I mean what if 'somebody' claimed copyright infringements from the network of a mayor music company. would that company be taken offline by their provider? (or, say, the white house)

just a theory ;)

We have the same type of law being discussed in France. Senate had voted this, and the "Assemblée nationale" has to vote it after a debate (restarting in April).

Maybe we should all just start copying Google's content onto our own Web sites without proper attribution but running AdSense ads.

Maybe they'll get the message after paying people to violate their intellectual property rights that it DOES matter.

Not only is cutting off access on the basis of mere claims wrong in itself, but it'll make it harder for innocent victims to seek help for their issues.

I'm pretty sure this mess is just sleazy politics (isn't everything?). Google has been acting a little bit strange lately – it seems almost as if they have spread too thin... or something else? I've done a little research on this:

http://tweakandtune.blogspot.com/2009/03/internet-privacy-another-google-epic.html

Just to clarify I'm not really anti-Google, in fact I liked Google until a few weeks ago. I had heard some bad things long ago but attributed it to the usual Internet noise, like most people. But lately there seems to be an increase in the number of 'accidents' around Google... DoubleClick malware, cloud instablility, "human error", etc. Smells a little funny to me.

Caution: Please keep hands and feet inside the Internet at all times.

Perhaps someone should report to the appropriate ISPs the New Zealand and French government for suspicion of copyright violation so they are cut off from the internet...