In an attempt to prevent its users from bypassing the download delay, filehoster Mediafire has sent a takedown request to Mozilla for the SkipScreen addon that does just this.
Skipscreen is a Firefox plugin that automates clicking and waiting on sites like Rapidshare and Megaupload. The goal of the plugin is to make clicking a link to one of these file-hosting services just as convenient as downloading something directly.
The plugin does as it promises but one of the filehosters, MediaFire, is not amused. They prefer to delay the downloads of their visitors so they are more eager to sign up for a paid account.
“Mozilla has been generally very supportive up until now, they’ve made us a recommended plugin, and we’re one of the most popular plugins in our category. The day before yesterday, Mediafire sent a cease and desist to Mozilla, demanding they remove our plugin from the Addons directory,” Skipscreen developer Michael P told FreakBits.
Mediafire claims that the SkipScreen plugin steals its bandwidth and that its bypassing their website. These claims are bogus of course, the only thing that is bypassed is the waiting time, nothing more.
The EFF has sided with SkipScreen and sent a reply to Mozilla on their behalf in which they debunk MediaFire’s claims.
“Free file hosting provider MediaFire seems to think that, when you follow a link to download a file from its service, it has the right to control your browser. This is yet another example of a web site owner forgetting that it’s your computer, and it’s none of their business how you choose to experience their web pages,” EFF’s Fred von Lohmann writes.
It will be interesting to see how Mozilla responds to the takedown request. Thus far the plugin is still available and all that Mediafire has done is alerting the public that there is an easy way to circumvent the annoying waiting times.
Source : Freakbits
Skipscreen is a Firefox plugin that automates clicking and waiting on sites like Rapidshare and Megaupload. The goal of the plugin is to make clicking a link to one of these file-hosting services just as convenient as downloading something directly.
The plugin does as it promises but one of the filehosters, MediaFire, is not amused. They prefer to delay the downloads of their visitors so they are more eager to sign up for a paid account.
“Mozilla has been generally very supportive up until now, they’ve made us a recommended plugin, and we’re one of the most popular plugins in our category. The day before yesterday, Mediafire sent a cease and desist to Mozilla, demanding they remove our plugin from the Addons directory,” Skipscreen developer Michael P told FreakBits.
Mediafire claims that the SkipScreen plugin steals its bandwidth and that its bypassing their website. These claims are bogus of course, the only thing that is bypassed is the waiting time, nothing more.
The EFF has sided with SkipScreen and sent a reply to Mozilla on their behalf in which they debunk MediaFire’s claims.
“Free file hosting provider MediaFire seems to think that, when you follow a link to download a file from its service, it has the right to control your browser. This is yet another example of a web site owner forgetting that it’s your computer, and it’s none of their business how you choose to experience their web pages,” EFF’s Fred von Lohmann writes.
It will be interesting to see how Mozilla responds to the takedown request. Thus far the plugin is still available and all that Mediafire has done is alerting the public that there is an easy way to circumvent the annoying waiting times.
Source : Freakbits
