally Posted by web-1

We are still back to how is this different than places like Rapidshare and image hosting sites like Imagevenue. Or any open Blog or Forum that allows anon posts.

You might be "back to how is this different than places like Rapidshare.." but I think the rest of us already realize how they're different. They host files, and comply with legal notices and court orders.

While I'm sure your experience in the civil law field, particularly copyright law is likely correct.. that it does take time to find the infringing material, write up a DMCA/Other complaint and have it emailed.. I'm not sure it takes all that long, but I know it doesn't very long when it's law enforcement dealing with a criminal case.