Launched last month, Mega has attracted over 3 million users to its new free Cloud-based file hosting service. For many small businesses, the offer of 50GB of free online file storage will be attractive, as will the relatively cheap paid-for plans which offer up to 4TB.
However, Mega is the latest service from hacker-turned-entrepreneur Kim Dotcom, which automatically adds notoriety into the mix. Mega’s predecessor Megaupload.com was shut down by the United States Department of Justice (US DoJ) following abuse by users who had shared movies and audio files which were protected by copyright.
Although few businesses would object to such actions, many companies were also using Megaupload to host and share legitimate information which is now inaccessible. Many have lost critical business data without any real hope of having it returned by the US DoJ.
To avoid a repeat of the Megaupload closure, Mega offers copyright holders tools to remove files which they can prove ownership of. However, whether this will be sufficient to satisfy the US DoJ remains to be seen.
As a result, companies would be well advised to avoid “free” file sharing systems for critical business functions if they are unable to verify the legality of the offering. It would be far better to invest in a paid-for service which can clearly demonstrate an adhesion to copyright standards.
Give Broadband Cloud Solutions a call today and ask about their fully legal, business-oriented Cloud storage solution LiveDrive. Our team will show not only how your data will be protected from a Megaupload-type file embargo, but also how Cloud-based file storage solutions can help your business become more productive.
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