[Locke.]

Music site RnBXclusive.com has been shut down by the UK's Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca).

A takedown notice warned visitors who have used the site to download music they could face up to 10 years imprisonment and an unlimited fine.

Soca said music posted on the site was "stolen from the artists" and may have "damaged careers".

A man has been arrested for fraud and bailed pending further enquiries, police told the BBC.

"Soca targets organised criminal enterprises profiting from the exploitation of the UK public and legitimate businesses," the agency said in a statement.

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Members of the public can become facilitators of organised crime by obtaining property or services from its perpetrators”

Soca statement
"Much of the music offered for download by the RnBXclusive.com website was illegally obtained from artists, leading the industry to attribute losses of approximately £15m per year to the site's activity."

Soca added that the action was part of a wider operation combating illegal uploading of copyrighted material online, with several sites being targeted using "varied techniques".

Some industry observers believe the action is a fresh sign that British authorities are stepping up efforts to stamp out online piracy.

However, Loz Kaye, leader of the Pirate Party UK, said he disagreed with the nature of the closure.

"The explicit threat to visitors of the site and take down notice is alarming.

"The claim that the information gathered can be used to identify visitors and their location, followed by a statement that Soca has the capability to monitor, investigate and inform visitors internet service providers of apparent 'infringements', making visitors liable for prosecution seems extreme and unduly threatening."

RnBXclusive.com also ran Twitter and Facebook accounts which remain accessible - although links posted on both services are now inactive as a result of the main site's takedown.

'Monitor and investigate'
On Facebook, fans of the website reacted angrily to the closure.

"Screw Soca!" one user wrote. Another added: "Am I the only one scared of this 10 year jail and fine?"

Police told the BBC they would not comment on whether any of the site's users were currently being pursued.


The site offered latest news and tracks from the UK's rhythm and blues music scene
The website, which is registered to an address in Leicester, was unreachable on Wednesday.

The Soca message, which is now displayed to all visitors of RnBXclusive, displays the user's internet protocol (IP) address, which can be used to identify people online.

The notice warns that Soca has "the capability to monitor and investigate you".

"Members of the public can become facilitators of organised crime by obtaining property or services from its perpetrators," a Soca spokesman said.

"Soca is committed to raising awareness of this threat, its potential consequences, and the steps people can take to avoid involvement."

Last month, officials shut down MegaUpload - one of the world's biggest file-sharing sites. Its owner, Kim Dotcom is being held in New Zealand having been denied bail.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17039722



Most of the stuff on there wasn't even official releases, it was mainly leaks and mixtapes.

[Smithy]

[Doogle]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[Jords]

I just went on the site and it came up with all my details /scared

But its just pathetic, 10 years imprisonment!?!? When murderers, rapists, real theft is going on out there in world? LOL

[Ninastar]

[Ramsay]

I know well Jords..the world is ****ed up

[Patrick]

The internet, is dieing..

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by Jords

I just went on the site and it came up with all my details /scared

But its just pathetic, 10 years imprisonment!?!? When murderers, rapists, real theft is going on out there in world? LOL

I bet they get a tougher time in prison than John ******ing Venables got, that's what will annoy me.

[Jords]

I totally get the hammering down on people making money from sharing files. That is fraud. But for ordinary users that just love music and films and couldnt possibly afford to buy it all I just find really sad. Also I dont want to pay for something that I may end up finding crap.

Heck, most users do buy an album/film out of appreciation if they really like it. Thats what I do. And people act as advertisement when they talk about 'Have you heard ________' and let people know about albums/films they probably wouldnt have ever stumbled across. Probing them to perhaps go buy it. Especially the non-IT capable people.

This policy will help everything mainstream, but boy will it affect those that are not.

[Jordan.]

**** sake they're shutting everything down. It's getting impossible to find dl links by google now.

[Me. I Am Salman]

www.im1music.net

that's down too, but it doesnt say anything about SOPA, so it may just be under construction *fingers crossed* cos this site is WAY better than rnbxclusive.

[Locke.]

Don't be stupid

[Me. I Am Salman]

Have you been on im1??
Rnbxclusive was terrible. If you downloaded something itd have RNBXCLUSIVE written all over it.

Whereas iM1, whatever you download, its as if you downloaded it off itunes store, it comes complete with perfect album art and the ACTUAL song title, song name etc. with no crap :-)

[Locke.]

Better music on RnBXclusive

[Glenn.]

I see this yesterday.

I see my IP address and I was like close window! close window.

-imagined police arriving-

[Me. I Am Salman]

Your being silly
iM1 had EVERYTHING.

[Niall]

I never used that website, but I went on there and SOCA couldn't identify my OS. Ha.

[Me. I Am Salman]

*tries to be clever and use Incognito window*
nope it didnt work they know my IP
but you know what theyre gonna do **** all
think theyre so hard
ARE YOU MONITORING ME NOW HEY PUSSIES

[Scarlett.]

RnBXluvsive sounds like a very..um.....reputable place

[Shaun]

It was useful for the occasional single but even then the majority of times the tags were all wrong but... another one gone.

[Ninastar]

i like hearing the name in my songs

[Locke.]

Always keeps you on edge.. waiting for it to blast out 3 times higher than the volume of the song

[Me. I Am Salman]

Originally Posted by Shaun

It was useful for the occasional single but even then the majority of times the tags were all wrong but... another one gone.

which is why im1music.net is the best site

[reece(:]

JamXclusive will be next

[Me. I Am Salman]

check this site! ive just found out about it
http://www.newjams.net/