I came to this website looking for a reason why filesonic seemed to be down last night (it's DNS servers weren't working correctly). But I'm curious as to how these affiliate programs work. Can someone explain that?
Well in order for firms like fileserve, filesonic, etc. to be attractive enough to sell premium accounts they have to offer content. That's when we, the affiliates come into the game. Affiliates upload content and in order for us to earn we make sure it's stuff that is demanded and spread it on the web to get as much downloads as possible. The system itself is build on growth and a mixed calcultion of heavy and normal premium downloaders. In theory it's a win-win ;-) Oh and about filesonic, they are still working and the sharingmatrix/filesonic transition and fixing the bugs on the new plattform.
Ok, I can understand that. But answer this: Why can't the owners/operators of the file-serving sites just load their servers with content themselves, and then go out and post the links in the usual places? Nobody would ever know the connection between who's posting the links and who owns the servers.
i think its better for millions of uploaders to post content while the owners concentrate on the site
Yeah they could and there are companies like apple with itunes, rhapsody etc. you name it that provide content but all users have to pay in order to get jack and the services of those are limited by contracts to a certain number of countries. In addition content costs a lot of money - money you have to spend in advance for all kinds of legal things. Aside from that the market is saturated - meaning it's hard to estabilish your brand in the market and still make a living plus labels are not known for their coorperation when it comes to neogiation reasonable prices. Apple Inc. had the vantage of offering the harware and the content and being one of the first - they pressure labels into giving them a good deal. But now movie studies, labels etc. also want to make a quick buck and floot the web with their services. The filehoster just ne a few beers, a few bucks and then they have the domain name. Second step is to lease the cheapest servers which isn't that much of a challenge these days. Next step get the page scripts and set up an paypal account, copy TOS. And your in the biz. But since the filehoster come in bucketloads and pop up like mushrooms you as a new player gotta offer something that gets you content (uploaders) that upload big ass files that are very popular so that the folk out there say what the heck I'm gonna buy a premium account cos uploaders park their jucy stuff their and I aint gonna wait between dls. The ways to attract uploaders is either getting them a free premium account or even better giving 'em cash. If copyrights agencies take a leak on your doors you refere them to the DMCA policies and delect the files. If the really are pissed and serve you a legal doc you reveal the IP of the uploader and delect their accounts. If you play ball and get a postbox of remont island you don't even need to spend a lot on lawyers. But if the do it like you suggest and upload stuff for which the don't have permission... oh boy don't even get me stated.
How about SumGuy's idea but with copyrighted files from forgein countries like Japan? from what I know every Country has its own rules? so will they still get in trouble? XD
Almost every country in the world or at least those that matter have some form a copyright. The difference is that they handling it differently. However if you a company infringe the rights of others you are bound to pay - in china, switzerland, japan etc. But if your user upload such content and your TOS stat this as illegal and you DMCA policy complies with the rules you only get probs if you dilly-dally with the execution of complains. After all it doesn't really matter if you have your servers on your private island as long as you allow US, EU and other use your service and not prevent them by geo tagging you are subject to international laws. It's that plain and eays. Of course if you are and your private island it is more likely that you don't care since you are the law ;-)
ok... @above etc.... filehosting it's self is legal, hosting illegal files isnt, but the file hosting company doesnt know they are infridging copyright (officially - obviously they could search for their links on warez board..) so they can stay there until they are infomed with a removal request, most removal requests come in the form of DMCA (An American Piece Of Law) a DMCA request means nothing at all in all countrys except for USA, but the hosts listen to them as well they are the easiest way for the copyright holder to request removal, if they do not remove and cant get it done via local (server / company's local) law then they will attack the bandwidth suppliers and as most large bandwidth suppliers are registered in the US they have to listen.... so it is a lot easier for the file host just to remove as soon as they get a DMCA request in order to prevent the matter going any higher. Even if you own your own country (private islands are under somebody's law, for an island to be classed as a country it has to meet some requirements (e.g. government, min people etc...) but even if you own a country the bandwidth supplier will stil be under somebody's law and the copyright owners will attack them)........
Again if your service is available wordwide and you infringe copyright according to another coutries's laws you are liable. Most countries signed bilaterial and multilateral treaties in which the members agreed to protect intellectual property. A few years back a russian mp3 site made the headlines because it sold cheap mp3s and the whole thing wasn't kosha. During this time russia wanted to join the WTO the world trad organisation but the refused and forced russia to take down the page first. If your are interested in more check this out: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100521/1228049530.shtml Rapidshare (switzerland) vs. some company in the USA.
You are missing my point. The way it works right now, people are ripping music CD's, movie DVD's, cracking games and software, and uploading all that stuff to file-sharing servers, and posting the links to that stuff on other sites. The operators of the file-serving sites are selling premium download access to those files, and paying a kickback to the uploaders. If the operators get DMCA takedown notices, then sure, they can take the files down - or not (depending on how afraid or vulnerable they are to the US legal system). Same applies if the operators get take-down notices from within their own country of operation. So I'm wondering why the operators don't simply load their servers with content that they obtain (one way or another) and then post the links in various places. Cut out the need for uploaders and kickbacks.
@SumGuy: you mean like cut the middle-man. Well for starters since most of them lease the server in some way or another the are not the controlling the servers completely. So if as filehoster uploads illegal material and a copyright agency is really eager and not only to pull the plug of the files but also to get hit the uploaders and therefore finds a judge that requests the IP of the uploader well.... you could give 'em a bogus IP but this makes it only worse since this is forging docs and to be considered as a felony. In addition your IP is being stored with the company where you lease your servers and you could have a bad day and the judge could go straight to those guys. Anyhow if the get you it's commercial copyright infringement and even in China you could run in serious issues. Anyhow lets assume you are cautious and what not. Still you gotta collect material that people what so desperately that they are willing to buy a premium account and furthermore you gotta post in all the hot spot places. Both things demands a lot of time and remember you gotta give support for your filehosting company too. Considering the work you had to put into cutting the middle man do you seriously think you could do better as an individual compared to thousands of uploaders. Moreover the do not only spread links they also spread the word about your service reinvest the earning into premium accounts force boards into allowing to spread your links there. And you don't have to pay every download - you shave rates, etc. I'm not saying that some filehoster upload and spread links themselves but you can only make it with a huge upload army. It's like they say the more the merrier ;-).
Good lucky buddy. It seems like easy cash but the truth is you only make it worth you while if you get a huge user base. In the beginning better cross-finance your service with ad - but don drown your page into ads ;-). Look for good TOS, make sure the DMCA link visible and take care of them every day. As temping as it may be to get the next be cheap shady hosting offer - remember as a new player you have to offer something that others have already established but better or with some innovation. A low service that pays peanuts, doesn't keep promises and looks like a daycare project aint exactly the thing that sets the standard.
just like hotfiles. they have this rate or somthing that you need to reach i think 1000 downlods to earn 1 dol.
Are you talking about bandwidth and server in order to start your own service or a file hoster that offers cheap premium accounts?
Quite right. But it seems quite simple, the way most of them work is make free users wait for the downloads e.g. 1st file 10 mins 2nd file 20 mins 3rd file 40 mins. Oron makes free users wait for an 1hr between downloads! So by pissing free users off and only posting links to a specific filehost; free downloaders think if I want this content I have to buy premium, so the site gets high conversions and can pay the affiliate well. Then the affiliate spreads more and more links. Most seem to work like this but in all these cases the bizarre thing is it's about frustrating free users to force them to buy premium which incentivises affiliates. And if they can't get THAT content they want any other way they have to buy premium. @SumGuy You're way is interesting but just wont work unless you have an employed staff of thousands...If you look around the threads here you'll find other models I have my preferred host which works differently. But don't want to hijack your thread just help with your question.